MECHANICAL TELEVISION LINK INDEX
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AMPLIFIER DESIGN
- Amplifier Designer (Advanced)
Design one-transistor preamplifier. Report includes part values & graphs frequency response. (Requires Java VM.)
- Amplifier Designer (Basic), JavaScript version
For Windows XP: Design one-transistor preamplifier by entering just one figure. Provides parts values.
(Use on all systems, with or without Java virtual machine software.)
- Amplifier Designer (Basic), Java version
Design one-transistor preamplifier by entering just one figure. Provides parts values. (Requires Java VM.)
- Amplifier Design: Find Gain of Transistor Amplifier Under Load
Input data for one-stage amplifier. Applet determines gain at specified resistive load. Report provides self-configuring graph
of frequency response. (Requires Java VM.)
- Bias: Foundation of Amplifiers
Superb transistor bias lesson by M. Utsumi. In half dozen easy steps,
you've designed useful, totem pole amplifier!
- Bias, Part 2: Amp Index Page
Continue your lesson & diagram your amplifier. Also schematics for
advanced, VMOS projects.
- Design LED Drivers
Easy, Ohm's Law calculations are all you need. Simple how-to. Quiz with
answers at end. Learn process & end with circuit.
- Discrete DC amplifier
Schematic. Experiments with discrete, transistor, direct-coupled amplifier. This circuit might
work in mechanical TV camera.
- JFET preamplifier
Schematic. Discrete JFET preamplifier for guitar, microphone or experiments. Great front end for mechanical TV.
Circuit, test reports, FAQ, how to modify, troubleshooting, links.
- Ohm's Law is Easy
Learn Ohm's Law by designing LED driver. Very simple, calculator or scratchpad math. (Answers appear at
end.) Great science fair project.
BOOKS
- Crystal Set Society (Midnight Science)
Excellent new books about crystal & regen radio set building. You can also order parts.
Reasonable prices.
- Lindsay Books
Excellent reprint books about radio set building, science, math, & machining.
Reasonable prices, humorous catalog, swift shipping. Caution: Some ribald titles.
CHICAGO TELEVISION
- Chicago Tunnel
Not television, but story that made television in 1990's. Buried 40 feet below Chicago
are 60 miles of abandoned freight tunnels. History &
pictorial tour.
- Early Chicago Television
W9XAP's 1930, inaugural Chicago telecast. Men who created Chicago TV.
U.A. Sanabria, Oak Park teenager who invented television & became major industry contributor.
- U.A. Sanabria, Chicago TV inventor
(Western Television)
Also includes story of Navy Pier experimental telecasts from W9XAA. Most people don't know
that Chicago telecasts began in 1928. Scheduled TV broadcasts commenced in 1930.
- Station W9XAP
Rich Samuels' page on Chicago's famous mechanical television station W9XAP,
predecessor of WMAQ, channel 5. W9XAP used U.A. Sanabria's 45-line, Western Television
equipment.
- Station WBKB
Tales from pioneers at one of Chicago's earliest electronic television stations.
CLUBS
- Narrowband Television Association
Worldwide society devoted to building & restoring mechanical television equipment and
preserving early television history.
- Experimental Television Society
Peter Yanczer's ETS is no more. Website lives on! Early TV & inventor info. This link takes you to one
page for builders. Site has many more pages. Peter still sells mechanical television (MTV) parts.
COLOR TELEVISION
- Color television history
Ed Reitan's site on color television development. Picks up story in
40's. Illustrations of CBS field-sequential ("color wheel"), RCA dot-sequential
& CTI line-sequential systems.
- Col-R-Tel on Moon
Apollo color cameras used field-sequential system. Most people don't know
that system was Col-R-Tel. Exclusive page exposes startling
similarities. Also: How moon system & downlink converters worked.
- Experiments in two colors
Wendy Carlos' site on two-color experiments based on Edwin Land's pioneering work. Two-color
systems, such as Spectrac use similar technology. Simple, science fair-type experiments.
- FAQ About DTV Changeover
Where do I get my coupons? Why did Uncle Sam do this to us? Can I hack converter boxes?
What you need to know about: DTV changeover basics. Coupons & converter boxes. DTV politics.
DTV technology.
- Homemade Color Wheel Set
Slides of Cliff Benham's ambitious field-sequential, color wheel project. Total Col-R-Tel redesign
outstrips original. Solid state, including proprietary RGB switcher & servo circuit.
- How Col-R-Tel
Works
Diagram. 1955: Most TV was black & white. Color was too
expensive. Solution: Gadget that converts monochrome TV to color. Find out
how it works.
- How to
Build a Color Delay Line
How pioneers rolled their lines!
In 1955, your chances of finding ready-made delay lines were bupkis.
Same applies today. Col-R-Tel builders need to know the secret.
Otherwise, you'll have an offset color picture.
- Print out a TV color wheel
Fascinating insights into the CBS color system. Comparison with NTSC monochrome & RCA
compatible color. Template for printing a color wheel. Perform your own experiments!
- Solid-State
Col-R-Tel
What if Col-R-Tel were solid state? Site is
experimental attempt to transistorize Col-R-Tel circuit.
Developing project. Schematics & theory.
- Two-color
Television
Spectrac. Two-color conversion of Col-R-Tel. Orange & cyan NTSC.
History of two-color TV & film. Discussion of two-color gamut. Edwin Land's Retinex.
Dave Ingram's 2.5-color TV.
CONTACT THE CURATOR
- Contact curator
For further information about this site or about mechanical television.
DOWNLOADS: SPECTRAC
- Design Spectrac Scanners
My program calculates specs for Spectrac, 2-color converters. Fred Topping
invented Spectrac system 30 years ago. This mechanical device converts B&W
television screens to color.
HAM RADIO
- Donovan, KU4ZD
Mike Donovan's omnibus ham radio & television page.
- Qrz.com
Find any ham by callsign or name. Articles. Useful
links. Frequently updated. Many television hobbyists are hams.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- Baird Did Not Invent Television: FAQ
Answers exaggerated claims about Baird. Baird was both brilliant engineer & huckster.
Fact: Baird's television used off-shelf parts. Negative effect of Baird revisionism.
- Color Wheel FAQ
Answers about color-wheel converters: Col-R-Tel,
Colordaptor & Spectrac. Also CBS system. Includes data for converter
builders. Also: Color TV theory, worldwide color systems, collecting.
- JFET PREAMP FAQ
Answers about building, using & adjusting our one-JFET preamplifier. Easy-to-find parts.
For musical instruments, microphone. Part substitution. Adapt our circuit for your
use.
- LED Driver FAQ
Answers questions about building TV receivers with our LED driver circuit. Basic &
advanced. For circuit, see
Mechanical TV Receiver.
- Mechanical TV FAQ
Answers to questions about mechanical TV that uses Nipkow discs or
similar devices. Includes color-conversion information.
HISTORY
- About NTSC
History of NTSC.
- Video: AT&T mechanical TV
Most advanced TV of time. April 7, 1927 TV demo by AT&T, Herbert Ives. Commerce Secretary
Herbert Hoover talks to AT&T President Walter Gifford. Large &
small-screen TV. Also simulated 50-line video.
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Baird Did Not Invent Television
Who invented television? Or: Who was first? "Baird"
is knee-jerk answer. Wrong! ...And
unfair to prior contributors. Page traces parts of
Baird's alleged invention to true inventors.
- Baird receivers
Photos of all or most commercially produced J.L. Baird sets. By year.
- Col-R-Tel on Moon
Apollo color cameras used field-sequential system. Most people don't know
that system was Col-R-Tel. Exclusive page exposes startling
similarities. Also: How moon system & downlink converters worked.
- Daven Kit
Pictorial ad for 1928 Daven TV kit.
- ETV Story
Farnsworth v. Zworykin in Pittsburgh: Original television wrestling match.
- French television history
French site with links about books on television history. (Some American history.)
- Japanese television history
NHK site about mechanical & electronic television inventions of Kenjiro Takayanagi.
- Moon camera, Apollo 11
Data, photos on 10 fps, 320-line monochrome camera used on Apollo 11 moon landing.
- Moon camera, Apollo 15
Technical description of field-sequential camera used on Apollo 15 moon landing.
- Old VTRs
Vintage videotape recorders, still rolling tape after all these years. Standard
conversions.
- Queens' Messenger
Site of US station WRGB, WGY successor. WGY & its shortwave outlet telecast spy thriller in 1928.
First TV play. 48-line monochrome TV. Two years before first British play, Man with Flower in his Mouth.
Photos.
- RadiolaGuy.com
Vintage radio & television, 1920 to 1950. Information, items for sale
& nostalgia. Virtual museum.
- Transistorized
Invention of transistor. (No, not in Roswell, NM.)
TV History
Fabulous color graphics from vintage magazines. Timeline.
See Television Before 1935. Created by Tom Genova.- Vakuum TV
Outstanding graphics & animations. Full history. Fascinating, & slightly weird. Caution:
Occasionally ribald. (Partially in English.)
- Visual Media
Rare clippings about early television productions. Many forgotten details,
particularly about European telecasts. A feast for the eyes.
HOBBYIST SITES
- About Hobby
How mechanical television amateurs contributed to television's invention. How hobbyists
recreate unavailable technology with modern parts. How tinkerers continue to improve medium.
- Clifford Benham
Slides of Benham's ambitious field-sequential, color wheel project. Complete redesign
of Col-R-Tel. Results way beyond original. If only we'd had Benham's machine 50 years
ago!
- Wayne Bretl
Homepage of ETS member depicts development of mechanical television equipment. Superb
links. Tour of Ford Museum Mechanical Television exhibit.
- Colorize
Your Mechanical TV
There's nothing like color! Now, colorize your
receiver. Uses Ives' 1929 simultaneous color technique: First system that
permits motion and color. Avoids flaws in Baird's color attempt.
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Eckhard Etzold
QuickTime movies of scanner in action. Eckhard built mechanical
TV scanner with Peter Yanczer's parts & Peter Smith's circuit.
- Roland Givan
Roland's superb photo essay demonstrates how he built working mechanical TV monitor. This will be favorite
page for builders everywhere. Includes useful links.
- Kevin Hadfield
Innovative NBTVA member thoroughly explains his mechanical TV
inventions. Photographs support text. Demonstrated unique “carousel”
scanner at 2005 Loughborough convention.
- Bob Lozier
Homepage of one of earliest U.S. hobbyists. How U.S. tech historians began
building mechanical television replicas. Photos.
- Tom Maciolek
Slides of Tom Maciolek's spectacular, mechanical TV project. Based on Peter Smith's scanner.
Page includes screen shots, descriptive text.
- Erwin Meyvaert
These pages boil the idea down to very simple technology. Drawings,
schematics & animation.
- Steve Ostler
Mechanical television uniquely lends itself to both color & 3-D. Steve demonstrates
how. Photos.
- Schematic Diagram Directory
Links to useful projects from my files. Top page provides
data about classes of transistors for experimenters.
- Ralph Taggart Image Communications Handbook
Prof. Taggart's 2002 handbook covers NBTV, SSTV, WEFAX & ATV.
Details on building NBTV ROMscanner: Digital picture storage. Schematics. Free software.
- Peter Yanczer
Rich site includes history, parts shop & advanced how-to.
Both tube & solid state projects. Equipment photos & schematics.
HOW-TO
- Build Mechanical Television Receiver
Impressive, but easy to build. Great science fair project! Works with PC Sound
Blaster card! Includes Nipkow disc template.
- Build Radio
Transmitter
Simplest radio transmitter. Amazing, business card-size transmitter. Two parts & a
battery! Great science fair project.
- Build TV Transmitter
Simplest TV transmitter. Fits in pocket. Handful of parts on small PC board.
One transistor & 9-volt battery! Picture signal for NTSC / PAL / SECAM. Also
advanced model for higher power.
- Calculators
Jim Martindale offers links to online calculators for every conceivable purpose. Ours are
here, too. Even so, Mr. Martindale offers delightful site.
- Colorize
Your Mechanical TV
There's nothing like color! Now, colorize your
receiver. Uses Ives' 1929 simultaneous color technique: First system that
permits motion and color. Avoids flaws in Baird's color attempt.
- Experiments in Two Colors
Wendy Carlos' site on two-color experiments based on Edwin Land's pioneering work. Two-color
systems, such as Spectrac use similar technology. Simple, science fair-type experiments.
- Erwin Meyvaert
TV hobbyist Erwin also builds sumo-bots. Note Erwin's superb
construction practices. See his mechanical TV pages at... MECHANICAL TV.
Don't miss...
SENSORS.
- How to
Build a Color Delay Line
How pioneers rolled their lines!
In 1955, your chances of finding ready-made delay lines were bupkis.
Same applies today. Col-R-Tel builders need to know the secret.
Otherwise, you'll have an offset color picture.
- Monitor Building Process
Roland Givan's superb photo essay demonstrates how he built working mechanical TV monitor. This will be favorite
page for builders everywhere. Includes useful links.
- Print out a Nipkow disc
Reinvent television on your kitchen table! Download template for printing Nipkow disc. Except for
computer part, Paul Nipkow started out like this. Easy mechanical TV experiments.
- Print out a TV color wheel
Fascinating insights into the CBS color system. Comparison with NTSC monochrome & RCA
compatible color. Template for printing a color wheel. Perform your own experiments!
LIGHT VALVES
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Compendium of light-valve articles
Additional light-control articles,
including information on oil-based system (Eidophor).
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DMD
Micromachines can also manipulate light. Texas Instruments makes
integrated galvo known as DMD (digital micromirror device). This
integrated circuit controls attached micromirrors mounted on tiny gimbals.
Light bounces off IC, which causes light to hit or
miss your screen.
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GLV
Article discusses GLVs, type of automated micro diffraction grating.
- ILA
ILA is integrated: Screen is active circuit part.
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Reflective liquid crystal
Article discusses liquid crystals
that operate in reflective mode.
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Transmissive liquid crystal
Article discusses most common,
easy to use & economical light valve, transmissive LCD.
MUSEUMS
NEW! MECHANICAL TELEVISION!
PARTS FOR HOBBYISTS
- All Electronics
General electronics, phototransistors, LEDs, CdS cells, battery holders, motors. West
coast U.S. stores.
- American Science & Surplus
Surplus & unusual optics & motors. Reasonable. Sometimes has mirror
drums, discs, LEDs, tools, adhesives, lens cleaner. Humorous catalog. Chicago-area stores.
- ATV Research
Parts & systems: CCTV, MATV & SMATV. President Mel Shadbolt
invented Televerter, simplified flying spot scanner. The stuff of electronic legends!
- Crystal Set Society (Midnight Science)
Radio parts for experimenters. Also excellent new books about crystal & regen radio set building.
Reasonable prices.
- Digi-Key Electronics
New electronics. Useful ICs, infrared phototransistors & photodiodes. Full specs.
- Electronics Goldmine
Surplus electronics at rock bottom prices. Best transistor deals (Even
"house" parts are reliable). Some optics.
- Fair Radio Sales
Surplus electronics from WWII to present: Radios, tubes, power supplies, test
equipment, vintage knobs, tuners. Reprint books & manuals. Good service. Lima, Ohio
store.
- W.W. Grainger
New production motors, motor mounts, lamps, electrical parts, industrial supplies, etc.
- Mouser Electronics
New electronics at reasonable prices. NTE semiconductor line. Good inductor source.
No minimum order.
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Magnifying glass
Good prices & fine selection. Will magnify
mechanical television pictures.
- Radio Shack
Short line of electronic components at convenience-store prices.
Quirky search feature. No minimum order.
- Roscolux
Col-R-Tel expert Cliff Benham recommends Roscolux filters for use
in color wheel sets. Close match for original Col-R-Tel filters.
(Col-R-Tel color wheels were the best among several competitors.)
Filter information at this site.
- SMC Electronics
Parts. Surplus & refurbished electronics. Sams sets.
Schematics for Conar, Eico & Knight kits. Reasonable prices.
Prompt delivery. Worldwide shipping. No minimum order.
- Surplus Shed Optics
Quality, surplus optics at hard-to-beat prices.
- Peter Yanczer
Ever try to find scanning disc hubs? Either you must be very creative, or you
must hire a machinist. Yanczer fabricates & sells those hard-to-find mechanical TV parts.
RECORDINGS
SCANNER EMULATOR
- Gary Millard
Download Millard's fascinating NBTV emulator. Plays 32 & 30-line television pictures on
your IBM-compatible PC.
TECHNOLOGY
- Hardware Evolution
Yes! Circuits can now evolve just as organic lifeforms do. Explains
process, made possible with software algorithms & FPGA chips. Discusses
potential for sentient circuits. TV may eventually obtain
brightness control that works!
- How Stuff Works
Technology in layman's language.
- Test Chart
Contemporary television test chart, incl. HDTV.
WEIRD SCIENCE
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