These unique objects date back to the origins of radio and television broadcasting. Mainly related to the British professional television and radio industries, explore the technologies and engineering of broadcasting represented by these objects.
Television
1937-1960
L1 lip microphone, manufactured by Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company Limited for the BBC, Chelmsford, Essex, England, 1937-1960
1951
Marconi Mark II television camera head, made by Marconi's Wireless Telegraphy Company Limited, British, 1951.
2001
Pace model DSL4000 IPTV set-top box, with remote control, manufactured by Pace plc, British, 2001.
2000-2006
Video Networks Limited (HomeChoice) set top box, manufactured by Video Networks Limited, 2000-2006
1923
Savoy Hill "Meat Safe" microphone stand for the Marconi-Sykes Magnetophone type microphone, made by Marconi's Wireless Telegraphy Company Limited, probably Chelmsford, Essex, England, 1923
1946-1948
PYE B16T table-top television receiver, manufactured by Pye Limited, East Anglia, England, 1946-1948.
2008
'Digit Al' doll, designed by Abbot Mead Vickers BDDO, unknown maker, 2008. Produced to promote the digital television switchover.
Marconi-Sykes Magnetophone, Serial Number 271376, made by Marconi's Wireless Telegraphy Company Limited, probably Chelmsford, Essex, England, 1923. Very early moving coil microphone, DC energised. Uses the large flat coil as the diaphragm. Used at the BBC's early studio at Savoy Hill. This example is missing the coil.
1950-1955
Picture and waveform monitor B.D. 627C, plus camera control chassis B.D. 626E for the Marconi Mk II television camera, made by Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company, Chelmsford, Essex, England, 1950-1955
Pace remote control for Sky+ HD satellite receiver, manufactured by Universal Electronics for Pace plc, Europe, 2008.
Pace Sky+ HD satellite receiver, manufactured for Pace plc, Europe, 2008. It includes Sky+ functionality and a built in HD video recorder.
1951-1953
Home-built 405-line television receiver with 7 inch screen constructed by electrical engineer J Hueting of Peckham, London, England, about 1952. Assembled using an ad-hoc assortment of electronic parts. Similarly the cabinet is constructed from scrap wood and metal collected at the time.
1948
Watson varifocal lens Model 75/6.7 (No 206), manufactured by Watson & Son, Barnet, London, England, 1948. Example of a television camera zoom lens, to fit a Pye Mark III camera. Used to film the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
BBC Repeating Coils in mounting frame.
3 x Vinten Mk 3 pan-tilt heads. (BBC Number in brackets): 506-1523(28827); 390(28828); 1182(28829).
1950-60
Pressure Gradient Double (PGD) ribbon microphone No. 4 in fitted wooden box, 1950-60.
Neumann KM54 Capacitor microphone, Ser No. 041. Cardioid pattern.
circa 1980
Glensound Radio 1 Desk, early 1980s.
circa 1990
Philips BSB STU902 satellite television receiver, c 1988.
1987-1990
Thomson-CSF TTV-1537 Camera Head.
circa 1988
Panasonic MII Videorecorder AU650B-B, Ser. No. D8TNA0043, BBC No. VTR1026, c.1988.
circa 1979
Box of assorted NAB carts, ex-BBC Scotland, c.1979. Many still have jingles, etc on them.
Moy geared tilt/pan used by BBC, in fitted box.
STC 4033A Microphone including boom mount. Serial No. 935.
circa 1963
Studer B62 stereo audio tape recorder (with VU meter), Ser. No. 4755, c.1963.
Post Office Television Detector Van, built by the Post Office Engineering Department for use in Northern Ireland in the 1960s. The antenna for these sorts of vehicles was initially attached to cars but, due to practicality, later was fixed to vans such as this Dodge Commer Van. Registration number LYK 126X, Chassis number PBCA 2590L432644, Engine number 7221-0044.
1934-1945
Ekco AD65 radio receiver, 1934-1945.
Leak TL12.1 (BBC LSM/8) audio amplifier used by the BBC. A 12-watt mono push-pull valve amplifier, (EL84 output valves), with the standard modifications made by the BBC to this amp.
Alba TRG097AC combined radiogram and television receiver, 1951.
2013
Remote Control from Hexacopter drone kit and digital video camera. Comes in a carrying case. The kit was built by the Global Video Unit and used to collect video footage for the BBC's news platforms worldwide.
1 of 6 rotor blades from Hexacopter drone kit and digital video camera. The kit was built by the Global Video Unit and used to collect video footage for the BBC's news platforms worldwide.
Antenna from Hexacopter drone kit and digital video camera. The kit was built by the Global Video Unit and used to collect video footage for the BBC's news platforms worldwide.
circa 1965
Beyer M160 ribbon microphone. Ser. No. 8700, c.1965.
circa 1943
BBC D/11 amplifier, c.1943. The D/11 amplifier was produced on a large scale as a high-grade general-purpose amplifier. This particular unit came from BBC Londonderry. The full BBC number on it is D/11/656. This is a rack-mount unit, and has a very rusty face plate.
2002-2004
Fimbo and Florrie Fimbles bodies, 2002-2004. Several costumes in four big black flight cases (2012-5118/712/1, /2, /3).
1990
Yamaha DMC1000 digital sound mixer.
1983
BBC ME1/521 cable length meter, 1983. Measures coaxial cable length & fault distance up to 999.9 ft by pulse reflection.
BBC Ribbon microphone type PGS/1 (in fitted case).
circa 1955
STC 4105-A dynamic short stick microphone, c.1955.
1960
Studer C37 Tape recorder (No.1), 1960.
1976-77
Philips LDK 15L Camera Head, 1976-1977.
BBC ATP/1 Amplifier Test Panel, 1960. Used for testing the plug-in amplifiers type C/9 and GPA/4 used with BBC 'Type B' studio equipment. It will accommodate two amplifiers of this type and provides power supplies for both together with switching and metering facilities. The panel contains input and output jacks for both positions and for an attenuator pad for use when testing C/9 amplifiers. A programme meter is provided for testing MNA/3 amplifiers.
2 x STC 4106-A Dynamic short stick microphones.
1938
BBC OBA/8 4-channel passive mixer, 1938.
Mains power unit for the BBC OBA/8 microphone amplifier, 1938.
1952
BBC OBA/9 outside broadcast microphone amplifier, 1952, used by the BBC.
BBC MX/29 passive mixer for the OBA/9 amplifer, 1952, used by the BBC. Four-channel unit with variable impendance balanced series faders.
1947-current
Neumann M7 microphone capsule, 1947-present.
Vitavox Type CN123 multicellular horn loudspeaker fitted with Vitavox model S2 compression driver.
circa 1961
STC 4037C moving coil microphone, c.1961.
