I was wondering what the pips on Radio 2, on the hour, are actually for anymore. I thought it was so we could keep our watches in time with GMT but in these days of Digital radios, Satellite receivers and ‘on-line’, the only transmission that will be correct is good old analogue radio and there is a delay in transmission on the other forms of media, sometimes a couple of seconds.
Perhaps they want us to all live in slighty different time zones?
Anyone from the BBC on here like to comment?
Tony
By: Ren Frew - 29th November 2009 at 23:50
Not at all. It’s all very interesting. And I too remember the clocks before the progs but never even thought why they were there. Si I guess it is related to the pips in a way.
Are you talking about the countdown clocks or the station ident clocks ? The countdown clock were used largely on ‘schools and colleges’ transmissions simply to alert teachers as to when the broadcast was about to commence and to get their pupils organised in time for the viewing. Station ident clocks were just there as a way of the broadcaster letting you know the news was being delivered on time… News at One, The Six o’ Clock News, News at Ten etc etc…
VT countdown clock are another story altogether…
By: Ren Frew - 29th November 2009 at 23:43
I’d be very interested to hear what they say. Thanks.
An a senior audio colleague said…
The pips are only relevant to those listening on analogue radio. I know the clock in my car, which takes it’s time from the RDS data is accurate to the second when the pips are transmitted, but any DAB/Internet transmission must, by definition of the signal path and a/d convertions, have an element of latency which makes the pips slightly less relevant. This is my opinion and not that of my employer!!
By: Tony at BH - 29th November 2009 at 12:55
Sorry, wandering way off topic here….back to those pips. 😉
Not at all. It’s all very interesting. And I too remember the clocks before the progs but never even thought why they were there. Si I guess it is related to the pips in a way.
By: MSR777 - 29th November 2009 at 10:04
I’d be very interested to hear what they say. Thanks.
So would I. I’ve also wondered what happened to all the clocks that used to be shown on the various channels during the lead up to programmes starting like news etc. I read somewhere that the clocks/timers shown before the school programmes were abolished as most schools obtained VCRs and so had no need to organise the class prior to the programme starting, and of course could show the prog as and when they needed to. Sorry, wandering way off topic here….back to those pips. 😉
By: Tony at BH - 26th November 2009 at 23:24
Yes indeed, and I’ll run it past one of my BBC engineering colleagues 😉
I’d be very interested to hear what they say. Thanks.
By: Ren Frew - 26th November 2009 at 23:18
Just remember. If you want to set your watch by them, use an analogue radio.
Yes indeed, and I’ll run it past one of my BBC engineering colleagues, but with the advent of digital radio and all the various ways it can be received there are slight sync delays because of the analogue to digital processing and decoding. The pips however remain as they are almost as identifiably Radio 2 as Sir Terry himself. 😉
By: Tony at BH - 26th November 2009 at 20:20
The pips rock! It’s a bit like the Broadmoor Siren 10am every Monday.:D
Just remember. If you want to set your watch by them, use an analogue radio.
By: Flygirl - 26th November 2009 at 20:14
The pips rock! It’s a bit like the Broadmoor Siren 10am every Monday.:D
By: Tony at BH - 26th November 2009 at 20:12
The listeners love them apparently…:cool:
Sounds like you are in the know? I even wrote to Terry about it (I am one of his Togs!!) and to Sarah Kennedy but they never read out my email. Perhaps it was deliberate as they don’t want to rock the boat.
😀
By: Ren Frew - 26th November 2009 at 00:04
Anyone from the BBC on here like to comment?
Tony
The listeners love them apparently…:cool:
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November 25, 2009 at 8:35 pm