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Old 21st Jul 2009, 12:01 pm   #41
Martin Allen
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Yes, great interview on BBC online, Jeffrey - and many congratulations for winning.

Didn't the set-top box keep sliding off when you opened the mirror lid?

It would be great to have this confirmed as the oldest working telly in the world. Being that the first competition was for Scotland, and the second for the entire UK, a 'worldwide' one would now seem to be called for!

Am I right in thinking that, realistically, you'd only have to include the USA, Germany, Russia and Japan, in order to discover any surviving sets from the 1930s worldwide? To these you could add Canada and the other countries of Europe - just in case any early sets migrated across borders during the periods when the earliest TV standards were still in use.

Maybe Digital UK could be persuaded to ask its counterpart orgs in these other countries to take part in a trans-national competition..!

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Old 21st Jul 2009, 12:49 pm   #42
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I just watched the BBC interview and must say that Jeff is a natural and could have a very successful career in television. Start your career designing televisions and end up a star on television!

The brightness of the Emiscope looks very good as well even with the room lights up. Overall a wonderful presentation.

Darryl

BTW thanks for the plug ;-)
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Old 21st Jul 2009, 12:51 pm   #43
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Default Re: The oldest working Television in the UK

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Originally Posted by Martin Allen View Post

Am I right in thinking that, realistically, you'd only have to include the USA, Germany, Russia and Japan, in order to discover any surviving sets from the 1930s worldwide? To these you could add Canada and the other countries of Europe - just in case any early sets migrated across borders during the periods when the earliest TV standards were still in use.


Martin.
I hope I'm not going too off topic.

Does anyone know when other countries such as USA, Germany, Russia, Japan etc started TV broadcasting.

I understood we were the first and as such other countries wouldn't have built TV's unless there was a demand for them, so no TV broadcasts, no demand!

Also remember in those early days, Electronics was a cottage industry, Each country manufacturing for its own market. There were virtually no imports/exports before the war. There would have been severe trade restrictions between the UK and Germany and due to power and broadcast standards, importing/exporting to the US and Canada wouldn't have been practical. I cant tell you anything about Soviet Russia but its unlikely they would have had television as early as the 1930's.

So that we don't go completely OT, perhaps we should start another thread to discuss this subject.

In the meantime, save for experimental sets of the period, there is a very real chance that Jeffrey's Marconiphone is the oldest working electronic TV in the world.
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Old 21st Jul 2009, 12:54 pm   #44
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Does anyone know when other countries such as USA, Germany, Russia, Japan etc started TV broadcasting.

I understood we were the first and as such other countries wouldn't have built TV's unless there was a demand for them, so no TV broadcasts, no demand!
Some enthusiasts in the US and perhaps other countries have imported TVs from pioneer countries, particularly Britain and Germany, so it's just possible an older working TV exists somewhere.

Paul
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Old 21st Jul 2009, 1:03 pm   #45
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Originally Posted by tubesrule View Post
The brightness of the Emiscope looks very good as well even with the room lights up.
I think the clip flatters the CRT. It's dim and really ought to go to RACS for a rebuild.

Quote:
Originally Posted by tubesrule View Post
BTW thanks for the plug ;-)
Advertising on the BBC. Tut tut. Reith must be turning in his grave. but then he never really liked that new fangled telly business.

"Search for oldest TV" I was a bit worried that the wrong people might get hold of the story and be disappointed when they didn't see a geriatric bloke wearing a frock and a blonde wig.
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Old 21st Jul 2009, 1:39 pm   #46
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Well done Jeff and John,
I have just caught up with this thread! What a super looking couple of sets.
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Old 21st Jul 2009, 4:40 pm   #47
Mike Phelan
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Default Re: The oldest working Television in the UK

... and I've just seen the picture of Jeffrey's set, when we got Radio Times this morning (letters page).
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Old 21st Jul 2009, 4:44 pm   #48
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Nice to see that Radio Times considers Jeffrey (or at least his TV) to be one of "TV's lost treasures". They appear together on page 137 of the 25-31 July edition.
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Old 21st Jul 2009, 5:10 pm   #49
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I've been persuading Ruth Huntman, author of the Radio Times piece, to go down to Dulwich and do a feature on the Museum. She seems keen. Now Gerry really is a TV Treasure

Just had a very young and inexperienced reporter from the Jewish Chronicle do a phone interview. I hope it comes out OK. Suppose they've all got to start somewhere.
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Old 21st Jul 2009, 5:16 pm   #50
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Does anyone speak Dutch? There's a lot of comments on this website. The Google translation is pretty mediocre.

http://www.telegraaf.nl/buitenland/4...s__.html?p=3,2

Google translation:

http://translate.google.co.uk/transl...hl=en&ie=UTF-8
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Old 21st Jul 2009, 5:16 pm   #51
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Your TV article seems to have prompted a phone-in on Radio Leeds about the oldest working thing in people's houses. I just caught a bit of it on the drive home.
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Old 21st Jul 2009, 5:46 pm   #52
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Very well done Jeffrey. The interview was great and you came over very relaxed and natural.

All the best

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Old 21st Jul 2009, 5:50 pm   #53
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Aub, thank you.

What have all you guys been up to on the BBC website? The story is now #5 on "Most popular stories now".
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Old 21st Jul 2009, 6:23 pm   #54
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Hi Jeffrey,

Congratulations also from the Netherlands!

As you requested, I translated the dutch for you into (hopefully) understandable English:

Oudste televisietoestel werkt nog steeds Londen - Het oudste televisietoestel van Groot-Brittanie staat in een huis ergens in Londen. Een speurtocht naar de oudste nog werkende tv leidde naar de hoofdstad van Engeland. De Marconiphone 702 uit 1936 is inmiddels 73 jaar oud en hoort toe aan een electroniaverzamelaar.
Electricien Jeffrey Borinsky kocht het 12" scherm zo'n tien jaar geleden van een andere verzamelaar. Hij betaalde een paar honderd pond voor de televisie, die nog steeds werkt. Het kastje bevat slechts twee knoppen. Eén om de positie van het beeld te verstellen, de ander voor het geluid. Een andere zender kiezen is niet mogelijk. In de jaren dertig kon men alleen de BBC ontvangen, vertelt Borinsky de BBC.
Televisie kijken was destijds iets voor de rijken. Het antieke toestel kostte in de jaren dertig zo'n 90 pond, omgerekend naar hedendaagse valuta is dat zo’n 15.000 euro.


Oldest TV-set still working

London-
The oldest tv-set in GB can be found in a house somewhere in London.
A search for the oldest still working TV led us to the capital of England.
The Marconiphone 702 from 1936 is now 73 years old and belongs to an electronics collector.
Electrical engineer JB bought the 12" screen about 10 years ago from an other collector.
He paid a few hundred pounds for the tv, which still works.
The cabinet has only two controls. One to adjust the position of the picture, the other one for the sound.
It is not possible to change over to another channel. In the '30s you could only receive the BBC, as B tells us.
TV was something for the rich at the time.
The antique set cost about 90 pounds in the '30s, converted to today's currency that is about 15,000 Euros.

Als je een ouwe zwart wit tv in kleur film met een moderene camera krijg je een blauwachtig beeld niks bijzonders, maar gerestaureerd en dan hedendaagse beelden bekijken is niet mogelijk omdat GB al heel lang uitzend met 625 lijnen de 405 lijnen dit toestel was voor ontworpen zijn niet geschikt voor het 625 lijnen stelsel

If you film an old B&W tv in colour with a modern camera, you get a blueish picture. Nothing strange, but restaured and viewing todays programs is not possible because GB transmits since a long time at 625 lines. The 405 lines for which this set was designed are not suitable for the 625 line system.

ik heb er nog een die werk van 55 jaar

I have one of 55 years old that works

De tv-beelden uit die tijd waren in zwart-wit, de tv-beelden uit deze tijd zijn in kleur. Helemaal niet moeilijk.

The tv-pictures of that time were in B&W, the tv-pictures of today are in colour. Not difficult at all.

als je naar het beeld kijkt is het inderdaad net een kleurentv,,ze zullen wel weer hebben knoeien met het filmpje

If you look at the picture it looks just like a colour-tv. They probably have been tampering with the recording.

Deze reactie van een lezer is achteraf verwijderd, omdat deze in strijd was met onze huisregels.

This reaction of a reader is removed, because it was not according our house-rules.

en was niet beïnvloedbaar door de kabelaars.welke je het liefst je iedere 3 jaar een anders smoesje aansmeren waardoor je weer alles opnieuw moet gaan kopen..zie had; blue ray en dan alles verzieken met reclame ertussen en er doorheen

and was not influenced by the cable-companies. They like to sell you a new excuse every 3 years so that you have to buy everything new again. blue ray and then disturbing everything with commercials in between

Omgerekend naar hedendaagse valuta ? Die valuta blijft hetzelfde maar je zult wel bedoelen: omgerekend naar hedendaagse maatstaven

Converted to today's currency? The currency stays the same but you will probably mean: converted to today's standards

kleuren tv 1936?

colour tv 1936 ?

Ik weet een speurtocht die nog veel meer moeite zal kosten: het vinden van een modern electronica-apparaat dat na 3 jaar nog steeds werkt.

I know a search that will be much more difficult: finding a modern piece of electronics that still functions after 3 years.

toen was kwaliteit nog kwaliteit...nu mag je van geluk spreken als je tv het 5 jaar volhoudt

Then quality was still quality... now you are lucky if your tv keeps working for 5 years

Hopelijk heeft ie er veel lol van want volgens mij stopt de BBC met het uitzenden via radiogolven en kan je straks alleen via kabel, internet en sateliet kijken?

Hopefully he enjoys it a lot because I think the BBC will end transmitting via radiowaves and then you can only watch via cable, internet and satellite?


(The comments may seem to have been written by illiterates, but in Dutch is is the same.... a waste of time. It might be the same in english newspapers? The Telegraaf could be a paper that is more famous for sensation than for accuracy.)


Best wishes, Jac
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Old 21st Jul 2009, 6:27 pm   #55
JoshWard
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Finally I know someone famous

Autograph please
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Old 21st Jul 2009, 6:47 pm   #56
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Jac, thanks for the translation.

Josh, autographs may be available. The cost will be a donation to the Vintage Wireless Museum. I have arranged to take a lower value prize from the competition with the balance donated to the Museum. Final details still to be arranged but I think I'll end up with a Panasonic 37" LCD L37G10B with Freesat. They offered a 46" set.
http://www.johnlewis.com/230575879/Product.aspx
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Old 21st Jul 2009, 6:56 pm   #57
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I know a search that will be much more difficult: finding a modern piece of electronics that still functions after 3 years.
LOL - How true
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Old 21st Jul 2009, 7:19 pm   #58
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(The comments may seem to have been written by illiterates, but in Dutch is is the same.... a waste of time. It might be the same in english newspapers? The Telegraaf could be a paper that is more famous for sensation than for accuracy.)
Yes Jac, the comments posted on British newspaper websites are just as stupid - sometimes worse

Thanks for the translation.

Paul
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Old 21st Jul 2009, 7:30 pm   #59
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A long lost colleague has just emailed me from Sri Lanka. He says that BBC World TV are putting out the story every hour. Can somebody with access to BBC World please tell me what's happening. Is it the same as Rory Cellan-Jones online report?

PS: Let's not get into whinging about the quality and reliability of modern equipment here.
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Old 21st Jul 2009, 7:44 pm   #60
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A long lost colleague has just emailed me from Sri Lanka. He says that BBC World TV are putting out the story every hour. Can somebody with access to BBC World please tell me what's happening. Is it the same as Rory Cellan-Jones online report?
I think moderator Andrew Joll (arjoll) has access to a BBC World feed in New Zealand, so it might be worth sending him a PM in case he misses this thread. He should be getting up around now.

BBC World normally run a half hour bulletin on the hour, followed by some feature for the other half hour. I'd expect your TV item to be towards the end of the news bulletin as a relatively lightweight human interest story - when I worked at ITN we called these 'tailenders', and some broadcasters call them 'andfinallies'

Paul
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