Richard’s article about The BBC Roving Eye vehicles has been updated again, as more information is being brought to our attention!
The latest update includes some colour pictures of REII at Churchill’s funeral and some new pictures of NYN 286Y.
BBC Power Generators article
There were only ever ten of these as eventually the BBC simply hired generators from outside organisations.
Richard’s article relates everything that he could discover about each of the ten.
You can read this article here: BBC Power Generators.
BBC Power Generators
By Richard Harris. Updated 2021-02-27.
All outside broadcast (OB) units need electric power but supplying it lacks the interest of the OB trucks themselves. At BECG our thoughts turned to this vital subject with our acquisition of a 1953 BBC generator truck. In this article, we survey the various ways in which power was provided for BBC OB trucks and look in particular at the 10 generator trucks that the BBC operated.
Continue reading “BBC Power Generators”Project Vivat – Power System considerations
By Richard Harris
There is more to consider when providing power for an outside broadcast unit than arriving on-site and plugging into the nearest socket outlet. Safety and compliance with regulations concerning use of power need to be taken into account, particularly when the public are present. There are some complex technical and legal issues involved.
Continue reading “Project Vivat – Power System considerations”BBC coverage of 40th and 50th anniversaries of the D Day landings
By Dan Cranefield, Senior Engineering Manager, BBC Tel OBs.
Dan Cranefield recalls his involvement with the BBC coverage of the 40th and 50th anniversaries of the D Day landings from Arromanches and Bayeux in France.
Continue reading “BBC coverage of 40th and 50th anniversaries of the D Day landings”BBC CMCR list
Robin Stonestreet has been in touch with us with a list of BBC CMCRs (Colour Mobile Control Rooms). This draws on earlier work by Jerry Clegg with extra input from Brian Summers and Richard Harris.
Continue reading “BBC CMCR list”Roving on…
Richard’s “Roving Eye” article just keeps on growing – the latest version now includes Roving Eyes RE3 and RE4 (which were never completed) and RE5 (which became the LMCR). Many thanks to our contributors for the extra information.
Roving Eye Article
The “Roving Eye” article by Richard was withdrawn at his request for some last minute updates, including more new photographs. It has now been reinstated and can be found here.
Sorry for any inconvenience.
The Roving Eye
Television Outside Broadcast History: “The Roving Eye”.
Compiled by Richard Harris. Updated 2020-12-28.
To view the entire article in PDF format, please follow this link: The Roving Eye.
This brief history follows the development of the BBC facility providing real-time television pictures from moving vehicles to bring action pictures to viewers.
Continue reading “The Roving Eye”Ex BBC Type 5 for Channel 4’s Big Breakfast
Alan Taylor sent us these pictures of the former BBC LO-4 Type 5 scanner being hoisted into the garden of the Lock Keeper’s Cottage at Bow.
Continue reading “Ex BBC Type 5 for Channel 4’s Big Breakfast”