Nipkow Disk Lab
Primary Sources
Every numerical parameter in the simulation is derived from a primary source. No values are assumed or borrowed from other simulators. Sources are listed by type; links go directly to the original document where freely accessible online.
Patents
Nipkow, Paul. Elektrisches Teleskop. German Patent DE30105. Filed 6 January 1884; published 15 January 1885.
Arc-path scanning geometry · Archimedean spiral hole layout · arc sag formula used in Pass 1
Baird, John Logie. Apparatus for the Transmission of Views, Scenes or Images to a Distance. UK Patent GB269658. Filed 20 January 1926; published 20 April 1927.
Core Televisor transmission method · scanning aperture and disk geometry
Baird, John Logie. An Improved Method of and Means for Producing Optical Images. UK Patent GB285738. Filed 15 October 1926.
Light-guide and optical arrangement of the Televisor
Baird, John Logie. Improvements in or Relating to Apparatus for Transmitting Views or Images to a Distance. UK Patent GB292185. Filed 21 December 1926.
Receiver disk synchronisation · aperture mask geometry
Journal Papers
Denton, J.E. (1933) Subscription
"The Baird Television System."
Journal of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, Vol. 72, pp. 97–129.
IET Digital LibrarySignal bandwidth ≈ 12.5 kHz · ≈ 33 resolvable picture elements per line · live BBC waveform oscilloscope measurements
Goldmark, P.C., Dyer, J.N., Piore, E.R. & Hollywood, J.M. (1942) Subscription
CBS sequential-field colour wheel · 405 lines / 48 fps / 4:3 aspect · R–G–B filter sequence
von Ardenne, Manfred (1936) Archive
"High-Definition Television." Wireless World, September 1936.
Corroborates German 180-line system bandwidth of 850 kHz
Books
Burns, R.W. (2000) Book
John Logie Baird: Television Pioneer. IEE History of Technology Series 22. Institution of Electrical Engineers, London. ISBN 0-85296-797-7.
§4.3: disk outer radius 220 mm, inner 170 mm · hole fill fraction 0.48 · arc sag ≈ 0.785 mm at mid-radius · 7:3 portrait aspect ratio derivation
Cobine, J.D. (1941) Book
Gaseous Conductors: Theory and Engineering Applications. McGraw-Hill, New York. Reprinted Dover, 1958.
§8: neon deionisation time ≈ 1 ms · persistence model (τ ≈ 131 samples, α ≈ 0.9924 at Baird parameters)
Parks, T.W. & Burrus, C.S. (1987) Book
Digital Filter Design. Wiley-Interscience, New York. ISBN 0-471-82896-3.
§2.2: zero-phase single-pole IIR (forward + backward pass) · bandwidth limiter (Pass 2)
Knuth, D.E. (1998) Book
The Art of Computer Programming, Vol. 2: Seminumerical Algorithms, 3rd ed. Addison-Wesley. ISBN 0-201-89684-2.
§3.2.1: LCG random number generator constants · AM noise generation (Pass 3)
Databases & Archives
National Institute of Standards and Technology. Atomic Spectra Database Lines Form. physics.nist.gov.
Neon emission spectrum · CIE 1931 chromaticity x≈0.578, y≈0.350 (deep reddish-orange glow)
BBC Written Archives Centre
Caversham Park, Reading. BBC internal engineering memoranda and broadcast logs, 1929–1935.
BBC 30-line service schedule · transmitter frequency 752 kHz (Long Acre studio)
Bradford, West Yorkshire. Collection includes surviving Baird Televisor disks and receivers. Science Museum Group Collection.
Physical disk measurements corroborating Burns (2000) §4.3
Secondary Sources
nostalgiatech.co.uk. Detailed account of the Berlin Olympics television coverage.
Corroborates 850 kHz bandwidth · camera hours by organisation · receiver screen dimensions 19 × 22 cm
earlytelevision.org. Tabulated specifications for mechanical television standards operated 1926–1941.
Corroborates Baird 30 aspect ratio (3:7 portrait) · German 4:3 systems · line counts and frame rates