It might have been the first programme broadcast, but in 1986 no official service had been launched by either the Beeb or IBA, ( NICAM wasn't even a ratified broadcast format in 86) and the only tx carrying NICAM was BBC Crystal P. The official BBC service was launched with the 1991 LNotP ( see articles linked up thread)
NICAM tuners were commercially available in 1988. There was also a kit available from Maplin around that time.
VCRs with NICAM seemed to be available a few years before TVs with NICAM. Does anybody know the model of the first NICAM VCR?
Some Philips TVs (and their B&O cousins) from the 1980s had twin speakers and German models had an extra PCB for the FM-FM stereo audio. Aftermarket NICAM PCBs were available for them.
NICAM tuners were commercially available in 1988. There was also a kit available from Maplin around that time.
Kits were available earlier than that. We fitted one to our Philips HiFi VHS machine in '86.
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Some Philips TVs (and their B&O cousins) from the 1980s had twin speakers and German models had an extra PCB for the FM-FM stereo audio. Aftermarket NICAM PCBs were available for them.
Some Philips TVs from c.1982/3 had a System-I Zweiton decoder built in - even though the standard didn't exist...
A NICAM PCB also existed for stereo versions of the Ferguson TX100 but I'm not sure if they were officially produced as an upgrade or only manufactured in small quantities. Even top of the range TX100 originally had SCART sockets in the form of an aftermarket PCB.
A NICAM PCB also existed for stereo versions of the Ferguson TX100 but I'm not sure if they were officially produced as an upgrade or only manufactured in small quantities. Even top of the range TX100 originally had SCART sockets in the form of an aftermarket PCB.
The TX-series (along with most Ferguson sets) were a bit of a joke in the UK broadcast community. Everyone in that industry seemed to buy Sony or Philips sets.
I was expecting you to say that everybody in the broadcast community knew that they should have been called RX not TX
I can remember the technical journalist Barry Fox quzzing I think then BBC DG Micheal Checkland over the Beeb's plans for NICAM, and Checkland thinking it was the name of a Japanese consumer electronics manufacturer !
I was expecting you to say that everybody in the broadcast community knew that they should have been called RX not TX
I can remember the technical journalist Barry Fox quzzing I think then BBC DG Micheal Checkland over the Beeb's plans for NICAM, and Checkland thinking it was the name of a Japanese consumer electronics manufacturer !
Barry Fox never did himself any favours in those kind of interviews though. I remember stumbling into him at a number of broadcast exhibitions in the late-80s / early-90s and being rather unimpressed at his approach.
I was expecting you to say that everybody in the broadcast community knew that they should have been called RX not TX
I can remember the technical journalist Barry Fox quzzing I think then BBC DG Micheal Checkland over the Beeb's plans for NICAM, and Checkland thinking it was the name of a Japanese consumer electronics manufacturer !
Barry Fox never did himself any favours in those kind of interviews though. I remember stumbling into him at a number of broadcast exhibitions in the late-80s / early-90s and being rather unimpressed at his approach.
He did adopt a rather maverick style, I remember a caller correcting him on a technical matter during a technology phone in on LBC too !
The TX-series (along with most Ferguson sets) were a bit of a joke in the UK broadcast community. Everyone in that industry seemed to buy Sony or Philips sets.
I have owned / repaired several TX100s and my feelings towards them are mixed. They are not as reliable or technically advanced as Sony and Philips sets but the upside is that they are designed in a way where they are quite easy to repair. I never understood why SCART or video sockets were not fitted as standard to the TX100 and required an aftermarket PCB. Stereo versions had audio in DIN sockets as standard.
Mitsubishi sets were very reliable and there was once a company which converted them into monitors. It's not clear when the first Mitsubishi stereo sets were first available but Japanese manufacturers seemed to slightly lag behind European manufacturers when it came to stereo sets and very few models predate the public launch of NICAM or were not fitted with a NICAM decoder. The Sony Profeel was an exception.
