Differences

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--- telecoms:covcable-localprogramming [15/04/2025 08:32] – [Cable Jukebox] andrew
+++ telecoms:covcable-localprogramming [17/03/2026 21:08] (current) – [Studio / Gallery] andrew
@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 Unfortunately, due to the lower numbers of subscribers and the small advertising revenue the local programming was scaled back to a volunteer based operation and eventually ceased altogether.
+----
 ===== Studio / Gallery =====
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 A two camera studio and gallery was built on the top floor, unfortunately because of the sloping roof, the studio shape was not cubic, which didn't help. As space was limited, there was no prop storage space, so all programmes had a very similar feel to them, and the lighting rig (using if I remember 1Kw fresnels) tended to heat up the studio to a rather unpleasant temperature.
-The cameras were Sony 3 tube multicore cameras connected to a CCU in the gallery. Each was equipped with an autocue, very useful but it made the whole tripod setup front heavy and unweildly to move about. As the studio was quite small, not much room to actually move the tripod either.
+The cameras were Sony 3 tube multicore cameras connected to a CCU in the gallery. Each was equipped with an Autocue, very useful but it made the whole tripod setup front heavy as the Autocue monitor was a B/W CRT. As the studio was quite small, there was not much room to actually move the tripod either. The Autocue was basic, it was driven from a B/W camera mounted over a platform for either A4 pages to be places but could scroll a continuous roll of paper too - driven by a hand crank..... Very basic.
 {{ :telecoms:studiogallery.jpg?250|Studio Gallery}}
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 Graphics were provided by an Aston character generator. On the floor at the right hand side can be seen a High Band U-matic which was used to record. Later there were two VTRs fitted in a rack allowing inserts to be played into a programme. One of these was a Betacam to playback the tapes from the portable ENG style camera (centre in the camera picture).
+These two VTRs also allowed basic editing but also enabled captioning from the Aston and video wiped and audio monitoring via the vision and audio mixers.
+----
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 Equipment provided was a 4 track Tascam 1/4" reel to reel recorder, a Sony MXP10 audio mixer and a record turntable.
+----
 ==== Edit 2 - 2 VTR edit suite ====
+{{telecoms:edit3-controller.png?200 |}}
+No pics of Edit2, from memory it was adjacent to the Studio on the top floor, and a basic 2-vtr suite initially without a discrete edit controller, Betacam players and recorders could be linked via the 9-pin interface and the recorder would control the player. Later I remember a similar controller to this on the left.
+----
-No pics of Edit2, from memory it was adjacent to the Studio on the top floor, and a basic 2-vtr suite without a discrete edit controller, Betacam players and recorders could be linked via the 9-pin interface and the recorder would control the player.
 ==== Edit 3 - 3 VTR edit suite ====
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 Edit 3 was a 3 machine suite with a Sony edit controller to control two Betacam players and a U-matic Hiband recorder. To allow disolves, a Grass Valley video mixer was included, and a Sony MXP10 audio desk.
-Basic monitoring was peovided by a 2U waveform monitor and vectorscope.
+Basic monitoring was provided by a 2U waveform monitor and vectorscope.
+----
 ===== MCR / Presentation =====
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 In addition, there was a channel played back off Laservision disks called The Cable Jukebox [[https://www.discogs.com/label/1842528-The-Cable-Jukebox]].
-Cable TV subscribers could call a number and select a track to play, this would be queued and then played out in sequence.
+Cable TV subscribers could call a telephone number (a low cost but premium rate number) and select a track to play, this would be queued and then played out in sequence. Revenue was generated by the call charges to request tracks.
-Each month the LaserVision disks were swapped out for a new set. (Major Mike, you know who you are!)
+Each month the LaserVision disks were swapped out for a new set, reports were generated and copied to the somewhat unusual 5 1/4" floppy disk drive. (Major Mike, you know who you are!)
 The stack of eight Laservision players were controlled by a rack mount DEC Rainbow 100 computer. This was an unusual beast, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_100. The version in use here ran CP/M.