There is no doubt that the texture and colour rendition using 1250-line high definition television cameras is outstanding. The accurate reproduction of magentas and cyans plus the 'clean' and vibrant reds generate an almost hypnotic experience, a super realism from which one can hardly wrench one's eyes. It is all this along with the wider screen and the greater detail which perhaps explains the change in editing ratios and the ability of high definition television to hold the audience. HDTV is unique and unlike the cinema screen in its ability to place the viewer into a 'live' situation, which heightens one's senses, with no perceptible flicker, no scratches nor any unnatural colour changes. Not only is it possible to use fewer cameras to cover an event than conventional television, but a director can entertain his audience in a far more successful way by not over cutting the shots.

'The correct choice of angle for instance on covering another item, the FAF Dog Demonstration Team, allowed the viewer to choose and look at those points each side of the frame which were of personal interest, the director providing the minimum number of shot changes for dramatic effect and editing purposes.

'The U.S. marine band and the Australian Drill Team sequences were an ideal opportunity for effective mixes and super-impositions between well-chosen shots and were a key example of the extraordinary detail to be observed in a full wide shot. Mothers back home could recognise their boys individually The drill formations could be covered without distracting camera moves and the lack of cross colour made the massed bands' tartans recognisable by their individual lines and colour. Not only were the brief close-ups of the Australian girls capable of revealing their make-up, but you could almost touch them - they positively sparkled from head to toe. Despite all this success we had our problems. A major intermittent sync pulse disturbance from a faulty generator which had not arrived unscathed from its long journey from London caused a problem on the one evening from which we planned to use the soundtracks. When editing later at BBC Engineering Research Department, we were amused by attempts to patch up the 'holes' in the soundtrack. Recordings from nights one and two were compatible and stayed in sync with each other, but on night three, when it had rained incessantly, the pictures ran out of sync within a few seconds. The fickle performers in the bands were playing much faster in order to get out of the early bath and back to their warm rooms!