441 lines
Encyclopedia
441 lines, or 383i if named using modern standard, is an early electronic television system. It was used with 50 interlaced frames per second in France and Germany, where it was an improvement over the previous 180 lines
system. In North America it was used by RCA
with 60 frames per second from 1938 to 1941.
A project began in 1938 involving the National Post and several companies including Bosch
, Blaupunkt
, Loewe
, Lorenz
, TeKaDe and Telefunken
that aimed to produce 10,000 units of the television system. However due to the onset of the Second World War
only about 50 devices were installed in military hospitals and various government departments. The transmitter's aerials in Berlin were destroyed during an Allied Forces' bombing in November 1943, but the station was also relayed by a special coaxial cables network to "wide screen" public "TV-rooms" so it carried on this way until 1945.
To date, only a few surviving and functioning units are known:
in Paris using the German 441 lines system and its main technical characteristics. Television programs were mainly for wounded soldiers of the Wehrmacht occupation troops who recovered in the Greater Paris Area hospitals, but they also included French-language shows. Broadcasts were monitored in the United Kingdom during the Second World War to gather intelligence information from occupied France. Because the 819 lines standard had been adopted in 1948 for the national network, it was due to cease on January 1, 1958. However, after a long elections coverage night, most of the equipment was destroyed by fire on January 3, 1956. It was decided to indemnify the 3,000 owners of remaining 441 lines sets and to entitle them to reduced rates for their new 819 lines receivers. Since July 1952 the 441 lines transmitter was no longer broadcasting separate programs, but simply picked up the national network's picture through an 819-441 lines "optical converter" (a 441 lines camera, slightly out of focus, pointed at a 819 lines monitor equipped with an oval spotlight cathode ray tube).
The line frequency was 11025 Hz with vision broadcast at 46.0 MHz and sound at 42.0 MHz. Aerials were independent for audio and vision at the top of the Eiffel tower, both vertically polarized. No gain being obtained from these pre-war basic aerials, the effective radiated power was only the transmitter's peak one, i.e. 30 kW which enabled a good reception in a radius of 100 km around Paris. As displayed in J.M. Frost's WRTH (World Radio TV Handbook
) editions at that time, the transmitter's frequencies (42-46 MHz) were listed as channel "S" (or "Special" channel) in the European Broadcasting Union
's official documents.
As in France, all technical data - VHF frequencies excepted - were identical to those in use in Germany.
, the new system being publicly launched by NBC
during the New York World's Fair
in April 1939. Its manufacturers included RCA, General Electric, DuMont, and Andrea. Following a decision of the NTSC
(National Television System Committee), the 525 line System-M replaced the 441 line standard on July 1, 1941.
180 lines
180 lines is an early electronic television system. It was used in Germany after on March 22, 1935, using telecine transmission of film, intermediate film system, or cameras using the Nipkow disk...
system. In North America it was used by RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
with 60 frames per second from 1938 to 1941.
| System | Field frequency | Active picture | Field blanking | No. of broad pulses | Broad pulse width | Line frequency | Front porch | Line sync | Back porch | Active line time | Video/syncs ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 441 lines | 50 Hz | 383 lines | 29 lines | 8 per field | 36.3 µs | 11025 Hz | 1.0 µs | 9.0 µs | 6.3 µs | 74.3 µs | 70/30 |
Use in Germany
After trials in 375 lines during the Berlin Olympic Games of 1936, by 1937 Germany had introduced a 441 lines with 50 interlaced frames per second television system that replaced the previous 180 lines network relayed by a special Reichspost (National Post Office) cable network in the country's main cities (Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Bayreuth, Nuremberg). The system's line frequency was 11025 Hz and the broadcast frequencies were 46.0 MHz for vision and 43.2 MHz for sound. Its image aspect ratio was close to 1.15:1.| System | Lines | Frame rate | Channel bandwidth (in MHz) | Visual bandwidth (in MHz) | Sound offset | Vestigial sideband | Vision mod. | Sound mod. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 441 lines | 441 | 25 | 4 | 2 | 2.8 | Pos. | AM | |
A project began in 1938 involving the National Post and several companies including Bosch
Robert Bosch GmbH
Robert Bosch GmbH is a multinational engineering and electronics company headquartered in Gerlingen, near Stuttgart, Germany. It is the world's largest supplier of automotive components...
, Blaupunkt
Blaupunkt
GmbH is a German manufacturer of electronics equipment, noted for its home and car audio equipment. It was a 100% subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH until March 1st, 2009 when its Aftermarket and Accessories branch including the brand name were sold to Aurelius AG of Germany for an undisclosed...
, Loewe
Loewe AG
Loewe AG is the parent company of the German Loewe group. The Loewe group develops, manufactures and sells a wide variety of electronic, electrical and mechanical products and systems, and specialises in the field of consumer and communication technology. The company was founded in Berlin in 1923...
, Lorenz
Lorenz
Lorenz is an originally German name derived from the Roman surname, Laurentius, which mean "from Laurentum".Lorenz may refer to:-Music:* Christian "Flake" Lorenz, a German musician...
, TeKaDe and Telefunken
Telefunken
Telefunken is a German radio and television apparatus company, founded in Berlin in 1903, as a joint venture of Siemens & Halske and the Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft...
that aimed to produce 10,000 units of the television system. However due to the onset of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
only about 50 devices were installed in military hospitals and various government departments. The transmitter's aerials in Berlin were destroyed during an Allied Forces' bombing in November 1943, but the station was also relayed by a special coaxial cables network to "wide screen" public "TV-rooms" so it carried on this way until 1945.
Einheitsempfänger
The Einheitsempfänger is a German TV receiver created in 1939. It could only receive one channel, since its receiving frequency was preset in the factory. This allowed for lower prices and made difficult the reception of foreign channels.To date, only a few surviving and functioning units are known:
- Museum for Communication in Berlin, (Telefunken)
- Museum for Communication in Berlin, (Blaupunkt, incomplete)
- Museum of Communication in Frankfurt, (Telefunken, with a new speaker, otherwise completely preserved)
- Private Collection August-Peter Nehrg, (Telefunken, completely preserved)
- German Radio Museum Berlin, (reproduction without original chassis and a new speaker fabric)
- Custodian of telecommunications tools Office, (manufacturer unknown, apparently unharmed and completely preserved)
- University of Mittweida (Blaupunkt, with a new speaker material, condition unknown)
- Radio Museum Fuerth (original chassis with power transformer in the exhibition)
- Radio Museum Fuerth (functional, for demonstration)
Technical Data for a typical set
- Case Dimensions (WxHxD): 65 cm x 37 cm x 38 cm
- Image size / diagonal: 19.5 cm x 22.5 cm / 29 cm
- Power consumption: 185 W at television, 60 W in radio reception
Use in France
By 1941 the "Fernsehsender Paris" station transmitted from the Eiffel TowerEiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
in Paris using the German 441 lines system and its main technical characteristics. Television programs were mainly for wounded soldiers of the Wehrmacht occupation troops who recovered in the Greater Paris Area hospitals, but they also included French-language shows. Broadcasts were monitored in the United Kingdom during the Second World War to gather intelligence information from occupied France. Because the 819 lines standard had been adopted in 1948 for the national network, it was due to cease on January 1, 1958. However, after a long elections coverage night, most of the equipment was destroyed by fire on January 3, 1956. It was decided to indemnify the 3,000 owners of remaining 441 lines sets and to entitle them to reduced rates for their new 819 lines receivers. Since July 1952 the 441 lines transmitter was no longer broadcasting separate programs, but simply picked up the national network's picture through an 819-441 lines "optical converter" (a 441 lines camera, slightly out of focus, pointed at a 819 lines monitor equipped with an oval spotlight cathode ray tube).
The line frequency was 11025 Hz with vision broadcast at 46.0 MHz and sound at 42.0 MHz. Aerials were independent for audio and vision at the top of the Eiffel tower, both vertically polarized. No gain being obtained from these pre-war basic aerials, the effective radiated power was only the transmitter's peak one, i.e. 30 kW which enabled a good reception in a radius of 100 km around Paris. As displayed in J.M. Frost's WRTH (World Radio TV Handbook
World Radio TV Handbook
The World Radio TV Handbook, known also with the acronym WRTH, is a directory of virtually every radio and TV station on Earth, published yearly. It began publication in 1947 as the World Radio Handbook...
) editions at that time, the transmitter's frequencies (42-46 MHz) were listed as channel "S" (or "Special" channel) in the European Broadcasting Union
European Broadcasting Union
The European Broadcasting Union is a confederation of 74 broadcasting organisations from 56 countries, and 49 associate broadcasters from a further 25...
's official documents.
| System | Lines | Frame rate | Channel bandwidth (in MHz) | Visual bandwidth (in MHz) | Sound offset | Vestigial sideband | Vision mod. | Sound mod. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 441 lines | 441 | 25 | 4 | 2 | 4 | Pos. | AM | |
Use in Italy
Replacing pre-war tests in 343 lines, broadcasts using the 441 lines system began in Italy in 1939 with regular services from Rome using 2 kW power and Milan using 400 W power in the frequency band of 40-45 MHz. Broadcasts were discontinued on May 31st 1940.As in France, all technical data - VHF frequencies excepted - were identical to those in use in Germany.
North America
Field tests in Los Angeles on various line systems began in 1936, and North America had adopted RCA's 441-line system by 1938. The following year the first TV receivers were sold on a very limited basis, mostly in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, the new system being publicly launched by NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
during the New York World's Fair
1939 New York World's Fair
The 1939–40 New York World's Fair, which covered the of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park , was the second largest American world's fair of all time, exceeded only by St. Louis's Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904. Many countries around the world participated in it, and over 44 million people...
in April 1939. Its manufacturers included RCA, General Electric, DuMont, and Andrea. Following a decision of the NTSC
NTSC
NTSC, named for the National Television System Committee, is the analog television system that is used in most of North America, most of South America , Burma, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and some Pacific island nations and territories .Most countries using the NTSC standard, as...
(National Television System Committee), the 525 line System-M replaced the 441 line standard on July 1, 1941.
| System | Lines | Frame rate | Channel bandwidth (in MHz) | Visual bandwidth (in MHz) | Sound offset | Vestigial sideband | Vision mod. | Sound mod. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 441 lines | 441 | 30 | 6 | 2.8 | 3.25 | Neg. | AM | |
External links
- (in German) Rolf Wigand: Technische Beschreibung des E 1 (Zeitgenössischer Artikel in „Radio-Mentor", pdf 295 kB)
- (in German) Eckhard Etzold: Ausführliche Webseite mit vielen Fotos sowie Schaltbild des E 1
- http://www.compulink.co.uk/~rrussell/tccgen/manual/tcgen0.html