BairdHistory

From Tigwiki

1 Some Baird images of flying spot systems etc.
2 Baird FSS intermediate system.
3 On set Baird Intermediate System
4 Telecine Scan end
5 Telecine Detector end
6 Very Early Spotlight studio scanner
7 Farnsworth camera at Bairds.
8 Farnsworth camera, dolly & CCU

Some Baird images of flying spot systems etc.

Note: for more information on the Crystal Palace see BairdCrystalPalaceControlRoomAnnotated

Note2: for more images and commentary on Baird see BairdSpotlightScanner

Baird FSS intermediate system.

Shows the fixed setup of a 35mm camera, a very very fast B&W processor and the Nipkow Disk FSS scanning system. The fast process was finally achieved by Gordon Craig, who found a almost saturated solution of cyanide cracked the problem! Yup when they had finished with it they flushed it doen the drains!!!

All the attach pictures came from Gordon, who unfortunately died a couple of years ago. However the cyanide never got to him, as proof I include two images of him, one when working for Baird in the 1930's the second a year before he died at the age of 93. He was a fascinating man, who supplied these images when I met him in 2003. After Baird he was in charge of Reconnaissance Spitfires flying over Burma, No armaments, just cameras. He then joined Eastman Kodak in the UK and finally ended up running UK sales. If Alan Mason looks at this site he may be able to tell us more.

(image of Gordon Craig at Baird's, 1930s)

(image of Gordon Craig, 2003)

On set Baird Intermediate System

As the camera was fixed, all action had to tke place on the wooden platform. The camera looked through the glass aperture indicated. In those days all techies wore white coats!

Telecine Scan end

This was a dual telecine setup at Alexandra Palace in early 1937. I have indicated on the image the main components

Telecine Detector end

Same system viewed from the detector end

Very Early Spotlight studio scanner

The TIG archive already contains images of a later system, here is a photo of a much earlier scanner. The Nipkow disk can be seen at he left and front of the arc lamp.