Television History - The First 75 Years
 
 

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Radiolympia Show of 1938

There were two major European radio-TV exhibits held in the mid-to-late 1930s, which showcased the new invention of television:  Radiolympia (London), and the Berlin Radio Exhibition.  These were similar to the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) held in Las Vegas, for American electronics firms of today.  It was a way to present new products to the public. 

The 1938 Radiolympia exhibit was well documented in the December 1938 edition of the British "Journal of the Television Society", from which this table is constructed below.  The report was titled: "English and Continental Television".  It details fifty-seven (57) electronic sets from 19 different companies.

Absent from this list are

• French televisions: "Emyvisor" and "Visiodyne"

• Italian manufacturer:  "Safar"

• German televisions companies: Loewe (1937 last year), Fernseh A.G., Lorenz, Telefunken and Tekade

• British Televisions: Alba, Berndept (1939), Dynatron (1939), Ekco (no 1938 models), Etronic, Haynes-Radio (1937 last year), and Vidor (1939)  

American electronic television was not launched until April 30, 1939.  The only commercially available TV set in 1938 was the DuMont Model 180.

BAIRD
    Models:  T20 (Table), T20 (Console), T18 (Table), T18 (Console), T14, T21 (Radiogram), T19 (Projection)

BEETHOVEN
    Model TR-20

COSSOR
    Models: 1210 (Console), 237T (Console), 54 (Table)

FERRANTI
    Models: T-3, T-4

G.E.C.
    Models: BT-8090 (Vision Only), BT-8161, BT-9121 (Console), BT-9122

H.M.V.
    Models: 900, 901, 902, 903, 904, 905, 906, and 907

INVICTA
    Models: TL-4 (Table), TL5

MARCONIPHONE
    Models: 701, 702 (Vision only), 703, 704, 705, 706, 707, 708 and 709

KOLSTER-BRANDES
    Model KB 780 (Console)

McMICHAEL
    Model 800T

MULLARD
    Laboratory Demonstration Model

MURPHY
    Models: A42V, A56V and A58V

PHILIPS
    Model "TEL-61"

PILOT
    Model T-65

PYE
    Models: 815, 817, 819, 838, 843, 4046, and 4046-A (for distances over 25 miles from transmitter)

R.G.D.
    Models: 382, 371

SCOPHONY
    Projection

TANNOY
    Model:  "Type 101"

ULTRA
    Models:  T-22 (Table), and T-22 (Console)

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