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2009: Annual BBC RBS tests

anyone know the dates in januray? (December 2008)

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:-(
A former member
Is there not a Test of the test card on both BBC1 and BBC2 within the next week?
:-(
A former member
I found out want I meant: Annual BBC RBS tests, in which we can get the chance to look at the test card on bbc 1 for a whole hour!
SP
Steve in Pudsey
And - what will be the effect of DSO in Selkirk on the RBS network?
DV
dvboy
There's some scheduling anomolies on the morning of 5/1 where BBC News is on BBC 2 between 4:10 and 5:10 - while also on BBC One and seemingly after half an hour of This is BBC Two (Ceefax).

The same happens on 12/1 at 4:35.

Normally BBC News is scheduled for BBC Two from the end of programmes until BBC One ends programmes.
RJ
RJG
Steve in Pudsey posted:
And - what will be the effect of DSO in Selkirk on the RBS network?


BBC analogue transmissions from Selkirk were fed via a link at Dunslair Heights in Peeblesshire and, if that failed, by a direct off-air feed from Black Hill, although in the last two or three years that was replaced by a satellite feed. Whether the latter was ever used, I don't know.
IS
Inspector Sands
But does anything take RBS from Selkirk?

I'd have thought that something in Southern Scotland might
MA
Markymark
Inspector Sands posted:
But does anything take RBS from Selkirk?


Chatton might, as it's normally RBL Pontop ?
JB
JasonB
Have these tests happened yet?
AL
altrus
What is so exiting about this?
DE
deejay
It's the only time the Testcard is deliberately shown on air (though the HD card is now included in the BBC HD Barker and Testcard W is freely available to anyone on Freeview if you know how). It's also a fairly extreme test of the analogue Rebroadcast Standby system and, once you know what's going on, can actually be quite interesting.

Essentially, the analogue transmitters are set up so that if they lose their feed of BBC One or BBC Two, they automatically switch to a mode where they pick up the signal being broadcast by the next nearest transmitter, clean it up a bit and rebroadcast it. In these tests, the BBC pull the plugs on the network distribution, leaving only Crystal Palace being fed with the Testcard. Across the country, BBC One falls off air. Transmitters nearest CP go into rebroadcast mode, then the next transmitters and so-on. The signal gets rebroadcast right up the country. By looking at the quality of the card as it gets passed on engineers can establish if there are any weak links in the chain.

Now with DSO in progress there will come a time when this won't work anymore because there'll be a hole on the system when they turn off a main transmitter. Arguably this could be one of the last times the tests are done.
MB
MalcyB
According to alt.tech.broadcast:

The annual Analogue TV RBS Tests are in the early hours of Monday 12/1/2009.

The times will be 0230-0330 for BBC2 and 0430-0530 for BBC1.

These tests normally take an hour per service and comprise of testcard and tone being transmitted instead of normal programme.

Some changes for this year. Ceefax will be radiated with the testcard.

Additional tests in Scotland in the the last quarter of the hour of the
tests.
SP
Steve in Pudsey
Will it be "proper" ceefax or the test card fax that has gone out in the past?

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