Always Handy
On September 24, 2012
- TV History
Always Handy
Flip cards and camera alignment chats were always close at hand in the early days like in this 1949 shot from NBC. Do you know why?
- Home
- TV History
- Network Studios History
- Cameras
- Archives
- Viewseum
- About / Comments
@John – heat definitely has an effect on electronic components – working in a new OB truck this past Saturday, the aircon failed, so the engineers opened up all the flaps. It was fine until someone got the bright idea that they should close up the door and the flaps. Needless to say we had problems with the SPG and lost lock everywhere! Those flaps were opened pronto!
I would imagine with the varying temperatures and the heat buildup from tubes, the cameras probably needed periodic readjustments. Heat has such a significant effect on electrical components.
@Nick: Remember that the IO tube is not the only tube in [most of] those cameras!!
On a tangential topic, when running camera for a science show, I was reminded by the director to turn off the orbiter when getting an ECU. Of course, I had to remember to turn it back on.
Camera 2 get the logo
Hail to the Hale!
I still have a complete set of camera set up charts! I still use them too! Mine were made in the 50s.
Monochrome cameras suffer drift? Even with just a lonely single tube?
Yes, flip cards, along with title cards, slides, menu-boards, etc.
And flip cards were the CG of the era…
Tube cameras drift… hence the reason for alignment charts.