Four reasons:

• Content other than clips: We want to move the focus of the site away from just a place to download clips - essentially we want to champion the cause of recovering and preserving televisual material by providing information on video formats, tutorials, tips, etc. - that's pretty much the whole point of the Archive and the site.

• Controlling bandwidth: one of the reasons this site was taken offline was due to the popularity of the clips hosted - they were so popular that people were just downloading the clips without actually visiting the site. Because people were hotlinking like crazy, there had to be a better way to control the bandwidth that was so rapidly being consumed, therefore we have now enforced restricted access to the clips.

• Virtual tape-swapping: We want to reward all the people that have contributed to the Archive over the years by offering our clips to only those who contribute.

• Legal issues: Nuff said!

How can I become a member?

Click on the Register link on the top right hand corner of the page, then follow the instructions from there. Registration, however, does NOT give you automatic access to the clips in the Download section of the site.

So how, then, do I gain access to the clips in the Download section?

Contribute.

OK, how can I contribute?

Lots of ways (remembering that all contributions must be donations):

• Donate videotapes, film and playback equipment: just about any type (use the Audiovisual Formats section as a guide, plus many others upon enquiry - if you are unsure as to your material's format please contact us) no matter what state it is in - if the equipment is beyond repair, it is still of value as a museum display-piece.

  Where original prints, video, film or other material are concerned, contributors have a choice of either:

  1. Donating the originals, in full or in part, to the Archive with full ownership granted (excluding original copyright or other rights that might be contained already). Original item/s will not be returned, but will be held in the Archive for preservation purposes; or

  2. Loaning original materials for provision of making a preservation copy, with materials returned to the contributor upon completion. The preservation copy will be kept in the Archive.

  If either of the above apply, arrangements are available, at the Archive's discretion, to supply at no charge (excluding postage and/or video materials - to be advised upon enquiry), a videotape or optical transfer for the contributor to keep for their own purposes.

• Donate information on programmes, ads, etc: we'd always love to know more about what we recover and put on display on the site! Types of information include: what years was the programme or ad produced, who starred in it, what medium was it filmed/recorded on, who or what company produced it, the social/cultural significance of the clip, etc. Information can exist in printed formats such as magazines, promotional literature, scripts, publicity stills, etc.

• Contribute to our reference sections - the Archivist's Reference Manual and the Television History Reference: registered users can contribute directly to the site by adding and editing their own content! If you can see an 'Edit this page' link or an 'add' link, this means that you are able to edit an existing or add a new page - just one incentive to register. Users are encouraged to contribute to the Reference project - YOU can help make this site a great source of information! More on editing content

• Donate webspace, servers: we'll certainly be needing more in the forseeable future. Let's not forget the sterling job our current hosts are doing!

• Make a PayPal donation: a nice and easy way to make a contribution, if for some reason, you cannot contribute by any other means.

Look for tapes, film, equipment, magazines, etc. in the following places:

• Your cupboards: isn't it about time you cleaned them out? You might strike gold...

• Other peoples' cupboards: with permission, of course...

• Nature strips: when it's that time of the year

• Garage sales

• Car boot sales

• Markets

• Opportunity shops

• Tips

We'd love to hear of more ways you can contribute - remember, the more you contribute the more likely you will gain download privileges!