Sparky
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Post by Sparky on Apr 10, 2019 9:52:30 GMT
More from Central TV in Nottingham:
These are the Blockbusters bits that were auctioned off.
The Site model (I've labelled it up) circa 1984
The Film Library - this area contained pretty much all of ATV and Central TVs Local News material, locally based programmes (if they were recorded), Schools Programmes and the Presentation Material. On the floor above this area was a large vault, that contained much of the Networked Programmes and material. By the time this photo was took in 2007; the upstairs vault had been emptied.
This is the Film Inspection and Prep Area.
A selection of 1" reel tapes. These contain Midlands football matches - recorded by OB Units.
The tapes marked with a "G" were recorded via their temp studio at Giltbrook in Nottingham (more on that another time) - which was in operation(ish) between 1982 and 1984.
The top two rows of small film cans, contain various Presentation/Idents/Titles and that kind of stuff. The larger cans are film masters (a tiny proportion) of a documentary series called "England Their England".
The Black Cassettes on the LH side are Umatic tapes, containing transfers of various films/programmes. The Grey tapes on the RH side are Beta SP tapes - an industry standard across all broadcasters from the 1980s well into the late 90s. They also introduced Digi-Beta in the 90s too (A Digital Tape version).
These again, are Beta SP Tapes - containing remastered Local News items. The smaller taps at the far end of Digi-Beta tapes - so would contain newer items.
A General view looking down the library
And last but not least. This is how the Music Library looked in 2007. Most of its contents were skipped, sold off, and bits still appear on Ebay.
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Three Litre
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Post by Three Litre on Apr 10, 2019 10:56:02 GMT
Very interesting pics!
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Del Boy
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Post by Del Boy on Apr 10, 2019 12:24:23 GMT
Great insight again Sparky. The working of these places is a mystery to most people so these are great to see
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky on Apr 10, 2019 12:37:08 GMT
Sadly, many of these pictures were taken during the dying days of the large TV studios - so either show places being demolished; or not equipped as they should be.
The regional film library was very nearly lost, as Carlton (them again) seemed to think there was no commercial interest in it, and that it would cost more to store, maintain and digitize and felt it was worth more melted down for it's silver content - This is nearly 50years of regional heritage!!!
Central began digitizing in 1995; starting at the most recent year, and working backwards. Once Carlton took control of Central; it stopped - and only about 3 or 4 years worth were backed up.
When Birmingham closed in 1997 - after much outcry; the Network material moved to an empty studio at Yorkshire TV, along with Tyne-Tees archive. The Regional material was shipped to Nottingham; where it remained until the end of 2008; it now resides at Lincoln University.
There are huge holes in the library; items missing etc.
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Post by Dirty Epic on Apr 10, 2019 13:03:44 GMT
Great stuff again Sparky.
From the opinion I've got looking at your pictures it seems like Central had very good facilities at Nottingham even for 1980's standards and a big, big shame the ways in which ITV re-organised itself saw fit for these to become obsolete by the mid 90's. As for the issues with the film/footage library do these companies ever learn? Could be some good stuff lost there particularly with regional programming which ITV now see's fit to almost have abandoned. Strange considering ITV has near enough been taken over in whole by Granada who prided itself on regional programmes - perhaps with a Manchester-centric flavour, up to the late 90's this side of ITV has become so poor when it all ended up merged together.
This is al good stuff again Sparky.
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky on Apr 10, 2019 15:46:34 GMT
Thanks for the comments chaps!
Just about all of the ITV studios were equipped pretty well. The ITA, later IBA had a minimum specification to which studios had to be constructed and equipped to - this included everything from Sound Proofing, Toilet/Staff facilities to Technical facilities.
The ITV "Big 5" as they were known - ATV, Thames, LWT, Yorkshire and Granada had everything - from Scenery shops, Film Labs to their own Engineering Departments - for Mechanical/Electrical & Electronic/Woodworking/Painting etc.
It is annoying that ITV was allowed to merge; but at the helm of that was Carlton - their vision; even as far back as 1980 when they tried to oust either Thames or ATV for their franchise - was that ITV should be a single identity.
Come 1991, the restrictions on company ownership were relaxed - and so Carlton brought up all the smaller companies. Granada, meanwhile brought up "LWT", "Anglia", "Yorkshire" and "Tyne Tees"; and then it was down to two companies owning it all.
Further pressure on the Government by both Charles Allen (who had taken over Granada) and Micheal Green (Carlton) - both with the same "Single ITV vision" allowed them to merge - and so, ITV became what it is now.
Amongst all this, ITV assets were cut, sold off etc - the first casualties of the Carlton axe was film dramas - such as "Boon", "Soldier Soldier" and later "Peak Practice" - as these were expensive to produce. They considered it cheaper to import programmes from elsewhere - so didn't need the masses studio space.
So, over the course of about 3 years, 2000 staff at Central had either taken early retirement, or been made redundant.
The announcement of the closure of Nottingham was an eye opener - as all staff were told to attend a "meeting" held in the large Studio in Nottingham - where they were confronted with a large cinema screen, and a film shown to them, making the announcement that they would all pretty much would be losing their jobs by the end of the year.... No speeches from management, no appearance from management - they kept themselves very scarce.
Naturally, this didn't go down well - and Unions caused a huge fuss. Sadly - the unions these days don't have the power they once did.
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Post by Arthur Pringle on Apr 17, 2019 16:39:49 GMT
Going back to video tape players, here's a promo film of Denis Norden demonstrating an early VCR.
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky on Apr 17, 2019 20:38:13 GMT
Blimey!
Thanks for posting this link Arthur; I have only ever seen the first 10minutes of this; quite some time ago. Great find, the entire video!!!
The quality of the Philips video shown in the clip is remarkable - even for 1977. I would be led to assume the Philips system was similar or the same as the Betamax system.
Betamax was a far superior in quality compared to VHS; it's where the professional standard of Betacam came from.
The Philips Reel-Reel video recorders - designed for the home; were as good as broadcast quality. I saw some material recovered from some Philips NV (something or other) tapes - and the quality was amazing.
The first "proper" prototype Cassette recorder that Pye put on test - was put through it's motions during the investigations of the 1977 Enfield Poltergiest case; where the house was kitted out in their new cameras, and their prototype machine used to record. Sadly - it didn't catch much - as the machine packed up and it's insides mechanics had been twisted and bent - Pye scientists never did work out how this occured.
Coincidence? I worked on a film documentary in 1994 about the same subject (but not Enfield) - we had no end of problems with recording equipment (an expensive Nagra recorder freaked out, the film camera kept jamming and our lighting batteries kept draining). Central TV's Repairs & Engineering department never fathomed that one out either!!!!
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Three Litre
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Post by Three Litre on Apr 17, 2019 20:46:28 GMT
Large square cassettes in these Philips machines I believe, think this is the type use in the Sweeney episode Contact Breaker.
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky on Apr 17, 2019 20:50:51 GMT
Large square cassettes in these Philips machines I believe, think this is the type use in the Sweeney episode Contact Breaker. Never noticed this! I'll have to look closer. Though you are more than likely correct.
I think Philips and Pye were the main players in home Video during the 70s; Ampex where the main ones for Broadcast. I seem to think Sony and all those came along a little later. Though am probably wrong!
I don't remember Rank AV doing anything, apart from Film Telecine machines. (Again - Pye were first with these!)
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