Early colour television OB van at Monash University Australia

[Aussie Bloke]

G'day all.

I have stumbled upon another discovery of early colour television used in Australia prior to its introduction in 1975.

Monash University in Victoria Australia had a mobile colour television unit van in the 60s and 70s which was supplied by Smith Kline & French. Here are the two pictures of this OB van:
http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/records...GE_NUMBER=1583
http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/records...GE_NUMBER=1584

Behind the TV techos in the 2nd pic is 3 roundie colour monitors!!! I believe the colour cameras that were used in this outfit would likely be RCA TK-41s or Marconi BD848s.

I have emailed Monash Uni enquiring about this mobile unit as I am interested in knowing more about it. Will be interesting to hear more details on this unit.

[Steve D.]

Aussie Bloke,

An image, courtesy of the ETF site, of an earlier S,K & F color mobile unit. I believe this truck held the NTSC RCA TK-41 cameras that went into service in 1956 replacing the CBS field sequential system:

SKF-medical-color-TV-PC1.jpg
Address:http://www.earlytelevision.org/image...lor-TV-PC1.jpg

Not sure when the Monash unit donated by S,K & F was used or if they switched to later Marconi color cameras. My impression is that the truck does not look like it was from an American manufacturer. Hopefully Monash can supply you with informantion.

-Steve D.

[Aussie Bloke]

Just received an email back from Monash University. The respondent couldn't answer my questions but she dug up an Monash Reporter newspaper article from 4th May 1971 which has a photo of the techos in front of 3 roundie monitors and a little blurb below giving a bit of info on this colour unit, see attached image. So this mobile unit was given to Monash Uni in 1971 as a gift from Smith, Kline & French Laboratories Australia Ltd.

It so happens one of the 3 guys is still working at the Uni so the respondent also gave me his phone number, so I will be contacting him sometime soon. Will be interesting to know about this mobile unit and its gear and what has become of it.