Vidicon - origin of the name - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

ppppenguin · 14th Mar 2006, 9:05 am

I'm reviewing a book at the moment (not specifically about television) and the author mentions vidicon TV cameras. In a footnote he asserts: The generic term for such a device is an iconoscope; vidicon is a contraction of video iconscope.

I have certainly never heard of iconoscope being used as a generic term for a TV camera tube nor that origin of vidicon.

Any thoughts?

peter_scott · 14th Mar 2006, 11:59 am

Here's someone else relating the terms:

http://djm.cc/rpa-output/language/en...logy/acronym.s

Peter

Biggles · 14th Mar 2006, 6:05 pm

The first CCTV cameras I worked on used vidicon tubes and tiny metal nuvistor valves for the first video preamp off the tube.

Biggles

Steve_McVoy · 14th Mar 2006, 6:44 pm

The first camera tube after the iconoscope was the orthicon, followed by the image orthicon, and then the vidicon. The tubes were all named by RCA.

high_vacuum_house · 14th Mar 2006, 7:08 pm

Hello there,
The word Iconoscope (camera recieving tube) and Kinescope (CRT)comes from greek words. A bit like telescope and microscope (scope probably meaning "to see")

I know little about Greek language but I understand Welsh language much better

Christopher Capener

yagosaga · 15th Mar 2006, 3:05 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by high_vacuum_house

Hello there,
The word Iconoscope (camera recieving tube) and Kinescope (CRT)comes from greek words. A bit like telescope and microscope (scope probably meaning "to see") I know little about Greek language but I understand Welsh language much better

I had to learn old greek. Here are the words:

Iconoscope: comes from the greek word eikon (= picture) and skopein (= to watch from a distance).

Kinescope: kineo (= to move) and skopein (= to watch from a distance).

Telescope: tele (= the last, in a distance) and skopein (= to watch from a distance).

Kind regards
Eckhard

ppppenguin · 15th Mar 2006, 3:23 pm

Thanks to all of you who have helped to probe this classical mystery. I studied a little Latin at school but not Greek so special thanks to Eckhard for classical enlightenment.

Vidicon, like television, is a Latin/Greek hybrid. I have read that that classicists criticised the word television for this very reason.

Vidicon translates as: See (from Latin video = I see) Picture (from Greek eikon)

Despite the reference found by Peter Scott I find it difficult to believe that Iconoscope was used as a generic term for camera tube except perhaps in the very earliest days of television. I also contacted Brian Summers who has been researching the history of TV cameras and he has never heard of this usage.

Most names of camera tubes have icon in them. Hardly surprising since it derives from the Greek for picture. Exceptions include Emitron (EMI's equivalent to the iconoscope) and Farnsworth's image dissector. The orthicon (so called because the scanning beam is at right angles or orthogonal to the target) is very different to the iconoscope and I have never heard of it being referred to as an iconoscope. The vidicon is a later development, I think it was developed when the iconoscope was all but obsolete. It's a very different tube since it is photoconductive rather than photoemissive.

Trish · 16th Mar 2006, 3:03 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggles

The first CCTV cameras I worked on used vidicon tubes and tiny metal nuvistor valves for the first video preamp off the tube.

I'm just wondering if that camera was made by Philips.

I certainly remember working on them at the factory in Weybridge which was then Peto Scott. They had two flip down panels and fitted with a 7586 Nuvistor at the front end.

Personally I have never known why a Vidicon was called that. The Plumbicon made more sense (but not a lot) as to the photosensitive layer being lead monoxide.

Trish · 27th Mar 2006, 4:33 pm

Biggles - It doesn't sound like the same Camera. The one's I worked on were about the same footprint as A4 paper and around six inches high. I have forgotten the model number of it.

If anyone has one of these and takes a look at the boards. Look out for the stamp mark "PTVT 37" If you see it, that means it went through my hands.

One thing with vidicons, we used to spend ages discussing how the beam rotates on its travels along the tube. I don't think we resolved that. It might have been something to do with the alcohol we were consuming while musing over the matter.

14th Mar 2006, 9:05 am	#1
ppppenguin Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: North London, UK. Posts: 6,168	Vidicon - origin of the name I'm reviewing a book at the moment (not specifically about television) and the author mentions vidicon TV cameras. In a footnote he asserts: The generic term for such a device is an iconoscope; vidicon is a contraction of video iconscope. I have certainly never heard of iconoscope being used as a generic term for a TV camera tube nor that origin of vidicon. Any thoughts?

14th Mar 2006, 11:59 am	#2
peter_scott Dekatron Join Date: May 2003 Location: Edinburgh, UK. Posts: 3,274	Re: Vidicon - origin of the name Here's someone else relating the terms: http://djm.cc/rpa-output/language/en...logy/acronym.s Peter Last edited by peter_scott; 14th Mar 2006 at 12:08 pm.

14th Mar 2006, 6:05 pm	#3
Biggles Rest in Peace Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Hexham, Northumberland, UK. Posts: 2,234	Re: Vidicon - origin of the name The first CCTV cameras I worked on used vidicon tubes and tiny metal nuvistor valves for the first video preamp off the tube. Biggles

14th Mar 2006, 6:44 pm	#4
Steve_McVoy Pentode Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Columbus, Ohio, USA Posts: 150	Re: Vidicon - origin of the name The first camera tube after the iconoscope was the orthicon, followed by the image orthicon, and then the vidicon. The tubes were all named by RCA.

14th Mar 2006, 7:08 pm	#5
high_vacuum_house Octode Join Date: May 2003 Location: Belper Derbyshire Posts: 1,935	Re: Vidicon - origin of the name Hello there, The word Iconoscope (camera recieving tube) and Kinescope (CRT)comes from greek words. A bit like telescope and microscope (scope probably meaning "to see") I know little about Greek language but I understand Welsh language much better Christopher Capener __________________ Interests in the collection and restoration of Tefifon players and 405 line television

15th Mar 2006, 3:23 pm	#7
ppppenguin Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: North London, UK. Posts: 6,168	Re: Vidicon - origin of the name Thanks to all of you who have helped to probe this classical mystery. I studied a little Latin at school but not Greek so special thanks to Eckhard for classical enlightenment. Vidicon, like television, is a Latin/Greek hybrid. I have read that that classicists criticised the word television for this very reason. Vidicon translates as: See (from Latin video = I see) Picture (from Greek eikon) Despite the reference found by Peter Scott I find it difficult to believe that Iconoscope was used as a generic term for camera tube except perhaps in the very earliest days of television. I also contacted Brian Summers who has been researching the history of TV cameras and he has never heard of this usage. Most names of camera tubes have icon in them. Hardly surprising since it derives from the Greek for picture. Exceptions include Emitron (EMI's equivalent to the iconoscope) and Farnsworth's image dissector. The orthicon (so called because the scanning beam is at right angles or orthogonal to the target) is very different to the iconoscope and I have never heard of it being referred to as an iconoscope. The vidicon is a later development, I think it was developed when the iconoscope was all but obsolete. It's a very different tube since it is photoconductive rather than photoemissive.

27th Mar 2006, 4:33 pm	#9
Trish Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Reading, Berkshire, UK. Posts: 95	Re: Vidicon - origin of the name Biggles - It doesn't sound like the same Camera. The one's I worked on were about the same footprint as A4 paper and around six inches high. I have forgotten the model number of it. If anyone has one of these and takes a look at the boards. Look out for the stamp mark "PTVT 37" If you see it, that means it went through my hands. One thing with vidicons, we used to spend ages discussing how the beam rotates on its travels along the tube. I don't think we resolved that. It might have been something to do with the alcohol we were consuming while musing over the matter.