Postwar Television

Vision Electronic Recording Apparatus (VERA)

The BBC Vision Electronic Recording Apparatus (VERA) was an early analog recording videotape machine. Capable of recording 15 minutes of 405-line black-and-white video on 52 cm open reels wound with 4572m of ½-inch magnetic tape that passed static heads at a speed of 5.08 m/s. It was given a live demonstration on-air on Panorama on 14 April 1958; Richard Dimbleby, seated by a clock, talked for a couple of minutes about the new method of vision recording with instant playback, and then the tape was wound back and replayed.  Here is an article on Wikipedia.  Courtesy of Michel Talbot.