European TV In Full colour - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Richard_FM · 1st Jun 2018, 6:17 pm

Following on from the threads about French standards & the availably of large B&W TVs, while looking up some details I was interested to find that it took until 1975 for the main French channel TF1 to switch over to colour.

In the Guinness Book Of TV Fact & Feats there is a list of when various European countries started colour transmissions, but no mention of when all channels had become a full colour service.

I do know most of the UK had colour by 1972 & it took until 1976 for the Channel Islands. In Ireland RTE had a gradual change from 1969 until 1976, when the last studio was converted to colour.

Interestingly the flagship Late Late Show was normally made in the last studio to get colour cameras.

If anyone has anything more to add feel free to do so.

dj_fivos_sak · 1st Jun 2018, 7:04 pm

In Greece, we started colour transmitions in 1979 with the SECAM B/G system. Cyprus was in 1982, also in SECAM. We switched to PAL B/G in 1992.

Fivos

Richard_FM · 1st Jun 2018, 8:17 pm

I did wonder why Greece went for Secam, I didn't realise Cyprus did as well.

Colourstar · 1st Jun 2018, 8:48 pm

Here's the 'Gala-abend der shallplatte Berlin 1967' which I believe was either the first (or one of the first) German tv shows shown in glowing PAL colo(u)r. Look out for the eye-popping psychedelic logo 'IN FARBE' after the modern introduction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzabHh9-Cts

Interestingly this programme, featuring various international artistes, was also shown on BBC television, possibly through some kind of Eurovision tie-in. There's even a jokey reference from the presenters who say 'hallo' to BBC viewers in Great Britain 'where you are watching this show in black and white'. Cheeky devils!

Steve

Nuvistor · 1st Jun 2018, 9:24 pm

BBC 1 and ITV started colour transmissions in November 1969, BBC2 in 1967.

2nd Jun 2018, 7:57 am

The first official colour broadcasting of Italian TV (RAI UNO, then called RETE 1) was the opening ceremony of the 1976 Summer Olympic Games on Saturday, July 17, 1976. I still remember it. It went full colour in February next year, but most programmes were still in B&W because they were repeats. I still kept my B&W tv set until mid 80s. I even watched Italy win the World Cup in 1982 in B&W, could you believe it!

ben · 2nd Jun 2018, 8:58 am

I vaguely recall reading somewhere that Spain started broadcasting in colour in 1975. makes sense if the numbers of K11 sets I have picked up is anything to go by! I've also yet to see an earlier colour TV chassis here.

red16v · 2nd Jun 2018, 10:00 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard_FM

I did wonder why Greece went for Secam, I didn't realise Cyprus did as well.

SECAM is an excellent transmission system over hilly or mountainous terrain. I don’t know but perhaps Greece is largely that sort of terrain?

Richard_FM · 2nd Jun 2018, 1:16 pm

It's understandable that Spain was a bit later starting in colour, I assume they hired in colour equipment to make the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest, though supposedly the only surviving colour footage is a timecoded copy with commentary from one of the Scandinavian countries.

1st Jun 2018, 6:17 pm	#1
Richard_FM Nonode Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Stockport, Cheshire, UK. Posts: 2,002	European TV In Full colour Following on from the threads about French standards & the availably of large B&W TVs, while looking up some details I was interested to find that it took until 1975 for the main French channel TF1 to switch over to colour. In the Guinness Book Of TV Fact & Feats there is a list of when various European countries started colour transmissions, but no mention of when all channels had become a full colour service. I do know most of the UK had colour by 1972 & it took until 1976 for the Channel Islands. In Ireland RTE had a gradual change from 1969 until 1976, when the last studio was converted to colour. Interestingly the flagship Late Late Show was normally made in the last studio to get colour cameras. If anyone has anything more to add feel free to do so.

1st Jun 2018, 7:04 pm	#2
dj_fivos_sak Heptode Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Lefkada, Greece Posts: 969	Re: European TV In Full colour In Greece, we started colour transmitions in 1979 with the SECAM B/G system. Cyprus was in 1982, also in SECAM. We switched to PAL B/G in 1992. Fivos

1st Jun 2018, 8:17 pm	#3
Richard_FM Nonode Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Stockport, Cheshire, UK. Posts: 2,002	Re: European TV In Full colour I did wonder why Greece went for Secam, I didn't realise Cyprus did as well.

1st Jun 2018, 8:48 pm	#4
Colourstar Octode Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ilkeston, Derbyshire, UK. Posts: 1,398	Re: European TV In Full colour Here's the 'Gala-abend der shallplatte Berlin 1967' which I believe was either the first (or one of the first) German tv shows shown in glowing PAL colo(u)r. Look out for the eye-popping psychedelic logo 'IN FARBE' after the modern introduction. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzabHh9-Cts Interestingly this programme, featuring various international artistes, was also shown on BBC television, possibly through some kind of Eurovision tie-in. There's even a jokey reference from the presenters who say 'hallo' to BBC viewers in Great Britain 'where you are watching this show in black and white'. Cheeky devils! Steve

1st Jun 2018, 9:24 pm	#5
Nuvistor Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 9,433	Re: European TV In Full colour BBC 1 and ITV started colour transmissions in November 1969, BBC2 in 1967. __________________ Frank

2nd Jun 2018, 7:57 am	#6
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Re: European TV In Full colour The first official colour broadcasting of Italian TV (RAI UNO, then called RETE 1) was the opening ceremony of the 1976 Summer Olympic Games on Saturday, July 17, 1976. I still remember it. It went full colour in February next year, but most programmes were still in B&W because they were repeats. I still kept my B&W tv set until mid 80s. I even watched Italy win the World Cup in 1982 in B&W, could you believe it!

2nd Jun 2018, 8:58 am	#7
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,498	Re: European TV In Full colour I vaguely recall reading somewhere that Spain started broadcasting in colour in 1975. makes sense if the numbers of K11 sets I have picked up is anything to go by! I've also yet to see an earlier colour TV chassis here. __________________ Regards, Ben.

2nd Jun 2018, 1:16 pm	#9
Richard_FM Nonode Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Stockport, Cheshire, UK. Posts: 2,002	Re: European TV In Full colour It's understandable that Spain was a bit later starting in colour, I assume they hired in colour equipment to make the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest, though supposedly the only surviving colour footage is a timecoded copy with commentary from one of the Scandinavian countries.