Timeclock - Revision history

Joseph.Wharfe at 17:59, 7 August 2019

2019-08-07T17:59:20Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:59, 7 August 2019
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			{{Equipment}}

	Sometimes also referred to as a 'lead in' or 'leader clock', the timeclock is the countdown before a pre recorded programme starts on tape. It serves to give the VT operator some prior warning of where the start is such that it can be counted in to ensure the sound and vision mixers switch over at the right moment.		Sometimes also referred to as a 'lead in' or 'leader clock', the timeclock is the countdown before a pre recorded programme starts on tape. It serves to give the VT operator some prior warning of where the start is such that it can be counted in to ensure the sound and vision mixers switch over at the right moment.

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	==In 2007==		==In 2007==
	One BBC Master in the station now contains the 1999 software, but burnt onto a permanent memory chip, removing the need for an unreliable 5.25" floppy drive.		One BBC Master in the station now contains the 1999 software, but burnt onto a permanent memory chip, removing the need for an unreliable 5.25" floppy drive.

	~~[[Category: Equipment]]~~

Sprow: /* Pre 1993 */ Add year.

2007-07-07T13:43:31Z

Pre 1993: Add year.

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:43, 7 July 2007
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	Programmes recorded before 1993 use a 45 second time clock that is very obviously coming from a BBC micro or similar, rendered mostly in text mode.		Programmes recorded before 1993 use a 45 second time clock that is very obviously coming from a BBC micro or similar, rendered mostly in text mode.

	Perhaps during the [[Interregnum]] this was discontinued, and [[SU, Lies and Videotape]] made use of an intermediate style of timeclock.		Perhaps during the [[Interregnum]] this was discontinued, and [[SU, Lies and Videotape]] made use of an intermediate style of timeclock briefly in 1994.

	==Pre 1998==		==Pre 1998==

Sprow: /* Pre 1998 */ Missing word

2007-07-07T13:43:07Z

Pre 1998: Missing word

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:43, 7 July 2007
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	==Pre 1998==		==Pre 1998==
	In its second incarnation {{unsure\|Luke Brown}} in {{unsure\|1995}}, running on a BBC Micro, the timeclock consisted of a large circle with overlapping text box for the producer and date (in red). Some double height text described the content.		In its second incarnation by {{unsure\|Luke Brown}} in {{unsure\|1995}}, running on a BBC Micro, the timeclock consisted of a large circle with overlapping text box for the producer and date (in red). Some double height text described the content.

	[[Image:OriginalTimeclock.png\|left\|thumb\|160px\|Revised timeclock look]]		[[Image:OriginalTimeclock.png\|left\|thumb\|160px\|Revised timeclock look]]

Sprow: /* Pre 1998 */ Info cleaned from comments left over in a timeclock beeb's archive floppy in a double height text program

2007-07-07T13:42:44Z

Pre 1998: Info cleaned from comments left over in a timeclock beeb's archive floppy in a double height text program

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:42, 7 July 2007
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	==Pre 1998==		==Pre 1998==
	In its second incarnation {{unsure\|~~by unknown author~~}}, running on a BBC Micro, the timeclock consisted of a large circle with overlapping text box for the producer and date (in red). Some double height text described the content.		In its second incarnation {{unsure\|Luke Brown}} in {{unsure\|1995}}, running on a BBC Micro, the timeclock consisted of a large circle with overlapping text box for the producer and date (in red). Some double height text described the content.

	[[Image:OriginalTimeclock.png\|left\|thumb\|160px\|Revised timeclock look]]		[[Image:OriginalTimeclock.png\|left\|thumb\|160px\|Revised timeclock look]]

Sprow: Circular link to SU Lies and Videotape

2007-07-07T12:29:18Z

Circular link to SU Lies and Videotape

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:29, 7 July 2007
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	==Pre 1993==		==Pre 1993==
	[[Image:VeryOldTimeclock.png\|right\|thumb\|160px\|Earliest known timeclock look]]		[[Image:VeryOldTimeclock.png\|right\|thumb\|160px\|Earliest known timeclock look]]
	Programmes recorded before 1993 use a 45 second time clock that is very obviously coming from a BBC micro or similar, rendered mostly in text mode		Programmes recorded before 1993 use a 45 second time clock that is very obviously coming from a BBC micro or similar, rendered mostly in text mode.

			Perhaps during the [[Interregnum]] this was discontinued, and [[SU, Lies and Videotape]] made use of an intermediate style of timeclock.

	==Pre 1998==		==Pre 1998==

Dummy User: add to category

2007-06-04T17:50:08Z

add to category

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:50, 4 June 2007
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	==In 2007==		==In 2007==
	One BBC Master in the station now contains the 1999 software, but burnt onto a permanent memory chip, removing the need for an unreliable 5.25" floppy drive.		One BBC Master in the station now contains the 1999 software, but burnt onto a permanent memory chip, removing the need for an unreliable 5.25" floppy drive.

			[[Category: Equipment]]

Sprow: /* Revamp in 1999 */ Grammar

2007-05-16T07:07:29Z

Revamp in 1999: Grammar

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:07, 16 May 2007
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	==Revamp in 1999==		==Revamp in 1999==
	By 1999 a number of shortcomings of the original timeclock had become apparent, in particular		By 1999 a number of shortcomings of the original timeclock had become apparent, in particular
	* the screen was blank before the timeclock ran, and an more complex video path around the station meant that often the wrong route was chosen first time, so a second try was required		* the screen was blank before the timeclock ran, and a more complex video path around the station meant that often the wrong route was chosen first time, so a second try was required
	* only one timeclock ran then it returned to the menu system, so any second try required all of the fields to be retyped (see above!)		* only one timeclock ran then it returned to the menu system, so any second try required all of the fields to be retyped (see above!)

Sprow: /* Pre 1998 */ Caption

2007-05-16T07:05:41Z

Pre 1998: Caption

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:05, 16 May 2007
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	In its second incarnation {{unsure\|by unknown author}}, running on a BBC Micro, the timeclock consisted of a large circle with overlapping text box for the producer and date (in red). Some double height text described the content.		In its second incarnation {{unsure\|by unknown author}}, running on a BBC Micro, the timeclock consisted of a large circle with overlapping text box for the producer and date (in red). Some double height text described the content.

	[[Image:OriginalTimeclock.png\|left\|thumb\|160px\|~~Original~~ timeclock look]]		[[Image:OriginalTimeclock.png\|left\|thumb\|160px\|Revised timeclock look]]

	A fixed 10 second countdown went black at 3s before finally swapping to a large white "Place the clip here" screen, which would subsequently be edited over. The change from white to black actually took about 3 frame periods, and you could see the screen clear on a frame accurate video player.		A fixed 10 second countdown went black at 3s before finally swapping to a large white "Place the clip here" screen, which would subsequently be edited over. The change from white to black actually took about 3 frame periods, and you could see the screen clear on a frame accurate video player.

Sprow: /* Pre 1993 */ Still

2007-05-16T07:04:55Z

Pre 1993: Still

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:04, 16 May 2007
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	==Pre 1993==		==Pre 1993==
	[[Image:VeryOldTimeclock.~~jpg~~\|right\|thumb\|160px\|Earliest known timeclock look]]		[[Image:VeryOldTimeclock.png\|right\|thumb\|160px\|Earliest known timeclock look]]
	Programmes recorded before 1993 use a 45 second time clock that is very obviously coming from a BBC micro or similar, rendered mostly in text mode		Programmes recorded before 1993 use a 45 second time clock that is very obviously coming from a BBC micro or similar, rendered mostly in text mode

Sprow: Reword first to second incarnation

2007-05-16T07:03:16Z

Reword first to second incarnation

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:03, 16 May 2007
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	==Pre 1998==		==Pre 1998==
	In its ~~first~~ incarnation {{unsure\|by unknown author}}, running on a BBC Micro, the timeclock consisted of a large circle with overlapping text box for the producer and date(in red). Some double height text described the content.		In its second incarnation {{unsure\|by unknown author}}, running on a BBC Micro, the timeclock consisted of a large circle with overlapping text box for the producer and date (in red). Some double height text described the content.

	[[Image:OriginalTimeclock.png\|left\|thumb\|160px\|Original timeclock look]]		[[Image:OriginalTimeclock.png\|left\|thumb\|160px\|Original timeclock look]]
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	The timeclock software actually lived alongside an assortment of other graphics overlay software from pre-[[Commodore Amiga]] times, though these were infrequently used and the default menu option was always to create a timeclock.		The timeclock software actually lived alongside an assortment of other graphics overlay software from pre-[[Commodore Amiga]] times, though these were infrequently used and the default menu option was always to create a timeclock.

	Graphics from the BBC Micro could be overlayed by keying off ~~the~~ black background using the luma key ~~in a~~ vision mixer. The video system was genlocked to incoming video with an add on box labelled 'Beeblock' and an assortment of flying wires that entered through the otherwise unused network socket.		Graphics from the BBC Micro could be overlayed by keying off its black background using the luma key on the [[Polar vision mixer]]. The video system was genlocked to incoming video with an add on box labelled 'Beeblock' and an assortment of flying wires that entered through the otherwise unused network socket to various places on the motherboard.

	==Post 1998==		==Post 1998==
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	[[Image:ProperTimeclock.png\|left\|thumb\|160px\|Revamped timeclock from 1999]]		[[Image:ProperTimeclock.png\|left\|thumb\|160px\|Revamped timeclock from 1999]]

	Using reference footage from a [http://www.secretlifeofmachines.com/ Secret Life of Machines] video from Channel 4, a new timeclock generator was written by [[Rob Sprowson]].		Using reference footage from a [http://www.secretlifeofmachines.com/ Secret Life of Machines] video from [http://www.channel4.com/ Channel 4], a new timeclock generator was written by [[Rob Sprowson]].

	===Technical===		===Technical===
	This included a preview mode which ran at high speed, options to start up to 40s from the start, a 1 frame flash at 15s, 'pips' at 3s, larger and clearer logo, and more intuitive editing.		This included a preview mode which ran at high speed, options to start up to 40s from the start, a 1 frame flash at 15s, 'pips' at 3s, larger and clearer logo, and more intuitive editing. The final screen clear to white now used palette switching to achieve an instantaneous changeover.

	It also dispensed with the double height text and red coloured writing, which due to the dubious colour output from a BBC Micro often lead to hard to read writing - even on a black and white monitor.		It also dispensed with the double height text and red coloured writing, which due to the dubious colour output from a BBC Micro often lead to hard to read writing - even on a black and white monitor.
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	==In 2007==		==In 2007==
	One BBC Master in the station now contains the 1999 software, but burnt onto a permanent memory chip, removing the need for ~~the~~ unreliable 5.25" floppy drive.		One BBC Master in the station now contains the 1999 software, but burnt onto a permanent memory chip, removing the need for an unreliable 5.25" floppy drive.