BBC2 - the 1991 idents that lasted 10 years. The first time an ident really caught my eye (and ear); I struggle to pick out a particular symbol from those as a favourite - they all had their qualities.
The BBC1 Balloons and Carlton stars were excellent sets too.
Carlton – stars
Channel 4- current
Yorkshire – sea of gold
ATV – “in colour” eye
Anglia Television – “A”
BBC One – Balloons
Central – launch and follow up
Hates: People idents and anything Redbee seem to churn out.
Well, BBC2 has historically had the best pres IMO. I liked the 1991-2001 set, and the 2001-7 crop weren't bad either. The present set is excellent and has lots of potential, but it seems a bit under-appreciated at the moment. We're seeing many special idents, but not many new regular 2s. (Incidentally, my favourite out of the current set is Mirror A.)
Channel 4 had, until 2004, been number two. However, the second-iteration flying blocks (the current set) are simply magnificent. My favourite is Diner, but the whole set is truly stunning, assisted by the fact that C4's brand is so strong.
BBC1's pres is, at present, reasonably good: I think the best out of the current bunch are Helicopter and Kites. ITV's is the pits, and... I don't watch Channel 5 so I don't know what its pres is like.
Any ATV
Westward
TVS (grey silver one)
Thames (Night Version)
All Hearts Idents (loved the music)
Yorkshire (regional 2000)
Current C4 idents (fav is the bowling green it's the jingle)
Current BBC 1 idents
Favourite is Channel 4 blocks, the colourful ones. Nostalgia I suppose.
Other favourites...
BBC1 1991-7 (look at it, it's beautiful)
BBC1 Balloons
BBC2 Duck, and the rest of them from this time, except for...
Worst...
BBC2 Shadow, scared the crap out of me.
T W O
The odd black and white BBC1 globe (late 60s) that has the odd lighting and seems to be misshapen.
If we ignore the soundwaves era of Channel 4's identation, I feel they have had the strongest presentation in general. Blocks were a classic, and we've now gone full circle [and infact gone past circle in the process] to bring Blocks up to a modern day setting.
Other notable idents would have to be BBC One's identation... Balloons were a classic, Rhythm and Movement make public more aware of dance in the present day, and Circles is slowly getting more creative as we move along... favourites being Bikers, Neon and Helecopter.