Author Topic: Allen's Podium on Password Plus (Read 10242 times)

Clay Zambo · « **Reply #15 on:** March 10, 2009, 09:10:26 AM »

So, okay, the main mics for the four panelists were highly directional, requiring additional coverage for times when they turned away from their main mics. I don't get *why* they used such highly directional mics, though. Is that all NBC had available? Of course in '79 they weren't expecting people, 30 years hence, to be able to do screengrabs and say, "Man, how unsightly were those deals!"--but, man! etc.

With what did they replace them? Anybody?

Chief-O · « **Reply #16 on:** March 10, 2009, 10:06:50 AM »

[quote name=\'Clay Zambo\' post=\'209991\' date=\'Mar 10 2009, 08:10 AM\']
With what did they replace them? Anybody?
[/quote]

If you're asking for model, the replacements were Sennheiser ME-80 shotguns.

Clay Zambo · « **Reply #17 on:** March 10, 2009, 10:22:03 AM »

[quote name=\'Chief-O\' post=\'209994\' date=\'Mar 10 2009, 10:06 AM\']
[quote name=\'Clay Zambo\' post=\'209991\' date=\'Mar 10 2009, 08:10 AM\']
With what did they replace them? Anybody?
[/quote]

If you're asking for model, the replacements were Sennheiser ME-80 shotguns.
[/quote]

Which are less specifically directional, I take it, so the others weren't needed? Or were the annoying little weedy mics replaced with something smaller and less obtrusive?

Chief-O · « **Reply #18 on:** March 10, 2009, 12:09:49 PM »

[quote name=\'Clay Zambo\' post=\'209995\' date=\'Mar 10 2009, 09:22 AM\']
Which are less specifically directional, I take it, so the others weren't needed? Or were the annoying little weedy mics replaced with something smaller and less obtrusive?
[/quote]

The shotguns are condenser mics---by their nature, they're more sensitive than dynamic mics [such as the previous desk mics].

chris319 · « **Reply #19 on:** March 10, 2009, 08:01:33 PM »

[quote name=\'TheLastResort\' post=\'209987\' date=\'Mar 10 2009, 04:02 AM\']
[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'209985\' date=\'Mar 10 2009, 02:29 AM\'] There is another mic on the opposite side of the frame, poking the contestant in the ribs. [/quote]

There is also a GSN logo sitting on top of his head.[/quote]
It was Ted Cooper's idea to build a GSN logo into the set.

We had fan noise from the projector under the desk, we had fan noise from the projector stage left, and we had various blowers in the Alphabetics board. Bobby and Ted decided the best way to mitigate the fan noise was to use those short shotguns. As has been pointed out, condenser mics pick up everything so they didn't help the noise situation that much.

Fedya · « **Reply #20 on:** March 10, 2009, 09:44:08 PM »

They didn't have clip-on mics back in the day?

Or would those have been technically problematic for some other reason?

Perhaps they should have outfitted the players with ginormous lavalier mics. :-)

chris319 · « **Reply #21 on:** March 10, 2009, 10:10:34 PM »

Lapel mics might have picked up more fan noise, and everyone would have to have been re-miced in the 15-minute wardrobe change between shows.

TheLastResort · « **Reply #22 on:** March 10, 2009, 11:37:07 PM »

What was the deal with using a projector for the puzzles, anyway? They eventually went to art cards, which couldn't have been any more expensive than the slides, which weren't aligned properly half the time.

Slightly OT, but Chris, did you ever work on Super Password? I've always been curious as to how the mechanics of the puzzle board worked. I know it was remote controlled from the producer's table, with Tom the prop guy behind the board to change the puzzles). They don't appear to be motorized because they don't open at a constant speed. It looks more like a magnetic contraption or a small rope & pulley system with counterweights.

chris319 · « **Reply #23 on:** March 11, 2009, 03:18:21 AM »

Projectors were NBC's idea, but were prone to fan noise and lamp failure.

Was never on the set of Super Password, sorry.

chris319 · « **Reply #24 on:** March 11, 2009, 03:27:07 AM »

As an afterthought, I don't know why only one wireless mic was used on P+ and five were used on Super Password. Perhaps they figured there would be five times the likelihood of interference. Digital wireless mics were some years off.

Clay Zambo · « **Reply #25 on:** March 12, 2009, 11:05:03 AM »

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'210048\' date=\'Mar 10 2009, 10:10 PM\']
Lapel mics might have picked up more fan noise,
[/quote]

I read that one before your earlier explanation about the mechanics of the displays and thought, "Wow, they really couldn't control the audience?"

D'oh.

Thanks for the explanation on the sawed-off shotguns. They weren't there later in the run, though, were they (or just better hidden)? Do you know what replaced them?

TheLastResort · « **Reply #26 on:** March 12, 2009, 12:39:55 PM »

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'210081\' date=\'Mar 11 2009, 02:27 AM\'] As an afterthought, I don't know why only one wireless mic was used on P+ and five were used on Super Password. Perhaps they figured there would be five times the likelihood of interference. Digital wireless mics were some years off. [/quote]

They seemed to have had a lot of trouble with the wireless mics on SP. There were a lot of instances of static, buzzing, belt packs not being turned on, etc., so I can see why they were avoided on P+.

chris319 · « **Reply #27 on:** March 12, 2009, 07:27:08 PM »

[quote name=\'TheLastResort\' post=\'210189\' date=\'Mar 12 2009, 09:39 AM\']
They seemed to have had a lot of trouble with the wireless mics on SP. There were a lot of instances of static, buzzing, belt packs not being turned on, etc., so I can see why they were avoided on P+.[/quote]
That doesn't surprise me, particularly with all the neon on SP the set. It's why Barker never used a wireless. Wireless mics and neon don't agree. Having contestants crane their necks to see the game board was a another problem.

There is about to be some upheaval over wireless mic frequencies due to DTV.

scottwa · « **Reply #28 on:** March 26, 2009, 05:38:48 PM »

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They seemed to have had a lot of trouble with the wireless mics on SP. There were a lot of instances of static, buzzing, belt packs not being turned on, etc., so I can see why they were avoided on P+.

That doesn't surprise me, particularly with all the neon on SP the set. It's why Barker never used a wireless. Wireless mics and neon don't agree. Having contestants crane their necks to see the game board was a another problem.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the early episodes of SP, during the main game, they used to flash the neon border when one side won. You could hear plenty of wireless mic buzz during gameplay even without the flashing. Making goodbyes with extra "pulse" buzzing may have driven the change to keep the neon continuously lit instead. Just a guess, though...

Flashing neon interference didn't seem as noticeable during an end game win with crowd noise, music, etc.

BillCullen1 · « **Reply #29 on:** March 26, 2009, 07:33:19 PM »

[quote name=\'scottwa\' post=\'211268\' date=\'Mar 26 2009, 05:38 PM\']
That doesn't surprise me, particularly with all the neon on SP the set. It's why Barker never used a wireless. Wireless mics and neon don't agree. Having contestants crane their necks to see the game board was a another problem. [/quote]

At a TPIR taping I was at in 1995, Barker explained that wireless mics have "drop out" which is why he used one with a cord.