Mechanical Television
Mechanical Broadcasting
The earliest cameras (1926-1933) were generally flying spot scanner types. A bright light source, such as an arc lamp, was focused through a Nipkow disk and a lens onto the subject being televised. A spot of light moved across the subject, reflected off, and was captured by a photoelectric cell, which produced the video signal. Televising was limited to indoors, in almost total darkness.
| Gallery of mechanical broadcast equipment |
More on Mechanical Broadcasting |
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| American mechanical TV stations | Mechanical transmission standards |
| Baird's instructions to television actors | Sound Films & Television Broadcasts |
| European mechanical TV stations | Synchronizing Television With Light Beams |
| German Intermediate film mobile television camera | |
Mechanical Broadcast Equipment in the Museum's Collection
Flying Spot Scanner Camera