How do you feel about ex TV station prints. Most of what is on offer is ex TV. I find they are not consistent, I looked at one film, it seemed normal contrast, the only give away was the cue marks every 15 mins. Then I have another which is on the pale side; disappointing when you see the trailer online, rich black and white. Recently I watched my B&W print of 'The Master of Ballantrae', and in one scene the image was so pale I thought they were surrounded by fog in the Scottish Highlands.

Not sure what that means ... Does it mean edited for TV or is it on a special stock? I do not like too much that they edit it and call it a full feature. I don't mind digest, but want to know that it's not the complete film

Ex TV prints are a bit hit and miss affairs. Some lack contrast while others are very good.
I have a colour TV print of Walk Don't Run starring Cary Grant and the colours are very good indeed.
Monochrome seems to cause more problems on projection.

The only " downside" of my TV print of Walk Don't Run is that it is Panned and Scanned.
However its not to distracting throughout. Its only on the credits there is a problem but fine otherwise.

Vidar some prints may have ben slightly edited for TV.
Mind you with some films this can be an improvement. hahaha !

From what I read the contrast was reduced for prints for television, a normal print would have too much contrast. This doesn't affect colour films. One of the last films I bought was an IB Tech print, I only knew it was a TV print because of the frequent cue marks. Vidar, the prints may be edited for language, nudity, or to fit in adverts; only may be. The chances are that you already own some. We don't really have a lot of choice, it can be a case of owning a print or going without as another may not come along, and if it does, what type is it, and condition. Some films seem to have normal contrast, and it's only signs like cue marks, or a label fixed to the leader that gives it away.

Robert have you ever bought TV prints with those "silver foil" tapes stuck on the edge of the film for cues for advert breaks ?

No I haven't David. I have also heard of films having something stuck over the soundtrack to cut out bad language.

had the foil bits and blooping tape on many tv prints

forgot to say, i always remove them!

Come to think about it David, I do believe I have seen some silver foil stuck to one of my prints and wondered what it was there for.

I have some TV prints, imported from the USA, usually in Warners boxes, or marked as property of some TV station. I've found that
they are of excellent quality, yes blooper tape is sometimes placed over the soundtracks, usually to blank out language issues, or
gapped for commercials, sometimes with "place commercial here", as stated the condition is usually pristine and I welcome them.
A print I have of "Hammer's "SHE" is an ex TV and is mentioned at the end credits, one I purchased years ago from Paul Foster and
one that I treasure. I'm almost sure my print of "Jeremiah Johnson" is ex TV, and it's IB Tech. It came through Ritz Films and was
an American import. If I looked, I'm sure there will be more.

My Warner Bros films have come on '20th Century Television' reels. Other than the frequent cue marks the only giveaway has been a label stuck to the box or leader with the name of some broadcaster. Is your copy of 'She' in colour?; that's a classic, I saw it at the cinema; it was the first time I remember seeing Peter Cushing, and Christopher Lee. Much better than the 1930s original. Surprising what a small British studio could turn out. That's one to treasure Hugh.

i have some cracking b/w prints,about twenty episodes of richard greene in 'the adventures of robin hood, all originals with great contrast and density.was my earliest childhood hero. wish i could have met the man. i have always been happy with tv prints, they seem to survive so much better than any rental prints.

You are lucky to have so many of those; he was one of my heroes as well. Errol Flynn may have made the greatest film version, but I always think of Richard Greene as Robin Hood.

Some of my TV prints are so good its as though they came straight from the labs to myself.

Hi Hugh is that RITZ FILMS that used to trade in the UK you mentioned in your post ?

Hi Clyde
You are very fortunate indeed to have those Robin Hood prints in your collection.

ha, only got another one hundred and twenty three to get, best

I've got a couple of TV shows, and the image quality is better than that of cinema films.

"SHE" is a nice film Robert and I always feel like running it again everytime I screen it. David, the Ritz Films was the company
that was based in Wales and ran by the late Ken Smith and his partner.
Clyde, well done you on amassing all those episodes of Richard Greene's Robin Hood, brings back memories of after viewing on TV,
we would act out the various sword fights by knocking the hell out of each other with lengths of wood, health & safety, never heard of it. Happy days.