British Television: The Formative Years

Front Cover
IET, 1986 - Business & Economics - 488 pages

On 2 November 1936 the world's first high definition television station was inaugurated at Alexandra Palace. Two competing companies, Marconi-EMI Television Company Ltd and Baird Television Ltd, provided studio and transmitting equipment for the new service which operated, on an alternate basis, with the systems of the two companies. After a trial period the 405-line system of the Marconi-EMI company was adopted and the last transmission by the 240-line system of Baird Television Ltd was sent out on 30 January 1937.

This book is concerned with the history of British television for home reception from 1922/23 to 1939, when the London Station closed down for the war years. Great care has been taken to ensure that an unbiased, accurate history has been written and the work is based predominantly on written primary source material. More than 900 references are given in the text, which is illustrated with many photographs and illustrations.

An endeavour has been made to present a balanced history rather than a purely technical history. Thus the book considers the factors - technical, financial and general - which led to the establishment of the world's first, all-electronic, public, regular, high definition television broadcasting service.

 

Contents

2
45
3
70
4
91
5
107
6
129
7
146
8
174
9
192
The work of the Television Committee patents and finance 1934
328
The report of the Television Committee 1935
351
The London Station site and operating characteristics 1935
360
The London Station equipment provision 1936
395
The trial 1936
423
The service 19361939
442
Appendixes
475
94
480

Rival claims 19331934
274
The work of the Television Committee 30line television high definition
302

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

Bibliographic information