noggin's posts, page 106

Using SCART to HDMI for VHS

Yes. VHS is a very poor quality PAL composite video source usually, with the signal having a lot of 'wobble' on it (for want of a more technical term). Analogue TV Inputs (and analogue TVs) were designed to cope with this wobble. (Some high end domestic S-VHS VCRs had timebase correctors in them to remove this - and they can often be picked up on eBay - though command a premium)

Modern SCART to HDMI Converters are really more aimed at retro console conversion, and although retro consoles have their own foibles, they are almost always a solid PAL, NTSC or RGB source, so you don't have the 'wobble' issues. To do a decent VHS PAL -> HDMI conversion you will need a converter that does a bit more processing (effectively time base correcting the VHS output).

As others have suggested - if all you want to do is watch a VHS machine output - running it via the RF input (though that will leave it mono and reduce the picture quality a bit) is one solution if you don't want to run a separate cable.

(Incidentally broadcasters have always had to do this with VHS machine outputs - as most broadcast PAL composite kit wants near-perfect PAL sources and has all sorts of problems with the native output of a PAL VCR. Most broadcast operations had a TBC or Synchroniser specifically designed for poor-quality PAL sources like VHS (Often a 'Rogers' box was used ISTR))

BBC News Channel Presentation - 21/03/16 onwards

That's largely true. Breakfast gets ~1.5m on BBC One, and 20-30,000 audience on the BBC News Channel typically.

(Anything below 50,000 in BARB ratings used not to be deemed hugely accurate)

BBC World News | 30th October 2017 Onwards

I don't know - have any of us seen it on camera yet?

BBC Scotland channel - service to also launch in HD

How does BBC Alba TX? Do they use a more cut-down solution?

This Time with Alan Partridge

Frasier may have shot each episode twice, but they weren't taped, they were filmed. Frasier was shot on 35mm film, not video tape.

This Time with Alan Partridge

That's not really the case. Summer Wine has shot in a number of different ways - and actually switched from all video to all film ISTR.

Summer Wine was originally multicam studio video interiors with single camera 16 film exteriors - like most sit coms in the 70s and early 80s. Then, once single camera location video became available at a decent quality, the show transitioned to single cam video exteriors ISTR (shot by the film dept not OBs I think).

Summer Wine then moved to all single-camera Super 16mm (including studios) (*), and eventually to a Thomson Viper 25p HD solution (the Viper was a pre-Alexa e-cinema-style camera).

(*) Don't think they shot multicamera film in studios - which may be one reason they didn't have an audience (Though it's probably more to do with shooting on film sound stages without audience facilities)

Looking at some vintage Quantel Paintbox systems

Paintbox didn't exist in 1980. I think Tom is talking about a Quantel DVE (i.e. a picture re-sizing device)

(Some people think Quantel = Paintbox. It doesn't)

Looking at some vintage Quantel Paintbox systems

Breakfast Time used Paintbox, but I don't think their weather graphics used them. (Breakfast Time didn't use the same weather presenters or graphics as the rest of the BBC, but launched with electronic weather graphics and satellite maps when the main BBC weather dept were still using physical maps with stick on magnetic symbols)

The BBC weather relaunch in 1985 used 'Soft Paintbox' which was a neat way of computer controlling Paintbox from a separate computer. ISTR that the first system used Apple Mac XLs (very similar to the pre-Mac Apple Lisa) to allow forecasters to design maps, that were then rendered using Soft Paintboxes controlled by a Vax minicomputer (I may be misremembering the Vax element)

When the 'Soft Paintbox system was replaced by a system that used a graphics card in an Apple Mac, the quality of rendered graphics took a bit of a nose-dive. The Quantel Paintbox had some very nice anti-twitter filtering that avoided interline flicker caused by interlace. The fully Mac-based replacement didn't - and flickered far more...

BBC News also used Soft Paintboxes to automatically create football results tables etc. prior to using Silicon Graphics workstations ISTR.

Paintboxes were in use at the BBC before the 1985 graphics launch. (A large number of VFX shots in 'The Tripods' used Paintbox, alongside some very early computer rendered models)

BBC News Scotland | News at Nine

I can't say what they were originally designed for - but they are used for ad hoc requirements, hospitality for guests / meetings, ad hoc meetings with flexible tables and seating, on-air use for shows that don't require a studio or where budgets are lower and using lighting and the building architecture as a backdrop massively reduces the costs of set construction etc.

I wouldn't be surprised either way with regard to the stairs. There are lifts in the building, but across BBC buildings staff are encouraged to use the stairs for health reasons...

BBC World News | 30th October 2017 Onwards

I agree that the dreadful Thomson TTV1707s that many English regions are still blighted with are not great, but don't see what the age of lighting grids has to do with much.

I don't see people complaining about the current lighting grids in TC1, TC2 or TC3 - nor did they complain about the grids at TLS. They are/were all decades old - and in some cases the lamps were of a similar vintage.

I don't see how the age of lighting support structures has much of an impact on the quality of the lighting (though obviously the original design of the lighting grid can do - but that won't change over time)

Good Morning Britain

5 days is quite a long time if it is just prep work for simple OB inserts into a morning news show. IF it is just simple OB inserts that GMB are doing... Moving an entire show into a new studio centre is a slightly different kettle of fish.

However there may well be requirements for broadcasts in the days before the Oscars - and Erron may simply be taking the opportunity of having some personal time in LA before he needs to work.

It's certainly not unusual for staff working on overseas deployment to pick up their own hotel bills for a day or two, particularly if there isn't a major flight cost increase in going earlier than required, or coming back later. Many employers will also pay for a 'rest day' if they fly you out economy on a long haul flight. (If you are lucky enough to fly business, where there is a more realistic opportunity of getting some sleep, you may not get a rest day)

BBC Scotland channel - service to also launch in HD

Yes - the BBC One HD variants on DSat are delayed relative to each other a bit to improve statmux efficiency.