SD : Old CATV systems (70s/80s)

[Onramp]

Do any of you remember the original CATV systems that were put up in the 70s and 80s? Do you remember who your provider was or what channels you had?

I think the one we had was installed by the local authority to get around the fact that the new housing estate (mid 70s) was built behind an ironstone hill, which effectively blocked the terrestrial signal. I am assuming they put an antenna on the top of that hill (there's a mast there with a pair of antennae pointed at the TV tower).

When they expanded the estate, they applied a "no external aerials" rule to the area and the basic system was extended to the new homes. In '91, the system was sold (I think) to "County Cable", who presumably linked that segment of the network up to another small cable company, which was operating where the current hubsite is now and who had a satellite dish in their yard.

They added these satellite channels (just a few) and began to charge for the service. The aerial restriction was lifted and we had a TV aerial installed. For about a year though, they allowed everyone to view the premium content before eventually disconnecting those that didn't want to continue subscribing. I think we had Sky Channel, MTV, Children's Channel and a few others.

Do any of you remember something similar in your areas?

[nodrogd]

You may be interested in this.

http://www.rediffusion.info/

We had a modern offshoot of it in Hemel Hempstead. The new town was built with the concept of "NO AERIALS" with TV/Radio services provided by British Relay.

The system used a multi-core cable to provide 4 TV & 4 Radio channels. BBC 1 & ITV London were provided, along with BBC 2 & ITV Anglia (until the launch of Channel 4), & BBC Radios 1, 2, 3 & 4. With the cabling going from house to house & being subsidised by the local council it managed to last until the end of 1982, when the plug was pulled.

We then had to wait until 1990 for County Cable to start installing HFC. For a while they too provided us with Anglia ITV & the first local TV channel in the country (West Herts Television). The local TV service closed when Comtel took over from Telecential, & ITV Anglia disappeared (to much local disgust) when services went digital.

[Taf]

We had a Redifussion radio-only box in the 50's and 60's. A big switch to change channels (the Light Programme, and the Home progamme I think) and a single speaker.

[BenMcr]

Milton Keynes and Westminster were quite big installs:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog...#Milton_Keynes

[psyentist]

I can tell you a bit about a system that was introduced in the mid 60s in Woolwich & Plumstead, South-East London.

It was originally called "Woolwich relay" and was a system to get around the fact that the area was in the shadow of Shooters Hill, thus effectively blocking signals from Crystal palace (BBC) & Croydon (ITV).

Initially it was VHF (405 lines) and offered three channels - BBC London, ITV London and ITV Anglia. Some people (including my father) had previously erected aerials pointing to the Anglia transmitter at Mendlesham to get a watchable ITV signal.

Later it was converted to UHF (625 lines) to accommodate BBC2 transmissions including colour. This required a total upgrade to the cabling & repeaters - the latter made by Teleng.

I believe the system was based on a similar operation in Canada. My father was the main service engineer and we left London as a family in 1969 so not sure what happened after that.

I do know the cable network was later operated by Greenwich Cablevision.

[RichardCoulter]

Some more info here:

http://www.meargreen.co.uk/britishrelay/

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=154678

British Relay adverts:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ltI09lTuGjk

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs0q-v12_zk

Rediffusion:

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showt...php?p=22672414

[Onramp]

Some interesting info here - I've seen most of these before but others might not have. Thanks for sharing!

[Dude111]

Originally Posted by Onramp

Do any of you remember the original CATV systems that were put up in the 70s and 80s? Do you remember who your provider was or what channels you had?

Yes and I loved it mate,pure analogue glory!!

I remember the day we got it hooked up...... 36 channels of goregousness!!!

GOOD cartoons everyday


Sure has gone downill since