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SINCLAIR MTV1

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Front View [30K]

  • Launched circa 1977
  • 2" C.R.T. with ?KV E.H.T.
  • Multi-standard 625 and 525 lines
  • Internal re-chargable battery.
  • Original Cost : $400 / £200
NOTES This was the first ever miniature multi-standard television. . It was however an extremely expensive toy, as you could buy a pretty decent large screen colour television for the same money. It therefore comes as no suprise that the set was not a sales success and it wasn't long before Sinclair launched a simpler (cheaper) single-standard version for the European market, the model MTV1B.

The set utilises a miniature CRT manufactured by Telefunken, which I assume is electrostatically deflecte. . But LCD screens were coming, as in the same year that the MTV1 was lauched Hitachi demonstrated a somewhat bulky prototype LCD television.
Aerial positioning [12K]
A neat, if somewhat flimsy, U.H.F. aerial tucks away under the se which can be rotated to the top of the set and side to side. It certainly seems to add a bit more directionality to the signal pickup as ghost images are much less of a problem than some other hand-held televisions which use simple telescopic aerials.
SERVICE DATA Nope.
CURRENT STATE
Off-screen picture [11K]
The photo doesn't do full justice to
the pin-sharp picture.

Good working order. The aerial is actually suprisingly effective, being directional enough to be able to reduce or even elimate picture ghosting due to multi-path interference. Pretty sensitive too, with even Channel 5 displayed as a sharp noise-free picture.

Complete with original box and no fewer than three "wall-wart" battery chargers to cater for different countries - plus a car ciggy lighter adapter - oh, and some crock clips for any old 6V DC source may be on hand. Lets face it, if you can't get power with the aid of that lot then you don't deserve the telly !

I think there ought to be a hood that fits around the screen to reduce the effects of ambient light falling on the screen.
WHERE FOUND April 2007 National Vintage Communications Fair at the NEC for £120.
ADDITIONAL If pocket TV's are your thing then there is a useful site at Frank's Handheld-TV Pages which also includes on-line manuals and advertising material.

Another good reference is a History of Pocket Television.

Rear controls [19K]
Blimey, more controls at the rear than a proper telly !

Box 'n contents [13K]
Miniature TV ... massive box !

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THE TELLIES GALLERY		 Last updated
1st May 2007