BBCi Tests 2002
~ BBCi World Cup 2002 DTT Tests ~
For the world cup, the BBC began experimenting with providing video streams via BBCi. Although this was on all 3 Digital platforms, some of the most interesting stuff happened on Digital Terrestrial, with the BBC being able to run transmissions they couldn't have done before the collapse of ITV Digital! This page is dedicated to those DTT tests!
BBCi - Comes to Life (22/5/2002)
BBCi 701 Caption
The previous week, the first inklings of something new for DTT had appeared, with two blank channels on the SDN multiplex appearing. Numbered 701 and 702, and cheerfully called 'No Name', these had nothing on at first, until the following Wednesday, when the broadcasts began. On the morning of the 22nd May, a static caption appeared on both 701 and 702, with the usual testcard tone (Dont ask why they couldnt have used proper Testcard J!!!). This is the 701 image...
BBCi 702 Caption
And a snapshot of the almost identical 702 image.
BBC - Q & A
The early evening was when the fun really began. A looped film started playing simultaneously on the two channels. Called 'Q & A', it is a Digital Widescreen test film used by the BBC when they are testing new channels. The entire sequence of aerial shots of Cornwall lasts 15 minutes, of which the first 3 minutes are in this file.
3.84mb
BBCi - Returns (31/5/2002)
BBCi 701 Caption
After running Q & A for several hours on the 22nd May, the two channels eventually went back to the static caption. This is how they stayed for over a week. Then, on the morning of the World Cup kickoff, the two channels came back to life. Their names changed from 'No Name' to (wait for it) '...'! They both started showing a looped set of tests, one channel a few minutes ahead of the other, probably to test how DTT handled two seperate streams. The loop runs as follows...
First a new static caption is shown for several minutes. Either 'Stream 1' for 701...
First a new static caption is shown for several minutes. Either 'Stream 1' for 701...
BBCi 702 Caption
...or 'Stream 2' for 702.
After that, the aspect ratios go a bit funny. Q and A appears, forced through in 16:9 anamorphic.
After that, the aspect ratios go a bit funny. Q and A appears, forced through in 16:9 anamorphic.
BBC England Vs Tunisia 1998 A
As soon as Q & A finishes playing once, raw footage of the France 98 match between England and Tunisia appears. This was still 16:9 squashed to 4:3, as such the file shows the picture in that form!
BBC England Vs Tunisia 1998 B
After a few minutes of the raw footage, the actual BBC footage, complete with commentary appears, starting at 76 minutes, and running until about 79 minutes. Aspect ratio here is really bad - Its 16:9 pillarbox squashed to 4:3! Ouch!
BBCi - Outside hours (2/6/2002)
BBC 701 Stream test
Later in the afternoon of the opening World Cup day, the channels came into normal service. Outside of the broadcast hours, however, there were still occasional tests carried out. Here are some from Sunday the 2nd June.
Here the testcard tone accompanies the by now familiar caption, along with an audio statement announcing what stream it is, sounding vaguely like the old IBA Authority Announcements.
Here the testcard tone accompanies the by now familiar caption, along with an audio statement announcing what stream it is, sounding vaguely like the old IBA Authority Announcements.
BBC 702 Stream test
A different announcement for channel 702.
~ Acknowledgements ~
BBC Television - http://www.bbc.co.uk