TIL

What Cameras Were Used to Capture Live Aid (Wembley 1985)?

A detailed look at the broadcast camera setup used by the BBC during the UK leg of Live Aid, including the Philips LDK 5 and LDK 14.

Tannoy SFX 5.1 Repair

Usual disclaimer about being careful fixing mains powered devices - electricity can kill if you do something stupid! There's plenty of information about this unit available on the internet, which made troubleshooting and repairing this subwoofer very simple. I'm particularly indebted to Andy Doswell who previously went through the same repair here

Delta 33 Mains Switcher - A Rare Find

I’m sharing this information because when I searched the internet for details on the Delta range of products, I found nothing. Hopefully, this will help anyone who owns one of these units.

Data Centres as Critical Infrastructure - Is That Enough?

In a significant move, the UK has recently classified internet data centres as critical national infrastructure, putting them in the same category as emergency services, healthcare systems, and energy supplies. This means they’ll receive extra government support in the event of major incidents like cyber attacks or extreme weather. 1

Why Did the Eurovision Song Contest Look Odd This Year?

This year’s Eurovision Song Contest was broadcast as 1080 25pSF (the broadcast compatible version of 25p). It caused much controversy with non-technical viewers commenting something “didn’t feel quite right”, and amongst technical viewers who didn’t understand why the show being in 25pSF was such an issue given it’s a common format used in broadcast.

Setting The Brightness on an External Macbook Monitor

How to fix the problem of an external monitor resetting the brightness on a MacBook Pro running Monterey

Review: Read this before ordering a marquee or gazebo from Dancover.

Note: This review was published in 2017. As it's now 7 years old it's only fair to review the situation. Dancover have since reached out to me to sincerely apologise and explain that they take their customer service obligations very seriously. Everyone deserves a second chance, so before you make a decision based on the contents of this page please wait for an update very shortly. I’ve long wanted a gazebo/marquee. They are handy for outside broadcasts to protect you and the kit from the elements, but also for parties and events in the garden. They’re very expensive though, and I’ve always held back.

How To Use Your iPhone for TV Newsgathering

Article updated on 8th September 2017 to reflect that most broadcasters are now using HD, and to revise delivery methods to WeTransfer.

Controlling An ENG Broadcast Lens Without An Expensive Controller

I recently acquired a Panasonic AW-E800 camera and fully motorised Fujinon lens from the BBC World Service Auction. Fortunately as it was predominantly a radio auction a few tv related bits seemed to slip under the radar of most bidders and I managed to pick this up for mere £150. The quality is surprisingly good and when I went to Bush House to collect it I was pleased to discover it had the SDI output card intact.