Obscure equipment I can say my TV License was spent on

Sput · Thu 20 Nov, 2008 21.28

Ahoy all! So to try and kick things off I thought I'd pick the brains of the broadcast-technologically-minded with this question: What interesting components/equipment can I say the cost of my TV License completely paid for? The most exotically-named stuff takes preference. I figure if the Daily Mail readers claim their license was the exact money that paid for stuff they don't approve of, I can claim mine paid for something I DO approve of.

Steve in Pudsey · Thu 20 Nov, 2008 22.19

This might be a good starting point

http://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/milestones/index.shtml

iSon · Fri 21 Nov, 2008 09.33

Sput wrote:Ahoy all! So to try and kick things off I thought I'd pick the brains of the broadcast-technologically-minded with this question: What interesting components/equipment can I say the cost of my TV License completely paid for? The most exotically-named stuff takes preference. I figure if the Daily Mail readers claim their license was the exact money that paid for stuff they don't approve of, I can claim mine paid for something I DO approve of.

Tut - the licence fee AND the Daily Mail. Two things that I don't think are catered for by the TX suite. You just have to spoil it for everyone else, don't you?

Sput · Fri 21 Nov, 2008 09.38

I'm a maverick.

Gavin Scott · Fri 21 Nov, 2008 11.40

Did those COW devices ever fall into private hands? I remember one being on eBay, but then removed.

I quite seriously set a price in my head to buy that, and leave it revolving in the corner of my room.

Similarly, I asked someone at STV if I could buy their eprom driven clock from the late 80s.

He said it had been thrown in a skip.

Sput · Fri 21 Nov, 2008 11.43

What's a COW Device when it's at home?

Gavin Scott · Fri 21 Nov, 2008 11.53

Sput wrote:What's a COW Device when it's at home?

"Computer Originated World" - the gold and blue spinning BBC1 symbol of the mid 80s.

They were entirely solid state devices, with interchangeable eprom cards which overlaid the "888" legends, amongst others. Plug it in and watch in spin.

Sput · Fri 21 Nov, 2008 11.54

That was quite a dumb question, looking back at it, wasn't it.

Malpass93 · Fri 21 Nov, 2008 15.36

Gavin Scott wrote:He said it had been thrown in a skip.

Always disappoints me when that happens. I'm sure a collector, or indeed a TV pres fan would be happy to take it off the broadcaster's hands for them, as it is such a waste for them to be thrown away like that. Some may even pay for stuff such as that.

Nini · Fri 21 Nov, 2008 16.03

Them'd be museums where they should go, private collectors are good and all but still...

Malpass93 · Fri 21 Nov, 2008 17.05

Nini wrote:Them'd be museums where they should go, private collectors are good and all but still...

Even better. Then everyone can see them. I should really have thought about that. Possibly at the Film and Television Museum in Bradford, or Television Centre.