1962: The TELEVISION SET You Can WEAR | Tonight | Retro Tech | BBC Archive

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  • čas přidán 7. 05. 2024
  • "The fashionable thing to wear these days is a television set." - Alan Whicker.
    Tonight's Alan Whicker is clearly delighted to demonstrate an extraordinary new invention, The Electrocula - a 30 ounce portable television set that can be worn on the head. They system projects a television picture onto an adjustable monocle in front of the viewer's eye, enabling them to watch television while doing other things.
    It's TV on the go - perhaps one day, we will all be able to watch television on the move.
    Clip taken from Tonight, originally broadcast on BBC Television, 3 May, 1962.
    You have now entered the BBC Archive, a time machine that will transport you back to the golden age of TV to educate, entertain and enlighten you with classic clips from the BBC vaults.
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Komentáře • 66

  • @williambinions4205
    @williambinions4205 Před měsícem +49

    Who would ever thought Alan Whicker was one of the Borg in Star Trek TNG

    • @smokerjim
      @smokerjim Před 29 dny +6

      And you know when he'd come to assimilate you it'd be like "Good afternoon, we're here to assimilate you into the collective, we're quite certain you will have a jolly time as Borg, if you'd be kind enough to step over here for assimilation."

  • @frequenttraveller1835
    @frequenttraveller1835 Před měsícem +27

    From a time when £350 got you $1000! That's more impressive than the electrocular.

    • @Comfortzone99
      @Comfortzone99 Před 29 dny

      The following Labour gov had to devalue the Pound after running out of money and chasing the rich out with 90% tax.

  • @jillyb9995
    @jillyb9995 Před měsícem +13

    Never seeing Alan Whicker being so funny before. Good actor. Made me laugh😂

  • @hamsterclamper
    @hamsterclamper Před měsícem +56

    Honestly not that much more ridiculous looking than the Apple Vision headset 60 years on

    • @handsoffmycactus2958
      @handsoffmycactus2958 Před 25 dny

      It’s so funny how they’ve been trying to make these a thing forever and no one’s interested. No one wants silly goggles or glasses

  • @harryjones5260
    @harryjones5260 Před 29 dny +5

    alan whicker...universal soldier

  • @TCHorwood-xq7mw
    @TCHorwood-xq7mw Před měsícem +21

    With two of them you could have 3D.

  • @sleepyheadsleeps
    @sleepyheadsleeps Před měsícem +25

    They don't show the huge battery and receiver in a suitcase !

    • @AtheistOrphan
      @AtheistOrphan Před měsícem +6

      I’m guessing it’s mains-powered.

  • @fredo1070
    @fredo1070 Před měsícem +16

    I am Whicker of Borg, resistance is futile.

  • @timusforlife
    @timusforlife Před 11 dny

    I can't find anything else about this other than this BBC report

  • @user-ub1dz8js7s
    @user-ub1dz8js7s Před měsícem +12

    Fun Fact: Alan Whicker was almost cast as 'Lobot' - Lando Carlrissian's personal assistant in Cloud City in The Empire Strikes Back.

  • @Deearepee1963
    @Deearepee1963 Před 28 dny +1

    ‘Electrocula’ sounds like a robot vampire

  • @pit_stop77
    @pit_stop77 Před měsícem +12

    I see it never took off, but it showed what could be done, and what was possible

    • @maltronics
      @maltronics Před měsícem +4

      It did take off ,it was the viewfinder (crt) in 80s/90s camcorders

    • @BOZ_11
      @BOZ_11 Před měsícem +3

      you can't really watch video and get on with your life at the same time.

    • @maltronics
      @maltronics Před 29 dny +2

      @@BOZ_11 Yeh agree with that

    • @wisteela
      @wisteela Před 28 dny

      Good point ​@@maltronics

  • @hoofie2002
    @hoofie2002 Před měsícem +12

    Made by Hughes in California so it was obviously a spin off or demo of a military project

  • @brianquigley1940
    @brianquigley1940 Před 29 dny +2

    Also known as a heads-up display... originally intended for jet pilots.

  • @syedalamgir5838
    @syedalamgir5838 Před 29 dny +1

    Great invention of that time.

  • @mollyfilms
    @mollyfilms Před 29 dny +2

    Look up on Wikipedia Alan Wickers life story. You will be astounded to what this chap did in his life.

  • @KB-lz3gq
    @KB-lz3gq Před 29 dny

    Exciting prospect,can't wait 😊

  • @PlanetImo
    @PlanetImo Před měsícem +5

    That was a quick comercial break!

  • @johnmclean1601
    @johnmclean1601 Před 23 dny

    Electroncular, excellent name for it 😀

  • @sharpvidtube
    @sharpvidtube Před měsícem +5

    The average wage was £800pa in 1962, so this is a large chunk of money.

  • @stephen9453
    @stephen9453 Před měsícem +7

    £350 = $1,000 - shows you how much the pound has been devalued over the years 😯

    • @sharpvidtube
      @sharpvidtube Před měsícem +1

      The dollar has lost most of its value too. £350 in 1962 is the equivalent of £6,291, after inflation. $1,000 would be $10,342.

    • @kevfit4333
      @kevfit4333 Před měsícem +10

      It was decimalised. There used to be 240p in a pound, not 100. That's 20 shillings which are 12p each. You could buy a lot of stuff for a pound back then.

    • @THE-X-Force
      @THE-X-Force Před 29 dny

      @@kevfit4333 When did they do that .. and why?

    • @brianquigley1940
      @brianquigley1940 Před 29 dny

      Any kind of fiat money is a ponzi scheme that will eventually collapse, as will the dollar when other countries stop shoring it up as the "reserve currency" and buying US treasuries.

  • @MVEProducties
    @MVEProducties Před 9 dny

    Google Glass loves this!! Haha

  • @hopebgood
    @hopebgood Před 29 dny

    Reminds me of that smary git Weyoun piloting a Dominion ship from ST:DS9

  • @rogerc7960
    @rogerc7960 Před měsícem +6

    Apache helicopter pilots: [restricted]

    • @W2APS
      @W2APS Před měsícem +1

      It does appear to be made by Hughes, who developed and made those sight systems. They also worked with JVC and from that we have their excellent D-ILA projector products.

  • @wisteela
    @wisteela Před 28 dny

    Almost predicting wearable tech

  • @agingmillennialmainer
    @agingmillennialmainer Před 29 dny

    This eventually developed into the targrting monocle used in the Apache helicopter.

  • @THE-X-Force
    @THE-X-Force Před 29 dny

    Absolutely hilarious!

  • @drsigh
    @drsigh Před 27 dny

    Crikey, Whicker was good!

  • @richardhawkins4621
    @richardhawkins4621 Před měsícem +2

    It will never take of when you can get a full sized tv for a quarter of the price

    • @AtheistOrphan
      @AtheistOrphan Před měsícem +7

      But it’s a bit difficult to balance that on your face!😀

  • @danielavaca4414
    @danielavaca4414 Před 29 dny +1

    I see you

  • @CricketEngland
    @CricketEngland Před měsícem +4

    Apple and Facebook eat your heart out

  • @BrassLock
    @BrassLock Před měsícem +5

    Imagine all those deadly Cathode Rays next to your brain for hours on end while watching the Football 😲

    • @Lettuce-and-Tomatoes
      @Lettuce-and-Tomatoes Před měsícem +4

      Deadly? 🤣

    • @Nyzackon
      @Nyzackon Před měsícem +1

      @@Lettuce-and-Tomatoes"Harmful radiation is generated when an image is created on a CRT screen. In order to shield viewers from this radiation, a substantial amount of lead is incorporated into the glass used to manufacture the various glass components of a CRT (approximately 4 pounds of lead per CRT)."

    • @Nyzackon
      @Nyzackon Před měsícem +1

      @@Lettuce-and-Tomatoes"One [danger] is that the tube when used have a very high operating anode voltage which can go up to the neighborhood of 35,000 volts or more for large tube TVs. That can give a severe jolt that can cause injuries from the muscle contractions and possible cardiac arrest. The voltage can persist for quite a while after the unit is off. perhaps several hours and even then you may still get a jolt if you touch the wrong place."

    • @MichaelBosley
      @MichaelBosley Před 28 dny +1

      @@Nyzackon Thanks to the shielding, this radiation doesn't leave the unit. In fact, the lead and other chemicals in a TV are more harmful to health than any radiation that actually leaves the screen. In fact, you get far more harmful radiation exposure just stepping outside on a sunny day.

  • @davidrenton
    @davidrenton Před 24 dny

    the most shocking thing was $1000 was £350

  • @lazymansload520
    @lazymansload520 Před 28 dny

    Vault Tec presents…

  • @Matty112uk
    @Matty112uk Před 29 dny

    As I understand them, CRTs emit X-rays and low-frequency electromagnetic fields. Not really enough to cause long term health damage. But, I still wouldn't wear one on my head! 😂

  • @avus-kw2f213
    @avus-kw2f213 Před 7 dny

    Google Glass 50 years before Google Glass

  • @handsoffmycactus2958
    @handsoffmycactus2958 Před 25 dny

    It’s SO funny they’ve been trying and still are trying to make these a thing and have failed ever since to get them onto the mass market and in every house

  • @b.h.6307
    @b.h.6307 Před 29 dny +3

    still sold more than google glass.

  • @maybud60
    @maybud60 Před 27 dny

    Adjusted for inflation, £350 in 1962 is equivalent to about £6300 in 2024. To Apple: your Vision Pro is too cheap 👍😅

  • @ubuntugeek
    @ubuntugeek Před 27 dny

    $1000 or about £350 or if Apple sold it $1000 or about £1000

  • @bardo0007
    @bardo0007 Před měsícem +1

    So we have not progressed much , the principles of the technology is the same. And here we are in 2024, but I need a very expensive virtual helmet to be able to watch TV like that.

  • @vertujoe2886
    @vertujoe2886 Před měsícem +1

    Why did he attach a camera viewfinder to his glasses and consider it a television?

    • @mrpositronia
      @mrpositronia Před 29 dny +3

      It's not his invention. He's just describing what he sees. A television screen reflected on the lens.

    • @vertujoe2886
      @vertujoe2886 Před 29 dny +4

      @@mrpositronia well seems no one got the joke and makes me look like harsh on him. Actually the whole point is when in 1962 this camera viewfinder looking device is at least 10 years ahead any camera have equipped the same miniturized CRT tube as the viewfinder. It's surely a technical breakthrough at the time.

  • @unnamedchannel1237
    @unnamedchannel1237 Před měsícem

    This had to have been an April fool back in the day .

  • @user-rd8mt8yv5r
    @user-rd8mt8yv5r Před 29 dny

    Bet his really watching 60's hairy pawn on that badboy why the wife does the dishes.