ATV Midlands start up 1960s

This is a recreation of part of the 1960s ITA Lichfield transmitter's start up sequence, This was broadcast at the start of each transmission period before ATV Midlands programming began. The music is by Eric Coates and it's entittled, "Sound And Vision".

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• TV
• Testcards
• ATV
• Midlands
• ITV

[madmax200769]

Been looking for this for years. I never knew that this was written by Eric Coates of the Dambuster's March fame.

For some reason this ident used to freak me out when I was about 4 years old left in the house alone. (That kinda thing was normal in those days). I think it's probably because the music was so loud. I noted that it is a recreation, but I'm sure the actual music was slightly different. I'm sure I recall a different ident screen too. In Nottingham this wasn't the screen I recalled.

[RadioSearock]

The Picaso tuning signal, as it was known, was used throughout most of the 1960s on every ITV region up until the autumn of 1969 when colour tv started in the London and Midlands regions. From thence onwards a new ITA transmitters In Service ident caption was used with the same start up music. But this was the caption used on Both the Lichfield ATV and Croydon ATV London service. The Music is by the way, the original version, it is also available on a CD called: The Great British Experience.

[tb3193]

@kifbowdensmith1 If my memory serves me correctly (I interned at Foley street in the summer of 1960) ATV London would end the startup with the 'elongated' ATV animation; it was a live telecine cue attempting to sync the animation with the music. Not sure whether this was also the case in the Midlands.

[kifbowdensmith1]

Sadly this is a cover version of the music from a stereo compilation from the 90s. The original, by The Wally Stott Orrchestra, had a drumroll at the start and the orchestra playing three notes as a fanfare at the start of the final verse while the ATV symbol formed up in animation.

[ralphsvideo]

I've tried to post an interesting comment four times on here so this will have to be a test transmission! When it comes to posting the message 'Error try again' comes up in red text despite there being plenty of characters left in the message space and after re[peated attempts pressing the Post icon.

Anyone else had difficulties?

I'm getting too demoralised by this to tell the story all over again as the text has been lost each time.

[scorpiofootiemad]

That is how I remember the ATV start-ups.

[SiLoJayLo]

No - they just make do with the constant advert breaks, each lasting about 6 minutes.

[msf60khz]

They don't dare put up a testcard with digital.

[classof73]

Good quality audio, it's a pity that at 2mins 20 you couldn't manage to get in the original ATV logo (they used to1950s one until colour), and had to replace it with a re-run of the original music. Well done anyway :-)

[OriTheEep]

Thank you!

I certainly remember the music although, being like

madmax200769 from Nottingham, I don't remember this test card either.

[AidanLunn]

It's almost symmetrical, white block on one side, black on the other.

[Hoddersrevenge]

If he hasn't already done so, I'm considering a crack at it myself.