LO
had e4 on in the background today and noticed numerous times the audio continues yet the purple e4 still covers the screen for anything from a couple of seconds to a couple of minutes. i thought at first it might be a cheap way of censoring something but the completely random way it was appearing leads me to suspect it to be a fault - anybody know why this happens?
IS
Strange how they didn't just put extra ads on - or do commercial slots not have that amount of flexibility?
They can't do that - why would any channel give away free adverts, and what company would want to be associated with a break in transmission?
Also if there's a breakdown at a channel the last thing that the transmission controller wants to get involved in is playing adverts or trails. Getting programming back is number 1 priority.
Matt posted:
Strange how they didn't just put extra ads on - or do commercial slots not have that amount of flexibility?
They can't do that - why would any channel give away free adverts, and what company would want to be associated with a break in transmission?
Also if there's a breakdown at a channel the last thing that the transmission controller wants to get involved in is playing adverts or trails. Getting programming back is number 1 priority.
DA
Definitely a fault. I too thought it was censoring as they did it during an episode of Friends, but the repeat later in the evening didn't have the logo and included the full scene, so it wasn't censoring.
Dr Lobster* posted:
had e4 on in the background today and noticed numerous times the audio continues yet the purple e4 still covers the screen for anything from a couple of seconds to a couple of minutes. i thought at first it might be a cheap way of censoring something but the completely random way it was appearing leads me to suspect it to be a fault - anybody know why this happens?
Definitely a fault. I too thought it was censoring as they did it during an episode of Friends, but the repeat later in the evening didn't have the logo and included the full scene, so it wasn't censoring.
MA
Strange how they didn't just put extra ads on - or do commercial slots not have that amount of flexibility?
They can't do that - why would any channel give away free adverts, and what company would want to be associated with a break in transmission?
Also if there's a breakdown at a channel the last thing that the transmission controller wants to get involved in is playing adverts or trails. Getting programming back is number 1 priority.
Indeed, I still believe it's only 12 minutes of ads which can be broadcast and hour, otherwise it breaches ofcom regulations.
Inspector Sands posted:
Matt posted:
Strange how they didn't just put extra ads on - or do commercial slots not have that amount of flexibility?
They can't do that - why would any channel give away free adverts, and what company would want to be associated with a break in transmission?
Also if there's a breakdown at a channel the last thing that the transmission controller wants to get involved in is playing adverts or trails. Getting programming back is number 1 priority.
Indeed, I still believe it's only 12 minutes of ads which can be broadcast and hour, otherwise it breaches ofcom regulations.
NG
Not sure if it is the same incident we are talking about but I remember the Big Breakfast fell off air once for a bout 20 minutes and Channel 4 filled time with the Clangers and an extended Big Breakfast news.
There was a power cut on one occasion, I think they wheeled out a best of tape.
The ITN thing was that the signal from Lock Keepers Cottages to C4 went via a midpoint on top of a block of flats, and that system had failed for whatever reason. ITN provided some other method of getting them on air, at a guess they might have either reversed the circuit that brought the news into the BB gallery and had ITN's bulletins "opt in" to that feed, or they might have supplied an OB truck or similar.
Reversing circuits is not that easy to do - I suspect ITN provided an SNG uplink - or were able to provide support for the microwave kit at the mid-point (or ITN had a receiver in line of sight of the cottages that they could use instead)
noggin
Founding member
Steve in Pudsey posted:
Ben posted:
Not sure if it is the same incident we are talking about but I remember the Big Breakfast fell off air once for a bout 20 minutes and Channel 4 filled time with the Clangers and an extended Big Breakfast news.
There was a power cut on one occasion, I think they wheeled out a best of tape.
The ITN thing was that the signal from Lock Keepers Cottages to C4 went via a midpoint on top of a block of flats, and that system had failed for whatever reason. ITN provided some other method of getting them on air, at a guess they might have either reversed the circuit that brought the news into the BB gallery and had ITN's bulletins "opt in" to that feed, or they might have supplied an OB truck or similar.
Reversing circuits is not that easy to do - I suspect ITN provided an SNG uplink - or were able to provide support for the microwave kit at the mid-point (or ITN had a receiver in line of sight of the cottages that they could use instead)
GE
It does vary depending on the time of day - prime time is allowed a little more. I'm sure someone round here will know the exact figures off the top of their head.
(Where's andyrew when you need him?)
thegeek
Founding member
Matrix posted:
Indeed, I still believe it's only 12 minutes of ads which can be broadcast and hour, otherwise it breaches ofcom regulations.
(Where's andyrew when you need him?)
R2
There was a minor fault going into Songs of Praise on BBC One today. The junction consisted of several programme menus and stills of upcoming programmes which then cut to a black screen instead of the ident. A pre-recorded anno, from Dean Lydiate IIRC, started to play at the correct time but was cut off after a few seconds to go into the Songs of Praise titles.
I guess that it was cut to the wrong server (one that had just been used) and so played the black screen after the promo and not the ident.
I guess that it was cut to the wrong server (one that had just been used) and so played the black screen after the promo and not the ident.
TV
I've amassed quite a collection of breakdown slides lately! Firstly, shown in error during downtime one night:
http://www.grangehill.net/img/bbc4breakdown_533.jpg
More recently, a simultaneous breakdown on both CBBC and CBeebies resulted in the appearance of these. Things only got back to normal when the next scheduled programmes began automatically:
http://www.grangehill.net/img/cbbcbreakdown_533.jpg
http://www.grangehill.net/img/cbeebiesbreakdown_533.jpg
And I have to say, there's no reason why the wording on CBBC's caption at least shouldn't be the same as that of BBC4's.
http://www.grangehill.net/img/bbc4breakdown_533.jpg
More recently, a simultaneous breakdown on both CBBC and CBeebies resulted in the appearance of these. Things only got back to normal when the next scheduled programmes began automatically:
http://www.grangehill.net/img/cbbcbreakdown_533.jpg
http://www.grangehill.net/img/cbeebiesbreakdown_533.jpg
And I have to say, there's no reason why the wording on CBBC's caption at least shouldn't be the same as that of BBC4's.