Scored a Marconi BD851 B&W broadcast monitor!:D

[Aussie Bloke]

G'day all.

I've just scored myself a Marconi BD851 B&W broadcast monitor, won it on an Ebay auction http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/380466376856 for $36! The seller was the same person who I bought that ultra rare Concord NEI-17 vidicon camera from not too long ago http://videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=255074 .

This monitor I believe was made to suit with the Marconi MKIV camera chains as according to http://www.tvcameramuseum.org/marconi/marconi_list.htm these monitors were first manufactured around 1958 . This monitor would obviously be backward compatible with my Marconi MKIII camera chain too and pretty much with any video source as it had composite video inputs. I have no idea which TV station used this monitor, am guessing it could be one of the Sydney stations like ATN-7, ABN-2 or TEN-10 as they all used Marconi cameras in the B&W era.

Looking at the monitor inside and out, it is in great shape, there is not much dust in it and there is no physical signs of blown components so I believe it will likely to not take too much to restore this monitor to working condition, it probably already works even! I am eager to just plug it into power and let it rip but knowing that old electrolytic caps go dry, I think I will reform them first before doing that, plus the old paper caps would obviously need replacing!

Anyways will keep you's updated on the restoration work on this monitor. In the meantime here's some photos: