Comments:

Proposed Schedule Outline 1

Here's want I propose ( Proposed Schedule Outline 1 ) for MCTV 15 scheduling, install a third video tape player, giving the ability to play a total of 3 tapes. The tapes would ideally be prepared into one hour long programs, short shows could have filler content added to round them off. Once per day between 10am and 12am the three tapes would be replaced with new ones. See example below ... On any given day there would be 6 hours of 'different' programming out of 9 hours of cablecast video and the remainder filled with the bulletin board content. It would be the Program Directors responsibility to prepare a schedule, this would include instructions for changing over the tapes on a daily basis ( I would estimate it taking no more than 5 mins/day to swap the tapes ), the Lextronic scheduler would be prepared just once to follow this schedule ( it does not have to be touched on a daily basis ). - John Cumming

Nice idea John. The "daily" changes wouldn't be happening until I move to the Mt. Shasta area, or we could find a volunteer we can depend on to get in there on a daily basis. Also, we don't have that much programming available in the first place! Sure, we could show a whole bunch of re-runs (which actually I'm planning on doing once things get a little more organized), but in about a month we'd have gone through our entire library!
I think the best way to go would be to get two more broadcast decks(and 3 IR blasters) (for a total of five) and a dedicated setup for dubbing tapes. Preferably a high-speed dual-SVHS deck, in addition to the deck used for field recordings. (let's see - that's two decks, three blasters, one dual deck altogether).
TBH, I think your ideas for programming differ quite a bit from mine... ~Warren Masterson

See Weekly Program? ~Warren Masterson

This ( Current Schedule Outline ) Weekday schedule outline fits more realistically with the fact that we currently only have two broadcast decks, the limited programming available, and no one available to change tapes on a daily basis (at least not until I move into the area!). Technically, the schedule week begins & ends on Wednesday, and is virtually what we have in effect at the moment.
The Weekend Schedule includes time slots for "after 10" programming, and can only go into effect after the station acquires more broadcast decks. Of course, once the station has more broadcast decks, the schedule will change dramatically! ~Warren Masterson

It is true that we currently only have two cablecast decks and therefore, if work is keep to a miniumum, that would mean only two programs can be shown. During the week you have three programs scheduled, that would require that shows be dubbed on to a couple of tapes. This schedule is very similar to the current setup, I have talked to a number of people who have complained about seeing the same stuff on the channel everytime they tune in. Having much the same programing 7 days in a row, trains people not to surf MCTV 15 on a regular basis. MCTV 15 has a wall full of video taped programs, I think we should be cablecasting these on a regular basis until more programming is available. There is no easy to follow plan for changing the tapes on a daily bases and no one has indeed been approached or volunteered for this unspecified task. I believe that after some work is put into a scheduling plan, that some one can be enlisted to change the tapes. -John Cumming

You and I and many others are voluteers at MCTV 15. I have no problem believing that additional voluteers and payed staff will be available in the future especially when there is well defined tasks. Yes, I did encourage people to get involved and create their own shows for cablecast, but this would not solve the problem of lack of variability in the scheduling. Additional decks will help, but it's not the whole solution. I believe the tapes have to be changed much more than once per week. Please define what you mean by 'the schedule will change dramatically!'. I happy to see that you are willing to spend even more of your personal time and effort after you move more locally, but I am worried that you will get burned out like so many before you, besides Mt.Shasta is a city of 7,000+ with plenty of people willing to help and MCTV 15 will soon have it's first payed staff member. -John Cumming

Well Warren, thank you for you enlightened response, I love the way wikis bring out the best in people and help them collaborate, it certainly beats one sided dictatorships. Anyway I did not think I was arguing, I am merely trying to help find a way to improve MCTV 15 for the good of the cable subscribers who have expressed an interest in watching community television and as such I think MCTV 15 has much that can be improved. I am still interested in hearing you suggestions for the 'dramatically' changed schedule that you foresee with the addition of new cablecast equipment. - John Cumming

Hi Warren, you are implying that any hope of improving the schedule is dependant on your decision to relocate to the Mt. Shasta area and your sole willingness to change video tapes on a more regular basis. I think that it's unreasonable to expect any one person to put out this level of effort as a volunteer over an extended period. Any organization that relies too heavily on a single person has a weak link that will ultimately break. A more dynamic program schedule can be created with the help of interns, staff and/or volunteers. All we are talking about here is the ability to change the tapes in playback tape decks on a more regular basis. With enough help, no additional hardware for playback would be necessary, you would be free to spend your volunteer time on more productive activities for MCTV 15. -John Cumming

Warren, I am sorry that I missed your updated schedule below and in restoring the previous revision of this page, these updates were lost. Please bear in mind that for now this site is 'private' and any schedules list here should be for illustrative purposes. One comment on your schedule, it is very complex given that there is only a few shows on the list to cablecast, this is especially true for the weekend portion. -John Cumming

Variety is good, complexity is bad. -John Cumming

Q.Why is this site not ready:

• The board has not seen nor approved it's use for the general public.
• After approval the site needs to be moved to http://www.mctv15.org
• The structure and content in the 'main' public group needs to be cleaned up and reworked. This will be an on going process, but I think it needs cleaned up before it's introduced to a wider audience. -John Cumming

Definition of 'complex' and 'complicated' from dictionary.com

 com·plex (km-plks, kmplks) adj. 
 1.
   a. Consisting of interconnected or interwoven parts; composite. 
   b. Composed of two or more units: a complex carbohydrate. 
 2. Involved or intricate, as in structure; complicated: 

 com·pli·cat·ed (kmpl-ktd) adj. 
 1. Containing intricately combined or involved parts. 
 2. Not easy to understand or analyze.
      See Synonyms at complex and elaborate.

Not synonymous. Paolo Solari, architect has written much on the difference between the two. If we're going to get nit-picky aobut it, his explaination is the one I use. http://www.arcosanti.org/theory/glossary/complicated.html I've cleaned up the weekend schedule to make it easier to understand. ~Warren Masterson

Great, The weekend schedule looks better now. -John Cumming

This to me seems ludicrous, John. Do you really mean for everyone to type in their ideas & responses on BOTH pages? It's unneccesarily redundant, and talk about complicating the matter! I know you think your idea is better than mine, but I disagree. Relax, take a deep breath, and release that part of yourself that wants to be "in control."
I don't see any reason to whip a dead horse. Besides, the statements as presented on this page are completely out of context, and as a result merely muddy the (non-) issue. ~Warren Masterson

• In order to cleanup the 'Main' group.
• To Preserve ideas and discussions.
• To foster an on going dialogue.

It certainly does qualify as a plan. Might I add that both WILL be happening (the wheels are already in motion), and they both will be happening before we could ever get the concepts you've proposed put into action. There are many other reasons the concept you've put forward would be impractical in the real world. I've discussed most of them with you in person already. The biggest issue by far is that we don't have the programming availible! I simply don't believe your plan is feasible. Please, can we let it rest now? ~Warren Masterson And yes, moving these discussions to this page does take them out of context.