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Post by Jon Preddle on Feb 6, 2013 22:15:07 GMT
I was watching the Reign of Terror DVD last night, and I noticed that eps 1 and 2 had a very prominent 'dot' at dead centre of the picture. This 'dot' was absent from eps 3 and 6. (I have seen this 'dot' on other 60s eps of DW, but these ones were particularly noticeable.)
Eps 1 and 2 are presumably the Suppressed field T/Rs, whereas 3 and 6 are Stored, yes?
What is the 'dot'? An imperfection on the screen during the T/R process, or is it a permanent 'mark' to assist with determining the centre of the frame?
And why does it not appear in eps 3 and 6?
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Post by Dave Wood on Feb 6, 2013 22:32:25 GMT
Continuing Jon's question it seemed to me that the 'dot' ranged from black to light grey, which is not something that I have ever noticed before. Presumably the fluctuation is an attempt by the restoration guys to hide a nasty fault and to match the surrounding action and to try and hide it as best as possible?
I'm intrigued by the 'dot" and I've noticed similar artefacts on several 1960s episodes. Is this a fault on the video cameras capturing the original action in studio, a fault on the original videotape, or a fault on the monitor playing the video for the film recorder to capture the image onto 16mm film?
Have just been introduced to 1969's "The Owl Service" and part of the fun is spotting camera X where there's a similar recurring fault (probably just a hair on a lens) where every shot has a prminet black mark.
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Post by Brad Phipps on Feb 6, 2013 22:34:19 GMT
Can you post a screen grab? I can't see a single dot being an imperfection; I would've thought any issue would be more widespread. Then again burning something in the centre of the viewable picture is a bit silly just to find the dead centre!
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Post by Jon Preddle on Feb 6, 2013 22:52:28 GMT
Then again burning something in the centre of the viewable picture is a bit silly just to find the dead centre! It looks like the dot is on the monitor screen during the T/R capture process, as it's there all the way through on both eps. I'm guessing ALL the suppressed T/Rs have this mark, or at least the ones that were created on this particular T/R machine. (IIRC, it's on the Andromeda eps as well.) |
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Post by John Green on Feb 6, 2013 22:55:55 GMT
Of course,everyone who'd happily not spotted this before can't help but be aware of it now!
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Post by Brad Phipps on Feb 6, 2013 23:01:11 GMT
Then again burning something in the centre of the viewable picture is a bit silly just to find the dead centre! It looks like the dot is on the monitor screen during the T/R capture process, as it's there all the way through on both eps. I'm guessing ALL the suppressed T/Rs have this mark, or at least the ones that were created on this particular T/R machine. (IIRC, it's on the Andromeda eps as well.) Oh well, can't be worse than the fly on those Quatermass episodes! |
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Post by Rob Moss on Feb 6, 2013 23:03:58 GMT
[shakes fist] DAMN YOU, PREDDLE..!
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Post by John Green on Feb 6, 2013 23:48:40 GMT
I've seen a fly buzzing around in a b&w Avengers.Not Quatermass,too?
Or is that not Quatermass 2,too?
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Post by Richard Marple on Feb 6, 2013 23:54:12 GMT
A few old films have hairs that have managed to get stuck to the lens.
I remember seeing a cartoon where one of the characters spots one & plucks it out the way.
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Post by Mark Vanderlinde-Abernathy on Feb 6, 2013 23:59:06 GMT
I don't know why, but I keep thinking about Austin Powers and "The Mole" in his third movie. Constantly, and unable to keep himself from, pointing out that there's a giant mole on this kid's face.
>.> Tempted to pull out my Daleks DVD.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2013 0:03:22 GMT
Good question by the OP and I too would like some explanation as to the ever present dot in the centre of the screen. Have seen that on many t/r's from before the mid 60's, notably the earliest existing Top Of The Pops clips... it's always baffled me.
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Post by Brad Phipps on Feb 7, 2013 0:19:12 GMT
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Post by Steven Sigel on Feb 7, 2013 0:44:23 GMT
Looks like it might be a bad pixel or other blemish on the video monitor they used when they film recorded it.
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Post by Sue Butcher on Feb 7, 2013 0:49:47 GMT
Could it be burning of the TR screen caused by the bright "white dot" when it was turned off? I've heard that this damage is usual when the spot persists, or video drive fails while the screen's still on.
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Post by Jon Preddle on Feb 7, 2013 1:33:32 GMT
Could it be burning of the TR screen caused by the bright "white dot" when it was turned off? I've heard that this damage is usual when the spot persists, or video drive fails while the screen's still on. Ah. Now, that makes sense. If the T/R machines were being switched on and off on a regular basis over several years, that 'burn' mark could arise. Then, when the stored fields were made in the late 1960s, new machines were used, which is why eps 3 and 6 don't have the 'dots'. |
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