How many times have you heard the phrase “turn off your TV?” It is usually used as a call to action for couch potatoes who need to reform, but Bath-based designer Jack Archer took it as an inspiration to create this fantastic alphabet. It consists of 15 small televisions housed in a custom-built cabinet. Archer changes the letters by turning various TVs on or off.

The resulting typeface is oddly (and charmingly) low-tech-looking for having been constructed with machines. The time lapse video above shows the entire project from start to finish, including the set-up and tear-down of the TV cabinet. We would love to see a video of the setup spelling out scrolling messages one letter at a time.

The post Easy as A-B-C: Bitmap Typeface Made Entirely of TVs first appeared on Gajitz.

These days, you can buy a state-of-the-art widescreen HD TV for a few thousand dollars – but 75 years ago you could get the latest technology in a television for just under £100. This behemoth of a television is the oldest working TV set in Britain, and when it was first purchased in 1936 it was impressively high-tech. Today it retains 70 percent of its original components and still works just like it did all those years ago.

The Marconi Type-702 set boasts a 12-inch screen in a massive mahogany and walnut case. The screen itself is actually situated toward the ceiling, but a pop-up mirror lets viewers watch the show from across the room. At the time the set was purchased, only one channel was being broadcast, and for only around two hours each day.

Amazingly, the television has only had two owners in its 75-year history. Just a few days after the original owner purchased it for £99, 15 shillings, the transmitter tower near his home burned down and his area was unable to receive TV broadcasts again for another decade. Today, the set is up for auction and is expected to bring in over £5000.

The post Senior Receiver: Oldest Working Television Set in Britain first appeared on Gajitz.

The incomparable cartoonist Tex Avery had a knack for making totally goofy predictions about future technology. His series of “… of Tomorrow” cartoons took some animated guesses at what life would be like in the future. The two below were produced in the early 1950s for MGM. They’re full of goofiness, fun futurism…and a bit of old-fashioned sexism.

These tongue-in-cheek predictions were never meant to be serious forecasts of actual cars that would one day rule the road – but at least one of them (accidentally) came close to the truth. The foot-propelled car isn’t far off from energy-saving people-powered vehicles being designed today in the interest of minimizing fossil fuel consumption.

The “TV of Tomorrow” short, however, came a little closer to predicting the actual state of present-day television. There’s no more need for antennae or exhaustive tuning, and it seems that every channel plays the same show or two at all times. You can view “peep shows” from home and even place bets on the outcome of certain shows. DVRs can help you skip right through commercials, and even the TV-based fishing game has been made into reality more than once. The future is an awesome place to live.

The post Tomorrow Comes Today: Goofy Predictions of Modern Tech first appeared on Gajitz.

Before television was blamed for everything from obesity to ADHD, it was thought of as one of the greatest technological advances ever. In the early days of TV, manufacturers and industry experts wanted the public to know how television would improve the lives of everyone who brought one into their homes.

These old television advertisements (all from between 1939 and 1947) illustrate not only the different attitudes about TV back in the gadget’s younger years, but the physical differences between the TV sets of that time and the sleek, slim televisions of today.

Imagine thinking of a 12-inch TV as large and futuristic! But back when the average television size was barely bigger than the screen on your iPhone, 12 inches was a luxuriously giant size. Of course, the cabinet containing that tiny screen would still take up half of your living room.

In the 1940s, television was said to bring families closer together, keep kids happy – and even help you love America more. That mentality didn’t last for very long, and today TV ads rarely make claims about improving anything other than the picture quality of your favorite reality shows.

There’s something beautiful about the retro pictures of these old televisions. When the technology was new and TVs weren’t yet in every home, they must have been fascinating pieces of the future. In those days, no one could have predicted where the TV age would take us…or that we’d now voluntarily be inviting creatures like Speidi and Brangelina into our homes.

The post The Big Picture: 10 Fun 1940s Ads For First Generation TVs first appeared on Gajitz.

Taking a look back at the history of television, it’s pretty amazing to note what dramatic transformations their form has undergone. From massive cabinets that took up half of the room, to hefty thick boxes with wire antennae, to thin flatscreens, modern TVs couldn’t be more different from their predecessors of half a century ago. But even the flatscreens have the unfortunate problem of being an obvious electronic item, which doesn’t exactly jive with minimalist design. Ad Notam has created TVs that answer the call for televisions that are truly beautiful – even when they’re turned off.

Ad Notam’s most notable item is the top photo, featuring an HDTV hidden behind a wall-size reflective piece of glass. When on, the screen is clear and easily watchable. When off, the whole outfit just looks like a wall-to-wall shiny mirror. Kind of cool, right? It doesn’t stop there – the company offers various and finishes besides the mirror finish, as well as many configurations including built-in storage. The TVs can be ordered in either 36″ or 46″ sizes – both pretty dang big when you consider the big glass border around the screen. You can go for the wall-mounted or floor-standing variety, depending on your available space.

Unlike traditional TVs, which can break up the flow of a room, Ad Notam TVs could actually be an attractive part of the décor. Because the shiny surface acts as a mirror when the picture is off, the pieces can make a room seem bigger – not to mentioned polished and stylish. The company offers custom configurations so you can even tailor your mirror TV to your exact specifications. Although they’re completely awesome and we want several, they’ve got to be pricey. There are no costs listed on the website and, as mothers everywhere are fond of reminding us, if you have to ask how expensive it is you can’t afford it. Besides which…well, to put it delicately, how many couch potatoes actually want to see a reflection of themselves while watching Heroes and polishing off a bag of Doritos?

The post Art of Glass: Mirror-Fronted TVs More Than Mere Appliances first appeared on Gajitz.