"White light spills from the machine and splashes across the sheet, and the sepia-toned frames of the SMPTE Universal countdown leader flash past —— 16 SOUND START —— 35 SOUND START —— PICTURE START —— then the numerals set within the cross-hair target —— 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 —— and the 'clock arm' sweeping round and round the succession of numbers before the staccato beep of the two-pop."
I must admit, I find them comforting...