BR
On some TV programmes, you see a small black & white thing that looks like it's reeling around. It appears in the top right corner. What is it?
PA
Not being harsh here, but couldn't you have searched Google typing in "black and white thing in corner of tv" came up as the top result when I put in just 'black and white thing in'
MU
Oooh, touchy...
Not being harsh here, but couldn't you have searched Google typing in "black and white thing in corner of tv" came up as the top result when I put in just 'black and white thing in'
Oooh, touchy...
NJ
Hardly authoritative and accurate results though, the first result is questionable and the second result is laughable:
Neil Jones
Founding member
Not being harsh here, but couldn't you have searched Google typing in "black and white thing in corner of tv" came up as the top result when I put in just 'black and white thing in'
Hardly authoritative and accurate results though, the first result is questionable and the second result is laughable:
MA
Yes, and it's starting to get used for some OBs too, though I'm told the embedded signal often gets stripped off by some codecs, so they end up reverting back to the in vision version !
There is also an invisible cue dot system in use at ITV, to warn UTV and STV of upcoming ad breaks. Instead of the on screen dot, a trigger signal is sent which illuminates a light on the monitor stack in the presentation control room.
Yes, and it's starting to get used for some OBs too, though I'm told the embedded signal often gets stripped off by some codecs, so they end up reverting back to the in vision version !
EL
I always make a point of posting this video in cue dot threads for two reasons, one because it's ice hockey and that is my favourite thing, and two because it shows that cue dots are used in other countries as well. Although the CBC don't use them anymore since all of their Master Controls for every CBC station are based in Toronto, so no real signalling required.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T624qfJKGYs
Top right hand corner, little white dot. It was in use well into the 2000s until all the master control moved
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T624qfJKGYs
Top right hand corner, little white dot. It was in use well into the 2000s until all the master control moved
NG
noggin
Founding member
Cue Dots were used for two different purposes in the UK.
1. Studio/OB to MCR/Presentation - to signal an ad-break to MCR/Presentation (particularly where the same show is going to multiple destinations).
2. MCR/Presentation to Studio/OB - to signal timings on a junction into a live programme (with the Studio/OB watching off-air to see the dots)
2. ceased to be used when Long GOP digital encoding was introduced on distribution and broadcast chains and off-air ceased to be low-latency.
1. is still in use.
There is now an additional use of 1. at some events. The cue dot can signal a change from a feed being multilateral to unilateral. This is the case at Wimbledon, where interviews carried out by the BBC on Centre Court are carried out by the Centre Court team, and thus the court feed goes from multilateral event coverage, to unilateral BBC coverage on the same feed. A Cue dot will signal that the court feed status is about to change.
1. Studio/OB to MCR/Presentation - to signal an ad-break to MCR/Presentation (particularly where the same show is going to multiple destinations).
2. MCR/Presentation to Studio/OB - to signal timings on a junction into a live programme (with the Studio/OB watching off-air to see the dots)
2. ceased to be used when Long GOP digital encoding was introduced on distribution and broadcast chains and off-air ceased to be low-latency.
1. is still in use.
There is now an additional use of 1. at some events. The cue dot can signal a change from a feed being multilateral to unilateral. This is the case at Wimbledon, where interviews carried out by the BBC on Centre Court are carried out by the Centre Court team, and thus the court feed goes from multilateral event coverage, to unilateral BBC coverage on the same feed. A Cue dot will signal that the court feed status is about to change.
IS
Reuters use a cue-dot in a similar way on their live news service. In their case to indicate that the feed is about to end and go to a caption slate. In their case it's a huge pause symbol shape in the top right. Very difficult to miss, but it does happen!
There is now an additional use of 1. at some events. The cue dot can signal a change from a feed being multilateral to unilateral. This is the case at Wimbledon, where interviews carried out by the BBC on Centre Court are carried out by the Centre Court team, and thus the court feed goes from multilateral event coverage, to unilateral BBC coverage on the same feed. A Cue dot will signal that the court feed status is about to change.
Reuters use a cue-dot in a similar way on their live news service. In their case to indicate that the feed is about to end and go to a caption slate. In their case it's a huge pause symbol shape in the top right. Very difficult to miss, but it does happen!
SP
Just to complete the story some BBC regions put a cue dot (of sorts) on the output of the mixer before they soft opt and go into circuit. They use this as a confidence check that they really are feeding the transmitters.
In the past cue dots have been added to the output on certain transmitters only by ITV companies carrying out market research before launching sub opts. They would phone up people in overlap areas and ask if the person can see a cue dot, to research which sub regions people are receiving without relying on them knowing which transmitter they use.
In the past cue dots have been added to the output on certain transmitters only by ITV companies carrying out market research before launching sub opts. They would phone up people in overlap areas and ask if the person can see a cue dot, to research which sub regions people are receiving without relying on them knowing which transmitter they use.