IS
I can't find the clip any more but last years Comic Relief has a spectacularly timed breakdown, happening just as Russel Brand went to announce the grand total.
Another case of the BT line booking being too short (it was overrunning as always)
Another case of the BT line booking being too short (it was overrunning as always)
LL
The video is in this article - https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/783736/Comic-Relief-2017-Red-Nose-Day-end-of-night-total-Russell-Brand-BBC
That was probably the least of the problems that night. IIRC when they got the feed back, Russell acknowledged the problem, revealed the total once again, and as he finished the programme they left his mic on long enough for him to say "oh f**k me" or something to that effect. And before that, the Brett Domino Trio had about three attempts doing their bit after a microphone problem, and then their backing video wasn't cued up properly. A dire programme but gold for those who like things going wrong.
That was probably the least of the problems that night. IIRC when they got the feed back, Russell acknowledged the problem, revealed the total once again, and as he finished the programme they left his mic on long enough for him to say "oh f**k me" or something to that effect. And before that, the Brett Domino Trio had about three attempts doing their bit after a microphone problem, and then their backing video wasn't cued up properly. A dire programme but gold for those who like things going wrong.
SP
Films spool changeovers generally happened at the end of a scene, I think, so a fault of that nature would almost always happen at a well timed moment.
A nominee for Best Timed Breakdown?
Films spool changeovers generally happened at the end of a scene, I think, so a fault of that nature would almost always happen at a well timed moment.
IS
I've stood amongst Sky's uplink dishes at Chilworth, and there are indeed servos that regularly shift the dishes' aim by tiny amounts, to compensate for the Astra satellites 'wandering' about in their orbits.
Yes, as Noggin says the bigger the dish the more accurate it has to be. It's especially important when you're transmitting but even for reception a few fractions of a degree can represent a few dB of signal
They track the satellite either by detecting the signal strength of a transmission from the satellite called the beacon. When this gets lower the dish moves in one direction, and sees if treatment strength has improved, if not it goes back and then moves another direction until it finds a stronger signal. After a day or so it builds up the pattern that the satellite is moving in and can predict its movements instead
I've stood amongst Sky's uplink dishes at Chilworth, and there are indeed servos that regularly shift the dishes' aim by tiny amounts, to compensate for the Astra satellites 'wandering' about in their orbits.
Yes, as Noggin says the bigger the dish the more accurate it has to be. It's especially important when you're transmitting but even for reception a few fractions of a degree can represent a few dB of signal
They track the satellite either by detecting the signal strength of a transmission from the satellite called the beacon. When this gets lower the dish moves in one direction, and sees if treatment strength has improved, if not it goes back and then moves another direction until it finds a stronger signal. After a day or so it builds up the pattern that the satellite is moving in and can predict its movements instead
Last edited by Inspector Sands on 29 April 2018 9:09pm
RO
Happened with a famous one on BBC1, the film "Adams Woman". This was a widescreen film, and they were using the pan and scan technique. That alone had poor results, but the highlight of it was when they forgot the change the reel!
The video is no longer on youtube, as far as I can see, but it went from the film, to a black and then a red screen, a photo, end of reel 3, then another bit end of 3. They then put up the holding slide, just as they got onto the next reel, before re-joining the film.
The video is no longer on youtube, as far as I can see, but it went from the film, to a black and then a red screen, a photo, end of reel 3, then another bit end of 3. They then put up the holding slide, just as they got onto the next reel, before re-joining the film.
DW
I've seen that clip a few times but it still makes me laugh when, to add insult to injury, that first woman pops up AGAIN at 0:42.
Not exactly a breakdown, but BBC Scotland has some unfortunate problems during a breakfast bulletin…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLQqKm9GEng
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLQqKm9GEng
I've seen that clip a few times but it still makes me laugh when, to add insult to injury, that first woman pops up AGAIN at 0:42.
:-(
A former member
It's not our fault!
JV
James Vertigan
Founding member
Happened with a famous one on BBC1, the film "Adams Woman". This was a widescreen film, and they were using the pan and scan technique. That alone had poor results, but the highlight of it was when they forgot the change the reel!
The video is no longer on youtube, as far as I can see, but it went from the film, to a black and then a red screen, a photo, end of reel 3, then another bit end of 3. They then put up the holding slide, just as they got onto the next reel, before re-joining the film.
The video is no longer on youtube, as far as I can see, but it went from the film, to a black and then a red screen, a photo, end of reel 3, then another bit end of 3. They then put up the holding slide, just as they got onto the next reel, before re-joining the film.
RO
This one in a late shift in 1989, from Channel 4, is more memorable, for Jon Briggs, our announcer, trying to sound calm and know what's going on, when in fact he's a bit puzzled, and hasn't a clue what's going on!
I think he was trying to say something when there was nothing left to say!
I think he was trying to say something when there was nothing left to say!
GE
What HAS happened in the past is that shows have booked satellite space on 'cheap' satellites that are beginning to wobble (*) a bit, or book satellites that have marginal coverage of the location they are broadcasting from and to.
The wobble is due to the satellite only carrying a finite amount of fuel for the engines which keep it in the right spot in the sky - eventually it starts to run out.
one broadcaster (naming no names) booked a big chunk of space for a major state occasion on a wobbly satellite, and were told with about a week to go that it had reached the end of its life, and the remaining fuel was going to send it off into junk orbit. That cheap space then became a very expensive gamble, as just about everything else had been booked...
(*) They do move a very small amount - but usually this is less than the beam width of your dish so you don't need to refocus. However AIUI the bigger the dish, the narrower the beam width, and as bigger dishes are often used for broadcasts, you end up having to dynamically track some ageing satellites to counteract the wobble (but these satellites are cheaper to use...)
I've stood amongst Sky's uplink dishes at Chilworth, and there are indeed servos that regularly shift the dishes' aim by tiny amounts, to compensate for the Astra satellites 'wandering' about in their orbits.
I do know someone who held the record for 'most channels taken off air at once' at that company when he accidentally turned off tracking on the dish used for DTH services.
thegeek
Founding member
What HAS happened in the past is that shows have booked satellite space on 'cheap' satellites that are beginning to wobble (*) a bit, or book satellites that have marginal coverage of the location they are broadcasting from and to.
The wobble is due to the satellite only carrying a finite amount of fuel for the engines which keep it in the right spot in the sky - eventually it starts to run out.
one broadcaster (naming no names) booked a big chunk of space for a major state occasion on a wobbly satellite, and were told with about a week to go that it had reached the end of its life, and the remaining fuel was going to send it off into junk orbit. That cheap space then became a very expensive gamble, as just about everything else had been booked...
(*) They do move a very small amount - but usually this is less than the beam width of your dish so you don't need to refocus. However AIUI the bigger the dish, the narrower the beam width, and as bigger dishes are often used for broadcasts, you end up having to dynamically track some ageing satellites to counteract the wobble (but these satellites are cheaper to use...)
I've stood amongst Sky's uplink dishes at Chilworth, and there are indeed servos that regularly shift the dishes' aim by tiny amounts, to compensate for the Astra satellites 'wandering' about in their orbits.
I do know someone who held the record for 'most channels taken off air at once' at that company when he accidentally turned off tracking on the dish used for DTH services.