Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site pucc-i
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!mgnetp!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!CS-Mordred!Pucc-H:Pucc-I:ags
From: ags@pucc-i (Seaman)
Newsgroups: net.movies,net.tv
Subject: Re: Cable TV Movies; switching reels
Message-ID: <297@pucc-i>
Date: Wed, 30-May-84 15:27:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: pucc-i.297
Posted: Wed May 30 15:27:18 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 2-Jun-84 09:12:32 EDT
References: <1508@sdccs6.UUCP> <1075@ritcv.UUCP>
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Lines: 21

>  How can this be? HBO at least claims to tape all the movies it gets, and
>  presumably they would fit on one reel of tape.

I think HBO tapes the movies for backup purposes.  You don't normally see
the taped version on HBO's broadcast, but they keep it running simultaneously
with the film in case of technical difficulties.  Then they can switch to
the tape and viewers won't miss anything.  I realize it would be next to
impossible to keep the tape in EXACT synchronization with the film, but it
shouldn't be hard to keep it within a few seconds.  

I don't know if any other cable services do this, but I know at least one 
that didn't -- the now-defunct SPOTLIGHT.  I once watched a movie on that 
channel that was interrupted for some 20 minutes, after which they repeated 
at least 10 minutes that had already been shown.
-- 

Dave Seaman
..!pur-ee!pucc-i:ags

"Against people who give vent to their loquacity 
by extraneous bombastic circumlocution."