MM
To the best of my knowledge, BBC NI has never broadcast its own version of test card 'F' (or any later variant of it). Back in the days when test card 'F' put in regular appearances during the day on both channels, viewers in NI will only ever have seen the network-generated version of the test card, which, until 1984, was put to air using a Cintel Slide Scanner. BBC NI didn't have a slide scanner until c. the latter stages of 1985/early 1986 (I'm a bit hazy on the exact date). If there was a daytime closedown in Belfast - they might have been showing a local programme and couldn't rejoin network until the start of the next programme - we simply got black and tone. Although I have vague recollections of BBC NI using their pulse/bar in lieu of a proper test card, occasionally. Even when the slide scanner was introduced in Belfast, I have no recollection of a test card 'F' slide ever being broadcast locally. Nor am I aware of any electronically-generated form of test card 'F' (or any later variant of it) coming from BBC NI.
And by 1983, the test card had already been relegated to short, early morning outings on Network BBC One and BBC Two. Though it did appear during morning/afternoon hours if the teletext generator or the Ceefax transmission system broke down - as happened on at least a few occasions.
BBC NI didn't even seem to have its own Test Card 'G' generator. During the afternoon 'Programme Transfer' slots on BBC Two, NI viewers were treated to the Test Card 'G' generated by BBC Scotland. Tony C may be able to verify if this was definitely the case.
Not sure why BBC NI had so little technology available to them at the time. Perhaps a reluctance to invest in expensive equipment given the security situation here at the time. I have very clear recollections too, that the noise of passing traffic could be heard during local continuity announcements. They wouldn't even pay for proper sound-proofing. In fact, I saw a clip on YouTube not that long ago, with an example of that - I'll try and find it.
EDIT: found it. Listen out at 1 minute, 30 seconds in. Judith Rebbeck is the announcer. Note also the dreadful picture sync issues during transitions between network and the local desk - we had to put up with nonsense like that for years (until 1992 actually). These picture disturbances were in addition to the picture/sound jumps we experienced when they put the desk in and out of circuit - a situation which continued until c. 2001, on analogue (and it got pretty dire towards the end - and yes, I did say 2001).
By 1986/7, BBC NI had their own Ceefax generator (could've been a BBC Micro). Their long-running Schools programme 'Ulster in Focus' was transmitted fortnightly and every other week, they filled the gap with 'Pages from Ceefax'. Here are some images from one of these Ceefax transmissions, from a 1988 Betamax recording:
First, the slide-based intro (which BBC NI also used at the end, before rejoining Network, rather than the standard 'You Have Been Watching...' page)::
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-01.png
...and some grabs of the pages themselves:
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-02.png
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-03.png
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-04.png
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-05.png
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-06.png
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-07.png
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-08.png
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-09.png
...and rejoining Network just before 11am, for 'Words and Pictures'...
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-10.png
Has this NI test card ever been broadcast before? Is it used internally?
To the best of my knowledge, BBC NI has never broadcast its own version of test card 'F' (or any later variant of it). Back in the days when test card 'F' put in regular appearances during the day on both channels, viewers in NI will only ever have seen the network-generated version of the test card, which, until 1984, was put to air using a Cintel Slide Scanner. BBC NI didn't have a slide scanner until c. the latter stages of 1985/early 1986 (I'm a bit hazy on the exact date). If there was a daytime closedown in Belfast - they might have been showing a local programme and couldn't rejoin network until the start of the next programme - we simply got black and tone. Although I have vague recollections of BBC NI using their pulse/bar in lieu of a proper test card, occasionally. Even when the slide scanner was introduced in Belfast, I have no recollection of a test card 'F' slide ever being broadcast locally. Nor am I aware of any electronically-generated form of test card 'F' (or any later variant of it) coming from BBC NI.
And by 1983, the test card had already been relegated to short, early morning outings on Network BBC One and BBC Two. Though it did appear during morning/afternoon hours if the teletext generator or the Ceefax transmission system broke down - as happened on at least a few occasions.
BBC NI didn't even seem to have its own Test Card 'G' generator. During the afternoon 'Programme Transfer' slots on BBC Two, NI viewers were treated to the Test Card 'G' generated by BBC Scotland. Tony C may be able to verify if this was definitely the case.
Not sure why BBC NI had so little technology available to them at the time. Perhaps a reluctance to invest in expensive equipment given the security situation here at the time. I have very clear recollections too, that the noise of passing traffic could be heard during local continuity announcements. They wouldn't even pay for proper sound-proofing. In fact, I saw a clip on YouTube not that long ago, with an example of that - I'll try and find it.
EDIT: found it. Listen out at 1 minute, 30 seconds in. Judith Rebbeck is the announcer. Note also the dreadful picture sync issues during transitions between network and the local desk - we had to put up with nonsense like that for years (until 1992 actually). These picture disturbances were in addition to the picture/sound jumps we experienced when they put the desk in and out of circuit - a situation which continued until c. 2001, on analogue (and it got pretty dire towards the end - and yes, I did say 2001).
By 1986/7, BBC NI had their own Ceefax generator (could've been a BBC Micro). Their long-running Schools programme 'Ulster in Focus' was transmitted fortnightly and every other week, they filled the gap with 'Pages from Ceefax'. Here are some images from one of these Ceefax transmissions, from a 1988 Betamax recording:
First, the slide-based intro (which BBC NI also used at the end, before rejoining Network, rather than the standard 'You Have Been Watching...' page)::
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-01.png
...and some grabs of the pages themselves:
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-02.png
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-03.png
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-04.png
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-05.png
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-06.png
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-07.png
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-08.png
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-09.png
...and rejoining Network just before 11am, for 'Words and Pictures'...
http://thetvroom.com/tvf/bbc2-ni-ceefax-10.png
Last edited by MMcG198 on 2 July 2017 4:10pm - 13 times in total