View Full Version : 1950 NTSC Hearings Screen Shots


egrand
04-25-2013, 10:43 PM
Well, I've been digging in the Life magazine photo archive again and this time came up with plenty of pictures that were taken in January, 1950 during the NTSC color tv hearing in Washington, DC. These are the famous hearings that caused the FCC to approve the CBS system. This is the original magazine article: http://books.google.com/books?id=_lIEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PP1&dq=feb%2027&pg=PA48#v=onepage&q=feb%2027&f=false

And, here is the photo series: http://images.google.com/hosted/life/c848a1e777db5019.html

Many photos are obviously duplicates. The great thing is that there are several behind the scenes shots of the actors that should give a good reference for the screen image. However, many of the photos are more washed out than others. Maybe the photographer was trying different film, filters, lighting? Most likely he was using different exposure settings, or they were done while making duplicates.

It is hard to know on all the pictures which is CBS and which is RCA. Obviously, the women in front of the paintings are of the CBS system. And, they are clearly superior to the RCA. The article mentions the third system by Color Television Inc. Could some of these be from them?

David Roper
04-26-2013, 05:30 AM
I believe the brighter screen shots show the CBS color display. I can even make out the housing for the color wheel. That the dimmer shots are from an RCA triniscope is pretty evident in the sailboat screen cap.

oldtvman
04-28-2013, 10:54 AM
Too bad the film is discolored.

Phil Nelson
04-28-2013, 12:36 PM
That the dimmer shots are from an RCA triniscope is pretty evident in the sailboat screen cap.The sailing couple with striped shirt and red outfit reappeared in later RCA literature.

Phil Nelson

http://antiqueradio.org/art/PracticalColorTelevisionFigure98.jpg

David Roper
04-28-2013, 07:13 PM
I think that's a different couple, but speaking of reappearing...

http://community-2.webtv.net/@HH!57!11!1004B70F524A/stevetek/StevesCT100/scrapbookFiles/mailedD38.jpg

I guess it was sort of an RCA color theme at the time, a theme I approve of :)

old_tv_nut
04-28-2013, 08:26 PM
I think that's a different couple, but speaking of reappearing...

http://community-2.webtv.net/@HH!57!11!1004B70F524A/stevetek/StevesCT100/scrapbookFiles/mailedD38.jpg

I guess it was sort of an RCA color theme at the time, a theme I approve of :)

I can't see the picture.

David Roper
04-28-2013, 08:31 PM
I can't see the picture.

Hmm, if there were a hotlink restriction I wouldn't expect to see it either, but for anybody who can't here it is....

David Roper
04-28-2013, 08:35 PM
BTW, giving credit where it's due, the image can be found on Steve D's site (http://community-2.webtv.net/@HH!57!11!1004B70F524A/stevetek/StevesCT100/index.html).

Phil Nelson
04-28-2013, 11:28 PM
Sure, they might be different people. The sailing couple was used in two of my 1954 RCA books, anyhow. It's a good scene for showing off color -- blue ocean, white sail, yellow boat, red swimsuit, bold stripes on the guy's shirt -- or, maybe they were just the spoiled kids of some executive :)

Phil Nelson