Phonovision

Phonovision was a patented concept to create pre-recorded mechanically scanned television recordings on gramophone records. Attempts at developing Phonovision were undertaken in the late 1920s in London by its inventor, Scottish television pioneer John Logie Baird. The objective was not simply to record video, but to record it synchronously, as Baird intended playback from an inexpensive playback device, which he called a 'Phonovisor'. Baird stated that he had several records made of the sound of the vision signal but that the quality was poor. Unlike Baird's other experiments (including stereoscopy, colour and infra-red night-vision), there is no evidence of him having demonstrated playback of pictures, though he did play back the sound of the vision signal to audiences. Baird moved on leaving behind several discs in the hands of museums and favoured company members. Until 1982, this was the extent of knowledge regarding Phonovision.