count down clock before the beginning of a programme - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

marcus 3500 · 11th May 2007, 11:18 pm

Hi all

Can any member please give me the correct terminology for the time count down clock before the beginning of a programme, is it "ident slate"?

here are some examples.

Thanks guys

Marcus.........

paolo · 13th May 2007, 1:18 pm

I've always known them as countdown clocks.

The term 'ident' usually refers to the TV station jingle/animation that used to precede programmes on ITV. You know, the 'ATV fanfare' or the Thames reflection or the LWT river....

Ahhh...memories.

Focus Diode · 14th May 2007, 5:54 am

Usually displayed until 3 seconds into the start of the programme, including station ident on an ITV programme.

Here are some more. The last one shows a modern computerised version, very dull and boring in comparison. This was transmitted accidentally at the start of Episode 2, Series 3 of "Between The Lines" tx BBC1 26/10/94.

Brian R

ppppenguin · 14th May 2007, 7:58 am

The electronic countdown clock was pioneered by Thames TV in the mid 1970s. It used mainly analogue(!) techniques and had a non-QWERTY keyboard. This last was to get round a union restriction where only typists could use QWERTY keyboards.

The Thames design was manufactured under licence by Michael Cox Electronics (model 350) which is where I first met it. It was a wonder that it ever worked. Very politely, the design was pretty lousy and only ever worked through selecting components and lots of tweaking. Cox supplied ABC keyboards for Thames and QWERTY for everyone else. Cox developed the 650 digital countdown lock in about 1981. This was a solid and stable design.

In 1986 Courtyard Electronics was formed by 2 ex-Cox employees. They designed the CY200 countdown clock which became the industry standard for over 15 years. I think they only recently stopped making them.

The right hand photo could be a 650 or a CY200. you can't really tell the difference.

11th May 2007, 11:18 pm	#1
marcus 3500 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: South Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 351	count down clock before the beginning of a programme Hi all Can any member please give me the correct terminology for the time count down clock before the beginning of a programme, is it "ident slate"? here are some examples. Thanks guys Marcus......... Attached Thumbnails

13th May 2007, 1:18 pm	#2
paolo Heptode Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 615	Re: Ident slates ??? I've always known them as countdown clocks. The term 'ident' usually refers to the TV station jingle/animation that used to precede programmes on ITV. You know, the 'ATV fanfare' or the Thames reflection or the LWT river.... Ahhh...memories. Last edited by paolo; 13th May 2007 at 1:32 pm.

14th May 2007, 5:54 am	#3
Focus Diode Octode Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Borough of Gateshead, UK. Posts: 1,420	Re: Ident slates ??? Usually displayed until 3 seconds into the start of the programme, including station ident on an ITV programme. Here are some more. The last one shows a modern computerised version, very dull and boring in comparison. This was transmitted accidentally at the start of Episode 2, Series 3 of "Between The Lines" tx BBC1 26/10/94. Brian R Attached Thumbnails

14th May 2007, 7:58 am	#4
ppppenguin Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: North London, UK. Posts: 6,168	Re: Ident slates ??? The electronic countdown clock was pioneered by Thames TV in the mid 1970s. It used mainly analogue(!) techniques and had a non-QWERTY keyboard. This last was to get round a union restriction where only typists could use QWERTY keyboards. The Thames design was manufactured under licence by Michael Cox Electronics (model 350) which is where I first met it. It was a wonder that it ever worked. Very politely, the design was pretty lousy and only ever worked through selecting components and lots of tweaking. Cox supplied ABC keyboards for Thames and QWERTY for everyone else. Cox developed the 650 digital countdown lock in about 1981. This was a solid and stable design. In 1986 Courtyard Electronics was formed by 2 ex-Cox employees. They designed the CY200 countdown clock which became the industry standard for over 15 years. I think they only recently stopped making them. The right hand photo could be a 650 or a CY200. you can't really tell the difference.