Build your own mechanical TV kit


Nice find and background information about this "build your own mechanical TV kit" @ Retrothing (the video is great!)...

Here's an opportunity to build and own a televisor similar to the device created by Scottish inventor John Logie Baird in 1924. Middlesex University Teaching Resources have released a clever £28.56 kit that includes everything necessary to build your own vintage mechanical television.

The unit measures 260 x 195 x 70mm and includes a CD encoded with compatible TV footage. Simply plug your CD player or iPod into the televisor to view the video. The kit design is vaguely reminiscent of the most popular commercial televisor, manufactured by Plessey in the early 1930s. Around 1,000 of these tin-encased devices were sold at a price of £18, qualifying it as the first commercial television.


More:



Recent Entries

Comments

Oldest comments listed first.

Posted by: ClockworkRobot on July 13, 2008 at 1:02 PM

Oh I had that kit a year or so ago.
Some hints:
Lose the red LED. get a white one.
Forget the CD it's useless. Make your own vid

There's free software to create it here:
http://users.tpg.com.au/users/gmillard/nbtv.htm

I also found the CD player useless. Use an MP3 player.

And finally forget the batteries. As they go dud you have to keep tweaking the timing. Stick a mains power supply on it.

Once I did all that the thing worked GREAT.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5oXKMEaAsE


Leave a comment


Subscribe to MAKE!Subscribe to MAKE Magazine!

Subscribe today, save 42% and get web access to MAKE free. MAKE Digital Edition is available only to subscribers.

$34.95 / 1 year
(4 Quarterly Issues)

Subscribe now


Void your warranty, violate a user agreement, fry a circuit, blow a fuse, poke an eye out. Make: The risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things... Welcome to Make: Online!


CRAFT Maker Shed Maker Faire MAKE television




Check out more videos from MAKE.

Maker SHED

Connect with MAKE

Be a MAKE fan on Facebook MAKE on Facebook
Visit our Facebook page and become a fan of MAKE!
MAKE on Twitter MAKE on Twitter
Follow our MAKE tweets!
MAKE Flickr Pool MAKE on Flickr
Join our MAKE Flickr Pool!
    make_tips on Twitter



    MAKE Archives

    Make: Money

    Make: Science Room
    Subscribe to MAKE Magazine!

    Make: Online editors and authors!

    Gareth BranwynGareth Branwyn
    Editor-in-Chief


    Phillip TorronePhillip Torrone
    Senior Editor
    | Web | Twitter


    Becky SternBecky Stern
    Associate Editor
    | AIM | Twitter


    Marc de VinckMarc de Vinck
    Contributing Writer
    | AIM | Twitter


    John ParkJohn Park
    Contributing Writer
    | Twitter


    Sean RaganSean Ragan
    Contributing Writer
    | Twitter


    Matt MetsMatt Mets
    Contributing Writer
    | AIM | Twitter


    Dale DoughertyDale Dougherty
    Editor & Publisher
    | Twitter


    Shawn ConnallyShawn Connally
    Managing Editor
    | Twitter


    Goli MohammadiGoli Mohammadi
    Associate Managing Editor

    Kip KayKip Kay
    Weekend Projects
    | AIM | Twitter


    Collin CunninghamCollin Cunningham
    Contributing Writer
    | AIM | Twitter

    Adam FlahertyAdam Flaherty
    Contributing Writer
    | AIM | Twitter


    John BaichtalJohn Baichtal
    Contributing Writer
    | AIM | Twitter



    More contributors: Mark Frauenfelder (Editor-in-Chief, MAKE magazine), Kipp Bradford (Technical Consultant/Writer), Chris Connors (Education), Diana Eng (Guest Author), Peter Horvath (Intern), Brian Jepson (O'Reilly Media), Robert Bruce Thompson (Science Room)

    Suggest a Site!

    Advertise here with FM.

    Why advertise on MAKE?
    Read what folks are saying about us!

    Click here to advertise on MAKE!



    Current Podcast

    itunesdl.gif Behind the Scenes at MAKE and CRAFT In January, many of the remote MAKE/CRAFT team members (myself included) convened at the Maker Media headquarters at O'Reilly Media in Sebastopol, California. Take a look behind the scenes of your favorite DIY publications as Goli Mohammadi gives us... More...

    Get the Make: Online sent via email
    Enter your email to receive Make: Online each day:



    Sign up for the Make: Newsletter

    Our Make: Newsletter covers news from maker Media, has original columns, Shed deals, and more! You can also read the archives of past issues.


     



    MAKE Fascination video series brought to you by Dow

    Make: Education
    MAKE: en Español MAKE: Japan
    Important please read


    Subscribe to MAKE Magazine!

    Recent Posts from the Craft: Blog