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Old 05-17-2012, 07:32 AM
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Exclamation Marconi Mark iv

Reading around http://www.eyesofageneration.com/Arc...era_Census.php it sounds like their not to many of this Model around. Does this Camera count mean Heads or Complete Chains ? I think their must be more than 16 World wide .How many were made ?
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Old 05-17-2012, 08:36 AM
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I think at least 916 were made, and without thinking to hard I can account for at least 9 survivors, I only have one. It is quite surprising how many are hidden away. It needs some thorough counting to establish how many are left.

Brian
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Old 05-17-2012, 03:17 PM
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I know a collector who has one

It was a camera used in the studios of "TV Excelsior" a famous TV network that existed here in Brazil in the 60's ( my avatar is the logo of that network ). His camera can be seen, with the rest of his collection, here:

http://www.televisoresantigos.com.br/
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Old 05-17-2012, 10:51 PM
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Lets start the count
I can account for at least 5 chains & 4 Heads now in NZ(2 EX BBC TVC Model A,s) .Their,s more heads floating around the world !But were are the complete cameras (chains). The others are model J/k,s. that now makes


916 were made

UK=9 Chains ? Heads
NZ=5 CHAINS 4 HEADS Known to be about
AUS= Nearly 1 Chain 2 Heads
Brazil =1
Gibraltar=1 Looks like 1 more Head according to this Photo http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...7768249&type=3

Last edited by XDCAM; 07-23-2012 at 12:41 AM.
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Old 05-22-2012, 02:23 AM
austvarchive austvarchive is offline
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I have an almost complete chain here - ex ABC, and possible ex BBC as some of the boards had BBC markings on them. It has the large PSU unit and CCU cases and remote control panel, however is missing the main master panel

There was another one around ex HSV7 that was supposed to be complete and once working that another collector had, however it really wasnt looked after and had a lot of damage/abuse to it in this persons care which was a shame.

Another HSV7 camera was donated to the television museum at mornington many years ago and it was claimed to be working at the time, last i saw it was on display at the ACMI exhibit in 2006 or so, with added scratches and handling damage and I was told all the external stuff like ccu/psu of all the gear was never retained on items, so its just a prop now.
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Old 05-22-2012, 03:13 AM
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Whats is the Models of the Mark !V PLease ?

Last edited by XDCAM; 05-22-2012 at 03:17 AM.
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Old 05-22-2012, 10:36 PM
austvarchive austvarchive is offline
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models? - MARK IV ? were their revisions or serial numbers on these? I'll look if you can explain what i am looking for

BTW, eyesofageneration.com's camera counts are incorrect for my collection, i wrote to him some time ago and gave accurate numbers of what i have, but he was unable to update it or something which is a pity - my name is spelt wrong too!
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Old 05-23-2012, 03:54 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by austvarchive View Post
I was told all the external stuff like ccu/psu of all the gear was never retained on items, so its just a prop now.
This is one of the most distressing aspects of a "proper Museum" run, no doubt by Art types! would they keep a vintage car and take the engine out because in made it lighter! GRRRRR.

I hear many stories of the decimation/loss/miss-placing of someones donated collection. The last one I heard was referring to telegraph equipment. I am far from convinced that a Museum that has to justify its existence in terms of bodies through the door and or profit is a safe place for anything.

All of Marconi's camera Mks went through a process of continuous improvement, so they were sometimes referred to as an "A" or "B" type. For instance the MkVIII had an official B suffix from about serial number 400, but even this depended on what type of tubes the camera could accommodate. (HOP Tubes).

All of the cameras had /00 or /01 on the end of the BD683 B3096 number and so on for line standard & mains voltage/Frequency differences.

Time permitting I will return the the MkIV on my site and redo the pages, Have a lot of stuff to but it may take a while.

Regards

Brian

www.tvcameramuseum.org
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Old 05-23-2012, 05:32 PM
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It has the large PSU unit and CCU cases and remote control panel, however is missing the main master panel

Their is only one Control panel for the Mark 1V I,ve seen !
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Old 05-23-2012, 06:44 PM
austvarchive austvarchive is offline
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The panel i have for mine is the remote one, which has the slider control for iris etc, in other words the one the ccu operator would have been "riding" on air if called for. Rather than the main panel which would i assume by for setting up the camera.

I cant find any mention of modem number on my camera, it has no little nameplate on the side like many others i have seen, not even the little warning about opening the camera up.

My camera has a broken rubber band thing to turn the turret with, no focus spinner, tally lamp cover, viewfinder hood, and the orthicon yolks thermometer is broken, and the fan intake had perished. But other than that its all in very good condition for its age, much better than others i have seen.

My MARK 8's are mostly "B" models, except for one, still yet to get any of them working due to the troubled camera head psu modules, a technician friend is looking at them currently and is fascinated by seeing something he's never seen anything like before!!

Brian, i must at some point send you more photos for your website
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Old 05-29-2012, 06:12 PM
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There,s less than I thought !
UK=9 Chains ? Heads
NZ=5 CHAINS 4 HEADS Known to be about
AUS= Nearly 1 Chain 2 Heads
Brazil =1
USA =6
Gibraltar=1 Looks like 1 more Head according to this Photo http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...7768249&type=3

I think that the Number for NZ might be lower now thanks to the Earthquakes ?

Last edited by XDCAM; 07-24-2012 at 12:46 AM.
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  #12  
Old 05-29-2012, 06:23 PM
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This kind of stuff REALLY needs to be saved, IMHO..
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  #13  
Old 07-08-2012, 01:33 AM
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Not all Museums are equal

I must say I whole heartedly agree with Brian about his observations reguarding private collections being donated to Museums. Its very hit and miss, more often a miss, and usually off into a black hole.

As Brian says not only do curators and Museum directors come from a very different world compared to Broadcast Engineers, none have the talent or inclination to create a working display of genuine preserved equipment, as most already lack the space to display the volumes of existing items already in deep storage.

Most Museums are doing well if they break the 25% point. i.e They usually only can display a quarter of their total inventory at any one time. Thats why many rotate items over a 5 to 10 year period or so.

The Sydney Power House is a classic (NSW Governmnet run) example of this policy and practice. But it does not work for all items. I know they have a complete Marconi MK VII - yes a SEVEN. One of two that VTC Sydney donated at end of life in the 1980s, and one of only about eight or nine in the entire country.

Alas I have never seen it unpacked and on display in over 25+ years.

The closest you can get is a few pictures on line - and even then its all sitting on a pallet in storagre. The recent (2006) temporary exhiibit celebrating 50 years of TV in Australia only had the tired old Ferseh from TCN-9 and the Marconi MkIII from ATN-7 on static non working display - both heads only.

The closest we have in this country is the Barry Lambert led ABC-TV PYE OB Van Restotation at the Australina Natioal Musem in Canberra. I am proud to say I helped Barry with a donation of a couple of PYE MkIII camera cables in 1999. But eben this disply is only fired up on 'special' ocassions.

Like most specialist problems in life don't expect any government solution - becuase if you want something done properly you will have to do it yourself.

I hope to be a 'white knight' in the next few years - i.e offering a dry, clean equipment display and repair facilites, for both my current collection and for other like minded collectors.

But it does take money to setup such establishments, and pay for that little thing needed top keep it going and make it all happen ... electrcity
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  #14  
Old 07-22-2012, 09:33 PM
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1 more Head ?

Looks like 1 more Head according to this Photo http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...7768249&type=3

Last edited by XDCAM; 07-24-2012 at 12:44 AM.
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Old 07-22-2012, 09:53 PM
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Sn number

Quote:
Originally Posted by austvarchive View Post
models? - MARK IV ? were their revisions or serial numbers on these? I'll look if you can explain what i am looking for

BTW, eyesofageneration.com's camera counts are incorrect for my collection, i wrote to him some time ago and gave accurate numbers of what i have, but he was unable to update it or something which is a pity - my name is spelt wrong too!
The SN is by the Fan inlet on a Black Plate on the Right door .

Last edited by XDCAM; 07-24-2012 at 12:22 AM.
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