Mechanical Television Meyer EisenbergEisenberg was the engineer in charge of television for W9XAT in Minneapolis. He is credited with building the station's equipment, using the 45 line Sanabria standard. Eisenberg worked as an assistant engineer to G. L. Taylor at W9XAL in Kansas City from 1930 until 1932, when he joined W9XAT.
Mr. Eisenberg apparently joined the National Television Exhibition Company in Minneapolis in 1934, which toured the country demonstrating television. It is unknown whether this company was affiliated with Dr. Young, or with U. A. Sanabria, who was also demonstrating television around the country. However, the camera used in the traveling exhibit by Mr. Eisenberg appears to be the same one used at W9XAT. The photocell array appears to be similar to the one used by Sanabria, but not identical. Below are two newspaper articles about demonstrations, the first in Fargo, North Dakota in July of 1934, and the second one at the Alabama State Fair in late 1934 or early 1935. By 1935, mechanical television had almost disappeared in the United States. The image dissector and iconoscope had both been developed, and electronic television was becoming a reality.
Articles courtesy of Lois Rakov, Meyer Eisenberg's daughter |
