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Computer History Archive #Technology

World's First Portable Transistor Television (1959)

PHILCO introduced the world's First Transistorized Battery Operated Portable TV in 1959. Built so rugged, many still work today.

We look at the PHILCO SAFARI portable, both outside and inside. HD images show the internal chassis and CRT with its unique mirror projection system. Run time: 5 mins.


Philco's Safari was The World’s First battery-powered, portable Transistorized Television. It used 21 transistors, weighed 15 pounds and ran on rechargeable batteries or AC.


The picture was generated by its two-inch CRT picture tube which faced upward inside the set. The image was reflected to a viewing window, which provided a larger viewable image. An adjustable sun visor also made it possible to watch the screen outdoors, even in sunlight.


It came in two models, Black Leather or Natural Tan Leather. It sold for $250, which is about $2,300 today.  

 

COMPETITORS:

The all-transistor SONY TV-8 was made available in the U.S. (1960) less than a year after the Safari was released. This was followed by the SONY Micro-TV in 1962, which proved highly successful.


Both the TV-9 and Micro-TV were “Direct-View” televisions, and did not use a magnifying or projection technique.


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