Sinclair FTV1 (TV-80) miniature television receiver

Made:
1983 in Cambridge
maker:
Sinclair Research Limited
Detail of a Sinclair TV80 'pocket' television receiver Detail of a Sinclair TV80 'pocket' television receiver Sinclair TV80 'pocket' television receiver

Detail of a Sinclair TV80 'pocket' television receiver

Detail of a Sinclair TV80 'pocket' television receiver

Sinclair TV80 'pocket' television receiver

Sinclair FTV1 (alias TV-80) miniature television with case, 1983. This early portable flat screen was not successful. One of the reasons was the special lithium batteries it required, considered very expensive at the time. The flat screen is not an LCD screen, but a special cathode ray tube. Retail price was 79.95 Pounds.

A Sinclair MTV1 'Microvision' miniature portable television receiver, with case, made in England in 1983.

Clive Sinclair had long had an ambition to produce a pocket television and eventually realised it with the MTV1. This was a revolutionary design, based around a tiny 2-inch cathode ray tube specially made by Telefunken. However what set it really apart was the fact that it was the first multi-standard (525/625-line), multi system (VHF/UHF) portable television - meaning that it could be used anywhere in the world. It was also small enough to fit in your pocket, but when it went on sale in the UK it was just too expensive (at £200) and the picture was really too small to watch comfortably. It was not a commercial success.

Details

Category:
Television
Object Number:
1994-5007/1
Materials:
metal (unknown), plastic (unidentified) and electronic components
Measurements:
overall: 400 mm x 100 mm x 180 mm, 0.28 kg
overall (with aerial): 408 mm
type:
television receiver
credit:
Aubrey Singer