ScuzzBlog: Diaries July 2018
Entry 10th July 2018: Post 01: National Panasonic TR-565G
National Panasonic TR-565G - Aerial Combat
1978 I started School of Architecture having already trained as
an Architectural Technician and spent way too much time undertaking
academic duties at my desk. So when the seven year slog began that
is the Part I, II and III of the RIBA seven year torture to become
an architect, and the prospect of many nights working late I
decided to blow my superannuation payout on some receptive gear.
Let me set the scene. In 1978 there was no video, no internet and
for me no computer. TV was limited to a sprinkling of channels
provided by ITV and the BBC and radio was dominated by Radio 1 and 2.
TV was heavy with classic BBC drama, comedy and Sc-Fi and current
films were confined to the actual cinema as the only place you
were ever going to see them. So life was Hitch-hikers, Faulty Towers
and Dr Who.... and the eternal cricket. Late nights meant radio
and to enjoy anything a second time you would simply have to
record the sound .... not the vision as there was no video, yet.
I got sick of dad deliberately mouthing critical comment over my
microphone recorded episodes of Neil Innes and Monty Python. The
only way I could record a programme from the TV was to use an
actual microphone and stand it in front of the TV. It was really
that basic in those days.
And so to the National Panasonic. With my cash payout after leaving
work to go to college full time I bought a SONY reel-to-reel, a
Realistic amp, GB3 speakers and the National Panasonic. For the
first time I could record direct from the TV to tape without
having to struggle with a microphone. Also I could listen to
the cricket on my Sennheiser headphones at night without disturbing
anyone.
All I needed was the UHF Aerial and I was away. In truth we lived
so close to the main terrestrial broadcasting tower that I didn't
even need to connect to the house aerial.
And armed with the TV and the recorder I could listen to Monty Python,
Hitch-hikers, Neil Innes, Kenny Everett, Paul Gambaccini and the
cricket to my hearts content. And by 1981 when the ZX81 arrived I
was using the TV to program the computer. This humble little TV
just 5" in screen size has seen a lot of changes since 1978 but
has always served me well. When I opened her up for the very first
time it was no surprise that inside was a sharpening from a pencil
probably from my school of architecture days as I worked through
the night.
It is easy today with mobile phones to take for granted the simple
activity of watching streamed TV and films plus live video of your
friends. Time was when you needed a bit of kit like this so you
could watch stuff in the privacy of your bedroom. By the way in
those days there was no all night TV and after listening to the
national anthem the TV channel would shut down for the evening.
How things have changed.....
National Panasonic Component Television Receiver TR-565G
AC 240V 50Hz consuming AC14W
Receiving Channels UHF 21ch-69ch UK Standard
Picture Tube 5 inches 55 degree deflection
Sound Output Level 540mV (FM 100% Modulation)
IC 1pc Transistor 22pcs Diode 20pcs
It is interesting and very common for kit of the day to have fake
wood veneer to the surfaces. This unit was designed to sit within
a hi-fi system and was the same size as a tape or amp of the day.
The Atari Woody, so named cus of the fake veneer, felt quite at
home sitting on top of the TV. The Amiga looked a little odd.
Happy days.
National Panasonic TR-565G
The camera focussed on the outer glass
protection so was unable to fucus accurately
onto the TV screen......
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