The First Television Pictures
Moving pictures arrive by wire in a Soho attic.
On 26 January 1926 John Logie Baird shows members of the Royal Institution and a reporter from The Times live moving television images, with tones of light and shade, in his laboratory at 22 Frith Street, Soho. His mechanical system scanned 5 pictures a second at first; within three years he had sent television across the Atlantic and on to the BBC.
Open in interactive timeline →Key Numbers
- Demonstration
- 26 Jan 1926
- Frame Rate
- 5 pictures/second
- Transatlantic
- 1928
- First Colour Demo
- 3 July 1928
Verified Facts
- On 26 January 1926 John Logie Baird gave the first public demonstration of true television images to members of the Royal Institution and a reporter from The Times, at 22 Frith Street in Soho, London.
- It was the first demonstration of a television system that could scan and display live moving images with tonal graduation. Baird scanned 5 pictures a second at first, improving to 12.5 around 1927.
- He demonstrated the world's first colour transmission on 3 July 1928, and his company made the first transatlantic television transmission, from London to Hartsdale, New York, the same year.
- From 2 November 1936 the BBC alternated Baird's 240-line system with EMI's 405-line electronic system, and dropped Baird's in February 1937.
Myth vs. Reality
Myth:
Reality: Baird's 1926 system was mechanical, using spinning discs. The BBC chose EMI's electronic system in 1937, and modern TVs descend from electronic scanning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who demonstrated the first television?
John Logie Baird gave the first public demonstration of live moving television images on 26 January 1926, in his laboratory at 22 Frith Street, Soho, London.
Was Baird's television mechanical?
Yes. It used spinning scanning discs. The BBC replaced it with EMI's electronic system in February 1937.
When was the first colour TV transmission?
Baird demonstrated the world's first colour transmission on 3 July 1928.
Sources & Further Reading
Cite This Page
AskHistoryAI. “The First Television Pictures.” AskHistoryAI — Interactive Timeline of Everything. Updated 2026-10-08. https://askhistoryai.com/event/sv-baird-television/
Every fact on this page is checked against the published fact ledger and methodology; sources are listed above.