Little White Dot

[sp1814]

When my sister and I were younger, we would always run up to the TV when it was being switched off to watch the little white dot disappear into nothingness (okay, we didn't have a lot of money, so had to make our own amusement).

My question is this...whatever happened to it?

Why don't modern TV pictures fade to a little white dot anymore?

[jim360]

Different mechanism for creating the picture, probably. In the old days it would have been electron guns, I think, fired at the screen, and when you turned it off the dots would revert to the centre and mix, briefly, while the thing switched off properly. These days it's LCD, or plasma, or something, and they just don't do little white dots. At least I think that's right.

I do remember that dot myself, just.

[askyourgran]

Yes I remember the little white dot. I also remember falling asleep in front of the TV that had finished for the day and waking up to an awful whining noise coming from the set.

[craft1948]

I seem to remember the National Anthem being played at the end of transmission, although I may be confusing that with the cinema..........

[SpikeyBush]

Never mind switching it off, I remember when you had to wait for the valves to warm up when you turned it on before the big old PYE set would actually show a picture and start making a noise. Rented of course, they were horrid dear to buy outright back in the 70s if you wanted a decent one.

[sp1814]

craft1948

No, your recollection is correct - the national anthem was definitely played on telly...but if I recall correctly, it was only played on the BBC.

[stuey]

Remember the black and white test pattern?

[cupid04]

Hi stuey...still no luck getting your original avatar back I see??

[stuey]

Hello, cupid04; it's not so much as my avatar; it's the fact that my history on here has been erased as "stewey": I feel as if my umbilical cord to AB has been severed. However, it's not the end of the world: I shall float in now and again:)

[cupid04]

Nice to see you. Hope the Ed can sort it for you. x

[stuey]

Goodnight from me (10pm) and good morning to you (3am).

[mikey4444]

I think that the little white dot was due to the CRT tellies we had back then...can't remember the last time I saw a telly with a sticky-out bit behind !

I do remember having to switch our bog mains radio on about 5 mins before we listened, just to warm up. My little brother and I would sit cross-legged on the carpet and roll around with laughter at The Clitheroe Kid....very happy days !

[mibn2cweus]

Pictures were displayed by deflecting a variable intensity electron beam across and down the phosphor coating inside the glass. When power was removed the deflection circuits shut down before the voltage that drew the beam forward had discharged producing a spot near the centre until the heated cathode creating the beam had cooled.

[mikey4444]

A very full reply mibn2cweus...thanks !

[sp1814]

Thank you for your answers.

Best answer has to go to mibn2cweus...

Perhaps we can now ponder another serious question - are television repairmen an endangered species?

[ummmm]

Do you remember the static as well?

[sp1814]

ummmm - indeed I do. Not seen for a while because we get all of our TV channels through one channel. The others are now for our blu-Ray player and X-Box.

It's all to do with HDMI cables and stuff.

I really don't know what goes on with all the cabling. It's like Narnia behind our TV.

[ummmm]

It's a nightmare. What happens? How do they get so tangled?

[mibn2cweus]

I often thought static from an off station was the best thing on TV at times.
As it turns out some of the 'static' on the screen was actually radiation from the 'Big Bang' . . . (not the TV show).

[mccfluff]

i used to know a television repair man, hes a dj now

[mikey4444]

mccfluff...what is a "dj" please ? A dinner jacket perhaps ?