tv + media

short circuits

DVD

Drew Carey's improv show "Whose Line Is It Anyway?," cribbed from British TV, could be uneven from week to week. That's why compilation DVDs such as today's "The Best of Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (Warner, $25) might be a welcome release for casual fans. The two-disc set collects 10 complete episodes from the show's 1998-2006 run, along with occasional "uncensored" bits that could merit a PG-13 rating. Show regulars Ryan Stiles, Wayne Brady and the ever-balding Colin Mochrie provide their usually reliable johnny-on-the-spot gems, but the real surprises come from guest stars. Exercise guru Richard Simmons lampoons his flamboyant persona with a side-splitting excursion on a water scooter, and Florence Henderson sends up her sitcom-mom stereotype in a hilarious tryst with pool boy Stiles. The sole extra, a one-hour anniversary special, is arguably the best thing on the set. There's nothing funnier than when Brady unwittingly flashes viewers -- using an unsuspecting audience member.

Also out today: "The Cleaner" (Season 1), "Crossing Over," "Father Knows Best" (Season 3), "Fired Up," "Get Smart" (Season 3), "Gran Torino," "The International," "The Jack Lemmon Film Collection," "Perry Mason" (Season 4, Vol. 1), "Reaper" (Season 2), "The Shield" (Season 7), "Were the World Mine," "Woodstock" (40th anniversary set).

WEB

Whenever I write about MP3s, I invariably receive comments from readers decrying the quality of the compressed audio files that are the staple of iPods and other portable players. "Listen to the same song on vinyl, CD and in MP3 format," one reader said. "You will here a noticeable difference even on a lower-fi home system." But can you really? MP3s were audibly inferior several years ago, but now that popular music sites such as iTunes and Amazon offer downloads at a bitrate of 256 kilobits per second and others at the highest 320kbps, the differences aren't as clear. (The higher the bitrate, the better the audio quality.) But hear for yourself. I've created the MP3 Challenge at the Technobabble blog (startribune.com/technobabble). Listen to three samples each of six music tracks in different genres and see if you can distinguish the original CD file from its MP3 counterparts at the two highest bitrates. You can download the files and burn them to a CD for playback on your home stereo or listen through your computer, preferably with headphones. If the differences are as obvious as the naysayers insist, the blind test should be easy, right?

RANDY A. SALAS