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UKTV/BBC essential overnight maintenance this week

(December 2003)

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AN
andyrew Founding member
James Vertigan posted:
Anybody actually know what they're testing?


Yes. It is power and UPS stuff in the TX area's of TVC, including coding and mux. Different things different nights.
TI
This Is Granada
Oh....so that’s why looking at the Sky EPG, Signed programs finish tonight at 4:20, then its 'THIS IS BBC ONE' from 4:20 - 5:00, then at 5:00, off to BBC NEWS 24.

As for TWO, Learning stuff till 4:00. Then at 4:00 - 5:00 it’s 'THIS IS BBC TWO', then back on track at 5:00 with whatever.

THREE & FOUR are dead by 4:00, so no worrying to be done there. In the past, ‘THIS IS BBC TWO’ shows Ceefax and as we all know ‘THIS IS BBC THREE/FOUR’ is just a caption. What will ‘THIS IS BBC ONE’ be? Last time I saw 'THIS IS BBC ONE' was on ONE Scotland I think while they had 20 minutes or so before News 24. Not seen it on Network before.
JV
James Vertigan Founding member
This Is Granada posted:
Oh....so that’s why looking at the Sky EPG, Signed programs finish tonight at 4:20, then its 'THIS IS BBC ONE' from 4:20 - 5:00, then at 5:00, off to BBC NEWS 24.

As for TWO, Learning stuff till 4:00. Then at 4:00 - 5:00 it’s 'THIS IS BBC TWO', then back on track at 5:00 with whatever.

THREE & FOUR are dead by 4:00, so no worrying to be done there. In the past, ‘THIS IS BBC TWO’ shows Ceefax and as we all know ‘THIS IS BBC THREE/FOUR’ is just a caption. What will ‘THIS IS BBC ONE’ be? Last time I saw 'THIS IS BBC ONE' was on ONE Scotland I think while they had 20 minutes or so before News 24. Not seen it on Network before.


Well according to Digiguide, 4:20-5:00 on BBC ONE is News 24 and on BBC TWO from 4am-5:00 its "Work Talk: Spain" so either this was very last minute or Digiguide were given the wrong details... so this might be the annual shutdown or it might not, it would make sense to do it whilst UKTV are carrying out maintenance, but usually the shutdown of BBC ONE and TWO is advertised on Ceefax P698 and there's no message about it on there... And usually the tests don't occur on both channels at the same time BBC ONE usually do an hour first and then BBC TWO after BBC ONE comes back...

Ah well, we'll see! More cricket tomorrow so another excuse to set the alarm slightly earlier than usual!
DA
Dan Founding member
The BBC One shutdown will be 0420 to 0500.
TI
This Is Granada
Dan posted:
The BBC One shutdown will be 0420 to 0500.


Oh so I was right. I was just thinking was I looking at the correct day in the EPG this afternoon when I was flicking.
BH
BillyH Founding member
Nothing can beat the announcement heard just before the 1999 tests, though.
"Well, we're sorry, but BBC1 has to close down now for a couple of hours for essential engineering work. We'll be rejoining News 24 at 5.00 but until then, a very good night to you."
And the test went on for 2 hours that year, not a measly 40 minutes.
NW
nwtv2003
BillyH posted:
Nothing can beat the announcement heard just before the 1999 tests, though.
"Well, we're sorry, but BBC1 has to close down now for a couple of hours for essential engineering work. We'll be rejoining News 24 at 5.00 but until then, a very good night to you."
And the test went on for 2 hours that year, not a measly 40 minutes.


I remember last year's announcement and that wasn't very exciting:

"Viewers watching our Digital service will have News 24 shortly, but for all of our other viewers BBC One will be closing down for essential matinence work, when this has been completed we'll be back on the air and join BBC News 24" All this being played over an Acrobats ident.

The 2001 tests seem to be lurking somewhere on the net and I think I have this on video and I seem to remember it was a caption just saying We'll be back at 0400 with News 24, viewers watching Digital can carry on watching News 24 by choosing it via their electronic programme guide.

I am sad to say I remember the 2000 tests too, though I think they used Ceefax as a filler.

But these tests tonight? Are they just affecting analogue? Or is it everything, as apparently they didn't do tests on BBC One Digital.

I seem to remember a few years ago when Granada had to close down for a few hours to upgrade their transmitters or something, as they kept playing out a promo for it, though when they did this ITV was off for about 6 hours. Though I think it is available on MHP PP somewhere.
MA
marksi
Quote:
Nothing can beat the announcement heard just before the 1999 tests, though.
"Well, we're sorry, but BBC1 has to close down now for a couple of hours for essential engineering work. We'll be rejoining News 24 at 5.00 but until then, a very good night to you."


In what sense can "nothing beat it"?
IN
intheknow
If the downtime is due to maintainence because of last week's powercut, does this mean their might be interruption to News 24 and World as well?

Unless they are relocating to Westminster during the maintainence?
AD
Adam
intheknow posted:
If the downtime is due to maintainence because of last week's powercut, does this mean their might be interruption to News 24 and World as well?

Unless they are relocating to Westminster during the maintainence?


They haven't been disrupted at the same time before - they mentioned on one closedown that BBC News 24 could still be seen on digital
SR
Sir Richard Rotcod
But the joint service has been coming from BBC World recently, so presumably would be able to continue uninterrupted
AS
Asa Admin
Who's the announcer on BBC ONE tonight? Might give some indication as to whether we'd hear anything decent (no doubt the usual 'go check out News 24 on digital'). Do the Nations carry network continuity during signed programmes?

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