A number of experimental and broadcast pre World War IItelevision systems were tested. The first ones were mechanical based (mechanical television) and of very low resolution, sometimes with no sound. Later TV systems were electronic (electronic television).
Germany 1937: 441 lines, 25 frame/s, line frequency 11,025 Hz. Vision 46.0 MHz Sound 43.2 MHz.[15][4][16]
Germany 1940: 1,000 lines signal projection, no glass screen but projection screen (successful experiments in Reichspost laboratories, but no mass production, note that in Germany public telegraphy, telephone, and radio services were subject to the Reichspostministerium since the early 20th century, and TV was regarded a postal issue as well until the 1980s)
Warsaw 1937 (mechanical): 120 lines, test movies and live images from a studio
Electronic TV (343 lines) was under development and was publicly demonstrated during the Radio Exhibition in Warsaw in August 1939, regular operations planned to start at the beginning of 1940, work stopped because of the outbreak of World War II.
During the 1930s there were also experimental transmissions from the Vatican - but further details are unknown. Later Arturo Castellani emerges as the main figure being early regular broadcasts.[20][21][22]
Italy 1932 (mechanical): 60 lines, 20 frame/s, 4:3 horizontal aspect ratio, ~45x60 pixels per frame, test movies and live images
Italy 1937 (electronic): 375 lines, 25 frame/s, 4:3 horizontal aspect ratio, daily from Rome, between 6pm and 9.30pm on 6.9 meters with a power of 2 kW[23]
Italy 1939 (electronic): 441 lines, 25 frame/s, 4:3 horizontal aspect ratio, regular service from Rome and Milan. 2 kW transmission power on VHF 45 MHz[4]
England 1928 (Baird mechanical): 30 lines, 5 frame/s, first experimental colour TV transmissions
London 1932 (Baird mechanical): 30 lines, 12.5 frame/s, 3:7 vertical aspect ratio, vertical scanning, ~70×30 pixels per frame, sound, live TV from studio
England 1936 (Baird): 240 lines, 25 frame/s, line frequency 6000 Hz, used from November 1936 to February 1937
The EMI 405 lines system was the first to have an ITU System Letter Designation, and is known as System A. As the EMI system predates PAL, there is no PAL designator in the ITU television system table.
