So in the 90s they went to fibre, but I'm pretty sure was still a dirty Meridian feed.
How come they couldn't have been fed the LNN output (post-1993 I believe there was a single "network feed") or did it make more sense to be fed MER output because of the advertising?
So in the 90s they went to fibre, but I'm pretty sure was still a dirty Meridian feed.
How come they couldn't have been fed the LNN output (post-1993 I believe there was a single "network feed") or did it make more sense to be fed MER output because of the advertising?
I can't remember exactly when it changed but I recall that Channel on Sky broadcasted in 4:3 until later in the 2000's, when all the other regions had long changed to 16:9, which suggested they were using the dirty feed of Meridian as fed to the analogue transmitter network. By that point both the network feed and Meridian were coming from the Southern Transmission Centre (formally LNN), so it's possible that it was the dirty version of the network feed (i.e. with promos and continuity) ARCed to 4:3 rather than the full Meridian service.
JM
JamesM0984
That would make sense. We do know the network feed contained the CAs after 28/10/2002 - ISTR it being said on here that STV and UTV were being made to work with the same feed. Certainly here in Central we used to get a Crossfade into programmes, after the changes it was a fade to black for a second.
I'm guessing Channel was always a bit challeged in picture quality due to the fact it was rebroadcasting a (weak) off-air signal?
Obviously because it was coming via analogue, the Meridian analogue feed made its way onto DSAT at the very start.
However, how come SABRE continued to be used for the Meridian feed when the Astra feed could have been used?
As far as I know, Channel switched to a fibre feed sometime in the 90s, (as said, C4 switched to one in Jan 93).
The BBC carried on using the Alderney SABRE until 2003, when they changed their feed to Astra. Despite their
reservations, and initially using just a dumb array of 24 antennas ganged together on Alderney, they ended up using the SABRE long after ITV and C4 had reduced it to a standby roll. (Also there was a Mk2 SABRE at Cherbourg from 1986, (the point at which Channel changed from using TSW to TVS for their network feed))
Was there not also a UHF channel used to feed NICAM radio to Jersey via SABRE? ISTR the main reason for replacing all of this with fibre was frequency reallocation in France, possibly affecting the Alderney/Cherbourg > Fremont SHF paths?
Channel still used a dirty Meridian feed post-2002, even after a clean(er) feed became available. As mentioned earlier, this clean feed had no ECPs or announcements into programmes (just a clean ident) and Channel appeared to want these announcements and ECPs as it saved them making their own, only inserting their own continuity at key junctions or before regional opts. I believe playout was still at St Helier until relatively recently.
Back in the days of local continuity, I assume the South/South West ITV companies had to avoid making any end-credit VOs that name checked their station? ECVOs became common practice in the 90s but I assume Meridian had to avoid using them - unless they made generic ones that didn’t mention their name?
Was there not also a UHF channel used to feed NICAM radio to Jersey via SABRE? ISTR the main reason for replacing all of this with fibre was frequency reallocation in France, possibly affecting the Alderney/Cherbourg > Fremont SHF paths?
There was indeed a UHF link from Stockland Hill that carried Radio 1-4 in NICAM to Aldenery, for onward transmission to the BBC's FM site at Les Platons. It used UHF Ch 30. That go allocated for a DTT mux in 2000, so had to be replaced with a fibre feed.
I don't remember any SHF licencing issues with the French. The Cherbourg SABRE was ITV and C4 only, no BBC and no radio
Back in the days of local continuity, I assume the South/South West ITV companies had to avoid making any end-credit VOs that name checked their station? ECVOs became common practice in the 90s but I assume Meridian had to avoid using them - unless they made generic ones that didn’t mention their name?
Yes. There were normally 'V Cuts' into and out of programmes, and end credit voice overs were generic. The overnight 'Late Night Late' strand did make reference to Channel though in the pres
So in the 90s they went to fibre, but I'm pretty sure was still a dirty Meridian feed.
How come they couldn't have been fed the LNN output (post-1993 I believe there was a single "network feed") or did it make more sense to be fed MER output because of the advertising?
I suspect the latter. There was also the matter of Channel not being able to afford a full playout chain at LNN/Chiswick possibly too ?
(Also there was a Mk2 SABRE at Cherbourg from 1986, (the point at which Channel changed from using TSW to TVS for their network feed))
Sorry if everyone knows this already, but what was the reason that Channel switched from TSW to TVS for its network feed?
I've never had a definitive answer ! Whether it was an engineering solution to a request to change the feed company, or the other way round !?
Someone I know in Arqiva said that the telemetry control circuit between Cherbourg and Croydon, was the most expensive control line in the IBA's network
Sorry if everyone knows this already, but what was the reason that Channel switched from TSW to TVS for its network feed?
Were any special terms and conditions placed on applicants for the south west region by the IBA in the 1980 franchise round concerning the supply of ITV to the Channel Islands?
Sorry if everyone knows this already, but what was the reason that Channel switched from TSW to TVS for its network feed?
Were any special terms and conditions placed on applicants for the south west region by the IBA in the 1980 franchise round concerning the supply of ITV to the Channel Islands?
The claim was because of Crossroad, which TVS had at 6.35 while TSW moved it to 5.15 which channel hated.
Last edited by A former member on 30 January 2019 9:22am
Sorry if everyone knows this already, but what was the reason that Channel switched from TSW to TVS for its network feed?
Were any special terms and conditions placed on applicants for the south west region by the IBA in the 1980 franchise round concerning the supply of ITV to the Channel Islands?
The claim was because of Crossroad, which TVS had at 6.35 while TSW moved it to 5.15 which channel hated.
Yes, although Channel were time-shifting it using their UMatic VCRs (by special technical dispensation from the IBA). I can't believe anything specifically to do with Crossroads led to the highly expensive engineering of a new SABRE (in a foreign country) to provide a TVS feed ?
The TVS region had more affinity to the CIs than TSW's. Ferry and air routes were and still are all from TVS's patch (except Weymouth ferry, which has now ceased I think ?)