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

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Old 12th Nov 2017, 9:45 am   #1
Heatercathodeshort
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Default One Off

Have you ever thought that you may be doing something at a particular time that nobody else in the World may be doing at that time if ever?

This came to mind a few days ago when I was viewing my regular living room television, a 15" EKCO TC196 console of 1953.

What are the chances of anyone viewing one of these models at exactly the same time, 405 lines and all?

We are all very unique and probably 'one offs' in our exploits.

Surprisingly there are many common post war models that have vanished completely thus much rarer than the pre war models that still turn up and will continue to do so. John.
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 10:25 am   #2
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A while back I was reading about pre-WW2 TV models. In the case of the Andrea KTE-5, there were something like 11 to 15 units left in the world. For the Meisnser 5" TV kit a similar number and for the HMV 904 perhaps 40 or 50 sets max. Many other pre war sets similar numbers and as for post war sets many have been lost.

Some of the rarer sets are said to be "rarer than any violin model made by Stradivari" to give some indication of how precious they have become.

Luckily this has been recognized and the few of us who are lucky enough to be the custodians of these remarkable pieces of technological history know how important it is to preserve and protect these sets for future generations of private collectors and to keep them out of the hands of general technology museums where they are ill understood & collect dust or are kept in storage warehouses or used for non working displays that are nothing more than movie props.

These sets should always belong to collectors who truly appreciate the technology.

With exceptions of course, where a museum is dedicated specifically to TV technology, like Steve McVoy's ETF museum in the USA, I would be more than happy for any of my vintage TV's to end up there under his museum's care.

So if you are sitting in your room and watching a very vintage set, most likely you are the only person in the world doing it at that one time.
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 10:31 am   #3
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I assume we are not including parallel universes in this discussion.
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 10:35 am   #4
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No because in their universe the CRT image is scanned from right to left and from bottom to top so it doesn't count.
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 10:46 am   #5
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It shows that TV is one thing the ancient Chinese didn't invent. Otherwise scanning would be vertically downwards and right to left.

David
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 11:17 am   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Argus25 View Post
keep them out of the hands of general technology museums where they are ill understood & collect dust or are kept in storage warehouses or used for non working displays that are nothing more than movie props.

With exceptions of course, where a museum is dedicated specifically to TV technology, like Steve McVoy's ETF museum in the USA, I would be more than happy for any of my vintage TV's to end up there under his museum's care.
I totally agree about Steve's ETF museum. As to general museums it really depends on the politics of the management structure.

The one nearest to me had their HMV901 displayed in a glass case that you could walk all round and see the ancient technology revealed by having its rear and side covers off. This was 50 years ago and a real inspiration to me at the time. It was part of a general science gallery that displayed early radios and telecommunication devices not to mention early television camera tubes and much other old technology.

The museum still possesses these exhibits but very few are on display. Theme park type displays are currently the order of the day.

Peter
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 11:41 am   #7
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Default Re: One Off

I completely agree with your feelings John.

When I was watching my Philips experimental projection set I realized I was the only one in the world having a working set and watching a movie on it.
Quite a special feeling, I must say!

Jac
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 11:54 am   #8
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Jac, That looks like an episode of the Avengers you are watching, always a favorite of mine.

Radio Wrangler, I'm still laughing about the Chinese scanning.
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 12:01 pm   #9
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Jac, That looks like an episode of the Avengers you are watching, always a favorite of mine.
That's right Hugo.
It's not from the right era (the set is 1947), but nevertheless always a joy to watch!

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Old 12th Nov 2017, 2:51 pm   #10
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I must say I never really thought about it until you mentioned it! I've quite often sat in my workshop with a TV or 2 playing away in the background, most recently I repaired a Ferguson 405 line set, then sat and soak tested it by watching a couple of episodes of The Big Bang Theory on it, there were still several waxies in the set, but it performed very well!

I've also been re-vamping the signal cabling in the workshop, so every set that has a place on a shelf also has it's own RF connection, mainly so I don't have to faff about trying to pull a cable from one set and plug it into another every time I decide to fire one up, And while doing that I was testing each lead by having the set's powered up. So I had 405 playing alongside 625 with the same content (a bunch of music video's playing off an SD card player thing), all good fun, and I doubt anyone else in the world was doing the same thing at that time!

Regards,
Lloyd.
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 4:07 pm   #11
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A Ferguson 204T Lloyd. A real cracking model with outstanding reliability. Probably not many left and welcome to the 'One Off' club! John.
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 4:46 pm   #12
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If you could get everyone watching a set at the same time and watching the same programme, would it be something to include in the guniness book oF records? , just a silly thought
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 7:18 pm   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jac View Post
When I was watching my Philips experimental projection set I realized I was the only one in the world having a working set and watching a movie on it.
Quite a special feeling, I must say!
The Philips Protelgram was one of the more common projection versions used in the US. A few of the smaller concerns, Emerson, Scott and a few others adopted it. The working one I saw was an Emerson and I thought it looked better than the RCA, which was there own design.
Yours sure looks impressive.
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Old 13th Nov 2017, 10:04 am   #14
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Default Re: One Off

Quote:
What are the chances of anyone viewing one of these models at exactly the same time, 405 lines and all?
I had the same thought the other day when I gave my Pye V09 a run, a pretty rare model which I am ashamed to say has only been used a couple of times since I restored it more than 5 years ago

I really must set up a rota, so my restored sets get used more regularly.
Some of my sets have stood unused since restoration was completed.

Mark
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Old 13th Nov 2017, 11:43 pm   #15
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Default Re: One Off

As a proud member of the 'One off club' I would echo the same feelings about the unique way many of us pass the time.

One of my tricks to ensure good usage of my sets is to keep a tv guide handy (the free one from Saturday morning papers will do)

Go back a good few years, find a pen and put a circle around any old black and white films or vintage programmes that happen to be on, and that you don't already have on dvd.
A bit before anything interesting is due to come on (and if time allows) fire up the aurora with a freeview box and a TV of your choice. Have a good twiddle beforehand if required. When the show starts sit and enjoy a bit of nostalgia! Ealing films are great on little fifties sets. Classic sitcoms and 'sounds of the sixties' always look good on a nice big 17" receivers.

As I'm writing this it has occurred to me that more than one of us can potentially do this at the same time, so I'm now wondering if anyone does, and if this can also be considered as 'one off'?

I turned on my newly restored GEC BT2147 chassis yesterday and to my delight 'Carry on Regardless' was just starting on Film4. Perfect!

Did anyone else watch it??!
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Old 14th Nov 2017, 2:42 am   #16
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Hi all,

As another proud member of the 'one off club' being a regular viewer of my own vintage television collection may I thoroughly recommend 'Talking Pictures' (Freeview 81) as a wonderful supplier of classic viewing material for our vintage television sets in the UK. I'd feel lost without them now.

Marc.

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Old 14th Nov 2017, 9:41 am   #17
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My 17" Defiant console set in Reception at work is on Freeview. I find it hard to re-adjust to watching what THEY happen to be showing at any one time; especially with the endless bursts of advertising.
Keeps the punters happy, though.
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Old 14th Nov 2017, 10:17 pm   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Heatercathodeshort View Post
Have you ever thought that you may be doing something at a particular time that nobody else in the World may be doing at that time if ever?
My kids and I played a geographic version of this game on a motorbike touring holiday this summer - doing something which had never been done on this spot before, and would probably never be done again.

In practice this meant singing the national anthem in the corner of one or two fields in SW Ukraine

(Last year, in Poland, I drank rather too many shots of home-distilled spirits on the last night. Now there really is a corner of some foreign field which will be forever England...)
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Old 15th Nov 2017, 8:09 pm   #19
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In practice this meant singing the national anthem in the corner of one or two fields in SW Ukraine.
It's the salt mines for you me lad....J.
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Old 15th Nov 2017, 9:31 pm   #20
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I wonder how many people are listening to a valve radio now (as in this moment in time).
 
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