Early Television
Early Television
Early Television
Early Television
Early Television Early Television

Early Electronic Television

Comparison of British and American Early Electronic Sets

This table shows the signficant technical features of set in our collection and highlights the similarities and differences

  British Sets      
         
TRF/Superhet Channels RF Amp Deflection Notes
           
Baird T18C Superhet 1 N Mag
Cossor 1210 Superhet 1 Y Mag
Cossor 137T TRF   Elect
Cossor 54 Superhet 1 Y Elect
Ekco TA201 TRF Mag Ext sound
HMV 1800 Superhet 1 Y Mag
HMV 900 TRF Mag
HMV 902 TRF Mag
HMV 904 Superhet 1 Y Mag
HMV 905 Superhet 1 Y Mag
HMV 907 Superhet 1 Y Mag
Marconi 705 TRF Mag
Marconi 701 TRF Mag
Marconi  702 TRF Mag
Marconi 703 TRF Mag
Marconi 706 Superhet 1 Y Mag
Marconi 707 Superhet 1 Y Mag
Marconi 709 Superhet 1 Y Mag
Murphy A58V Superhet 1 Y Mag
Pye 815 TRF Mag
Pye 817 TRF   Mag
RGD 382-RG Superhet 1 Y Mag
         
  American Sets      
         
TRF/Superhet Channels RF Amp Deflection Notes
           
Andrea 1-F-5 Superhet 2 or 3 N Elect
Andrea KT-E-5 Superhet 2 or 3 N Elect Kit
Andrea 8-F-12 Superhet 5 N Mag
Bell & Howell Superhet Continuous Y Mag
DuMont  180 Superhet 4 Y Mag
GE 90 Superhet 5 Y Mag
GE HM-171 Superhet 3 N Elec Ext sound
GE HM-185 Superhet 3 N Elec
GE HM-225 Superhet 5 N Mag
GE HM-226 Superhet 5 N Mag
Meissner 10-1153 Superhet 3 N Elect Kit
RCA TRK-5 Superhet 5 N Elect
RCA TT-5 Superhet 5 N Elect Ext Sound
RCA TRK-9 Superhet 5 N Mag
RCA TRK-12 Superhet 5 N Mag

 

Similarities:
   All have "brute force" CRT high voltage (EHT)
   Both countries made a few models requiring an external audio output section and speaker
   Both countries made models with electrostatic and magnetic CRTs. However, in the US there were only a few
      types of CRTs (mostly made by RCA) while there was a great variety of CRTs in Britain.

 

Differences:
   All British sets, whether superhet or TRF, tuned only one channel. American sets could select 3-5 channels
   Kit sets were made only in the US
   Most US sets did not have a RF amplifier, while all British superhet sets had one
   Some British sets used thyratrons for horizontal (line) and vertical (frame) oscillators.
      The only US set to use a thyratron was Philco.