Quote:
Originally Posted by Granitehill
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparks
Quote:
Originally Posted by Granitehill
The microwave network was a carrier of signals - not an end-point transmitter.
BT carried the video signals from the various studios to the main station transmitters. At that point BBC/IBA combined the video with the audio and transmitted to the public. (Sound was originally sent over high-quality landline; in later times it went to "Sound in Sync" multiplexing on the video stream). BBC had a small number of microwave links of their own, but the vast majority was BT. The BBC management didn't see themselves as "bit-carriers", I understand.
What is not generally known is that BT also provided network switching to route programme sources to regional transmitters, and this switched as required by daily programme schedules. This was controlled by several BT-manned network switching centres (NSCs). The largest was at the BT Tower (actually in the associated ground-level building). This was a large installation, full of monitors and switching consoles. Not some kind of mock-up as has been suggested. I worked in the most northerly NSC in Aberdeen.
The whole system worked well as a collaborative team structure (BBC/BT/IBA). I wonder if such an organisation would be viable these days, given modern business and management practices ?
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I learn a lot on this site! Were the NSCs for both BBC and ITV stations? |
As far as memory goes, ITV switching was carried out by BT (since the programme providers were all separate companies). The BBC carried some switching themselves, but their links also routed via the NSCs. This allowed maintenance, cross patching and possible re-routes under fault conditions.
The active channels were quality monitored at the NSCs by BT - and any loss or signal degradation had to be attended to within seconds ! Of course they paid BT very serious money for this... |
Would just like to clarify this. BT was of course responsible for switching the circuits between the ITV companies according to the daily programme schedule as required. But the individual ITV companies were responsible for what was actually carried on those circuits and did that switching on their own premises. I used to perform network switching duties at one of the major ITV companies. The companies were ‘just’ programme contractors (not broadcasters) and were not permitted to own circuits or indeed to even book circuits. We had to go through the Lines booking staff at the IBA. One or two of the companies did have their own private microwave circuits, from memory ATV and Anglia? but these were definitely not used for network programme distribution. Don’t know anything about the BBC’s arrangements.