We know that several thousand of you have viewed HJ's road test on the Honda Jazz. More are planned we trust. We hope you have enjoyed this one. Any feedback on the following would be appreciated:
- playing experience - lags, browser support, video quality,
- content, usefullness, duration, style, etc.
Constructive criticism please if that is poss.
Thanks
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Stephen Khoo
www.khoosys.net
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It stalled on me after 59 seconds, and wouldn't restart.
But that may be because my broadband connection has been deteriorating rapidly since its takeover by a balloonist, and also stalls on youtube :(
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Works here !
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minor issue - could be just me (watched it in Firefox) but once played it doesn't end automatically, just loops again.
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Same here - any moan I had about the lighting was cured by watching it in full screen. Good idea.
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Yes; it loops on IE too.
It was eating all my resources this morning; but Stephen got it fixed - fine now.
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Works fine here in Safari, pretty good road test. Not the sort of thing that TG or 5G does these days but actually all the better for that.
Let's have some more!
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Worked fine on my IE, good quality picture and good sound. Re content - IMO you crammed a fair bit of information and informed opinion into the 2 minutes. Good start and punchy end - just shows how little time 2 minutes is as I would have liked more info on the car driving experience. I can find out CO2 and VED details on the manufacturer's sites but an honest independent overview of the driving experience and perhaps a quick final comparison with a couple of competitors would be really useful.
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Again, good on Safari. Interesting re the automated manual - would perhaps like a bit more in depth on its acceptability vis a vis the old CVT, which was very smooth in operation, leaving aside the gruff DSi engine. Overall - well presented, and to the point!
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NowWheels
I would ask for a new modem. Mine started getting slow a couple of months ago and I thought it was the service, but a new modem has given it a new lease of life.
Assumptions: You're on cable and using one of the old/big/silver ntl:home modems.
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Is it possible to communicate "constructive criticism" privately?
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Works fine with me. And (IMHO) it's very well done.
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I think I may have started to look at it before it was properly set up or strung together, and it stalled at two or three different places. Just a bit later the whole thing played through perfectly.
Clearly HJ has a high regard for this device too. Of course the video wasn't a full HJ road test. Cramming that into two and a bit minutes would take some doing of course. 'The Skinhead Hamlet' springs to mind (if anyone knows that hilarious little text).
No doubt HJ means to develop this feature?
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nice review of the jazz but could have been longer, would like to see the interior more like the instruments, and also the engine bay a bit like the old top gear, also a comparison of the old model jazz vs the new
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I thought that was ace. Making little films like that is definitely not as easy as many think, and that was a more than creditable attempt.
Technically it rolled along at full screen for me with no problems at all, but then I do have a rather fast connection. The resolution could have gone up a notch or two at that size - you could perhaps do an HD version for those lucky enough to be able to utilise it?
Content was great - as ever, no amount of wiffle about magic seats or whatever in text ever conveys the simplicity of the "look it does this" you get in a video.
Sure, it's not top tv standard but for what it is I thought it was done really well and did what it aimed to do.
On another side, HJ is way more soft spoken than I imagined! I wouldn't buy a used car from him though.
Keep them coming along.
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HD version
Those lucky enough to have seen the video between 1pm and 2pm yesterday would have noticed that it was double the resolution of the current one. The original HD one is really good quality at 640x360, but weighs in at 25MB. The current one was cut down to 300x198 and is 12MB. The only reason for reducing the size is to get some kind of grip on bandwidth consumed here. We have jumped to around 15x the normal usage - and that's just with one video!
Early viewers yesterday may have noticed waiting times during playing and this was because our bandwidth was being throttled by our connection provider. The limit has been raised since then so you should not be experiencing any delays during playing now.
An HD option is something we maybe should look into as it seems a shame to have such a good quality source only to throw most of it away and it's at full screen that you really start to notice the difference.
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Stephen Khoo
www.khoosys.net
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would like to see the interior more like the instruments
me too, I always want to see what the dash and display instruments look like, as some look just right and others often a little dull.
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It ran perfectly for me with no pauses or jumps. I would have liked a more in depth review especially on the i-Shift transmission.
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Forgot to say, don't like the "elevator music" much. It doesn't add anything.
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For someone who spends his days driving cars and parked in front of a screen documenting his exploits, HJ is in good shape.
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On my Dell X1 laptop running Linux CentOS 5, Firefox 3.0.1, my CPU usage now jumps to about 50% when browsing the forum, making the forum experience jerky and a bit irritating.
This appears to be due to the video automatically 'playing' - the time counter increases, although the picture doesn't change. When it stops (after 2:01) my CPU drops back down to a more reasonable 10-15% (due to the adverts I think), and everything's ok again.
I don't know how much of this is specific to Linux and having a not particularly powerful PC, but would it be possible to either:
- stop the video from auto-playing, or
- not display it on the forum pages ie. just have a link to another page
F
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Same here Focus - page and threads are downloaded immediately, then it freezes for about 5 seconds whilst the embedded video player downloads.
Just the picture with "click to view" would be good and clicking then downloads the video player, rather than it downloading the video player every time.
It has bombed a couple of times, as pop up blocker is trying to do it's job too!
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Constructive Criticism = Developmental feedback. [Trainer speak ;-) ]
Edited by Fullchat on 19/09/2008 at 23:20
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No lags over the works network, and downloads quick enough. Ran without any problems (IE7)
Would be nicer if video quality was better, and the music should be lost or toned down.
As someone else said, you can always get the 'hard' information from other places, and as for the tax info, then just remember that that is at Mr Darling's whim and may change anytime, and you wouldn't want to have to re-dub your whole library !. The schoolboy in me will always want to know the top speed and fuel consumption though.
Is that really HJ, or does he use Sid James' son as a stuntman ;-)
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Works fine for me.
Clk Sec
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Doesn't seem to auto-play now... fixed?
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Yes thanks. Hadn't noticed it earlier as it was being cached. Autoplay was off anyway, but the nasty little autobuffering was on as default.
That should be much better for all of us now!
Maybe we can go back to the better quality version...
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Stephen Khoo
www.khoosys.net
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ok -this is the higher quality version now. Much better at full screen. Anyone notice the difference?
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Stephen Khoo
www.khoosys.net
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Excellent. Wish it was a bit longer - 2 minutes just too short.
Does HJ always wear that hat?
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Excellent. Wish it was a bit longer - 2 minutes just too short.
I'd say good rather than excellent. It's a little too uncritical for my tastes, and I agree that it's too short. Video quality is now acceptable even when set full-screen on my 1200X800 laptop
Does HJ always wear that hat?
It seems to have been surgically attached. Anyway, it's the man's trademark, and it would therefore be a form of blasphemy for him to bare his head.
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Picture freezes every few seconds at full screen. On IE7.
Fine on the mini screen and a good first attempt.
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That's a noticeable improvement, so much so that I can now see the bearded bloke in the wing mirror at 38 seconds in is indeed the spit of Santa.
Edited by Dipstick on 12/09/2008 at 16:19
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>>Forgot to say, don't like the "elevator music" much. It doesn't add anything.
It's Jazz, innit?
Seriously, I quite liked the music, but it is a matter of taste, and I suspect that as a general rule, Borasport is right - it should be lost or toned down. No matter what kind of music you choose, someone will find it irritating.
As for the hat, well, an HJ video just wouldn't be right without it. But where are the proper HJ specs? :-)
Oh, and I do like the higher quality version. Thanks, Stephen.
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I'm just a bit surprised that only one person has suggested that the item was, maybe, a bit 'uncritical'. To be honest the first thing that crossed my mind after seeing it was that it looked less like an unbiased review (which I fully accept it is)...than an advert by Honda. There's something about about the feel of it - about the tone of it - which makes HJ look more like an actor primed by the ad. agency and less like the independant and just individual I trust him to be.
I am, personally, particularly interested because the old Jazz has always come close to meeting my own needs and having resisted the purchase of one and I am looking closely at the new one.
I most certainly have no axe to grind and no wish to pick holes just for the sake of it but was genuinely struck as decribed above when I saw it and was a bit surprised that there was, if I recall correctly, no hint of anything worthy of criticism....and that has to be a first? At the very least I might expect, say, "what a shame a car for use in town has no side and/or corner rubbing strips"..... or....."it seems a tad pricey for a 'Japanese' car that's not made in Japan". As I say I've never read a report that hasn't said something - but if this is the perfect car then three cheers for that - form an orderly queue and make a space for me. Thanks for the feature - don't let a soppy old so and so put you off (Not that you was going to).
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Never knew HJ was a notherner LOL ;-)
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Just spotted this online, first HJ video review that I have seen but have to say that I thoughti t was very good. None of that stuff you usualyl get concentrating on the engine size, power and speed.
I am naively waiting to take a look at the new Jazz myself in a vain hope that it will be big enough for my 6' 2" height and that my legs will be able to fit comfortably under the steering wheel with no back and joint pains getting in and out.
Some hope :-)
moved from a standalone post - the post proves a point though read in the context of the other opinions on here which tawse obviously hadn't seen !
Edited by Pugugly on 13/09/2008 at 18:15
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We're all looking at this in isolation: if you look at the video and then read the road test you get a much more complete picture with one complementing the other.
Excellent - many congratulations. Nice to see HJ 'in the flesh' as it were: it reinforces the impression that he tells it as it is. If he appears uncritical I'd deduce that Honda have made a very good car even better, as he explains and specifies in the video and the road test.
But I do hope they offer a spare tyre at least as an option, or I'll never have one.
Edited by Avant on 13/09/2008 at 21:49
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Works fine on my system for both video and sound.
Mind you I keep my K-Lite Video and Audio Codecs (Full Pack) right up to date. See:
www.filehippo.com/download_klite_codec_pack/
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Avant is right. Viewed at the same time (or in reality immediately after reading the road test) it is pretty good. Technically the video worked fine for me and my only detailed criticism of the presentation was that the Magic Seats section wasn't as obvious to one who has not seen them in action. I think the camera was too low to really appreciate the usefullness of them.
Great idea
PS Tone the music down. My secretary thought I was 'out at lunch'!
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Espada,
I felt that too. It was better after the quality hike and in full screen - my initial thought was that it was poorly lit - watched in tandem with the written article its a cracking concept, even better it can be "blogged" here at the same time.
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Just viewed it again in full screen. Hmmm, still not convinced that it shows the Magic Seats to their best.
However, the whole video simply flows nicely. Just enough information and far better than a Top Gear test drive from the early 1990s.
Still want the music a little quieter though!
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Works fine with Firefox 3, small size or full screen.
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I liked it
I wanted more
If the 5 door auto is the only "petrol 5 seater auto in the 35 quid tax bracket" I want to know what diesel and/or 4 seater autos are in the 35 quid tax bracket, just wanna know more
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Stephen
I don't know what you've done; but you've maxed out my CPU again!
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Not me - promise.. ;-)
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Stephen Khoo
www.khoosys.net
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Stephen
Well it's still doing it; with one HJ tab open the chip is at 85% and with both Tech and Discussion open the whole thing seizes up.
Close both tabs and it's back to 8% - what else can it be.....?
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Stephen
Well it's still overloading my chip - after an hour of having both tabs open, the whole machine just cut dead, I had to cycle the PSU to get it to re-boot.
I'm not risking HJ anymore; so can you e-mail me when it's fixed.
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Well it's still overloading my chip
As mentioned further down this thread, and also by others in CRQ vol162
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?f=2&t=67...5
the culprit is probably flash adverts rather than the road-test video.
I'm not risking HJ anymore; so can you e-mail me when it's fixed.
May I suggest you try to temporarily disable flash [from tools>manage add ons ] and see if it cures your problem while you wait for any permanent fix being found at HJ's end.
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Nicely shot for a short video. All I ask is that you don't do what TG & 5th Gear do when they blur the shots and jump from a wheel to a reflection in a puddle back to an upsidedown gear knob! It's all very arty but does my head in when all I want to see is the car.
Good work.
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The picture in HJ's Focus Econetic test is vertically elongated, and stays like that in all sizes.
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Good to see HJ supporting the King in his Honda Jazz video.
(yellow wrist band)
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The latest video (Ford Focus) is even better than the First one (Honda Jazz) but what I really want to know is, are you prepared to reveal where you bought Diesel at £1.40 per gallon?
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The picture in HJ's Focus Econetic test is vertically elongated and stays like that in all sizes.
Ditto (Linux, Firefox 3.0.1).
A lot better without the cheesy music BTW :-)
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Should be 300 x 225
Original was 320 x 240
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Stephen Khoo
www.khoosys.net
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Just to be irritating HJ. Could you possibly E-mail me directions to the filling station which has diesel at £1.40 a gallon ? I promise not to tell anyone else !
Humph
;-)
Edit - except the bloke above who beat me to it of course.
Edited by Humph Backbridge on 18/09/2008 at 18:03
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The caption above the road test video to the right has Honda Jazz... but it's the Ford review ;-)
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And the image is still vertically stretched.
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You'd think with a car that tall it wouldn't be so fuel efficient. So it's not a Focus Plus next to a taller HJ then.
Full screen quality not great and even in the webpage the video takes a lot of CPU power. Mine is a hyperthreaded system and this is using one virtual processor and slowing down typing big time. So wonder what it's like on slower systems.
This is a problem like posted in the computer thread but the video has now stopped but it is stil laffecting my system. Maybe Stephen can comment.
This is the only site I have performance problems on. Maybe an updated forum software stack is needed?
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As I say it is scaled to the same aspect ratio of what was supplied, although I agree that it looks stretched and whites are a bit bleached out.
Regarding CPU usage, I can't observe high CPU on Mac FF, or Windows IE6 or 7 in particular on the pages with video.
It loads the flash player dynamically which may be an issue, although it is rather tiny. Are you sure it isn't a flash ad?
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Stephen Khoo
www.khoosys.net
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It could have been a flash add - can these not use less CPU ;-)
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How about some video road tests for old cars. Could be useful for people looking to buy a used car or first time buyers (like me :D)?
Thanks,
Luke.
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Absolutely brilliant idea Lucretia. But does our leader have the time?
If he doesn't, the idea of the entire menagerie showing off its assorted bangers and jalopies has a certain humorous appeal...
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thinking about it the video is not stretched... it's squashed horizontally.
I bet it was filmed on something in widescreen and the way the recorder did this has squashed the video. I seem to recall my previous video camera could do widescreen but it was not really a widescreen camcorder. The replacement one is and seems to transfer widescreen video fine.
Could be barking up the wrong tree but I wonder what meta data came with the original video file.
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I eventually got it to work (Firefox 3) - dunno what the problem was - but there's something wrong with the colour balance of his shirts.
Apart from that - fine.
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rtj70 you are right.
Even though the original is 320 x 240, converting it to widescreen (16:9) fixes it.
The original resolution is not as high as the Honda one either so it doesn't look as good at full screen.
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Stephen Khoo
www.khoosys.net
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So it sounds like the original is not even available as a standard def video which for PAL would be 768x576 (lower for NTSC).
I like the idea of the videos though. And she it's been made widescreen :-)
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