Cyprus-Forum.com

[erolz]

Someone has recently lent me a video tape of various programs that have been shown on UK TV about Cyprus. I thought these might be ob general interest to some here so I have tried to make them available. Unfortunately the original tape is of very poor quality and does not always include all of the program. However I have digitised and uplaoded the first program to some webspace that I have anyway. I captured the video in divx format but even in this format the files are too large for me to make availble on the internet so I have renecoded them in real player format at two different quality levels. Lower quality = less file size and therefore easier to download , but obviously at the cost of clarity / quality. With the combination of poor quality original and heavy compression for net access they are not great but interesting none the less imo. Also I do not have the necessary software on my webspace server to allow me to 'stream' these files so they have to first be downloaded in their entirety before they can be viewed. If you have real player installed (free version of real player can be obtained at www.real.com) then clicking on the links below will download the file and then play it. If you wish to save the file to your hard drive so it can be viewed again then right click on the links and select "save target as". Then you should just be able to double click on the saved file to play it (if you have real player installed)

I do not know what the first program was called and the VHS tape starts in the middle of the program. I have split it into two parts (at the advertisment break). It deals with events leading upto 1960.

unknown Cyprus TV program part 1

low quality - file size approx 2.5MB - playing time approx 5mins
http://www.visionmatters.co.uk/cyprus/v ... -dialup.rm

high(er) quality - file size approx 8.7MB - playing time approx 5minutes
http://www.visionmatters.co.uk/cyprus/v ... rt1-dsl.rm

unknown Cyprus TV program part 2

low quality - file size approx 6.5MB - playing time approx 25 mins
http://www.visionmatters.co.uk/cyprus/v ... -dialup.rm

high(er) quality - file size approx 28.5MB - playing time approx 25 mins
http://www.visionmatters.co.uk/cyprus/v ... rt2-dsl.rm

If anyone is unable to view these either because they do not have/ don not want to install real player or because they are unable to download the files I could put them onto a CD (or DVD) disk in just about any format they want (VCD,SVCD,DVD, Divx, Xvid etc etc) and post them on. I draw the line at copying into VHS tape though I am afraid - I do not do 'analog'. If you really want a CD/DVD of this content then msg me and I will do my best. It may take me a while to get round to though I warn you.

If you do find these clips of interest and would like to see the others that are on this tape then please post saying os. If not one is interested then I will not bother putting any more up. Also if anyone else has recordings of programs related to Cyprus I personaly would be very interested to see them and would be more than happy to lend any assistance in digitising / encoding these and making them available on my webspace.

Just finally I am not putting these up because I wish to dwell in the past, or renew hatred or division. I am doing it because I think such content is a useful resource for those interested in Cyprus and I have access to the material and the ability to make it available to others.

[MicAtCyp]

Erol
can you upload in a format supported by windows media player? I never managed to play anything with real player, it always says it needs more files to be downloaded, and when I do it needs more and more, there is no end to it.

[eracles]

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Rea ... native.htm

i hate the way real invades my pc so i use the program in the link above. and it played the videos no problem. give it a go!

also thank erolz for uploading these, much appreciated.

[erolz]

Erol
can you upload in a format supported by windows media player? I never managed to play anything with real player, it always says it needs more files to be downloaded, and when I do it needs more and more, there is no end to it.

I'll see what I can do. If I can find (free) tools to encode into this format and they produce similar quality/filesize realtionship as real media then I will put them into this format and uplaod them as well.

In the mean time perhaps you can try eracles' suggestion? If you do and it works let me know and I'll forget about windows media format.

The tape I was lent has another program that was part of the 'Frontline' series in the UK and has Chritopher Hitchens visting Cyprus (quite old)

There is also a program from the series 'Fragile Earth' that looks at the issue of mass tourism development in RoC (no mention of the North). Again tis quite old (maybe 10 years?). In many ways this is more 'relevant' to the North that seems to be undergoing some of the similar development that the South did 10-15 years ago.

There is also a short piece (not complete) from a program 'back to the front' which is more current.

I will try and get these encoded and uploaded when I can as there seems to be some 'demand' for such content.

[erolz]

Ok I have had a go at encoding in .wmv format. The first part of the video above is available now

medium quality - file size approx 5.5MB - playing time approx 5minutes

http://www.visionmatters.co.uk/cyprus/v ... ppart1.wmv


I will put the second part up soon and will cature and encode the other programs as well when I get the time. I will stick to wmv format at this 'medium' quality level, unless someone asks me to do otherwise.

Hope that helps MicAtCyp

[erolz]

part2 in wmv format

medium quality - file size approx 27MB - playing time approx 25 mins
http://www.visionmatters.co.uk/cyprus/v ... ppart2.wmv

[MicAtCyp]

Thanks Erol for your efforts.I finally managed to see the clips in real player format.Of course everything is from the British perspective and as an example I can mention the death of Afxendiou a real idealist of the Eoka struggle.The film shows betrayers with their hands tied up behind, explaining they had only 2 options either to betray or be excecuted themselves.The traitor of Afxentiou though was not so.The traitor was a shepperd who supplied Afxentioun with food and he did it for the money.Not for his life! The whole story of his death was that of cowards (British) Vs a real hero.I will try to find the events from a Greek site and upload them somewhere in English.You will then see the difference.

Anyway what I found most important in the film is the signing of the Zurich-London agreements.It is obvious that Makarios had to chose between either partition of Cyprus one part be given to Turkey and another to Greece, or those agreements.

Of course there are other important messages in the film.I would like to see comments from other members of the forum if possible.

PS. I don't know how much information of the past the TCs get from TV documentaries, but we the GCs do get a lot-all of them of course in Greek.Next time I will try video taping some and upload them somewhere.

[Piratis]

yes, this clips are interesting, thanks Erolz. (and thanks eracles for 'real alternative', I was looking for such thing since I hate Real Player).

As MicAtCyp said everything is from the British perspective, but it was informative nevertheless.

I would like to see comments from other members of the forum if possible.

I didn't comment on it since I didn't want to start another round of "all the same". But since you asked for it I will say something.

In 1959, Independence was a compromise from our side. The British wanted permanent bases, the Turks wanted partition. Now froward to 2004, and what you see is that the British and Turks have what they wanted at that time, and the ones who are asked to make compromises once again are Greek Cypriots. Power politics at its best.

[erolz]

I have captured / encoded / uploaded the next program on the tape.

This is from a series called 'Frontiers' that looks at a number of 'frontiers' around the world, with a program on one each week. Cyprus was chosen as one of these areas. There is also a book (called Frontiers) that accompanies this series, again with a chapter on Cyprus. It appears the book and TV programs are from around 1990.

The Cyprus section is told by Christopher Hitchens - who is a controversial figure in his own right. I have to say that I find the program very biased in favour of the GC point of view. Certainly Mr Hitchens tries to offer 'balance' in the program but he does so imo from an essential GC perspective that the problem of Cyprus began in 74. Thus he talks about tradgedies inflicted on TC by GC in 74 and visa versa - but makes almost no mention of any events prior to 74, leaving an uniformed viewer (in my opinion) with the impression that 'the problem started in 74'. It is also of note and relevance (to me anyway) that Mr Hitchens first wife was herself a GC and he has two 'anglo/cypriot' children by this first marriage. He makes no mention of this fact in either the film or the book which to me is slightly disengenuous. Anyway I have made the film available none the less.

It is in wmv format and I have divided it up into 5 sections. The first four run for about 10mins each and are about 10MB each. The last section is slightly shorter at about 7mins / 7MB. A small not the last section is about 50% uploaded right now and continues to upload as I type this. It should be completed in about 15 minutes from the time of this post. The clips can be found here.

http://www.visionmatters.co.uk/cyprus/v ... tiers1.wmv
http://www.visionmatters.co.uk/cyprus/v ... tiers2.wmv
http://www.visionmatters.co.uk/cyprus/v ... tiers3.wmv
http://www.visionmatters.co.uk/cyprus/v ... tiers4.wmv
http://www.visionmatters.co.uk/cyprus/v ... tiers5.wmv

[MicAtCyp]

Erol,
For me to download 45 MB with my donkey speed dial up will take years.
Can you upload in a more compressed format, after all it seems we all can use real player now.