Broadcast Hub

When the Original Broadcast Network was installed by the Rediffusion company the single-story building occupied by the department of Linguistics was chose as the location for the centralised equipment needed for the system. As well as the video line amplifiers themselves, 3 UHF tuners were provided to receive the available terrestrial broadcasts (BBC1, BBC2 and ITV) from Emley Moor, and then hugely expensive video recorders, so that material could be recorded and later played out to wherever on the campus it was required via the distribution network.

LTC was a logical choice as it was the approximate geographical centre of the campus, and ensured that no location had disproportionately longer cable runs to connect it to the centre. From the hub the cable routes fanned out from here to the relevant parts of the campus, using the ducts provided for the purpose in the covered walkways that linked all the buildings on the campus.

As YSTV gradually replaced the Rediffusion equipment with newer items it was logical to retain the same location so that cables could be re-used and the transition period when both systems were operating made easier. As a result all the equipment was still installed there in last 2006 when a message was received that the University had decided to demolish the building in order to replace it with a new three-storey humanities building.

This caused considerable consternation and much chasing of people in the estates department to try and ascertain who was responsible for the project. Eventually in week 9 of the autumn term, 2006, all remaining equipment was removed from the back cupboard in Linguistics and dumped temporarily in the station (where it was not best recieved!). Assured that the building would be flat by the time that we cam back from Christmas the cables were left free and marked to be pulled out of the structure before it disappeared. There was therefore some surprise when on returning the building looked much the same. It still looked like this several weeks later, and so with Battle of the Bands and YUSU Election Nights approaching, a decision was made to devise a temporary arrangement that did not require any equipment in LTC but joined up the cable ends to provide the necessary connectivity. This was duly installed, tested and much to everyone's surprise turned out to work. This provided the following links: