OT: color TV cameras from mid 1950's

[Brian Roth]

I was perusing this tonight:

https://kfor.com/contact/station-history/


From my hometown.  WKY was owned by the gazzionaire <g> that owned the local newspaper.

I attached a pic from that showing what color TV cams were back in the 1950's.  I think they are RCA TK-41's and WKY bought two Back Then.  According to some research, 350 pounds each not including the pedestal.

My, my how things change!

Bri

 

[emrr]

Battleships of the floor!

The scale is really something, and having not seen one in person I wonder how much was required.  I’ve been restoring some early 1930’s preamps for someone lately, single channels that weigh 40 lbs apiece and fill 4 RU.  LOTS of comically unused space on each, even as designed you could fit 2 channels in the same space.  Much to do with a technological sense of importance I think. 

 

[gyraf]

aaah, beauties...

 

[hodad]

even as designed you could fit 2 channels in the same space. 

I found an interior shot of an old tube camera.  Looks fairly compact:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dcgibson55/3981548820/

 

[emrr]

I found an interior shot of an old tube camera.  Looks fairly compact:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dcgibson55/3981548820/

Sure does, and I imagine they required constant service and alignment, unlike a preamp.

 

[living sounds]

It really puts into perspective what an incredible achievement a modern Iphone is.

 

[Winston OBoogie]

Very cool Brain 
Most of the pics of that period from the UK show EMI 203 Orthicon, and 201 Vidicon cameras.  I peruse this page occasionally to look at details, there're even a few schematics scattered about:

http://tvcameramuseum.org/index.html

 

[Brian Roth]

It really puts into perspective what an incredible achievement a modern Iphone is.

Pic from the KFOR (used to be WKY-TV) website attached.  Yes, that was "Iphone" a few weeks before I was born in Oklahoma.  LOL

E.K. Gaylord was a media tycoon in Oklahoma City.  He started the newspapers even before Statehood (1907) and then bought into local radio...then TV...and was a very early adopter for color TV at a station that was NOT on the USA coasts.

I can't find the history article, but I recall from that story Gaylord went to a NAB show (or whatever it was called back then) in 1954, saw the RCA color demo and told RCA "I'll buy two cameras" and the required upgrades for his b&w transmission system on channel 4.

According to the story, a month or two later he called RCA and asked "where is my order?" 

RCA thought he was a crank/hick and had blown him off since he was from Oklahoma!

Regardless, he received the two cams and upgraded the transmitter very soon afterwards.  Money Talks!  lol

In today's money, Gaylord probably spent 7-figures doing upgrades at WKY-TV and radio over the decades.

Bri

 

[Brian Roth]

One more pic.  It was clear enough to read the logo on the pan/tilt head...one of my fave brand names from "back then" : 

HOUSTON FEARLESS

<g>

Bri

 

[Holger]

Funny, the link doesn't work here in Germany