New Broadcast Network

This gradually replaced the Rediffusion system from 1996 onwards as it became increasingly hard to maintain and upgrade the old system. It broadly remains in use today, with various losses as further building work has been undertaken, and some re-working to accommodate extra outlets.

The first section to be constructed was the link to Vanbrugh college, which was undertaken in 1996 by Owain Davies. Whilst subsequently modified to bring it into line with the new work being done on the rest of the network, it remains the blueprint for the rest of the system.

Vanbrugh Upgrade

In 1996 a set of balanced line video drivers were constructed for installation in LTC, and a receiver unit to be installed in the Vanbrugh vent room with the existing Rediffusion equipment rack. These were linked using the Rediffusion video contribution cable, with audio being sent over the audio contribution cable. The unbalanced video cable from one of the contribution points to the Vanbrugh vent room was intercepted and connected to the TV next to the porter's lodge, where a video DA was installed to send unbalanced video to the local TV and those in the JCR and Bar areas. Audio was balanced from LTC to the porter's lodge where it was unbalanced for distribution to the TVs.

This provided a concrete proof that the system worked, and that base-band distribution over inexpensive twisted pair cables could offer picture quality equal to much more expensive coaxial cable, thus making a wholesale replacement of the old Rediffusion system viable.