3sat

Background

3sat is a German-language television channel created by ZDF, the 2nd German public broadcaster, alongside ORF, Austria's public broadcaster, and SRG SSR, the one for Switzerland, created in 1984 to provide a generalist channel for Germanic culture and to replace ZDF 2 that closed down a few months earlier. In 1990, when West Germany became a short-lived democracy, DFF eventually joined them, but closed down when it was dissolved. In its place, ARD finally joined in 1993, providing a rebranding alongside it. Currently, ARD and ZDF hold majority control.

1st ID (30 November 1984-1990)

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Visuals: On a black background, the screen zooms past a overhead view of the Earth, with the sun shining in the corner. The black background then filled with zooming clusters of stars, resembling space to a degree, and some of the stars shine. The Earth then goes offscreen as a reflective teal sphere appears in the middle of the screen, which gains warped growths that move in odd ways after a bit. As they bend downwards, a large 3D orange "3" flips around and rotates into place, with the sphere resting in the bottom curve. The background fades to black, leaving the sphere and the "3", as "sat" in a tall, skinny font, is wiped in by small lights.

Technique: Early CGI.

Audio: A heavily-synthesized and happy-sounding version of Ode to Joy with a timpani roll on the last note.

2nd ID (1990-1992)

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Visuals: On a bluish grey background, 4 gold triangle outlines draw in with 2 sides first, then the last side last, all with shadow effects. The broadcasters also appear during this time, all in black and with shadow effects on the right side of the screen in this order: "ZDF", "ORF", "SRG", and "DFF". When they appear, the triangle outlines then flip over to form one large triangle, with the 3sat logo poking out of the right side. The broadcaster names then fade out while the triangle zooms out, coupled with black lines drawing across the screen. They also zoom out and slice into the background, causing the entire thing to rotate around in pieces, revealing a somewhat darker shade of grey for the background with visible lines and the "3" in gold outside of the triangle, as well as a striped dark grey triangle appearing behind it. A white ring then draws inside the "3" and then "sat" wipes in below in a slightly different font.

Variant: In 1992, the broadcasters' names were removed from the screen.

Technique: Computer animation.

Audio: A 4-note horn fanfare, although slightly muffled, followed by a more grand, orchestrated version of Ode to Joy, all somewhat in sync to the animation.

3rd ID (1992-1996)

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Visuals: On a blue background that moves like water, the text "anders fernsehen" wipes in a bold font, similar to the 3sat logo at the time. After a few seconds, the first "e" suddenly flips 180 degrees and turns gold.

Variant: An early version of the logo used from 1992-1993 had the same animation, but had a grey background illuminated by a spotlight to match the branding at the time. The text was also in a slightly different font, was placed at upper-center, and has a shadow effect.

Technique: 2D computer effects.

Audio: A funky bass tune with a soft xylophone instrument in the background plays as 3 synth horn notes play. After the music stops, a 4th one plays for the "e" flipping.