Televisions

We still have practical stocks of now vanishingly rare CRT type (tube) TVs. We often specially modify these to accept a composite video input which gives much better picture quality compared to using a modulator into the aerial socket. Please note that any patterning & dark bars showing on the screens in the photographs is not really there & is due to interraction between the screen refresh rate & the camera shutter speed used. 

The original very clever designers of vintage televisions would be amazed that their TVs are still in use many decades on. The only way to make such complex devices affordable to the average person all those years ago was to cut many corners design-wise. Cheap components with very high voltages on them were used. The result of this is that all such TVs are now running on borrowed time & they could suddenly stop working if a single over-stressed component inside fails. This can & does happen! We do our reasonable best to maintain our TVs short of completely re-engineering them but if a dead TV on set is likely to cause major problems to you - cast & crew standing idle etc - then you should seriously consider hiring a reserve TV set.

Also please note that by default the screens of CRT type monitors are likely to flicker or show roll bars when filmed unless special measures are taken. You REALLY REALLY need a Director Of Photography who is aware of the technicalities involved if you don't want to waste time & footage both on set & in post production. We will not refund hires where assumptions have been made that connecting TVs to differing signal sources or filming CRTs is a doddle.

Please be aware that there are up to a dozen or so different video signal formats & connectors in use today. Do not therefore assume that you can simply connect any of our monitors or TVs to any modern laptop or other signal source. Special converters or adaptors may be needed which we may or may not have available or which possibly don't exist. Blind optimism won't be enough to get you through & you could need technical advice & skills to ensure everything will work on the day. We can usually advise provided we have clear details of what your signal source & its connector is.