Customer Reviews

Ambient Fire: Ultimate Video Fireplace DVD (Shot in HD)

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I honestly don't know what I expected out of this product. I suppose I wanted it to transport me to a snow-covered cabin in the north woods, put me in a terrycloth robe and slippers, and hand me a cup of cocoa. While it didn't quite accomplish those dreamy things, it succeeded in being exactly what it purports to be: an well produced video fireplace.

The picture is crisp and the sound crisper. Each video is automatically set up to loop continuously, so no reprogramming of your DVD player is necessary for long-term play. Mercifully, only one of the nine video options has any of the panning or camera movement you may read about on some other videos, which is just fine because a real fireplace doesn't pan or zoom... right? (The lone exception is a fire kalidescope of sorts - too psychedelic for my taste and the only track that's pretty much a throw-away.)

The lighting is consistent as is the overall tone of each scene. The views featuring a mantle outline vs. just the logs-n-flames are split about 50-50, with one scene focused tightly on the flames alone. The logs appear to be real as they collapse on themselves over time, but I believe the fires are supplemented by gas as they seem (at least in the early stages of each scene) to burn almost TOO consistently. The holiday-decorated scene looks like a display you might see at your local department store -- it's cheesy but charming in its own campy way.

The choice of 7 different audio tracks (3 music tracks with or without fire crackling background, plus the fire sounds alone) is a nice feature. I doubt I'll ever watch this video with the music tracks provided as unfortunately they're not of very good performance quality and therefore not terribly relaxing. Again, it's a nice option to be able to turn them off.

While overall, it's not exactly compelling video, it's not supposed to be. It's lovely to have when setting a relaxing mood. Pardon me while I pop it in... and grab my own robe and slippers.

It has a very user friendly menu letting you also choose different audio for each fire and hear samples prior to making a final decision. My favorite is the campfire because it has a very important thing missing in the others...hot embers. That red glow at the bottom of the fire is so important, which also lead to the wood collapsing on itself as it burns. The others are gas flamed and you can even see in one of the fireplaces that gas is turned-up to get the fire going. I think the HD quality actually was a bad choice. HD seems to make the flames look like one of the vertical fan things that blows tinsel upward at the car dealership to get your attention. Is missing the different colors happening in the flames that dance about. I have another fire dvd that was shot on regular video of a real fire and it is sensational. This will work for may people, but I grew up having experiencing hundreds of nights with family and pets in front of our fireplace and I was perhaps expecting too much.

I wanted to buy a fireplace dvd to have for the holidays. I searched through alot of different dvds with many different reviews. None seemed to have all good reviews, so I chose this one based on the music. (You can choose from Classical, Jazz, Christmas music, fire sounds or a combination of fire sounds and music) I am extremely pleased with it. The music is very nice, the fire noise sounds real and is very relaxing. There are eight different fires and a scene with pretty candles on a turning table to choose from. They have a fireplace with Christmas decorations around it, a fancy marble fireplace, a brick one, a stone one, and a couple others. They also have a campfire, which I like. When you listen to the fire sounds on this track (different fire sounds for each fireplace) you can hear the wind, crickets, an owl, and even frogs in the background. It is very realistic sounding. The only thing I don't like is the track that is just flames (no fireplace). They are so big on my screen that I feel like the wall is on fire. Other than that, this is a great dvd. Good quality picture and well worth the price. I highly recommend it.

This is not the absolute perfect fireplace DVD, but I have no regrets about purchasing it. You'll love the options available (different fireplaces and sounds, etc) and the picture is great. My only wish is that each fire was shown from beginning to end, from initial roaring flames down to the dying embers, which is the only reason I didn't give 5 stars. I have watched it dozens of times, and I especially enjoy reading in front of it. PLEASANT, RELAXING AND REALISTIC... RECOMMENDED!

I was disappointed in this product. The fires all felt as though they were sped up, and instead of being able to luxuriate in the slow soothing flames and sounds of a fire, I felt hurried /rushed...as though each version had to complete and burn fully within the 1/2 hour. I couldn't find such a product...ie: the 4 hour fire that burns down to coals in real time.

While I knew going in that the claim "filmed in HD" meant nothing (would require Blu-ray or HDDVD disc and player), I was surprised at the only average resolution. That being said, everyone who has been to my place while this DVD played, really enjoyed it and wanted to know where I got it. It fulfills it's role as a background and since I have no comparisons to other similar products, performs adequately.

It's hard to rate this video, because really it's what you ask for-- a fireplace on video. However I was hoping for a higher quality video, not something that looks like it was shot with some regular home video camera. Despite that, the fire sounds are great and the "Max Relax" music is very soothing and I actually fell asleep listening to it! The "Yultide" music is ok, but I played my own music during our Christmas party. Overall it's a good video, despite the quality of the footage itself.

The fires depicted have a strange color. The only menu item with fire sounds only is so huge its scary. Music blasts on most menu selections. The fires burn too quickly as though on fast forward and I can't really see any HD effects. I cannot recommend this DVD. I would like to return it.

I do not know why no one has mentions that the fires are burning at a faster than normal rate - I did not find it at all relaxing, and am very disappointed in the DVD. Even the music seems to be sped up - as though the whole DVD was recorded at 2x speed. I playeed it on my computer and DVD player - both produced the same results. Any one else experience this?

Like many customers here, I'm a research hound. After the NYTimes reviewed fireplace DVDs, I became curious and went through the reviews here on Amazon.

This DVD was among the best-rated on Amazon and NYT's recommendation. It is also mine (without having bought or watched others).

When - in an unusual cool winter in Florida and capped chimney in our house - you have the DVD running and keep thinking at times that the living room should warm up now because of the fire, you know your brain has been fooled. In this case, a good thing. It won't replace the sensory experiences of a real fireplace, but it will come very close, for very little money.