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red16v · 16th Sep 2020, 10:24 am

Some more interesting information from an ex-BBC TVC telecine engineer. (Copied here with his permission):

"There were, autumn of 1969 (BBC-1 ITV colour from November ) at TvC 9 of those 35mm machines
on the 2nd floor of the Central Wedge 29 / 31 and 30 /32 were the two transmission pairs with 24 as reserve (which did Trade Test during non-programme hours BBC-2)
on the 1st floor of the Central Wedge 42, 43, 44, 45 were the studio insert machines

All 9 machines were built as B&W, 405 or dual 405/625, with valve scanning and valve processing.
All 9 machines were converted to colour, with transistorised processing but retained valve scanning for many years
Before BBC-2 colour in 1967 I believe that the TX machines were on the 1st Floor and the insert on the 2nd.
I have always understood that these much modified machines that served in TvC for some 3 decades were the original MkIIs

Additionally, in 1969 on the 1st Floor, there were 2 'blue tube' machines suitable only for use with B&W stock TK38 and TK40,
they allegedly did the insert into The Forsyte Saga and were almost certainly MKIs.
I never used either but think I once did a routine maintenance on one of them.
I am looking at the identifying plaque of TK38 as I type, but that is to do with the re-use of the cubicle in the 70s as an A-B roll neg mixing area.

At the same time I recall only 3 35mm machines in LGS, two were MK1 polygons converted to colour,
the other was a very odd beast with 4 spool boxes (picture and sep-mag driven by the same mechanism) which was never colourised.

LGS was originally equipped with both EMI and Cinema Television 35mm scanners, the fundamental difference being the way they dealt with shrunken stock,
Cintel was mechanical, EMI electronic. 'Old timers' referred to the 'EMI corridor' and the 'Cintel corridor'
The 'EMI corridor' was eventually equipped with 4 16mm Cintels, two MKIIs and two MKIIIs."

.. and subsequently added to ...:

"there was additionally on the 2nd floor TK25, I believe it was a MKI blue tube 35mm machine.

I remember it doing a very few lunchtime Watch With Mothers, Woodentops and Andy Pandy;
it was taken out of (bookable) service weeks before November 1969,
stood unused for ages until it housed a Shibaden helical scan recorder to record junctions for the benefit of Presentation inquests.

Eventually the cubicle was re-built as two (Net1 and Net2) remote TARIF control desks with provision for control of 3 transmission machines each;

these rooms could control 1st floor machines when rarely on TX duty!"

16th Sep 2020, 10:24 am	#31
red16v Heptode Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Winchester, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 638	Re: Rank Cintel TK Some more interesting information from an ex-BBC TVC telecine engineer. (Copied here with his permission): "There were, autumn of 1969 (BBC-1 ITV colour from November ) at TvC 9 of those 35mm machines on the 2nd floor of the Central Wedge 29 / 31 and 30 /32 were the two transmission pairs with 24 as reserve (which did Trade Test during non-programme hours BBC-2) on the 1st floor of the Central Wedge 42, 43, 44, 45 were the studio insert machines All 9 machines were built as B&W, 405 or dual 405/625, with valve scanning and valve processing. All 9 machines were converted to colour, with transistorised processing but retained valve scanning for many years Before BBC-2 colour in 1967 I believe that the TX machines were on the 1st Floor and the insert on the 2nd. I have always understood that these much modified machines that served in TvC for some 3 decades were the original MkIIs Additionally, in 1969 on the 1st Floor, there were 2 'blue tube' machines suitable only for use with B&W stock TK38 and TK40, they allegedly did the insert into The Forsyte Saga and were almost certainly MKIs. I never used either but think I once did a routine maintenance on one of them. I am looking at the identifying plaque of TK38 as I type, but that is to do with the re-use of the cubicle in the 70s as an A-B roll neg mixing area. At the same time I recall only 3 35mm machines in LGS, two were MK1 polygons converted to colour, the other was a very odd beast with 4 spool boxes (picture and sep-mag driven by the same mechanism) which was never colourised. LGS was originally equipped with both EMI and Cinema Television 35mm scanners, the fundamental difference being the way they dealt with shrunken stock, Cintel was mechanical, EMI electronic. 'Old timers' referred to the 'EMI corridor' and the 'Cintel corridor' The 'EMI corridor' was eventually equipped with 4 16mm Cintels, two MKIIs and two MKIIIs." .. and subsequently added to ...: "there was additionally on the 2nd floor TK25, I believe it was a MKI blue tube 35mm machine. I remember it doing a very few lunchtime Watch With Mothers, Woodentops and Andy Pandy; it was taken out of (bookable) service weeks before November 1969, stood unused for ages until it housed a Shibaden helical scan recorder to record junctions for the benefit of Presentation inquests. Eventually the cubicle was re-built as two (Net1 and Net2) remote TARIF control desks with provision for control of 3 transmission machines each; these rooms could control 1st floor machines when rarely on TX duty!"