Star TV

Background
Star TV was an over-the-air subscription television service that operated over Boston TV station WQTV (now WPBX-TV) from 1979 to 1983. At its launch in 1979, it was named Broadcast Entertainment Subscription Television (BEST). In mid-1979, it was renamed to Starcase, and then to Star TV in 1981. Star TV folded in February 1983 due to high piracy rates and competition from Preview, another over-the-air subscription television service operated by Warner Communications.

(January 2, 1979-May 28, 1979)
Logo: On a starfield background, a gold, 3D, serif, segmented "BEST" zooms out and rotates into place in the center of the screen. As it reaches its final position, it tilts up and begins shining in a repetitive upward wipe. Laser beams wipe in "U.S. TV PRESENTS" above "BEST" and "BROADCAST ENTERTAINMENT SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION" below "BEST."

FX/SFX: The stars, the shining, the rotating word, and the lasers. Animated by Image West using the Scanimate system.

Music/Sounds: A dramatic and triumphant orchestral fanfare. Likely a stock music piece.

Availability: Extinct. The only place to find this logo is on a 1979 Image West demo reel (#15B), which is available online and on the Scanimate DVD. No off-air recordings of BEST have surfaced.

Editor's Note: None.

(May 29, 1979-August 1981)
Logo: On a black background, a 2D star tilted at a 45-degree angle begins to turn left, revealing two other stars behind it. As the stars turn, pop art depictions of cinema flash through them. When the stars become perpendicular to the screen, they become segmented, turn right, overlap each other, and zoom back. A spark writes a rounded rectangle with an open bottom around the stars, as the word "StarCase" zooms up from the bottom of the screen with a trail (like that of the 1978 Telepictures Productions logo).

FX/SFX: The stars turning, the spark forming the circle, the word zooming in. Also animated by Image West using the Scanimate system.

Music/Sounds: A bouncy, electronic disco piece that ends in a synth chord. Probably a stock music piece.

Availability: Extinct. Seen on Image West demo #15B. The copy posted on YouTube lacks this logo, as it is an abridged version of the complete demo. No off-air recordings of Starcase have surfaced.

Editor's Note: An edited version of this logo has been on YouTube for many years. It contains a "SUBSCRIPTION-ONLY" notice and a WQTV notice, both of which are not original to the logo.

(August 1981-February 11, 1983)
Logo: TBA

FX/SFX: TBA

Music/Sounds: TBA

Availability: Extinct. No off-air recordings of Star TV have surfaced, and no Star TV logos are present on any Image West demo reels in circulation.

Editor's Note: It is possible that Star TV used more than one logo; the dates given are the start and end dates of the entire Star TV period.