Re: Screen format question

BrianF wrote:
Can anyone here throw any technical light on the source of this problem.
The Benelex cable cos certainly used to derive BBC 1 and BBC 2 by off air reception of the Dover transmitter. I'm a regular visitor to Amsterdam. Since about 2004 BBC 1 and 2 are now in 16:9 letterbox as seen via cable networks presented at hotels, so the signal is derived from Astra. The give-away is the restricted Ceefax service, and BBC London regional programmes. (Dover carries BBC South East).

This is only true for analogue cable systems. The digital ones are in normal 16:9, not in letterbox. They do use astra however.

It sounds as if your cable co is taking BBC 2 from Astra, but BBC 1 either from analogue Dover, of from a receiver set to 4:3 centre cut out, and possibly adding a Line 23 WSS 16:9 ident.

Are there still black bars visible top and bottom on the BBC 1 picture, that along with the Ceefax/regional thing, should verify whether the source is Dover or Astra.

I don't think you can conclude that what they do in The Netherlands is the same as they do here.

You can't. The only thing you know is that before Astra, Belgian and Dutch cable companies used Dover (receiver in Nieuwpoort on a water tower) and before that, some companies just took Wrotham or Talcolneston (and perhaps Dover) UHF.

gr, hwh
.

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