Cut-away Marconi-EMI Emitron television camera

Made:
1933-1941 in United Kingdom
maker:
Electric and Musical Industries Limited
and
Marconi-EMI Television Company Limited
Cut-away Marconi-EMI Emitron television camera
    Special

Cut-away Marconi-EMI Emitron television camera Special

Television camera (incorporating an Emitron camera tube, received from EMI Research Labs Ltd.) and stand, first used at Alexandra Palace in 1936. Special demonstration model cut-away television camera incorporating an Emitron pick-up tube, with pedestal, received in 1955 from EMI [Electric and Musical Industries Ltd.] by the Science Museum.

Demonstration model cut-away Marconi-EMI Emitron television camera, made by Marconi-EMI between 1933 and 1941.

Emitron cameras were developed in the UK from 1933. After two years of rapid development, EMI committed to a 405-line resolution television standard. At this time, EMI's competitor RCA was still producing images with only 343-lines of horizontal picture resolution.

EMI with its 405-line Emitron cameras won the competition to provide the BBC’s first regular high-definition television service at Alexandra Palace, which broadcast from 1936 to 1939, and was re-activated in June 1946. Shortages of money and resources in the post-war period meant that the Emitron cameras originally supplied to the BBC in 1936 remained in regular use well into the 1950s.

Details

Category:
Television
Object Number:
1955-284
Materials:
metal (unknown), glass, electronic components and plastic (unidentified)
Measurements:
camera head: 400 mm x 640 mm x 420 mm,
type:
camera head and demonstration model
credit:
The National Media Museum, Bradford