TV Channels: A Shorthand Code

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telegenic

15-01-2007

Originally Posted by carljohnson:
“Really, thats doubleplus good.

I'm reminded of this -

'The Eleventh Edition is the definitive edition,' he said.
'We're getting the language into its final shape -- the shape
it's going to have when nobody speaks anything else. When we've
finished with it, people like you will have to learn it all
over again. You think, I dare say, that our chief job is
inventing new words. But not a bit of it! We're destroying
words -- scores of them, hundreds of them, every day. We're
cutting the language down to the bone. The Eleventh Edition
won't contain a single word that will become obsolete before
the year 2050.'

Carl”

Wonderful! Am I the only one who got the reference?! George Orwell's 1984. I haven't read it for years. I might have to pick it up again. It's almost as frightening as this thread!

Blake Connolly

15-01-2007

Originally Posted by Star Attraction:
“BBC Choice is the former name of BBC3. You see BBC Choice launched in autumn 1998, and relaunched as BBC3 on Sunday 9 February at 7pm. Personally why they called it BBC Choice at first has really bugged me - I feel it was totally pie in the sky. At the time (autumn 1998) I was surprised they called it BBC Choice. I was expecting them to call it BBC3, being as they already had BBC1 and BBC2, so BBC3 was the logical name for the BBC's third entertainment channel. Really and truthfully, I think the BBC should have named it BBC3 right from the start. In fact, back in the early 1980s, I saw TVs with a button marked "BBC3", implying that the BBC had plans to launch a BBC3 as far back as then. So there you are, Blake Connolly, for BBC Choice you should use the code B3.”

Excellent, thanks.

Ahem...

So.. does anyone remember B3? It got replaced by B3. I prefered B3 myself.

TIAL

15-01-2007

Oh man, this thread is fantastic

CABLEDUDE

15-01-2007

on the old analogue cable they did use abreviations like uktv gold became just gold they got rid of the unnecessary words but some did stay the same like bbc one i think the limit was 4 letters

planetnokia

15-01-2007

Having read the original post I don't know whether to laugh, cry, dial 999 or come up with some letter/number code suggestions of my own

gerjo_gtm21

15-01-2007

I would ask someone to get the paracetamol to clear my headache from laughing so much at this thread, but "paracetamol" just seems too long-named to take at a time like this.

I guess nobody can resist SA's twisted logic.

intheknow

16-01-2007

Originally Posted by gerjo_gtm21:
“I would ask someone to get the paracetamol to clear my headache from laughing so much at this thread, but "paracetamol" just seems too long-named to take at a time like this.

I guess nobody can resist SA's twisted logic.”

Paracetamol, or as I call them DCP

So I can say 'can I have 2 x DCPT', and they know I mean Drugs Cabinet Paracetamol Tablets.

There's also DCAC - Drugs cabinet Aspirin capsules

or DCPC Drugs cabinet piles cream.

Must go now, need to apply DCPC and I have to review code training.

Bye
Last edited by intheknow : 16-01-2007 at 15:37

planetnokia

16-01-2007

The Romans had Sky Analogue with easy to remember codes:

DCXVI - CBBC Channel

CCLVI - UKTV Style

CXLII - More4

CCLXVII - Artsworld

and not forgetting CMXXVIII for Nero and his chums

ClarkF1

16-01-2007

My late gran had a great abbreviation.

She asked for some pate.

We realised she meant pâté and told it her it was called pâté.

She said "I know. I say pate for short"

Bless her

intheknow

17-01-2007

Originally Posted by planetnokia:
“The Romans had Sky Analogue with easy to remember codes:

DCXVI - CBBC Channel

CCLVI - UKTV Style

CXLII - More4

CCLXVII - Artsworld

and not forgetting CMXXVIII for Nero and his chums ”

They also relayed messages from hill to hill by holding up a corresponding number of flaming torches, not something I'd want to being in to my living room, but I'm sure the op 'Star Attraction' is now considering it

1 Flaming torch BBC1
2 Flaming torches BBC2
3 Flaming torches, too late the house has burned down.
Last edited by intheknow : 17-01-2007 at 01:28

Delvious

17-01-2007

Sorry but try as I might all I can think of when someone says B6 or B7 to me is vitamins.

Is this a thread about broadcasting or nutrition ?

planetnokia

17-01-2007

Originally Posted by intheknow:
“They also relayed messages from hill to hill by holding up a corresponding number of flaming torches, not something I'd want to being in to my living room, but I'm sure the op 'Star Attraction' is now considering it

1 Flaming torch BBC1
2 Flaming torches BBC2
3 Flaming torches, too late the house has burned down.”

The flaming torch used to double up as a remote control too

bendolino

17-01-2007

You can't use Roman numerals, BBC I and BBCi?
I couldn't cope, could you?!

ftv

17-01-2007

Originally Posted by carljohnson:
“Someone - give this chap an award, funniest post in this thread!

Carl”

Mainwaring please old boy

Higgypop

18-01-2007

This is a really good system, it is much esaier to ask the R.C.A. (the Remote Control Administrator, the person who is in control of the TV remote at that time) to change the channel to "S1" rather than having to bore them saying "Sky One".

I might adopt a similar system for my friends too just to save time.

C1 - Carla
L1 - Lee
A1 - Andy
J1 - James (Hi James)
D1C - Dickyc

I think I could save up to about 30 minutes a year if I cut back in saving full names, that time could be used for much more productive things like making more time saving code systems.

Star Attraction

18-01-2007

Originally Posted by Delvious:
“Sorry but try as I might all I can think of when someone says B6 or B7 to me is vitamins.

Is this a thread about broadcasting or nutrition ? ”

Broadcasting of course! Shorthand codes for TV channels to be precise.

I know there's a vitamin called B6, but in the context of shorthand codes for TV channels:
B6 = CBeebies
B7 = BBC News 24

intheknow

18-01-2007

Originally Posted by Star Attraction:
“Broadcasting of course! Shorthand codes for TV channels to be precise.

I know there's a vitamin called B6, but in the context of shorthand codes for TV channels:
B6 = CBeebies
B7 = BBC News 24”

How could you avoid confusion though?

Star Attraction

18-01-2007

Originally Posted by Star Attraction:
“In certain cases it's necessary to use more than one letter and one number. Take the UKTV family of channels. This is the best I can come up with as a coding system:

UB = UKTV Bright Ideas
UDo = UKTV Documentary
UDr = UKTV Drama
UF = UKTV Food
UG1 = UKTV Gold
UG2 = UKTV G2 (appropriate since this was formerly called UK Gold 2)
UH = UKTV History
US = UKTV Style
USG = UKTV Style Gardens

How about that then?”

Oops! When I wrote my list of codes for UKTV channels, I forgot UKTV People. You see, I looked in the Xmas Radio Times for UKTV channels, and that didn't list UKTV People.

Thus UP = UKTV People.

Are there any other UKTV channels I've forgotten?

Mark.

18-01-2007

It could get a bit embarrassing if you tell people you enjoy watching programmes on UKTV People.

Star Attraction

18-01-2007

Originally Posted by dundee_mark:
“It could get a bit embarrassing if you tell people you enjoy watching programmes on UKTV People.”

Why? Aren't the programmes on there any good? I've never bothered finding out what's on UKTV People.

Timbionline

18-01-2007

Hmmmm..... I am going to say something in code now. YoU aRe AlL ClInIcLy InSaNe.

I like to call Tomatoes Toms. does that make me special.

*****
Winner : 2006 Digital Spy Awards for most useless Thread.

Mark.

18-01-2007

Originally Posted by Star Attraction:
“Why? Aren't the programmes on there any good? I've never bothered finding out what's on UKTV People.”

Well no, it's just that the expression "I watch UP" isn't the sort of thing you want to go around saying.

intheknow

19-01-2007

What about the +1's UKTV Gold +1 etc...

Star Attraction

19-01-2007

Originally Posted by intheknow:
“What about the +1's UKTV Gold +1 etc...”

Well for ANY +1 channel, append +1 to the code, e.g.

I2+1 = ITV2+1
I3+1 = ITV3+1
UG1+1 = UKTV Gold+1

Mickey S

19-01-2007

Once we've assigned shorthand codes to all the channels, how do we get people to learn and use them? Do we deliver leaflets to every household? Will there be fines for people who insist on using the channels' proper names? Should the channels be forced to change their names to match the shorthand codes, so there can be no confusion?

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