The Newsroom

BBC Breakfast

From 6am (April 2012)

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RW
Robert Williams Founding member
simon1970 posted:
What I don't understand with these screen graphics like the clock, logo and "LIVE" is why are they still using a 4:3 screen set up? Why aren't they moved to edge of the screens?

It was reported at the start of the year that there are still over 13,000 homes with a black-and-white licence - over 45 years after the start of colour. I don't know what proportion of the audience still watching on 4:3 televisions, but with only a few months since the last analogue transmissions, it must still be fairly substantial. And with a programme with Breakfast, many people are probably watching it on small bedroom or kitchen television sets, which are more likely to be 4:3 than their main set. Yes, set top boxes can be set to 16:9 - but I bet most 4:3 viewers are watching in centre cut out and won't appreciate the clock disappearing off the edge of the screen.
CH
chris
Robert Williams posted:
simon1970 posted:
What I don't understand with these screen graphics like the clock, logo and "LIVE" is why are they still using a 4:3 screen set up? Why aren't they moved to edge of the screens?

It was reported at the start of the year that there are still over 13,000 homes with a black-and-white licence - over 45 years after the start of colour. I don't know what proportion of the audience still watching on 4:3 televisions, but with only a few months since the last analogue transmissions, it must still be fairly substantial. And with a programme with Breakfast, many people are probably watching it on small bedroom or kitchen television sets, which are more likely to be 4:3 than their main set. Yes, set top boxes can be set to 16:9 - but I bet most 4:3 viewers are watching in centre cut out and won't appreciate the clock disappearing off the edge of the screen.


It really annoys me when people get irritated with 4:3 safe areas. Do people not understand that some simply cannot afford HD 3D Internet TVs and I am sure a large proportion of the population still have 4:3 televisions in their homes, whether it be their main TV or a second set. Why should they have to suffer just so some people can see graphics right to the edge of the screen?

Personally I think it looks neater to have a bit of bleed.
SI
simon1970
chris posted:
Robert Williams posted:
simon1970 posted:
What I don't understand with these screen graphics like the clock, logo and "LIVE" is why are they still using a 4:3 screen set up? Why aren't they moved to edge of the screens?

It was reported at the start of the year that there are still over 13,000 homes with a black-and-white licence - over 45 years after the start of colour. I don't know what proportion of the audience still watching on 4:3 televisions, but with only a few months since the last analogue transmissions, it must still be fairly substantial. And with a programme with Breakfast, many people are probably watching it on small bedroom or kitchen television sets, which are more likely to be 4:3 than their main set. Yes, set top boxes can be set to 16:9 - but I bet most 4:3 viewers are watching in centre cut out and won't appreciate the clock disappearing off the edge of the screen.


It really annoys me when people get irritated with 4:3 safe areas. Do people not understand that some simply cannot afford HD 3D Internet TVs and I am sure a large proportion of the population still have 4:3 televisions in their homes, whether it be their main TV or a second set. Why should they have to suffer just so some people can see graphics right to the edge of the screen?

Personally I think it looks neater to have a bit of bleed.


Sorry I wasn't "irritated"; I just asked a question... won't bother in future.
CH
chris
simon1970 posted:
chris posted:
Robert Williams posted:
simon1970 posted:
What I don't understand with these screen graphics like the clock, logo and "LIVE" is why are they still using a 4:3 screen set up? Why aren't they moved to edge of the screens?

It was reported at the start of the year that there are still over 13,000 homes with a black-and-white licence - over 45 years after the start of colour. I don't know what proportion of the audience still watching on 4:3 televisions, but with only a few months since the last analogue transmissions, it must still be fairly substantial. And with a programme with Breakfast, many people are probably watching it on small bedroom or kitchen television sets, which are more likely to be 4:3 than their main set. Yes, set top boxes can be set to 16:9 - but I bet most 4:3 viewers are watching in centre cut out and won't appreciate the clock disappearing off the edge of the screen.


It really annoys me when people get irritated with 4:3 safe areas. Do people not understand that some simply cannot afford HD 3D Internet TVs and I am sure a large proportion of the population still have 4:3 televisions in their homes, whether it be their main TV or a second set. Why should they have to suffer just so some people can see graphics right to the edge of the screen?

Personally I think it looks neater to have a bit of bleed.


Sorry I wasn't "irritated"; I just asked a question... won't bother in future.


Sorry - that wasn't aimed at you. It was aimed at a lot of comments we get on this forum. Should have made that clearer!
BA
bilky asko
chris posted:
Robert Williams posted:
simon1970 posted:
What I don't understand with these screen graphics like the clock, logo and "LIVE" is why are they still using a 4:3 screen set up? Why aren't they moved to edge of the screens?

It was reported at the start of the year that there are still over 13,000 homes with a black-and-white licence - over 45 years after the start of colour. I don't know what proportion of the audience still watching on 4:3 televisions, but with only a few months since the last analogue transmissions, it must still be fairly substantial. And with a programme with Breakfast, many people are probably watching it on small bedroom or kitchen television sets, which are more likely to be 4:3 than their main set. Yes, set top boxes can be set to 16:9 - but I bet most 4:3 viewers are watching in centre cut out and won't appreciate the clock disappearing off the edge of the screen.


It really annoys me when people get irritated with 4:3 safe areas. Do people not understand that some simply cannot afford HD 3D Internet TVs and I am sure a large proportion of the population still have 4:3 televisions in their homes, whether it be their main TV or a second set. Why should they have to suffer just so some people can see graphics right to the edge of the screen?

Personally I think it looks neater to have a bit of bleed.

But everyone who can afford to have upgraded to a Freeview box can afford to press the aspect ratio button. Viewers of the bid shopping channels have all managed - all it took was a short video explaining what would happen and what to do.
SW
Steve Williams
bilky asko posted:
Viewers of the bid shopping channels have all managed - all it took was a short video explaining what would happen and what to do.


Unless they repeated that every five minutes, it would be useless on Breakfast when people are tuning in and switching off throughout and hardly anybody watches for more than about a quarter of an hour.
DE
deejay
simon1970 posted:
What I don't understand with these screen graphics like the clock, logo and "LIVE" is why are they still using a 4:3 screen set up? Why aren't they moved to edge of the screens?


They're not - the graphics now all fit into the 14:9 Text safe area (which is broadly speaking where a 4:3 TV in Centre Cut Out mode will put the very edge of the screen.) There are separate 'text' and 'action' safe areas. The 4:3 Text Safe area is surprisingly small when viewed on a fully underscanned 16:9 display!

There will definitely be people who will complain about the clock being off screen on their setups, but given the DSO project is now complete and the number of 4:3 TVs is declining, I reckon the BBC is hoping there will be far fewer complaints this time than the last time they moved the clock to 14:9 safe area.
CH
chris
bilky asko posted:
chris posted:
Robert Williams posted:
simon1970 posted:
What I don't understand with these screen graphics like the clock, logo and "LIVE" is why are they still using a 4:3 screen set up? Why aren't they moved to edge of the screens?

It was reported at the start of the year that there are still over 13,000 homes with a black-and-white licence - over 45 years after the start of colour. I don't know what proportion of the audience still watching on 4:3 televisions, but with only a few months since the last analogue transmissions, it must still be fairly substantial. And with a programme with Breakfast, many people are probably watching it on small bedroom or kitchen television sets, which are more likely to be 4:3 than their main set. Yes, set top boxes can be set to 16:9 - but I bet most 4:3 viewers are watching in centre cut out and won't appreciate the clock disappearing off the edge of the screen.


It really annoys me when people get irritated with 4:3 safe areas. Do people not understand that some simply cannot afford HD 3D Internet TVs and I am sure a large proportion of the population still have 4:3 televisions in their homes, whether it be their main TV or a second set. Why should they have to suffer just so some people can see graphics right to the edge of the screen?

Personally I think it looks neater to have a bit of bleed.

But everyone who can afford to have upgraded to a Freeview box can afford to press the aspect ratio button. Viewers of the bid shopping channels have all managed - all it took was a short video explaining what would happen and what to do.


You try and explain aspect ratios to my 80-year-old Nan....
WE
Westy2
chris posted:
bilky asko posted:
chris posted:
Robert Williams posted:
simon1970 posted:
What I don't understand with these screen graphics like the clock, logo and "LIVE" is why are they still using a 4:3 screen set up? Why aren't they moved to edge of the screens?

It was reported at the start of the year that there are still over 13,000 homes with a black-and-white licence - over 45 years after the start of colour. I don't know what proportion of the audience still watching on 4:3 televisions, but with only a few months since the last analogue transmissions, it must still be fairly substantial. And with a programme with Breakfast, many people are probably watching it on small bedroom or kitchen television sets, which are more likely to be 4:3 than their main set. Yes, set top boxes can be set to 16:9 - but I bet most 4:3 viewers are watching in centre cut out and won't appreciate the clock disappearing off the edge of the screen.


It really annoys me when people get irritated with 4:3 safe areas. Do people not understand that some simply cannot afford HD 3D Internet TVs and I am sure a large proportion of the population still have 4:3 televisions in their homes, whether it be their main TV or a second set. Why should they have to suffer just so some people can see graphics right to the edge of the screen?

Personally I think it looks neater to have a bit of bleed.

But everyone who can afford to have upgraded to a Freeview box can afford to press the aspect ratio button. Viewers of the bid shopping channels have all managed - all it took was a short video explaining what would happen and what to do.


You try and explain aspect ratios to my 80-year-old Nan....


I have the same problem with my 77 yr mom explaining Sky Plus full stop!
BU
buster
I'm fine with the clock being 4:3 safe, just wish there wasn't a huge stripe of colour hanging off the edge of the screen! Didn't they work it before by having "BBC Breakfast" appear to the right of the clock so it could hover on the left?
SA
salfordjohn
The weather is so bad today North West Today are giving us our own weather forecast with our own Eno! (instead of our usual Weather Hub pre-record from Nottingham),
Pity they haven't considered the clock being on the right of the screen now - it's crashing with the new weather day/time graphic.
BA
bilky asko
Steve Williams posted:
bilky asko posted:
Viewers of the bid shopping channels have all managed - all it took was a short video explaining what would happen and what to do.


Unless they repeated that every five minutes, it would be useless on Breakfast when people are tuning in and switching off throughout and hardly anybody watches for more than about a quarter of an hour.

All it would need is a clip before each weather report (which will be one of the main things people will be watching).

chris posted:
You try and explain aspect ratios to my 80-year-old Nan....

"Nan, why aren't you watching in widescreen?"
"What's that?"
"It shows more of the picture. It will be like when you watched Ben Hur in the cinema."
"How do I change it?"
"I've pressed this button, so it will change the image by itself. Isn't technology clever? Never touch it again you old bat."
"You're so rude. Your brother is nicer to me than you."

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