We had something similar to G-Codes on my side of the Pacific…it was referred to here as VCR+ with many newspapers and TV magazines printing the codes in their listings. The VCR+ adapter could be used on many VCRs, when programmed to work with the device, and some VCRs had it programmed in as well.
Turns out that they’re the same thing, just different branding
I remember that 2000s era Sony VCRs had broadcast area presets, probably made G-Coding easier.
Although at the time because I was a kid, I thought it allowed you to watch that broadcast area’s stations.
There must of been an algorithm from the code that determined which day, channel, time and length of recording.
Wiki article:
Algorithm:
The average length of PlusCodes varies by show popularity, with common shows using shorter codes.
I found that G-code scanners (i.e on the corner of Panasonic VCR remotes) were rather sketchy and finicky from distant memory.
I don’t care about the parochialism of a local station ident but I think the networks are doing themselves a disservice by not running a quick 5 second ident between their programs.
A missed opportunity for promotion. The ABC and SBS tend to do it. 10 runs some in the middle of shows which is odd but 7 and 9 do nothing.
But they see it as 5 seconds too long that A - can’t be used to sell ad time, or B - too much of an opportunity to change the channel or C - both.
I say bring back the local IDs. Stand up and tell 'em that (city name) is great and that (station name) is part of it. It makes no difference where I go, (city name) is the best place I know, (station name) says hello. (Station name) is with you. ![]()
Central Coast analogue UHF relay switch on coverage.
Gosford - first switched on 24 April 1986. Below from the ‘Central Coast Express Advocate’.
I have relatives in both Gosford East and Tuggerah. For the former, Sydney TV is receivable and the Gosford translator isn’t. For the latter, Newcastle TV is receivable and the Wyrrabalong translator is marginal.
Yes, the terrain is quite hilly in that whole area, translators were never going to solve reception issues for everyone, but probably did for most.
Except seasonal ones
OK…where is this from?
I know it’s not real, but it looks incredibly real. Also, note, the random location of the “transmitters”… ![]()
AI generated based on a Channel 10 ID from the 1980s ??? (couldn’t find the video on YouTube that I had in mind).
But this is from the Australian Television Archive. They wouldn’t deal with fake stuff.
Or maybe that came from a production house reel, the ‘Channel Four’ plaque was just to show potential clients that “here’s your logo” if you use it in an ad, hence why it’s in the hands of an archive?
World map-related imageries were quite common for early computer animation at the time iirc, and there were much less places capable of making that then.
I thought it came from something like The Newsreader, which I haven’t gotten around to watching yet. But your explanation is very much plausible.








