Acorn BBC Micros

From: D. Peschel <dpeschel_at_u.washington.edu>
Date: Tue Nov 3 23:23:32 1998

> One thing. I assume you're being sold a UK version, which will connect to
> a UK televison (UHF channel 36, PAL colour), or to a composite monitor,
> or to a TTL RGB monitor, all at UK scan rates. There is supposed to be a
> US version (I have a little data on it), but I've never seen one in the
> UK. I assume that would use US scan rates.

How does the UK channel-numbering scheme work, anyway? (or what are the
conventions for connecting external stuff to TV's?) The whole philosophy of
the government's role in TV and radio broadcasting is different than here.
That seems to have good and bad consequences.

I've spent some time in London, read assorted computer and TV manuals
(including the BBC manual) and the TV listings in the weekend papers,
but don't really know what a UK citizen would knnow. So let me guess:

        US UK

NTSC -- smooth and flaky PAL -- flickery but more reliable
                                (still prone to interference, but fewer
                                color-related symptoms, based on my watching
                                Wimbledon from an old flat near Knightsbridge)

VHF frequency bands: VHF frequency bands:
channels 2-13 ?
(1 was scrapped in short order)

UHF frequency bands: UHF frequency bands:
channels 14-99? ?
(not sure -- little-used, many
conflicting terms and marketing)

Satellite and cable TV bands: Satellite and cable TV bands:
Too complicated for me to guess ?

Stations identified by freq. Stations identified by semi-arbitrary name
and call letters (e.g., BBC1, ITV, C5)

Loose network affiliations Tight network affiliations because of
yet easy to find freqs. historical monopoly; difficult to find freqs.;
                                "tuning in" may be required to relate ideal
                                channel number with actual band number
                                (which changes from area to area)

                                (Is this true or am I totally wrong?)

Devices attached to ch. 3 or 4 Devices attached to ch. 36?
(whichever is unused) in past

Now, more sensible input scheme SCART which seems excellent AFAIK
on modern sets

Closed-captioning and a few Teletext; would put US closed-captioning to
other "trick" services which shame except the TV turns it off when you
may have rather sneaky imple- change channels; useful for many things
mentations

Does that about sum it up? :)

We could get into a discussion about the history and politics in the US and
the UK, but that's *really* off-topic.

To keep this on the topic of the thread, I *am* interested in getting a BBC.
I guess I'd need a PAL monitor and a 220-volt, 50-hz power supply to run it
though. Does anyone have any ideas?

-- Derek
Received on Tue Nov 03 1998 - 23:23:32 GMT