Travis Evans wrote:

Well, this is the last thing I ever expected to read on
sci.electronics.repair, but I can respond to this. :-)

Don't worry, several of us have noticed. Cable companies utilize a
computer system called the Weather STAR (which was designed by The
Weather Channel to display local weather information over the satellite
video), which is installed at cable company headends. The latest unit,
called the Intellistar, appears to make this buzzing sound during a
certain screen on the Local on the Eights, which is what you mentioned.
I'm guessing it is a minor software bug--it appears to have come and
gone over time. Cable systems that have the older Weather STAR
computers don't appear to make this sound during the forecast, so I'm
pretty sure this sound is being made by the Intellistar.

There has been discussion of this at the message board
http://www.twcclassics.com/forums/ in the past. (Note that
twcclassics.com is not an official TWC website; it's a fan site run by
people who are mainly interested in The Weather Channel during its
earlier years.)

--
Travis Evans


I installed one of the first STAR units when the Weather Channel was
being launched. Here is a piece of trivia I'll bet you never heard
about the Weather Channel: They tried to launch on the wrong
satellite. They insisted they were transmitting, but the transponder
only had noise so I asked them if they were monitoring the downlink. A
few minutes later they sheepishly admitted they were on the wrong bird.

--
Link to my "Computers for disabled Veterans" project website deleted
after threats were telephoned to my church.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida