TELEVISION

1928 Octagon Televison

The modern television’s earliest ancestor was the Octagon, made by General Electric in 1928. It
used a mechanical, rotating disc technology to display images on its 3-inch screen. While it was
never mass-produced, it played what is widely considered the world’s first television drama:
“The Queen’s Messenger.”

1930 Baird Televisor

On January 26, 1926, John Logie Baird, a Scottish inventor, gives the first public demonstration
of a true television system in London, launching a revolution in communication and
entertainment. Baird’s invention, a pictorial-transmission machine he called a “tele visor,” used
mechanical rotating disks to scan moving images into electronic impulses. This information was
then transmitted by cable to a screen where it showed up as a low-resolution pattern of light and
dark. Baird’s first television program showed the heads of two ventriloquist dummies, which he
operated in front of the camera apparatus out of view of the audience.

1936 Emyvisor
John Logie Baird invented the emyvisor. The emyvisor had an 8 inch. screen and was a big hit
from a 3 inch.Emyvisor were invented in 1936. The Emyvisor was in black and white. This
television increases the image by adding a magnifying lens to make it eight inches and it plays at
twenty-five frames per second. There were only ten of these sets made.

1936 Cossor Television

Type 137T, 1936, the world's first commercial high-definition electronic television, horizontal-
mounted electrostatic tube, 13.1/2-inch screen with black mask, above separate ebonite control
panel with rectangular wireless dial, brown Bakelite knobs, in burr walnut veneered stepped
cabinet in the Deco taste, the upper section with double doors above larger control panel doors,
each pair with bar handles, ebonized bar speaker grille, 

1938 Marconi
In 1938, Guglielmo Giovanni Maria Marconi invented Marconiphone Model 709 television receiver with
a 9-inch screen., when it sold for 45 guineas. This is one of only four surviving examples of this
television in the world. It was known as a 'console' receiver, which meant that it was a self- contained
floor standing model. It also contained a 3-band radio that could receive worldwide broadcasts
1938 RCA TV
The TT-5 was RCA's least expensive set in 1939. It is a vision-only set, requiring an external
radio to receive the sound. It has a 5 channel tuner and a 5-inch screen. The cabinet and chassis
are in excellent condition.

1948 Motorola
Motorola made the Golden View television in 1948, Motorola's most popular late 1940's TV.
This was an inexpensive TV for its time made for the budget minded. The VT-71 is not one of
the best circuit designs of the time but does well with a good signal. Most TV's of this era had 20
or more tubes (some as many as 30), while this one only had 15. Some versions could only tune
up to 8 channels and had to be pre-set for your local stations This set was available in many
different cabinet finishes, and in both a table top version and as a "suitcase" style portable. 7 inch
electrostatic sets of this sort were considerably cheaper than the 10 and 12 inch models.

1953 Sharp
The Sharp model TV3-14T became Japan's first commercially produced television. In 1953,
television sets produced by Tokuji Hayakawa's company account for 60% of Japan’s industry
total. Company builds a new leading-edge mass production facility for televisions.  It is equipped
with the latest conveyor system and integrates operations from wiring and assembly to packaging
and warehousing.

1958 Philco
The Philco Predicta is a black and white television chassis style, which was made in several
cabinet models with 17” or 21” screens by the American company Philco from 1958 to 1960.
The Predicta was marketed as the world’s first swivel screen television, and had an iconic design
by Catherine Winkler with the picture tube (CRT) separated from the rest of the cabinet.

1962 Meidensha
The 1962 Meidensha television was a popular television made by Japan. They had television
screens ranging from 10 inches to 21 inches. Only a few however came in color.

1973 Philco-Ford
The 1973 Philco-Ford was one of the last "vacuum tube" television sets. Overall, there was
nothing special about this television.
1998 Sony
The 1998 Sony television was the first television to have a built in VCR and DVD player. This
television had much better picture than any televisions in the past and it also had much more
channels to watch. Television screen sizes also got much larger.

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