Latest news with #NationalTelevisionStandardsCommittee
The Age
22-05-2025
- General
- The Age
Waiting for my pal
'Mike Fogarty (C8) first saw colour TV in San Diego in 1967,' notes Mike Honey of Wentworth Falls. 'This would have been broadcast in NTSC (National Television Standards Committee), a system developed in America in the 1940s. Fortunately, when colour was introduced to Australia in the 1970s, the PAL (Phase Alternate Lines) system was chosen instead, producing a much higher quality colour image. When American shows had to be broadcast here, however, a PAL copy sadly did nothing to enhance the poor picture quality. Many of us who worked in the television industry at that time would claim, therefore, that NTSC actually stood for 'Never The Same Colour'.' 'Since the introduction of colour television in Australia, we have, in fact, become more black and white,' reckons Rob McPaul of Thirroul. 'Where are the canary yellow and lime green cars? Likewise, with houses, red brick has given way to shades of grey and painted houses are shades of white. With this loss of colour in our environment, have we benefited from colour television? What do other C8-ers think?' 'Regarding colour in the world and children as thinkers, I recall taking a group of year 9 students from the city to a dairy farm near Bathurst,' writes Lis Alarab of Hornsby. 'The farmer was explaining the different breeds of cattle and pointing them out to the students when one kid very seriously asked: 'So, which cows produce the chocolate milk?'' 'I recently passed an old, dark-fronted microwave getting a second chance at life doubling as a mailbox,' says Viv Munter of Tumbi Umbi. 'It got me thinking about other creative mailbox ideas. Perhaps fellow C8-ers can share?' Roderick van Gelder of Hunters Hill flicks the switch: 'At this point I am happy to pay more for appliances with zero 'smart' features (C8) and just physical knobs, buttons and controls for everything.' 'Your recent items on products from the 1950s and earlier (C8) stirred in my memory stuff called Dr Thar's Ointment,' says Lindsay Cook of Castle Hill. 'It came in a round tin and seemed to be applied by my mother to many childhood injuries. I had no idea what was in it, or whether it really did any good. I understood at the time that it was a 'drawing ointment', whatever that is. However, Dr Google indicates that the current version is an antiseptic and is still available. Wonders never cease.'
Sydney Morning Herald
22-05-2025
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
Waiting for my pal
'Mike Fogarty (C8) first saw colour TV in San Diego in 1967,' notes Mike Honey of Wentworth Falls. 'This would have been broadcast in NTSC (National Television Standards Committee), a system developed in America in the 1940s. Fortunately, when colour was introduced to Australia in the 1970s, the PAL (Phase Alternate Lines) system was chosen instead, producing a much higher quality colour image. When American shows had to be broadcast here, however, a PAL copy sadly did nothing to enhance the poor picture quality. Many of us who worked in the television industry at that time would claim, therefore, that NTSC actually stood for 'Never The Same Colour'.' 'Since the introduction of colour television in Australia, we have, in fact, become more black and white,' reckons Rob McPaul of Thirroul. 'Where are the canary yellow and lime green cars? Likewise, with houses, red brick has given way to shades of grey and painted houses are shades of white. With this loss of colour in our environment, have we benefited from colour television? What do other C8-ers think?' 'Regarding colour in the world and children as thinkers, I recall taking a group of year 9 students from the city to a dairy farm near Bathurst,' writes Lis Alarab of Hornsby. 'The farmer was explaining the different breeds of cattle and pointing them out to the students when one kid very seriously asked: 'So, which cows produce the chocolate milk?'' 'I recently passed an old, dark-fronted microwave getting a second chance at life doubling as a mailbox,' says Viv Munter of Tumbi Umbi. 'It got me thinking about other creative mailbox ideas. Perhaps fellow C8-ers can share?' Roderick van Gelder of Hunters Hill flicks the switch: 'At this point I am happy to pay more for appliances with zero 'smart' features (C8) and just physical knobs, buttons and controls for everything.' 'Your recent items on products from the 1950s and earlier (C8) stirred in my memory stuff called Dr Thar's Ointment,' says Lindsay Cook of Castle Hill. 'It came in a round tin and seemed to be applied by my mother to many childhood injuries. I had no idea what was in it, or whether it really did any good. I understood at the time that it was a 'drawing ointment', whatever that is. However, Dr Google indicates that the current version is an antiseptic and is still available. Wonders never cease.'
