Feature films on TV2 soon

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33875, 21 June 1975, Page 1

Feature films on TV2 soon

Christchurch television viewers will probably see their first programmes on the second channel from next Wednesday.

Television Two does not start transmitting until June 30, but Broadcasting Council engineers plan to extend test patterns to throughout the day and into the evenings by broadcasting 70-minute feature films. “If the new arangements for Kaikoura coverage are completed, we will transmit from Sugarloaf from 8.30 a.m. until 10 p.m.,” said Mr R. Gracie, an engineer for TV2. Test patterns At present TV2 test patterns are being broadcast from 7 a.m. until 10 a.m. If the re-allocation of channels for Kaikoura is not fin-

ished by Wednesday, the hours of test patterns will be from 8.30 a.m. till 5 p.m.

The films would all be New Zealand-made films to which the Broadcasting Council had broadcasting rights, and they would have been shown on TVI, said Mr Gracie. ‘Mystery package’ “We have a mystery package,” he added. “The idea is to attract viewers to try channel 8, the channel for TV2. “We also want them to be given a chance to fairly assess the aualitv of the picture they receive. This is not possible until film is transmitted.”

Mr Gracie reported brisk business at the information booth in Haywrights. Ltd, and said there were two sets available for viewers to practise tuning on.

“We want to help viewers! before June 30, otherwise servicemen will not be able to cope,” he added. Fine tuning One of the most common problems was that people did not know about fine tuning. “Many people have not tried to tune into the second channel test pattern, saying they want to talk to us first,” he said. “But the manufacturer has put the controls on the outside to be used. Ifl they caused an explosion, [ they would be on the inside. In other words, viewers have first to try using the channel [ selector and fine tuner them- [ selves.” An instruction leaflet wasj available, and anyone with [ any problems should tele-! phone 65-535. Mr Gracie said. ’ Manv people had called tn; ,say they were receiving al

I good TV2 picture by using a rabbit’s-ear aerial. “But when viewers have to change from TVI on channel 3, to TV2 on channel 8, and back again, they might change their minds about continually having to adjust the aerial,” he said. Good reception of TV2 fs being reported and a viewer from Lake Coleridge even telephoned to say the test pattern was clear and sharp. However, this must have been due to freak conditions, [ because reception lasted only [half an hour. One Christchurch television [service firm reported that [hundreds of calls had been 'received when test patterns [ began. | “But it looks as though [ ; people are waiting for test patterns over a longer periodl i before getting in touch with I us,” a spokesman said. I