Macrons and BBC America

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ChasM
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Macrons and BBC America

Postby ChasM » Fri Jan 19, 2007 2:37 am

BBC-America on my living room TV exploded my mind a few days ago.

This station may not be available in the UK so I'm reporting back with some US info.
(u have different geosynchronous satellite transponders)
Lightnening strikes, spark showers, and programme teasers are the norm. But hey,

Here's a promotion for "SCI-FI Saturday", another channel from Direct TV (Hughes Net).

The "u" in the middle of the word "Saturday" has a font MACRON. (I had to go look that up)
The "y" at the end has one too.
IV must be making BBC friends, because it didn't stop there.
There's also a macron in a pop-up overlay for "SCI-FI Weekend"
The "k" in "Weekend". This pop-up overlays standard programming.

Font macrons used to be a rare breed. I think it no longer represents pronunciation.
Warner Bros. "The Matrix" fonts are pretty cool too.

So, I've screen captured a frame of this, but it is of poor quality, and copyrighted.
Lightening storms are globally unfriendly, and Death-From-Above is my natural fear...

Have any IV staff seen it yet? I almost soiled my ... socks.
Last edited by ChasM on Fri Jan 19, 2007 11:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
(-: Chas.M. :-)
Montyphy
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Postby Montyphy » Fri Jan 19, 2007 3:09 am

Is it just me or does anyone else have difficulty understanding ChasM?
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KingAl
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Postby KingAl » Fri Jan 19, 2007 4:28 am

Montyphy wrote:Is it just me or does anyone else have difficulty understanding ChasM?


Well, I understand each word separately, it's just when it all comes together... :)

ChasM: Indeed, I think the 'dots above letters' look (I hesitate to call them macrons, as I would use that word only for the actual vowel-modifier) is replacing the 90's 'green + inconsistent width' look as the 'futuristic font'. I somehow doubt that IV were the catalyst for this, though.
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ChasM
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Postby ChasM » Fri Jan 19, 2007 11:14 am

I sometimes do have trouble expressing thoughts at the computer.
It is certainly "not just you."

Font Macrons:
I'm not speaking of dots, these are exactly like the dash you will find inside the letter "u" on the front of the black code card.
Since this is much more a font's visual characteristic, imagine a dash almost closing the open space at the top of a "K" or a "Y".
Definately not to define a vowel, just to give a futuristic feel to a readable font. I should call it the UPLiNK font instead.
The use of the term "macron" alone is indeed misleading, sorry.

Because I saw this on BBC America, here in the US, I figured no IV staff had seen this promo.
SCI-FI channel is broadcast from Direct TV Satellite, in turn owned by Hughes Net. I think.
(-: Chas.M. :-)

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