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Early Electronic Television

DuMont 183X

Early Television

(click on picture for high resolution image)

Screen Size 14 inch
Year Made 1939
Quantity Manufactured ?
Original Cost $435
Number Still in Existence See Early Electronic Database
Cabinet Original Finish
Chassis Not Restored
  • Advertising literature
  • Salesman's handbook
  • Technical information
  • How the 14AP4 CRT was made
  • DuMont early electronic set on the workbench
  • The DuMont Receiver - Radio News, May 1939
  • Radio News, March 1939
  • First U.S. TV set for sale to the public
  • Biography of Allen DuMont
  • DuMont 180
  • DuMont 181
  • DuMont 195
  • To make text larger in single column tables. To make text larger in single column tables. To make text larger in single column tables

With the exception of the base of the cabinet, this set is in excellent condition. The 183X was first advertised in September, 1939. It used the 14AP4 "Teletron" CRT, which has an "intensifier" anode that produced a brighter picture than the earlier tubes used by DuMont.

Early Television

The X series receivers also have a switch that selects two sets of scan rate controls. When the set was first introduced, the dual controls were apparently used to select between 441 line transmissions from NBC and CBS, and a proposed higher scan rate proposed by DuMont. In 1941 the FCC approved a 525 line standard, and DuMont then suggested that the receiver could be used to watch experimental field sequential color broadcasts:

Early Television

Froim Rider Volume 13

Early Television

In 1941 RCA and CBS were both broadcasting experimental field sequential color, using various frame rates. Here is a summary from Ed Reitan's site:

February 20, 1941

Color television pictures in motion were put on the air by NBC in its first telecast of color by mechanical means from a TV studio.

From DuMont Receiver Manual for its multi-standard *Model 180X to 183X* set:


(b) NBC has transmitted color with 441 lines per frame and 60 frames per second, requiring 26,460 scanning lines per second, and 120 vertical fields per second.

 

June 1, 1941

Daily color broadcasts (field tests) begin on WCBW

 

September 2, 1941

375 line, 120 field system announced (ref. IRE April 1942 paper, also see Sept. 1943 paper).

From DuMont Receiver Manual for its multi-standard *Model 180X to 183X* set:
 
(a) CBS Color pictures use 375 lines per frame at 60 frames per second which requires a horizontal scanning rate of 22,500 lines per second, and a vertical scanning rate of 120 field scans per second.

The other surviving 183Xs have the switch located on the front panel, as described in the Rider maual (above). The switch on our set is located on the rear panel, and is marked "B/W" and "Col". It is likely that our set was used in 1941 for viewing experimental color broadcasts (in black and white, of course).

After the war, our set was used in Washington, DC, to receive W3XWT. This card was taped inside the back of the set:

Early Television

W3XWT started broadcasting in 1945, but, since no sets were manufactured during the war, this early electronic set was used in Washington. Here is an article about W3XWT.

 

Early Television

Early Television

Early Television

From the 1944 movie "Brewster's Millions". A DuMont 183 has been made to look more modern by the art department. The image on the screen is pasted on.

Courtesy of Steve Dichter

Early Television

1939 Press Photo

 


 
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