UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > Specific Vintage Equipment > Vintage Television and Video

Notices

Vintage Television and Video Vintage television and video equipment, programmes, VCRs etc.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 25th Jun 2021, 11:59 am   #1
toshiba tony
Heptode
 
toshiba tony's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Accrington, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 977
Default 405 to 625

Hello all,
Regarding the switch to UHF, did the opening of BBC1 and IBA happen together? And what were the years, I seem to remember VHF transmissions ceased in 81, but did that cause lots of issues where UHF was hit and miss?
I lived in Yorkshire, in a very bad area, and the tv pictures were no better!
Massive arrays of dual UHF 18 elements, who remembers them.
toshiba tony is offline  
Old 25th Jun 2021, 12:18 pm   #2
Dave Moll
Dekatron
 
Dave Moll's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: West Cumbria (CA13), UK
Posts: 6,118
Default Re: 405 to 625

Rather than repeating the details of dates here, perhaps it would be better to see https://405-line.tv/tv-history/, which gives a detailed time line of British television broadcasting.
__________________
Mending is better than Ending (cf Brave New World by Aldous Huxley)
Dave Moll is offline  
Old 25th Jun 2021, 12:31 pm   #3
toshiba tony
Heptode
 
toshiba tony's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Accrington, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 977
Default Re: 405 to 625

Thanks Dave, I'm sure it will make interesting reading.
toshiba tony is offline  
Old 25th Jun 2021, 12:32 pm   #4
Nuvistor
Dekatron
 
Nuvistor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 9,425
Default Re: 405 to 625

The area I worked and still live in had strong signals on B1,3 and 5, rarely did we need large arrays. The TV’s sets from the late 50’s through the 60’s were capable of excellent results on 405. I think the major difference in picture quality between 405 and 625 was on the bigger screens, 23 inch ones. At normal viewing distances on smaller screens it wasn’t as noticeable.
Others will have other experiences.
__________________
Frank
Nuvistor is offline  
Old 25th Jun 2021, 12:56 pm   #5
toshiba tony
Heptode
 
toshiba tony's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Accrington, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 977
Default Re: 405 to 625

Yes, the 23 inch 405 sets could look quite "liney". Preferred 19 inch ones, and now we want bigger sets.
toshiba tony is offline  
Old 26th Jun 2021, 8:54 am   #6
Heatercathodeshort
Dekatron
 
Heatercathodeshort's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING.
Posts: 9,145
Default Re: 405 to 625

I remember the change over very well. At the time we had a Murphy CTV2210D dual standard 22" model. I had already reset the tuner keyplates to allow 3X 405 and 3X625 positions on the push button UHF tuner.

There were many experimental 'unofficial' broadcasts before the opening of BBC1 and ITV, 15th November 1969. One evening I was just about to go to bed when the ITA announced that 'The Frost Programme' was about to be broadcast in colour! That was sometime during early October.

I remember calling up to mum who had just gone to bed and she got up and came down to watch it! Such was the incredible power and attraction to colour TV. John.
Heatercathodeshort is offline  
Old 26th Jun 2021, 8:57 am   #7
toshiba tony
Heptode
 
toshiba tony's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Accrington, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 977
Default Re: 405 to 625

My first colour was a G6. Couldn't drag me away, still remember it now.
toshiba tony is offline  
Old 26th Jun 2021, 2:15 pm   #8
Heatercathodeshort
Dekatron
 
Heatercathodeshort's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING.
Posts: 9,145
Default Re: 405 to 625

Thinking about it I think the F.P. was on BBC1. BBC1 was on Ch 26, ITA on 23 and BBC2 33 in London.

The G6 was the first colour TV I repaired. It was the LOPT! Nice and easy plug in job but I had to get the soldering iron out for just two wires! Well it is a Philips. Great colour. J.
Heatercathodeshort is offline  
Old 26th Jun 2021, 2:25 pm   #9
Restoration73
Nonode
 
Restoration73's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Surbiton, SW London, UK.
Posts: 2,801
Default Re: 405 to 625

If you were in a more remote area it might have been later. For example Caradon Hill
only offered BBC2 in 1969, our Thorn 900 had no uhf tuner. I thought it was worth
waiting to Jan 1971 for a new s/s Thorn 3000 just for BBC2, BBC-1 and ITV (initially on
Test Card F) started in March. I "acquired" the old 900 and fitted a uhf tuner.
Restoration73 is offline  
Old 26th Jun 2021, 2:35 pm   #10
toshiba tony
Heptode
 
toshiba tony's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Accrington, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 977
Default Re: 405 to 625

Saw a good number of G6's. I developed a liking for them. Power guzzlers but I suppose most were, B&O 2000?
Happy days.
toshiba tony is offline  
Old 26th Jun 2021, 4:46 pm   #11
Heatercathodeshort
Dekatron
 
Heatercathodeshort's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING.
Posts: 9,145
Default Re: 405 to 625

Yes when you got familiar with them they were fine. I serviced quite a number of the dual standard ones. For some unexplainable reason I found them more reliable than the later single standard versions with that purple desaturation choke [L5515?] burning up for no apparent reason. I rarely replaced it in the dual.

They certainly were the progression from 405 to 625 and colour and they did it quite well.

As regards aerials. I remember the massive installation complete with guy wires on the roof of the Burford Bridge Hotel at Box Hill. They had four 18 element aerials in a box configuration. I would loved to have seen the picture.

[Why did you have to spoil everything and mention the B&O] Regards, John.
Heatercathodeshort is offline  
Old 27th Jun 2021, 7:45 am   #12
Nuvistor
Dekatron
 
Nuvistor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 9,425
Default Re: 405 to 625

Quote:
Originally Posted by Heatercathodeshort View Post

As regards aerials. I remember the massive installation complete with guy wires on the roof of the Burford Bridge Hotel at Box Hill. They had four 18 element aerials in a box configuration. I would loved to have seen the picture.

Regards, John.
We were in a good signal area but there was the odd spot, posts 10 to 14 with a photo of an aerial we had to install in Billinge Wigan.

https://vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=127893
__________________
Frank
Nuvistor is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 9:17 am.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.