RCA Laboratories 1940's Technology, Radio, Television, Vacuum Tube Technology Electronics History

Today we take a look back at the RCA LABS in Princeton, New Jersey in the 1940's. We observe many items of vintage RCA technology, including RADIO vacuum tube manufacturing, Television Systems, TV Cameras, Sound Recording, Radio Frequency Testing, Shipboard Radio, Teletype, medical research, CRTs, oscilloscope use and much more. Partially restored with improved audio and video, original title: “To a New World: RCA Laboratories.” For educational and historical review and discussion.

00:25 Radio Sets
01:38 Princeton New Jersey; RCA Labs
02:45 Inside the RCA Lab
03:30 Radio Lab research (penicillin); RF Current sewing
04:15 Machine Shop; Cabinet Shop: electronic clock
04:30 Oscilloscope and frequency timers
05:40 Vacuum Tubes, various types
07:40 Shipboard Radio
08:06 Radio Telephone, Radio Telegraph
08:27 Radio Photo Transmission (FAX)
09:30 Electron Microscope
11:05 Sound Research
12:00 Microphone testing
12:37 Record Recording & Playback
13:44 RADAR Research
14:00 Television Tube Research (Vladimir Zworykin, Albert Rose)
RCA Image Orthicon, Iconoscope, kinescope
14:50 Luminescent materials
15:14 Crystal Structure study lab; Optical Equipment; Lenses; Mirrors
15:35 Television circuits and systems; Cameras
16:50 Television Screens; NBC LOGO
17:00 Television, Your Magic Carpet; Mobil NBC Vans; sample broadcast program

[Ed]

My Grandfather worked for RCA in Camden, NJ. for years. He worked on the first Television set when he worked there.

[lowercherty]

My newspaper was brought to me by radio today, exactly how it would look if it were actually published on paper. They only publish two days a week now but the e editions come out daily. These guys were decades ahead of the curve.

[williamoverly]

My hometown of Lancaster, PA was instrumental in the production of the RCA color tv vacuum tube. My father worked for RCA. It was rumored that much of the financing came from the sale of Elvis Presly recordings.

[kevinmichaelcallihansr]

A good story about memories of my father in communications during WWII. Later, a technician at an atomic plant while helping our community in television and radio repairs. He and my mother were appreciated for their abilities to work with people and provided those things they needed.

[ntag]

Imagine having a TV back then, you'd be the envy of the block. TV repair shops sprung up in virtually every neighborhood.

[johneygd]

They were very ahead of it’s time, i hardly can belief this dates back from 1942.

[raulgongora]

America the most powerful professional on the field the radios and tv
Blessings

[SlyPearTree]

I'd really like to know more about those electronic clocks.

[manidig]

The dial on the radio is very similar to my 1946 model 59-AV. All production of consumer goods stopped for the duration of the war so 4 years passed but the new model looks very much like the last one made.

[MoparStephen]

9:10 - wow, I had no idea radio fax went back so far!

[PhillipM]

Excuse me but Filo T Farnsworth invented television. Mr sarnoff has a tarnished legacy. First he tried to destroy Mr Farnsworth. Then he literally drove Edwin Armstrong (the inventive of FM radio) to his death by suicide.

[johnpenner]

it is easy to forget — a century of technical development and research had to precede all the things that digital I.C. manufacturing assumes to exist as services, processes, and materials to create our digital era. how much is required before the digital age can even start! truly, we stand on the shoulders of giants.

[RatPfink]

Dang it, I want an RCA sewing machine. When my clothes get too small I just tune the RF current and they fit again.

[cmdrwhitesnake]

Ah, the good old days, when everyone had a middle initial.

[charlessmith]

WW2 vintage military radios are still in use by amateur radio enthusiasts. They actually work very well.

[NipkowDisk]

My avatar at 16:35... nice! It was only four years old then-

[vancouverman]

In many ways, they looked more advanced than we are today. Looking at the world now, you ask yourself, what happened?

[xminusone]

Meanwhile, in a small New York City Hotel room..

: Sad Nikola Tesla noises..

[iam_willhoyler]

My grandfather (Cyril Hoyler) is the man using the sewing machine.

[ronaldwilliamson]

Beautiful RCA radio at the beginning. Until the 1980s, there wasn't that much interference on AM. Clear channel network owned stations let people in the country listen to the big network shows, while FM was only line of sight. Also AM was much better in cars, before improvements to FM in the late 1970s