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Post by timothyk on Sept 18, 2021 14:03:21 GMT
Been reading Andrew Pixley's booklet accompanying Network's recent Maigret blu ray set, and a couple of times it mentions the BBC had a 405 line to 525 line standards converter in the early 60s - this is the first I've ever heard of such a device, does anyone know anything more about it? Such as how it worked & what programmes were processed? Also do any of these conversions survive? Hopefully someone can satisfy my curiosity! Thanks  |
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Post by rebeccajansen on Sept 18, 2021 18:31:20 GMT
I'd be curious to see what that would've looked like as well. I've assumed they'd send out film from early North American 525 shows to the UK as the UK would send film of their 405 programs, and that only by 576 lines times they'd be converting tape to tape. There is a sort of clash in the lines visible from '70s/'80s/'90s tape to tape conversions I've seen, professional and amatuer; it can be like two gradients of zip-a-tone dots clashing, or when someone wears a certain kind of checked shirt on tv, only far less pronounced. Going up from 405 to 525 I would expect to look more pronounced, but the other way maybe less so? Someone with a subscription to '405 Alive' might know. |
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RWels
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Post by RWels on Sept 18, 2021 18:40:29 GMT
Also, in those days, you'd expect telerecordings to be sent over the Atlantic, rather than tapes.  Perhaps, once imperial measurements are back, 405 is the next previous step that the UK can downgrade to? |
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Post by garygraham on Sept 18, 2021 19:10:53 GMT
Not sure imperial is necessarily an inferior system. That's why so many things continue to be sold in multiples of 4, 8 and 12. Eggs, buns, tomatoes. Who wants a pack of 2.5 or 7.5 tomatoes? And a pack of 5 wouldn't look good. Isn't it still the main system used by the USA?
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RWels
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Post by RWels on Sept 18, 2021 19:28:13 GMT
Not sure imperial is necessarily an inferior system. That's why so many things continue to be sold in multiples of 4, 8 and 12. Eggs, buns, tomatoes. Who wants a pack of 2.5 or 7.5 tomatoes? And a pack of 5 wouldn't look good. Isn't it still the main system used by the USA? It was supposed to be sarcasm... (But if you insist, you may be confusing the metric system with decimal numerals here.) |
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Post by garygraham on Sept 18, 2021 20:50:54 GMT
Not sure imperial is necessarily an inferior system. That's why so many things continue to be sold in multiples of 4, 8 and 12. Eggs, buns, tomatoes. Who wants a pack of 2.5 or 7.5 tomatoes? And a pack of 5 wouldn't look good. Isn't it still the main system used by the USA? It was supposed to be sarcasm... (But if you insist, you may be confusing the metric system with decimal numerals here.) There's no confusion. Items are sold by weight or in packs of a particular number of items. It's stock in a shop. The fact we adopted the decimal system for currency doesn't mean other systems of measuring are inferior. There's something quite neat and flexible about a system that is based on 12. It's divisible by 1,2,3,4,6. Decimal only by 1,2,5. The digital video we watch is based around macroblocks of 4, not 10. |
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RWels
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Post by RWels on Sept 18, 2021 21:48:40 GMT
It was supposed to be sarcasm... (But if you insist, you may be confusing the metric system with decimal numerals here.) There's no confusion. Items are sold by weight or in packs of a particular number of items. It's stock in a shop. The fact we adopted the decimal system for currency doesn't mean other systems of measuring are inferior. There's something quite neat and flexible about a system that is based on 12. It's divisible by 1,2,3,4,6. Decimal only by 1,2,5. The digital video we watch is based around macroblocks of 4, not 10. What I'm saying is the metric system doesn't mean you can't sell eggs by the dozen. Glad it's a purely mathematical objection though. Decimal currency was abandoned in 1971, was it not? Or is that coming back as well? Meanwhile, there is always the clock, with its 60 minutes, for comfort. (Have you looked at the BWMA? From a distance (regardless how that distance is measured), it might almost be mistaken for an indcredibly childish and luddite movement.) |
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Post by John Wall on Sept 18, 2021 22:02:05 GMT
At the risk of wandering…..
As someone with a hard science background I find the SI system brilliant. The interrelationship between many of the units is great,
However, being of a certain age I can relate to things like miles and feet and inches well.
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Post by richardwoods on Sept 19, 2021 11:39:26 GMT
Also, in those days, you'd expect telerecordings to be sent over the Atlantic, rather than tapes. Perhaps, once imperial measurements are back, 405 is the next previous step that the UK can downgrade to? Works for me. So long as they use real black & white cameras, transmission etc and use analogue transmission on VHF so that we can enjoy it to its full potential. 😉👍🏻 |
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Post by richardwoods on Sept 19, 2021 11:40:05 GMT
Not sure imperial is necessarily an inferior system. That's why so many things continue to be sold in multiples of 4, 8 and 12. Eggs, buns, tomatoes. Who wants a pack of 2.5 or 7.5 tomatoes? And a pack of 5 wouldn't look good. Isn't it still the main system used by the USA? It was supposed to be sarcasm... (But if you insist, you may be confusing the metric system with decimal numerals here.) Ahh, now you’ve spoilt it all. 🤣🤣🤣 |
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RWels
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Post by RWels on Sept 20, 2021 12:41:11 GMT
It was supposed to be sarcasm... (But if you insist, you may be confusing the metric system with decimal numerals here.) Ahh, now you’ve spoilt it all. 🤣🤣🤣 Dreadfully sorry! But these days there is so much "Poe's law" about that you just can't know anymore. I mean, to stay in the realm of television, I just learned that your current culture secretary was a contestant on "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here". You couldn't make this stuff up! |
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Post by richardwoods on Sept 20, 2021 14:48:13 GMT
Yup! Unbelievable!
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Post by garygraham on Sept 21, 2021 9:55:39 GMT
There's no confusion. Items are sold by weight or in packs of a particular number of items. It's stock in a shop. The fact we adopted the decimal system for currency doesn't mean other systems of measuring are inferior. There's something quite neat and flexible about a system that is based on 12. It's divisible by 1,2,3,4,6. Decimal only by 1,2,5. The digital video we watch is based around macroblocks of 4, not 10. Decimal currency was abandoned in 1971, was it not? Or is that coming back as well? Ooops... |
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Post by garygraham on Sept 21, 2021 10:02:22 GMT
Perhaps, once imperial measurements are back, 405 is the next previous step that the UK can downgrade to?  If it's good enough for Skaro... |
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Post by Peter Stirling on Sept 21, 2021 10:50:18 GMT
Imperial measurements could be perhaps regarded as organic in that they relate to humans, but as we
move to towards the automaton domineered world then Metric is more relevant.
IE.You don't need a battery operated laser sight to measure the length of a room you can just use your feet.
Quite pleased that we have in the UK a sort of compromise in that we have ditched all the boring Metric measurements like Kilometers,kept the useful ones like CM and MM while retaining the romance of measurements like Miles and Pints which perhaps makes us feel human?
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Perhaps, once imperial measurements are back, 405 is the next previous step that the UK can downgrade to? 
