British Telly Site!

[Dave A]

Ok...ok! I confess to having 4 British sets. Pic attached is of two pre-war Bairds just as they came from the shipping crate outside my house.

The dark one is a Baird T-5. This was the model the Baird company used in the BBC tests in November 1936 to early 1937. If you have seen "Television Comes to London", the set can be seen in one shot. It is missing it's EHT chassis...HV section to us in the states.

The early versions of this set were dual-standard for the Baird 240 line mechanical transmissions and the EMI 405 electronic standard (the one that won the competition). This set is slightly later, as it does not have the dual-standard switch. By the time of the tests, Baird had no financial interest in the company as it had been sold, and the sets were being produced by the Bush company who still wanted to sell sets anyway.

The lighter cabinet is a Baird T-23 from late 1937. Both sets have a 15" CRT labeled "CathoVisor" which was the Baird brand. It is the thinnest glass I have ever seen.

I also have a Bush TV-22 in the classic rounded bakelite cabinet that they used for years from the late 40's to the mid-50's...both in round tube and rectangular styles. And the last set is a pre-war HMV 900 mirror-top tv/radio combination, also from late 1936. It is huge. The HMV has been modified to 525 and does make an attempt at at picture although the CRT is very tired. I run it with a voltage converter.

Now that Darryl Hock has developed his multi-standard converter, I am considering putting the HMV back to original condition. I have a modulator that will put the signal back to the British positive polarity and put the audio where is should be in the carrier. The Baird sets could be restored also, with some great help in England, but customs regulations get the process very expensive as values must be declared on the increase in unrepaired/repaired items going back and forth, and the Brits are very strict in honoring this regulation.

The sets live alongside my TRK-120 in fine working condition.

Dave A