What was 405 line tv like in the uk

***Rd100*** · 03-01-2007

What was 405 line tv like in the uk for any one old enuf i was to young at the time to remember it also what did you think the first time you saw 625 line tv,

**dago** · 03-01-2007

I can't say that I notice any difference; after all it was in black and white!
regards.

**Llew** · 03-01-2007

Most people could only budget for small screen TV's, and hadn't any other system to compare with anyway. The fact that we could afford a TV anyhow was enough for us.

625-line was a novelty though, soon forgot about the change in definition after a while.

Llew

**the_happy_traveller** · 03-01-2007

Watch the TV playing in the background of many US films etc.
That'll give you an idea of the quality.

**rolfw** · 03-01-2007

625 was a great improvement, not least because it brought colour into the frame. We used to have a dual standard TV and the 625 broadcasts were far superior.:

**Topper** · 03-01-2007

Well it was obviously monochrome, very grainy and slightly stuttering as I remember, it is very difficult to describe and I was just going to tell you to search the web for Mr Mitchell and Mr Kenyon and see their footage that was only discovered in 2002 in Blackburn and dates back to late Victorian and early Edwardian life but of course that is not 425 line tv just old celluloid films anyhow if you are interested the BBC site has stuff on that little find here

**Llew** · 03-01-2007

Rolf, They were a swine to repair though, sliding switches to change line frequency and VHF/UHF selection. Needed plenty of switch cleaner on the workshop shelf!

Llew

**rolfw** · 03-01-2007

Yes, but didn't concern me, that was my Dad's job, I remember that the first one was just a chassis, as he'd cobbled it together form bits and pieces.

***Rd100*** · 03-01-2007

wow sounds very cool.

Originally Posted by rolfw

Yes, but didn't concern me, that was my Dad's job, I remember that the first one was just a chassis, as he'd cobbled it together form bits and pieces.

***Rd100*** · 03-01-2007

Cheers for the links & info,

Originally Posted by Topper

Well it was obviously monochrome, very grainy and slightly stuttering as I remember, it is very difficult to describe and I was just going to tell you to search the web for Mr Mitchell and Mr Kenyon and see their footage that was only discovered in 2002 in Blackburn and dates back to late Victorian and early Edwardian life but of course that is not 425 line tv just old celluloid films anyhow if you are interested the BBC site has stuff on that little find here

**leighpreece** · 04-01-2007

405 was ok seeing it was all that we had in the UK until the mid 1960s when UHF, 625 lines and Colour materialised.

We still had a 405/625 lines Korting TV at my grandparents which worked perfect until the New Year 1985 switch off and I remember my gran fetching me down to 'repair' it for her - I simply switched it over to 625 lines and colour instead on all of the selectors and she was happy with that. I think the original aerial was still up way after she moved out too.

One things I remember particularly about 405 line sets was the timebase whistle - much more noticeable that 625 line sets.

Leigh....

**rolfw** · 04-01-2007

I still see a lot of 405 lines VHF aerials on houses and have taken a few down in the last few years, I charge extra for it now, as it can be really hard work.

***Rd100*** · 05-01-2007

My old place had a old vhf tv aerial it was very old but looked like it had not moved a inch over the years it was very well installed and in the loft it had some old metel amps what was still pluged in and up and running

i pluged it in to the tv and tried it on UHF to see if it was pulling any uhf in and it worked fine and worked fine on DTT from wenvoe but i changed it all for a televes dat 45 which i put on mendip.

Rolf what make UHF aerial do you like i quilte like some of the Antiference one's myself and some times televes as they are local to me

Originally Posted by rolfw

I still see a lot of 405 lines VHF aerials on houses and have taken a few down in the last few years, I charge extra for it now, as it can be really hard work.

***BarMoo*** · 05-01-2007

Never understood why the brits dumped VHF for TV use.

Just out of interest - am I right in thinking that some of those cheap security cameras w/ bw monitor run at about 400 lines or LESS.

.

**Llew** · 05-01-2007

Labgear were in the next road to me, and in the early days of Band III, we were in the fringe area of London ITV's Transmitter near Croydon (about 60 miles away.)

They had a farm of stacked Yagis phased together, presumably in order to do off-air testing of their converters, preamps etc. I looked longingly at this set-up, as Dad and me would spend hours adjusting our measly 'double eight' aerial trying to banish the snow and ghosting.

Happy days.

Llew

**rolfw** · 05-01-2007

Originally Posted by Rd100

Rolf what make UHF aerial do you like i quilte like some of the Antiference one's myself and some times televes as they are local to me

I use mostly Antiference XG10 widebands now, whilst I quite like the DAT45, the rear mount is not so good when on 10ft Aluminium masts (I prefer a cradle) and I'm not a lover of the margin riser/amp to replace the balun, as it requires taking the antenna down for replacement.

***Rd100*** · 05-01-2007

I use the XG10 myself i only use televes for aerial as the are near to me and if im stuck for one plus i get 40% off any order i make at televes so if you ever need any thing from them let us know,

Originally Posted by rolfw

I use mostly Antiference XG10 widebands now, whilst I quite like the DAT45, the rear mount is not so good when on 10ft Aluminium masts (I prefer a cradle) and I'm not a lover of the margin riser/amp to replace the balun, as it requires taking the antenna down for replacement.

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