Are you watching TV in the darkroom?

[jansenh]

I have a laptop w/network in my darkroom - mainly for playing MP3's... but a little surfing as well in between.

[clogz]

Archival permanence and TV don't go together.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Eugene Smith had a B&W TV with a red filter in his darkroom.

I don't.

[Shesh]

No TV. Just a cd/radio/Cassette Boombox.

[Black Dog]

Don't watch television but I do listen to them-Marquee Moon is one of my favourite albums.

[BobF]

I guess I am the only degenerate with a TV in the DR. I feel so sorry for all the advertisers that spend big money on commercials as from what you all say I am the only one watching. How the heck do you keep up with current popular culture without watching Survivor, or increase your sensitivity without watching Oprah, or know how bad the world situation is without watching network news? ;-)

TV while printing is unworkable for several reasons even if covered with ruby lith. But, when you are sitting there waiting for the next tank agitation cycle, or sorting slides or negs, a TV can be a wonderful thing. I'd rather have a Broncos game but I'll even watch network news or Oprah.

[DKT]

don't feel so alone Bob...I have a little TV in my darkroom as well. I use a tabletop processor quite a bit and will sit there & watch the news while the prints run through...sometimes I leave the room altogether and come back when they're done. At work, we have 2 thomas duplex safelights in the print lab--it's so bright I can read the newspaper or do a crossword puzzle while the prints run through the processor. on 9-11 I took a TV back there & watched the news while I printed. back when I printed EP2 in a lab on kreonite processor-you'd could go out and have a smoke or get a bite to eat practically in the length of time it took to run a print. You do that all day, you get bored out of your mind...having a TV is like listening to a radio.

KT

[Lex Jenkins]

If I had the room I'd keep a TV in the darkroom so I could at least listen to South Park and Friday/Tuesday Night Fights on ESPN.

I keep an AM/FM/Shortwave radio in the darkroom. Don't listen to shortwave as much as I used to tho'.

[Jeremy]

For those with a television and do have it on while printing, what needs to be done so that it won't fog film? I'm a big fan of the television show MASH and would love to listen to the episodes while printing. I just figure if I slap enough ruby lith to pretty much obscure the light from the screen I can get away with it. I think I may also have a b&w television out in the garage I could use.

[DKT]

Unless you were shooting ortho film, you're out of luck. You got the right idea for prints though, not panalure or c-prints, just b&w...rubylith would work good, amberlith probably would too. I used a scrap of a red gel I found in a Rosco pack....the TV just becomes like a safelight more or less. It doesn't matter if it's color or b&w. I use a little 5 inch b&w TV, have to get up close to it to really even see the image. I used to get so bored working with handlines all day---for awhile I would listen to books on tape while I worked. Anything to break up the monotony. Now I just listen to NPR or nothing at all. I guess it seems trashy or moronic to some, but sometimes I literally spend the entire day in the dark. I get off work & it's dark outside. I go home and work in my own darkroom and find it kind of relaxing actually to watch some dumb TV shows while I print. Guess I need too get out into the daylight some more.


BTW-- I got an old Pong game...guess I could hook it up to the TV? Or is that not analog enough for y'all...


KT