This picture has been published many times, but I found a high quality print on ebay, so here is a scan.

David Sarnoff making his speech before the TV camera at the RCA pavilion.
http://www.bretl.com/tvarticles/images/SarnoffatRCApavilion1939.jpg

(Reverse of the print: http://www.bretl.com/tvarticles/images/SarnoffatRCApavilion1939back.jpg )

The links aren't working for me.

Try it now and let me know

Years ago at an ETF conference the currator of the Sarnoff Library was selling 8X10 copies of a dozen RCA photos from the 1939 World's Fair. I ran across a bunch I purchased from him a few months ago. I'm not sure if this photo was included in the group he had at the time.

It's too bad none of the actual pre-war programming was filmed in a Kinescope fashion back then. It would have been great if some executive would have came-up with the idea sooner.

It's too bad none of the actual pre-war programming was filmed in a Kinescope fashion back then. It would have been great if some executive would have came-up with the idea sooner.

In the reported first outdoor telecast 1931 of the Epson Derby horse race they used a film camera and developed the film immediately in the remote TV truck. They then telecast the race almost live off the film. I wonder if the film still exists?

Here's a question about that camera used at the world's fair: what is the device on the near side? Cooling fan?

This shot shows the operator holding it - maybe it rattled?
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens-heritage-quest-gallery-1.51395?pmSlide=1.51507

Here's a question about that camera used at the world's fair: what is the device on the near side? Cooling fan?

This shot shows the operator holding it - maybe it rattled?
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens-heritage-quest-gallery-1.51395?pmSlide=1.51507

The page before that picture shows a couple of screen shots from that first broadcast. I don't think I had ever seen any screen shots of that before.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens-heritage-quest-gallery-1.51395?pmSlide=1.51522

Here's a shot of a very similar looking camera, except the "fan motor" seems to be mounted horizontally.

http://www.smecc.org/general-electric-television/nbc_microwave_1939_station_in_2_remote__trucks.jpg

Here's a tighter shot of the "mystery device" attached to the camera (left photo). Although it looks a little different than the one Wayne posted.

-Steve D.

In some photos the black object on the side appears to be a motor with shaft vertical. I looked through a number of sites and my thought is that this is the Selsyn unit used to remotely focus the lens: the camera operator had no way to focus it and it was done by another operator observing a monitor and adjusting the focus as required. The device above the Selsyn, if that's what it is, may be gearing and mechanical linkage attached to the lens inside. See attached:

http://www.tvcameramuseum.org/rca/1939fcam/1939fp1.html

Reece,

Sounds like a very plausible answer to what that device is. Thanks also for the
link to the TV Camera Museum:

http://www.tvcameramuseum.org/index.htm

-Steve D.

In some photos the black object on the side appears to be a motor with shaft vertical. I looked through a number of sites and my thought is that this is the Selsyn unit used to remotely focus the lens: the camera operator had no way to focus it and it was done by another operator observing a monitor and adjusting the focus as required. The device above the Selsyn, if that's what it is, may be gearing and mechanical linkage attached to the lens inside. See attached:

http://www.tvcameramuseum.org/rca/1939fcam/1939fp1.html

AHA - this makes excellent sense.