JFK Inauguration 20th Jan 1961

[Sandy G]

I've also noticed that when the networks went whole-hog in color in '65-'66, the live shots didn't seem to have a lot of the funky weirdness-distorted images,washouts, etc-the B&W cameras had. I've heard, or read perhaps, that the B&W camera pickup tubes didn't have much dynamic range, & that contributed to a lot of the problems. Any of you fellas wanna comment on that ?

[Steve Hoffman]

I don't think they used those color cameras outside much. Film was used. The color cameras were always inside except for the Rose Parade, right?

However member Steve D. used to haul them around to varions disaster locations (like local fires) when he worked at KTLA Channel 5 here in LA back in the vacuum tube days so he would know. He has some great stories..

[Steve D.]

Originally Posted by Steve Hoffman

I don't think they used those color cameras outside much. Film was used. The color cameras were always inside except for the Rose Parade, right?

However member Steve D. used to haul them around to varions disaster locations (like local fires) when he worked at KTLA Channel 5 here in LA back in the vacuum tube days so he would know. He has some great stories..

Steve H.

Just to drift a bit off topic here, We did indeed haul our KTLA RCA TK-41 color cameras to many a remote broadcast site . This included baseball, football, basketball, boxing and wrestling. Also did other parades and beauty pagents ect. The cameras were tarnsported in a large crown coach bus unit. However, we never covered what they now call, breaking news with these cameras. Out "hot" news Telemobile used a b&w TK-10 or 11 until 1966 when it was converted to color with a Norelco Plumbicon camera.

-Steve D.

[Joel Cairo]

Well, I don't know if it counts as being outside, but every year from at least 1956 on, if the World Series was on NBC, it was telecast in color. The footage that I've seen that survives are B&W kinescopes shot off a color display (for maximum crapitude in the image, as Bart Simpson would say...)

As for the JFK inaugural, if I ever find a good color version of the film, I'll try some LiveFeed magic on it, and then we can rectify that B&W pool set-up...

-Kevin

[Steve D.]

Originally Posted by Joel Cairo

Well, I don't know if it counts as being outside, but every year from at least 1956 on, if the World Series was on NBC, it was telecast in color. The footage that I've seen that survives are B&W kinescopes shot off a color display (for maximum crapitude in the image, as Bart Simpson would say...)

As for the JFK inaugural, if I ever find a good color version of the film, I'll try some LiveFeed magic on it, and then we can rectify that B&W pool set-up...

-Kevin

Hey Kevin,

The World Series certainly qualifies as an outside-remote telecast. The first telecast in color:
1955 1st World Series color TV broadcast on NBC-TV (Yanks beat Dodgers).

Also here is the text from an article in the NY Times from Jan. 15, 1961 on NBC's plans for their color telecast of JFK's inaugural parade. This is just a portion of a larger article on live broadcast coverage for the entire day:

"The parade will be televised in color for the first time by NBC . Because of the limitation of color cameras, NBC's coverage of the eariler ceremonies will be in black and white only. The color cameras will be positioned in Lafayette Park across from the White House reviewing stand."

-Steve D.