UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > General Vintage Technology > General Vintage Technology Discussions

Notices

General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc.

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 14th Jan 2014, 3:56 pm   #61
Junk Box Nick
Octode
 
Junk Box Nick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 1,571
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

Len Goodman’s Dance Band Days (recently on BBC 4 and available on iPlayer) has a few vintage sets to spot.

The most notable one is the DAC90 that appears prominently in the foreground a couple of minutes into the programme.

As a documentary programme dealing with a music fashion within a defined period - the inter-war years - I think this does bear criticism as the DAC 90 is (correct me if I am wrong - and if so I'm sure someone will!) a post WWII set.

Other sets I spotted included a Philco. A lot of the shots are close-ups of dials but the eagle-eyed experts, of which I am not one, will probably be able to identify them.

I think, as a good part of the programme was devoted to the reaction of John Reith and the BBC to this style of dance music, that out of period props should be criticised.

If they'd asked me I could have found them a few early 30s woodies!
Junk Box Nick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14th Jan 2014, 4:31 pm   #62
richrussell
Heptode
 
richrussell's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 979
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

DAC90 appeared in 1946, so yes it's post-war (though not by much)
richrussell is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 16th Jan 2014, 8:45 pm   #63
AC/HL
Dekatron
 
AC/HL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 9,637
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

One post relating only to cars deleted.
AC/HL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22nd Jan 2014, 11:26 am   #64
broadgage
Nonode
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: North Somerset, UK.
Posts: 2,129
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Herald1360 View Post
I wonder if an oil lamp simply isn't bright enough to be seen to be lit under film lighting if the wick is trimmed properly.

In a film, it only has to be seen to be alight, it doesn't actually have to do anything useful.
It depends on the technology used for filming.
In years gone by, very high light levels had to be used for filming (both real photographic film and video) as a consequence any lit oil lamp in the scene appeared very dim.
However recent advances allow filming under much lower light levels, and a lit oil lamp, or gas light, or candles, can now contribute significant actual illumination, relative to other lighting.

Candles or oil lamps in a period drama filmed in 1970 will appear very much dimmer than in s similar drama filmed today.
broadgage is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23rd Jan 2014, 7:15 pm   #65
Omegaman
Hexode
 
Omegaman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 250
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Skywave View Post
Yup: noticed that. I've also seen the radio operator back at the station receiving those VHF transmissions - on a Trio 9R59 short-wave comms. receiver! Surely they could have found a Pye base station somewhere, (even if it was just an empty case), or failing that, knock up a 'look alike'?
The company my Wife owned used to supply a lot of radio related props to YTV. We offered to give them a correct period base station on a number of occasions but they declined.
The Trio was doctored by me for a scene in one of the last episodes when the police station was 'hi-jacked' by a criminal. The radio was to be knocked to the floor and smashed exposing masses of internal wiring and loose valves which would be stamped on and broken. The production assistant insisted on having enough wire to cable a telephone exchange exposed and several large coke bottle valves (actually GZ37s) to spill out. This was despite my protests that it would be totally wrong and the valves wouldn't actually fit inside the radio's cabinet!! Oh well....
I still have the mains transformer from the Trio somewhere after removing it for more room.

On another occasion YTV were making a docu-drama about the Yorkshire Ripper and approached us for the 'correct period' (Their words) radios for the police officers. We provided a quantity of the correct Burndept BE470s that were used in West Yorks. at the time. When the programme actually aired our radios had miraculously transformed into a random collection of Pye Bantams and ex. Metropolitan police Stornos....

Artistic licence, I suppose!
__________________
Howard G7AJN/M3OCL

"How hard can it be?" - Jeremy Clarkson
Omegaman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21st Mar 2014, 12:03 pm   #66
suebutcher
Heptode
 
suebutcher's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Daylesford, Victoria, Australia
Posts: 674
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

I saw "Telstar" a few weeks ago, set around 1960 to 1967, and despite the amount of recording equipment seen in the film, the only error obvious to me was the 1970s BASF logo on some of Joe Meek's tape reels.
suebutcher is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22nd Mar 2014, 11:57 am   #67
Peter.N.
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Charmouth, Dorset, UK.
Posts: 3,601
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

An episode of Heartbeat that was on the other day appeared to have a KW2000 as a PMR base station.

Peter
Peter.N. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22nd Mar 2014, 1:08 pm   #68
Radio Wrangler
Moderator
 
Radio Wrangler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,798
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

The problem seems to be that REAL PMR base stations look boring. They're crystal controlled, tied to their assigned frequency. You might if you're lucky get a small meter and a panel lamp Obviously quite unsatisfactory from the point of drama.

KW2000s at least have tuning scales and lots of knobs.
Real spaceships don't 'Swoosh' either. Unfortunately Joe Public sees Hollywood, believes Hollywood.

David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done
Radio Wrangler is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 22nd Mar 2014, 3:12 pm   #69
Phil G4SPZ
Dekatron
 
Phil G4SPZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Bewdley, Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 4,735
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

Not on TV or film, but I visited Bletchley Park this week and was surprised at the number of wireless-related anachronisms on display, particularly in areas purporting to depict wartime scenes. Several post-war sets and items of test equipment were in evidence. None of these spoilt my enjoyment of what is becoming a very good museum, but with all the help available to the management there I would have expected rather better historical accuracy.
__________________
Phil

Optimist [n]: One who is not in possession of the full facts
Phil G4SPZ is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 25th Mar 2014, 9:13 pm   #70
SiriusHardware
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 11,482
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

Not radio related, but I recently saw 'The Monument Men' which, briefly, is about a largely American squad sent in at the end of world war two to try to recover artworks squirreled away by the Germans.

The characters spent a lot of time talking openly to each about their plans on phone (voice) field radio sets within easy listening distance of the enemy lines - not a wise thing to do, I would have thought.

But the one I really liked was the characters arriving at an American - occupied British airfield instantly recognisable to any warplane nerd as Duxford - it went OK to begin with, as the camera swept across a parked B17 ('Sally B)' and a P-47 Thunderbolt, swung past the iconic hangars and then finally paused on the WWII control tower, which had appropriately costumed officers milling around on the balcony.

Only problem was, they didn't remove the added-on modern storey with its outward-tilted tinted glass windows
SiriusHardware is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31st Mar 2014, 11:44 pm   #71
antenna441
Tetrode
 
antenna441's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Northampton, Northants. UK.
Posts: 61
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

I recently attended a short talk and demonstration by a member of the 1st world war society, where he appeared in a typical privates uniform, which he described, in detail. In the question and answer session at the end, someone asked if he ever shouted at the television, when WW1 programmes were on. He said. "All the time" so it's not just us radio specialists... My contribution to this thread is from Foyle's war. the attached screen shot is of what is undoubtedly a Bush AC41 from 1954. I'd hate to be in a props department.......
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	foyleradio1.jpg
Views:	405
Size:	83.8 KB
ID:	90931  
antenna441 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17th Apr 2014, 9:55 am   #72
antenna441
Tetrode
 
antenna441's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Northampton, Northants. UK.
Posts: 61
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

Great British Menu BBC2 Wednesday. Main Course on the theme of 70th anniversary of 'D' day. Prop used to provide appropriate period music, 1949/50 Philips 581A. The food looked good.!!!!

screen shot attached
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	GBM2.jpg
Views:	436
Size:	151.5 KB
ID:	91629  
antenna441 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12th Oct 2014, 8:10 am   #73
Nicklyons2
Octode
 
Nicklyons2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,517
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

Now I know there have been other posts regarding anachronisms in film and TV programmes which, IMHO, are sometimes excuseable when they are 'near misses' and don't contravene historical accuracy too much (don't mention that Radar 'show'). I do find it strange, however, when TV makes programmes about itself or stars of TV and gets it wrong. I cite in this "Cilla"; never mind the 300 series phone in the phone booth, the AT&T 500 phones in a London hotel or the ITT-KB TV in Brian Epstein's 'pad'. What I found incredibly strange was the scene in the Granada building with the wrong logo everywhere. The arrowed G appeared more or less with colour 1968/9; the scene was around 1965 when the 'Andy Pandy/ Kid's Brick' letters were in use. What's worse this was an ITV show, is there no-one at ITV who is aware of ITV's history?

Having said all this, other than for the above, I really enjoyed the 'mini series' and, in general thought it had pretty high production values. It is still available on the ITV player for another week or so should any of you wish to take a look.

Last edited by Nicklyons2; 12th Oct 2014 at 8:11 am. Reason: punctuation
Nicklyons2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 9th Jan 2015, 8:56 pm   #74
ColinTheAmpMan1
Octode
 
ColinTheAmpMan1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Wimbledon, London, UK.
Posts: 1,464
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

Hi,
I recently saw the film "The Theory of Everything" which is about Stephen and Jane Hawking's marriage years and is excellent, despite a few "dramatic" additions and errors. In a number of scenes there is a desk-top computer which looks to me to be one of the Commodore models, possibly a PET. Since the this part of the film is set around the time that Hawking wrote "A Brief History of Time" which was first published in 1988, I am not sure whether the Commodore is anachronistic or not. Sales of the PET were in decline by 1982 and I would have thought Hawking could have afforded the most modern of home computers.
Perhaps others might be more knowledgeable?
Incidentally, as Peter Bradshaw has pointed out in the Guardian, it is very odd that no-one seems to be smoking in the film....
Colin.
ColinTheAmpMan1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 16th Jan 2015, 11:16 pm   #75
Ted Kendall
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kington, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 3,657
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

Just finished watching the BBC4 doc about recording, in which a 4038 is introduced as a "Coles 4038 from the early thirties"...!

Firstly, the design dates from 1953.

Secondly, it was branded as STC until the 1970s.

Thirdly, and worst of all, it is the BBC's own design.

If the Corporation can't get its own history right, how are we to believe anything else in the programme?
Ted Kendall is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 17th Jan 2015, 1:21 pm   #76
Peter.N.
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Charmouth, Dorset, UK.
Posts: 3,601
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

Have you noticed how all the on/off/volume controls on stage sets seem to have been moved to the right hand hand side, and how many of the sets must have been fitted with directly heated valves as they come on instantly.

Peter
Peter.N. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17th Jan 2015, 1:28 pm   #77
Phil G4SPZ
Dekatron
 
Phil G4SPZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Bewdley, Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 4,735
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

They also seem to work in reverse, i.e. turn clockwise to switch 'off'. I often see the same happen with valves (the stopcock type) and water taps.
__________________
Phil

Optimist [n]: One who is not in possession of the full facts
Phil G4SPZ is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 17th Jan 2015, 2:06 pm   #78
Guest
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

Quote:
and how many of the sets must have been fitted with directly heated valves as they come on instantly.
Even worse they do come on 'instantly' not even the 1/2 to 1 second delay, or time to adjust the volume control. A 'Miss Marple' I watched a while ago had an Ekco A22 with the whole tuning dial lit up very brightly, and indeed to turn it off was clockwise (on the right/correct knob though).
  Reply With Quote
Old 18th Jan 2015, 10:42 pm   #79
jamesperrett
Octode
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Liss, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 1,870
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ted Kendall View Post
Just finished watching the BBC4 doc about recording, in which a 4038 is introduced as a "Coles 4038 from the early thirties"...!
...
If the Corporation can't get its own history right, how are we to believe anything else in the programme?
It wasn't the only problem. I'm sure that electrical recordings were standard before the 1930's and I'm also fairly sure that hill and dale discs were much rarer than they were made out to be on that programme. There were a few other things that I can't remember now...
jamesperrett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21st Jan 2015, 6:38 pm   #80
Herald1360
Dekatron
 
Herald1360's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 16,526
Default Re: Technology related anachronisms on TV and in films etc.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil G4SPZ View Post
They also seem to work in reverse, i.e. turn clockwise to switch 'off'. I often see the same happen with valves (the stopcock type) and water taps.

Errr, don't stopcocks and old style taps normally turn off clockwise as you screw the washer down onto the seat?
__________________
....__________
....|____||__|__\_____
.=.| _---\__|__|_---_|.
.........O..Chris....O
Herald1360 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:12 am.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.