Just something I've always wondered. What's the small black and white bars at the top right hand corner of the screen that sometimes appears on ITV programmes, as shown in the clip below? I think it normally appears before an ad break. Is it something to do with the regions?
Look up "cue dots". A long staple of TV, especially live TV, and yes originally they were basically a signal of an upcoming ad break for the regions. They did begin to disappear as the regions merged but seem to have made a bit of a comeback.
Also you still see cue dots on live programming, it used (still does?) happen on BGT where you end up with top right and top left, the latter for the sponsor and the former for the actual break. And yes they appear on the BBC too, not for breaks obviously but on Wimbledon one is used to tell those taking the feed get off this shortly otherwise we're off to something else.
An oddity occurs sometimes on archive programming where cue dots seem to have a mind of their own. If they come/go/change direction spontaneously, that's editing. If they spin to the right, say, then slow down and spin to the left, that's intended behaviour.
Now there is a signal that can be passed in the metadata - invisidot - but it requires everything in the signal path to be able to pass the information on, especially encoders and decoders, such as in a satellite path. Not an issue with the ones in active picture of course.
So they are not quite as common as before, but still have their place.
Now there is a signal that can be passed in the metadata - invisidot - but it requires everything in the signal path to be able to pass the information on, especially encoders and decoders, such as in a satellite path. Not an issue with the ones in active picture of course.
So they are not quite as common as before, but still have their place.
The reasons for in-vision cue dots haven't changed since they were introduced in the 50s. It's
impossible
to 'lose' them !
If you've got the active video signal, you've got the cue dot. Today, having the video stream, doesn't guarantee you'll have everything else embedded into it !
This thread is now getting a mention the Google App!
That happens quite a lot. It's personalised to you based on the pages you view and interact with. So it's obviously clocked that you visit this site often and that this particular thread was recently updated. It's not that surprising or notable that their system recommend the page.
Last edited by Alfie Mulcahy on 21 March 2021 8:08pm
That happens quite a lot. It's personalised to you based on the pages you view and interact with. So it's obviously clocked that you visit this site often and that this particular thread was recently updated. It's not that surprising or notable that their system recommend the page.
All in the cookies and the "how we use your information" thing that nobody bothers to read.
Of course Google harvests data anyway and uses it later to try and be helpful, so if you search for Colonoscopy (if you were going to have one for example), Google will probably decide at one point you might be interested in a web page entitled "20 things you won't believe people shoved up their jacksy and lived to tell the tale!" - not helpful.
You can probably fart and it'll be on Google 2 seconds later, tracemyfart.com
I also have a question: Why are ITV End Credits always white text on black backgrounds? Couldn’t they be a bit more exciting like the ones you get on the bbc.
I also have a question: Why are ITV End Credits always white text on black backgrounds? Couldn’t they be a bit more exciting like the ones you get on the bbc.
ITV used to let it's programmes have individual credits up until about 2001 (?) and since then it's always been a generic background. I agree it's very dull but I suppose they feel the vast majority of the British audience aren't really bothered about credits and most probably switch over/put the kettle on/etc when their programme is finished!
I also have a question: Why are ITV End Credits always white text on black backgrounds? Couldn’t they be a bit more exciting like the ones you get on the bbc.
ITV used to let it's programmes have individual credits up until about 2001 (?) and since then it's always been a generic background. I agree it's very dull but I suppose they feel the vast majority of the British audience aren't really bothered about credits and most probably switch over/put the kettle on/etc when their programme is finished!
Technically October 2000 but only on key programmes. From 2001 they followed a style.
The whole point of formatting credits white on black is for the ECPs. Not for fun or be miserable, its done for a reason.
