It is possible to do lives from TV Centre both ways - either by using a truck (SNG or possibly microwave) or by a plug-in point.
However the SNG truck is normally more reliable as there is support kit (like talkback, monitors, somewhere dry for the engineer) and as News don't own the plug-in points AFAIK they have to routed via multiple bits of the BBC and so are much more of a faff to use (and difficult to fault find as you have no support kit)
I did notice that during that report, you could only see the BBC sign behind him, wheras usually you can see 'BBC Television Centre'. Was he doing the report in front of another part of the building, or have they taken the extra lettering down?
IIRC there's a big gap between the BBC logo and the words 'Television Centre' on the front of the building, so the TVC lettering was probably out of shot.
I did notice that during that report, you could only see the BBC sign behind him, wheras usually you can see 'BBC Television Centre'. Was he doing the report in front of another part of the building, or have they taken the extra lettering down?
IIRC there's a big gap between the BBC logo and the words 'Television Centre' on the front of the building, so the TVC lettering was probably out of shot.
When I saw that report from just outside TV Centre, I wondered how they got the signal back.
Did they send an SNG truck 20 yards out the gate? Or just use a cable?
Anyone know?
I think there's a plug-in point on the wall around there. even if there wasn't It would be quite easy to do as it's not a public location so wires could be slung out of the window.
They aren't that common at the moment, but they could have used a radio camera
A truck is usually used.
There are tie lines ia and around the horseshoe, and are used for weather on Breakfast, but trucks are normally used in the evenings.
I don't understand how anyone could even think that they 'throw cables out of thr window'. Where would they be be plugged into? The back of the vision mixer? Don't be silly.
If they SNG'd the report from Witchell they need their heads examining.
Bouncing the signal off a satellite 36,000km above the equator to go 50 metres is way ott.
Again, why would they need their heads examining? It's easier to just get the truck to do it, if one is free, than it is to route the tie lines and 4 wire talkback.
Just because an OB location is very close to the studio, it doesn't mean they can just plug into that studio.
I don't understand how anyone could even think that they 'throw cables out of thr window'. Where would they be be plugged into? The back of the vision mixer? Don't be silly.
They would connect to a tie-line in the central apparatus room, vis a socket in a nearby wall (there are all sorts of connections in rooms and corridors)
When programmes do lives in the courtyard (the bit with the fountain) they do pass the cables out of the windows on the first floor (where the galleries are)
I don't understand how anyone could even think that they 'throw cables out of thr window'. Where would they be be plugged into? The back of the vision mixer? Don't be silly.
They would connect to a tie-line in the central apparatus room, vis a socket in a nearby wall (there are all sorts of connections in rooms and corridors)
When programmes do lives in the courtyard (the bit with the fountain) they do pass the cables out of the windows on the first floor (where the galleries are)
But as noggin said a lot of the time when lives are done from outside TV Centre for News they are done using a sat truck. It tends to be programmes using proper TC studios (like say in the old days Going Live) that use the plug in points. I would imagine - although I don't know - the Witchell live was probably done with a sat truck.
I did notice that during that report, you could only see the BBC sign behind him, wheras usually you can see 'BBC Television Centre'. Was he doing the report in front of another part of the building, or have they taken the extra lettering down?
IIRC there's a big gap between the BBC logo and the words 'Television Centre' on the front of the building, so the TVC lettering was probably out of shot.
Although with the 1991-1997 logo, the text stretched accross the whole building. I suppose the italic lettering would have taken up more space.
Sorry but i dont know where to edit.!
Does any1 have images of Past TVC and (I know this is stupid) pictures looking directely across from White City (Where that tree is!) If u are wondering its where i met Dick & Dom (Memories!)
Thanks
When BBC NI have a show that uses a pub, they generally use cables and run it to either Blackstaff or Broadcasting House.
The Crown was often used for PK Live a few years ago and cables were run all along the footpath for a few hundred metres then up to a sign and a window ledge, and from there across into the top bar and then wheverever, but that wasn't a really busy road they had to cross.
For First Stop Live, I think they did something similar where the cables ran across a busy road, and they just turfed them through windows in the BBC across to the pub probably at night when there was little traffic about.
When you do an OB, I think anywhere cables run over the footpath etc, you have to put ramps and stuff down over them so the public don't fall. I remember a thing I was in Dubai for a few weeks ago on an OB where abotu 10 triax cables and audio ran across a busy hotel entrance and there was a dodgy wodden thing holding it all together which kept moving and snagging the cables as the car crossed, I think about 2 cables were damaged in total through an OB cutting out two cameras!
It was a dodgy Dubai based outfit that seemed to think the entire world ran on Beta SX and Mpeg iMX !
Still, didn't know the BBCs 2002 Athletics astons came as a demo on Aston Reds!
