I'd put a reasonable sum on the blue clock being computer generated and the multicoloured one being a camera looking at a model.
Pretty sure they're both computer generated...TVS definitely started out with a mechanical clock but went computer a year or two later.
Yes, that's my memory too. TVS definitely started with a 'real' clock, it varied in size (depending whether or not someone had fiddled with the camera !), and had hand judder.
Here's the mechanical clock (on day one of TVS) Note the minute markings too
As I said up thread , I saw an electronic crate displaying the TVS clock at IBC 1984
I wonder if the mirror ident you referred to earlier was the vertically revolving TVS symbol sort of mirrored underneath (as I recall). I'd put a reasonable sum of money that it was a camera looking at a model too.
Of course you're dead right about the BBC licensing its computer generated clock/logo generators. I once had lovely chat with the chap at the BBC who designed ours (this was the first one they'd built outside the BBC itself and special permission had to be obtained from within the BBC to make it as the BBC had not yet licensed it to any manufacturer). I asked him about the glitch on the BBC 2 animating logo to which he replied 'what glitch?, so we showed him. He was a tad embarrassed, whether they fixed it later on I do not know. Too 'esoteric' to try and describe here. Really, really nice bloke.
I wonder if the mirror ident you referred to earlier was the vertically revolving TVS symbol sort of mirrored underneath (as I recall). I'd put a reasonable sum of money that it was a camera looking at a model too.
I remember that, yes, used for the first year or so, and yes, mirrors and camera
However, the spinning one I was referring to was electronic. Black background, with a colour TVS logo halfway up the screen on the left, and TVS in white letters to its right. The TVS logo spun round, but was often shown stationary.
Of course you're dead right about the BBC licensing its computer generated clock/logo generators. I once had lovely chat with the chap at the BBC who designed ours (this was the first one they'd built outside the BBC itself and special permission had to be obtained from within the BBC to make it as the BBC had not yet licensed it to any manufacturer). I asked him about the glitch on the BBC 2 animating logo to which he replied 'what glitch?, so we showed him. He was a tad embarrassed, whether they fixed it later on I do not know. Too 'esoteric' to try and describe here. Really, really nice bloke.
Suspect that was playing in off a cart or ACR of some sort. May be able to find out later.
Was told at the time that it was TVS who had the first computer generated ident rather than Channel 4. Of course the elements of the TVS one were obviously combined in some sort of DVE but I suppose it's a valid claim?
TVS inherited the original Southern Marconi presentation control room facilities so a bit limited in what could be done, I think it was around 86/87 that they built new control rooms where telecine used to be - separate control rooms for the two regions, computed assisted and a bit more 'whizz bangy' I suspect.
People can always join here and ask questions directly to the people who actually did it:
Was told at the time that it was TVS who had the first computer generated ident rather than Channel 4. Of course the elements of the TVS one were obviously combined in some sort of DVE but I suppose it's a valid claim?
Yes, TVS came on air 10 months before C4, so fair enough (Though what about TSW's ?)
TVS inherited the original Southern Marconi presentation control room facilities so a bit limited in what could be done, I think it was around 86/87 that they built new control rooms where telecine used to be - separate control rooms for the two regions, computed assisted and a bit more 'whizz bangy' I suspect.
Yes, and with a watered down version of C4's CATS automation system ?
Interestingly, that first clock from 1994 *isn't* the one they used overnight when TTT took it. It was similar, but without the logo, which was keyed on using the same graphic as they used for the next slides. This wasn't used for long though as Night Shift ended only a short time before the graphics were changed to the one you posted earlier.
The clock I refer to appeared on YouTube some time ago.
You'll note though that all these clocks (including the one from 96-9 are all using the same software as the 1989 ITV one.
Was this one ever used during Nightshift?
Mind you its like looking for a needle in a hay stack
That Spinning ident come along in 1984, and it seem to replace invison during peak times, I think it replaced this ident:
That's not the one I'm thinking bluecortina is thinking about, and there's something fishy
about that screengrab. I don't think Oracle ever used Page 170 for subtitles, it was 199.
Ceefax used 170. Both systems unified on 888, but I can't recall the date ? (Opens bidding at 1985?)
Last edited by Markymark on 22 December 2016 8:24pm
