Engineer and inventor. Inventor of mechanical television, producing the system first used by the BBC in 1929. He was educated at Larchfield School, Helensburgh, his degree course being interrupted by World War 1, never to graduate. He was the first person to demonstrate a working TV, on 30 Oct 1925. The first moving image transmitted, the now famous grainy image of the ventriloquist's dummy's head. Although the idea of television was the result work by many inventors, Baird is one of its foremost pioneers. In 1928, he made his first transatlantic television transmissions from London to Hartsdale, New York and also made the first Television programme for the BBC. He televised the first live transmission of the Epsom Derby in 1931. Eventually Baird's mechanical television system was replaced by an electronic television system developed by Philo T. Farnsworth and Vladimir Zworykin. He made many contributions to the field of television before and after his mechanical system fell into disfavour. In 1928, he demonstrated the first colour and stereoscopic television system. During 1944, he tried to persuade English authorities to adopt the 1000+ line colour television system as standard. There is a working model of the Baird Televisor in the London Science Musuem. He died in 1946, after suffering a stroke. There is an memorial window dedicated to Baird, at West Kirk (West Church), Colquhoun Square, Helensburgh.
Engineer and inventor. Inventor of mechanical television, producing the system first used by the BBC in 1929. He was educated at Larchfield School, Helensburgh, his degree course being interrupted by World War 1, never to graduate. He was the first person to demonstrate a working TV, on 30 Oct 1925. The first moving image transmitted, the now famous grainy image of the ventriloquist's dummy's head. Although the idea of television was the result work by many inventors, Baird is one of its foremost pioneers. In 1928, he made his first transatlantic television transmissions from London to Hartsdale, New York and also made the first Television programme for the BBC. He televised the first live transmission of the Epsom Derby in 1931. Eventually Baird's mechanical television system was replaced by an electronic television system developed by Philo T. Farnsworth and Vladimir Zworykin. He made many contributions to the field of television before and after his mechanical system fell into disfavour. In 1928, he demonstrated the first colour and stereoscopic television system. During 1944, he tried to persuade English authorities to adopt the 1000+ line colour television system as standard. There is a working model of the Baird Televisor in the London Science Musuem. He died in 1946, after suffering a stroke. There is an memorial window dedicated to Baird, at West Kirk (West Church), Colquhoun Square, Helensburgh.
Bio by: s.canning
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