I don't think they'll ever reintroduce the idea of an on-screen clock. The reasons given are that because of digital propogation delaysand processing delays, the clock became largely meaningless as it was a good few seconds behind 'real time'. You certainly couldn't accurately set your watch by it. AFAIK, the only time signal the BBC generates that you should be able to set your watch by is the pips on Radio 4 Long Wave.
Come to think of it, I can't remember if the clock face was frosted or clear - I
think
it was frosted... I think we're annoying some people on here by having seen the Dancers Clock... ;-0
The digital delays are largely irrelevant. It was a creative decision, not an editorial one. By the same logic the pips would have been removed from Radio 4. And no one would dare do that, even if they are inaccurate all platforms but analogue.
The digital delays are largely irrelevant. It was a creative decision, not an editorial one. By the same logic the pips would have been removed from Radio 4. And no one would dare do that, even if they are inaccurate all platforms but analogue.
To compound the issue further, when English regions got regionally-branded clocks in 2000 there were no real clock generators running them; they were just one minute recordings of a certain time played out like an ident and were only as accurate as the person queuing them. Yet the beeb were quite happy for this situation to carry on for 2 years until the dancers were retired, and of course didn't mind having 3 1/2 years of digital delays.
The idea that the clock was withdrawn for technical reasons due to slight time variances on different platforms is ridiculous - it was only withdrawn as part of a creative decision which cast the clock as being old fashioned and unnecessary (which I don't personally agree with, I hasten to add).
The digital delays are largely irrelevant. It was a creative decision, not an editorial one. By the same logic the pips would have been removed from Radio 4. And no one would dare do that, even if they are inaccurate all platforms but analogue.
So if Radio 4's pips are untouchable, why not the BBC1 clock? The news is still subject to delay and most people aren't going to worry if the clock is a few seconds out.
What's stopping them from delaying the analogue signal slightly so that it's the same as digital? Then, if both are the same, the clock could be resurrected. Not that I partiularly want it to be, but it would mean that they could time the news to start bang on time on both analogue and digital.
What's stopping them from delaying the analogue signal slightly so that it's the same as digital? Then, if both are the same, the clock could be resurrected. Not that I partiularly want it to be, but it would mean that they could time the news to start bang on time on both analogue and digital.
As has been stated many times, it is a matter of total irrelevance as to whether or not the clock runs at exactly the same time on each platform, nor whether or not it has to-the-second accuracy - who in all honesty needs time to be so accurate that being out by a few seconds is unacceptable, who would then rely on a TV station clock to derive the correct time?
As I've already noted above, the final clocks seen in England were not even real live clocks anyway, they were just bits of video that were queued and played out - indeed occasionally on BBC1 South West we saw the 6 O'Clock news appear to start at 17:59:59 because the queuing was a second out, wheras a live clock in Wales would have shown it starting at exactly 18:00.
Suggesting that the clock was withdrawn purely for technical reasons because different platforms are not exactly in sync with each other is complete nonsense - it was withdrawn purely for creative reasons.
At first I did wonder if it was heralding the start of the beeb going down the ITV route and running to internal schedules which bore no resemblance to 'official' published schedules, but seeing as the BBC do still take care to make sure that the main 1/6/10 bulletins start bang on their respective hours, this doesn't seem to be the case. It can only have been a creative decision that a clock was no longer appropriate which led to it being withdrawn, and only an opposing creative decision which decides that actually it does still work which will bring it back. Technical issues had nothing to do with it's withdrawl and should a clock ever return, resolving technical issues will not play a part in it's ressurection.
To those who want a clock back, there is perhaps some hope left. S4C (who would put a clock up before the news regardless of whether it was on time or not) tried withdrawing their clock a while back, it returned shortly after.
Come to think of it, I can't remember if the clock face was frosted or clear - I
think
it was frosted... I think we're annoying some people on here by having seen the Dancers Clock... ;-0
Have just found a cap of it. It was a frosted circle over the blurred still of Capoera.
Come to think of it, I can't remember if the clock face was frosted or clear - I
think
it was frosted... I think we're annoying some people on here by having seen the Dancers Clock... ;-0
Have just found a cap of it. It was a frosted circle over the blurred still of Capoera.
Oh... and I've just noticed... the centre dot of the clock is placed right in the middle of a dancer's crotch... making it look rather like a target
