MA
That sort of stuff isn't usually public domain, for security reasons. The pictures of TVC weren't actually released on Google Earth until after the move to NBH. However, usually when there's a story about 'IT', there's often some stock footage that might well have been shot in NBH's CAR
Does anyone have pictures of the server/equipment rooms (think they're called CAR in BBC parlance) at NBH? Always liked seeing that kind of stuff. Remember seeing the old one at TVC on Google Earth and was amazed that the entire thing didn't catch on fire.
That sort of stuff isn't usually public domain, for security reasons. The pictures of TVC weren't actually released on Google Earth until after the move to NBH. However, usually when there's a story about 'IT', there's often some stock footage that might well have been shot in NBH's CAR
IS
No chance, the only reason the TVC ones were made public was because they were soon to be decommissioned. They're understandably kept secret, and since the hacking of that French TV station a while back all broadcasters are being a bit more careful
Last edited by Inspector Sands on 14 December 2016 12:12pm
NG
CAR was the name of the Central Apparatus Room at TV Centre, which originally housed equipment which wasn't dedicated specifically to studios (which had their own apparatus areas) and was more used for central switching and routing and handling of incoming and outgoing sources.
SCAR was the name of the Spur (some said Sub) Central Apparatus Room in the News Spur - which handled the same requirements for News when they moved in from Alexandra Palace in the late 60s.
CAR isn't a generic name for apparatus areas - it was the name of a specific one. In recent years CAR had come to really describe the operational area (not the racks of equipment) that handled routing between studios and into and out of them. It was renamed CCA (Central Communications Area I think) but the old CAR moniker stuck.
I'd look at System Integrator sites - Dega, TSL, DB Broadcast etc. to see if they show their work on systems integrating new studio builds. It's not the stuff you usually see on tours, for reasons Inspector Sands has explained.
noggin
Founding member
Does anyone have pictures of the server/equipment rooms (think they're called CAR in BBC parlance) at NBH? Always liked seeing that kind of stuff. Remember seeing the old one at TVC on Google Earth and was amazed that the entire thing didn't catch on fire.
CAR was the name of the Central Apparatus Room at TV Centre, which originally housed equipment which wasn't dedicated specifically to studios (which had their own apparatus areas) and was more used for central switching and routing and handling of incoming and outgoing sources.
SCAR was the name of the Spur (some said Sub) Central Apparatus Room in the News Spur - which handled the same requirements for News when they moved in from Alexandra Palace in the late 60s.
CAR isn't a generic name for apparatus areas - it was the name of a specific one. In recent years CAR had come to really describe the operational area (not the racks of equipment) that handled routing between studios and into and out of them. It was renamed CCA (Central Communications Area I think) but the old CAR moniker stuck.
I'd look at System Integrator sites - Dega, TSL, DB Broadcast etc. to see if they show their work on systems integrating new studio builds. It's not the stuff you usually see on tours, for reasons Inspector Sands has explained.
DE
CAR was used interchangeably right up to the end of TC as was SCAR. The SCAR name lives on at BH even though it shouldn't - old habits and all that. In the regions Various terms are used for the equivalent areas, including Comms and TAR. I was told the industry standard term MCR wasn't used in the BBC to avoid any confusion with Manchester. Not sure I 10% believe that, as Manchester was abbreviated to MR officially.
IS
The name CAR still lives on officially even though the actual room it refers to has gone.
CAR was used interchangeably right up to the end of TC as was SCAR. The SCAR name lives on at BH even though it shouldn't - old habits and all that.
The name CAR still lives on officially even though the actual room it refers to has gone.
BL
Just to broaden it out a bit. Where I worked in ITV, the car and star areas were physically quite integrated but served separate functions. Star being the Studio Technical Apparatus Room and indeed was manned by STAR engineers. CAR tended to hum along on its own as the majority of the kit was remotely controlled, it also included the MCR and transmission kit too. The Lines area had much of their own kit within their operational area. Chilly area to work in! Of course the BBC's operation in central London would dwarf any individual ITV station on its own.
GE
When I was working there, CAR referred to the desk (or shift) which dealt with domestic stuff - switching within the building or between BBC sites in the UK. ICR (International Control Room) was the desk which dealt with EBU bookings, many of which would be nothing to do with the BBC - eg downlink from a satellite with a European footprint and pass it on a fibre to Japan or South Africa. SatOps did all the rest of the uplinks and downlinks for occasional use (eg news or OBs) or fixed (uplinking the BBC's channels to satellite). There was also CTA, squeezed in one corner, which was BBC Scotland's remotely operated control room. All of these fell under the CCA umbrella, which referred to the whole room and the apps room beyond.
For anyone who's not seen it, the old CCA Street View is here: https://goo.gl/maps/mdPXr8Kn8jL2
(as you go through the doors into the apps room, spin around and you can see a bunch of engineers chasing it trying to take photos...)
The term CAR does occasionally crop up elsewhere - my current place has one, though that may be because there were a lot of ex-BBC people involved in its design
thegeek
Founding member
CAR isn't a generic name for apparatus areas - it was the name of a specific one. In recent years CAR had come to really describe the operational area (not the racks of equipment) that handled routing between studios and into and out of them. It was renamed CCA (Central Communications Area I think) but the old CAR moniker stuck.
When I was working there, CAR referred to the desk (or shift) which dealt with domestic stuff - switching within the building or between BBC sites in the UK. ICR (International Control Room) was the desk which dealt with EBU bookings, many of which would be nothing to do with the BBC - eg downlink from a satellite with a European footprint and pass it on a fibre to Japan or South Africa. SatOps did all the rest of the uplinks and downlinks for occasional use (eg news or OBs) or fixed (uplinking the BBC's channels to satellite). There was also CTA, squeezed in one corner, which was BBC Scotland's remotely operated control room. All of these fell under the CCA umbrella, which referred to the whole room and the apps room beyond.
For anyone who's not seen it, the old CCA Street View is here: https://goo.gl/maps/mdPXr8Kn8jL2
(as you go through the doors into the apps room, spin around and you can see a bunch of engineers chasing it trying to take photos...)
The term CAR does occasionally crop up elsewhere - my current place has one, though that may be because there were a lot of ex-BBC people involved in its design
DE
BBC BH Belfast had an MCR for years. Now the functions of that are split across Belfast HUB, and TSC.
CAR was used interchangeably right up to the end of TC as was SCAR. The SCAR name lives on at BH even though it shouldn't - old habits and all that. In the regions Various terms are used for the equivalent areas, including Comms and TAR. I was told the industry standard term MCR wasn't used in the BBC to avoid any confusion with Manchester. Not sure I 10% believe that, as Manchester was abbreviated to MR officially.
BBC BH Belfast had an MCR for years. Now the functions of that are split across Belfast HUB, and TSC.
NG
The name CAR still lives on officially even though the actual room it refers to has gone.
But CAR and SCAR are now used in terms of the people you talk to operationally, not the equipment, which is effectively virtualised.
noggin
Founding member
CAR was used interchangeably right up to the end of TC as was SCAR. The SCAR name lives on at BH even though it shouldn't - old habits and all that.
The name CAR still lives on officially even though the actual room it refers to has gone.
But CAR and SCAR are now used in terms of the people you talk to operationally, not the equipment, which is effectively virtualised.