SOTC (Syn.) font-related question

[WarioBarker]

I don't normally ask these kinds of questions, but I got to thinking about this while looking over my lists and thought it might be able to help sort things out a bit.

As far as I know, the Speed Round clock had three different fonts during the syndicated run:
-SportsType, used through the end of November 1985 (#S-155: Fletcher/Mary/Alan Cevednik)
-A larger, rounder font (probably Helvetica Extra Bold) which debuted on December 2 (#S-156: Rich/Pauletta/Alan Cevednik) and was used for an unknown length of time
-A Futura-based font, which debuted by Curtis Warren's last show and likely remained for the rest of the run

As such, I'm wondering whether the second style was used on any of the '86 syndicated episodes that are around (the below are what I know of, and from what I can tell only Curtis' last Speed Round is online). As far as I'm aware, aside from those with returning champs, these are listed arbitrarily:
-Melanie/Tim/Sandi
-Lisa Munoz/Ryan/Ann (Lisa's first day)
-Cindy/Clay/Lisa Munoz (Lisa's last day, going for the $50,000 bonus; I've been told this has the Futura-based clock)
-James/Liz/Jerry
-Howard/Felice/Curtis Warren (not sure what day he's on here)
-Ray/Nana/Curtis Warren (not sure what day he's on here)
-Richard/Felice/Curtis Warren (not sure what day he's on here)
-Zareh/Susan/Curtis Warren (Curtis' 10th day)
-Skip/Elaine/Curtis Warren (Curtis' last day, going for the $50,000 bonus; this has the Futura-based clock)
-Jasmine/Doug/Cindy (Cindy's last day, I think, going "for it all" per Ryan Rinkerman's collection)

It's entirely possible that all of these used the third style, and hence this is a stupid question, but hey I thought I'd ask. Thanks in advance for any help.

[Bryce L.]

-Cindy/Clay/Lisa Munoz (Lisa's last day, going for the $50,000 bonus; I've been told this has the Futura-based clock)

Just checked my copy, it does have it. And I'm certain that when the Futura-based clock debuted, it stayed for the rest of the Syndicated run, since it remained for the rest of the NBC series as well.

And regarding the interim clock, seen in December 1985, I'm the one who put on your page about it being Helvetica-based. Here's the snap I took of it, anybody else more certain about what it is?

[BrandonFG]

Looks like Helvetica Black or the aforementioned Helvetica Extra Bold. I've never seen that particular clock before.

[ivoryman1986]

We're getting towards the Winner's Board era anyhow, which we're definitely going be seeing but depending on how far GSN can go in the run, we're not sure when Curtis Warren's run began. And we're not sure what week in 1993 the Syndie version began rerunning, we should have Vahan or Matt Ottinger(whose episode did appear on USA back in the day) to inform me.

[WarioBarker]

Two other things that came to mind which might help in figuring out placement:
-Whether Lisa and/or Curtis are mentioned by Jim in any of the other circulating '86 shows
-The Fame Game numbers being their "narrow" style or the large colorful ones of the daytime show

we're not sure when Curtis Warren's run began.

That's one reason I wanted to ask about the fonts -- if even one of the circulating '86 shows has the second Speed Round clock, it puts the change to the Futura-based style in said year and hence a "divider" between shows that have the second clock and those with the third style, with the latter being closer to the end.

[clemon79]

-SportsType, used through the end of November 1985 (#S-155: Fletcher/Mary/Alan Cevednik)

To the best of my knowledge, this isn't a font, no matter what utterly unofficial websites would have you believe.

Camel-casing it doesn't make it a font, either.

[Thunder]

So how do these clocks work? Is it one camera focused in on a computer's (that's running a countdown program) monitor , then superimposed into a box using a switcher?

[NickintheATL]

So how do these clocks work? Is it one camera focused in on a computer's (that's running a countdown program) monitor , then superimposed into a box using a switcher?

(Puts professional hat on)

It's a box wipe with the output of a character generator inside the box, the raw output of said character generator that is (which has a black background behind the characters.)

[WarioBarker]

To the best of my knowledge, ["SportsType"] isn't a font, no matter what utterly unofficial websites would have you believe.

Camel-casing it doesn't make it a font, either.

In that case, do you happen to know the actual name of that font?

[TLEberle]

In that case, do you happen to know the actual name of that font?

It isn't a font, it's a vane display or light bulb pattern.

[WarioBarker]

Now, see, "Vane" is what I had on my lists before Brandon Devers said "For it to be a Vane display, the digits would have to be flipping. The clock digits did not flip."

Thanks, Travis.

[TLEberle]

Now, see, that's what I had listed before Brandon Devers said

I don't know who this is or how he enters into it. The point is that just because somebody says that something is a font doesn't make it so. As to the electronic clock, I remember that one of our local TV stations would show the time as the seconds ticked away to top of the hour and it looked exactly like Sale's countdown timer, so I'm guessing it's a fairly ubiquitous and uncomplicated deal.

[WarioBarker]

The point is that just because somebody says that something is a font doesn't make it so.

Fair point, and I had it as Vane since I recognized the style from other places.

[Thunder]

So how do these clocks work? Is it one camera focused in on a computer's (that's running a countdown program) monitor , then superimposed into a box using a switcher?

(Puts professional hat on)

It's a box wipe with the output of a character generator inside the box, the raw output of said character generator that is (which has a black background behind the characters.)

I think I understand. So the character generator is running a timer/countdown program?

[dale_grass]

Fair point, and I had it as Vane since I recognized the style from other places.

Here's a vane display:



Motors to make the physical segments face out or not face out.  Different from a typical 7-segment LED display, which itself can have different "font faces" (e.g. the top segment may or may not light up for a 6).