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Split from ITV Programming Thread (November 2017)

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IS
Inspector Sands

One example of satellite backup is when Access Hollywood Live comes from the Today Show plaza in Rockefeller center. In the background you can always see a deployed NBC News satellite van (not a production truck) in the background (that’s never there during Today and isn’t a WNBC truck). That’s despite there’s numerous fiber connections between 30 Rock and the bureau and stations in Universal City.

I suppose that's the same as when the BBC used to have a live reporter outside TV Centre, it was usually done from a sat truck uplinking from the car park despite being only a few 100 metres from the studio and MCR. It was just easier to do a live in the way they did them every day than faff around with wallboxes. Didn't cost any more either as the crew and the space were paid for

TLS is a television production facility and not an uplink facility and most importantly it is a standalone business unit. Yes, there is comprehensive fibre connectivity to the outside world and yes there are dishes on the podium roof to receive distant sources if required. But there would be absolutely no business case whatsoever to have any sort of uplink facility. If someone wants to have their production uplinked to somewhere else then TLS would happily send your production on its way via the fibre connectivity to wherever you like - at your expense.

Yes there would be little call for it as most of the programmes it makes are for the UK and there is a good network of fibres, via BT or other providers to get it to the fairly small number of broadcasters, most of which are within 15 miles of TLS.


As Noggin mentioned there aren't many satellite uplink sites in central London. I'm not sure what the licensing rules are but there are certainly some complications with it, such as planning permission. The major uplink sites are in open spaces around the home counties - Hertfordshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire. The BBCs is way outside London these days

I can't think of many in London now, I think the one on the ITN building has closed but the Docklands teleport is still there and of course TV Centre has gone
Last edited by Inspector Sands on 23 November 2017 8:56pm - 3 times in total
BL
bluecortina

.. and the mast at Croydon and the top of a residential tower block at Hillcrest (North London).

I thought Reigate was one of them too, although I might be getting confused as I once spent a day on one of their links vans and they had to park up on a road just off the M25 near the Reigate transmitter to accept a tape and then play it into News Exchange from there. Must have been Croydon


That sounds Ike Lnn rather than LWT/ TLS. I’m not aware of anything at Reigate, but then again I’m not aware of many things! Lnn shared remotely steered dishes with GMTV at Croydon and Kent house.
IS
Inspector Sands

That sounds Ike Lnn rather than LWT/TLS. I’m not aware of anything at Reigate, but then again I’m not aware of many things! Lnn shared remotely steered dishes with GMTV at Croydon and Kent house.

Yes sorry I was talking about LNN. Thinking about it, it was just a handy rendezvous point and high enough ground to see Croydon
SP
Steve in Pudsey
They had access to the roof, so presumably they could lash up a feed into either Croydon's OB receiver or BT Tower?

Using what kit?


Pass. The anecdote this was based on (linked in an earlier post) specifically stated that the LWT roof was part of the make-good solution, but it did also say that the BBC pitched in to help, so kit may have been borrowed from them.

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