April 11, 2012 - 13:50
OK, absolutely no idea if this is the right place to put this..but hey ho....
A bit of back story. I toddled off to a local auction to buy some items to flog on't fleabay to top up our latest round of costly IVF.
When I got there, in addition to the normal lost in post items, chairs and fridges. I found a load of TV Broadcast gear?
One BBC item which was nicely flight cased in a shiny box looked rather fancy. I don't normally get carried away but in my geekness I 'think' I've thrown away a good chunk of our hard earned dosh!? bugger.
The offending item is a...."BBC RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT - FLOORMAN"
A quick google gave me a BBC white paper here after which the technology was then offered up for license.
Another google found that the license was bought by BAL Broadcast. Which went on to produce the floorman and presented it at the 2009 US NAB show where it won an award. BAL were bought out by a US company after and the license is now back on the BBC R&D site showing as available.
You can still buy the BAL Floorman here. But its the BAL version and not an original BBC one.
BBC R&D haven't answered my emails, but I'm assuming (especially looking at the viewer pic in the whitepaper) that this is the unit they sent out to BAL (which was a local company and I believe is the source of all the equipment) when they bought the license.
Thats as far as my knowledge goes...especially as no one seems to want to answer any emails regarding it! lol
This is a working BBC Floorman. What I need to know (from anyone who knows more than my meager range). Is this tech still useable?...by anyone??????
or should I tell the wife I've kerphuckled up.
Cheers all
M
April 14, 2012 - 18:28
#1
Re: BBC TV R&D TECH - FLOORMAN UNIT???
Hi
Can't see the picture. I'll ask some of the BBC Staff in Plymouth and contact a few colleagues from BBC Wood Norton for you.
How much did you fork out for it?
April 15, 2012 - 11:12
#2
Re: BBC TV R&D TECH - FLOORMAN UNIT???
tilski wrote:
HiCan't see the picture. I'll ask some of the BBC Staff in Plymouth and contact a few colleagues from BBC Wood Norton for you.How much did you fork out for it?
Thanks for the reply, very very much appreciated!!
Not sure why the pic was deleted. But here it is again.
The BBC have got in touch (they had even read this post! :) ). They are awaiting an answer from the lead engineer on the project. They say its fully useable, but at least ill know a bit more then.
I'm told its a DTT Transmission/Receiving set - allowing the display of quad screens on the one portable wireless device (which you can see on the right of the pic) But apparently this can also be sent to any mobile device (laptop/tablet).
I daren't say what was forked out. And Im a bit panicky regarding the IVF fund now! lol But I really don't know?, is there a used market for a DTT Transmission/receiving set of this type? I assume its quite niche.
Thanks again!
M
April 15, 2012 - 13:07
#3
Re: BBC TV R&D TECH - FLOORMAN UNIT???
Definitly niche. I remember the development, it worked quite well.
April 15, 2012 - 18:02
#4
Re: BBC TV R&D TECH - FLOORMAN UNIT???
Thanks for the reply. Its great you remember its dev. And I'm very happy you say that it did well what it was designed to do. :)
But not being in the industry, I'm wondering how niche? Is it at the level of only 3 prospective customers in the UK? lol
(If so I may need a new wife!)
It seems a shame BAL was bought out the year they launched it retail. But at least the Floorman technology won an award at the 2009 US exhibition. :) Who knows, 'maybe' that one someone who wanted one when it was first launched retail in 2009, might fancy a rare fully fledged BBC version? (*crosses finger) and will I ever find them! lol
Thanks,
M
April 21, 2012 - 22:03
#5
Re: BBC TV R&D TECH - FLOORMAN UNIT???
Is obsolete studio broadcast hardware worth anything?
no sadly not.
I doubt the market is as big as 3 prospective customers. People wanting to buy studio hardware usually want products which have at least some kind of support. The flight case and the battery belt are probably the most valuable parts of this kit i'm afraid.
April 23, 2012 - 12:14
#6
Re: BBC TV R&D TECH - FLOORMAN UNIT???
Thanks for the reply.
Blimey. I thought the rainy weather was depressing. :) I completely take your point on old studio kit and I appreciate your input though.
The retail version of this is very much currently available from ProAv today. And it was only in 2009 when it won its award. So we'll have less of the obsolete now please! 
lol
lol
And you never know. I;m a glass half full kinda guy. I'm hoping at least one of the 3 customers fancies a better made cheaper version than the pricey retail one? 
The BBC are still helping me. They say they have the Floorman kit to hand including manuals etc. But it looks simple to use so I don't think anyone will struggle anymore than plugging it in.
Its a cool bit of tech. if no one wants it, I could always just start broadcasting my own mini 4 channel pirate DTV station. 
Thanks again.
M
April 23, 2012 - 12:32
#7
Re: BBC TV R&D TECH - FLOORMAN UNIT???
Maybe you'd get more interest with a functional description and some photos of the business end of the rack? (does it take HDSDI? SDI? Composhite inputs? What's the range of transmission? Is it legal?)
I'd expect it to sell for peanuts via eBay. You might be lucky and get walnuts or even cashews if you advertise it on BBList.co.uk or TVBay.com ;)