Computer History Archives Project (CHAP) | Have You Seen This Tracking VAN? TV Signal Scanning 1956 high-tech Surveillance, Mobile VW VAN @ComputerHistoryArchivesProject | Uploaded March 2022 | Updated October 2024, 1 week ago.
This original, uncut, vintage 1956 film describes the Polo-O-Meter mobile electronic signal tracking and recording system that monitors what channels being watched by TV viewers in their homes, with out their knowledge. Quite a unique and high-tech surveillance system for 1956. Good quality original film with clear narration, runs 13 minutes. Followed by a brief commercial featuring the same 1952 Westinghouse television that is shown at the opening of the Polo-O-Meter film.
The film was produced by Vortex Incorporated and was titled “the Billion Dollar Question.“ The “Poll-O-Meter” was an automatic, electronic tuning recorder of television reception developed by Calbest Electronics Company of California. The goal was measurement of audience viewing habits on a large scale, to supply feedback data to TV networks and production studios. A competitor of the early Nielsen ratings service, their goal was to become a leader in the automatic tracking of U.S. TV viewers. The film provides a very rare look at how Poll-O-Meter operated and how it compared with its competitors in 1956.
We hope you enjoy this unique look into this vintage technology system of the past.
This 1954 Volkswagen panel van was also used for other electronic surveillance and/or communication systems over the years. The film itself was published in 1956. Partially restored and uploaded by the Computer History Archives Project (CHAP) as an example of vintage electronics technology.
Explore our other vintage technology films and videos
youtube.com/channel/UCOyJD0RHtF_77_oAf5tT1nQ/videos
With many thanks to Speakeasy Archives for 16mm film scanning and transfer.
speakeasyarchives.com
This original, uncut, vintage 1956 film describes the Polo-O-Meter mobile electronic signal tracking and recording system that monitors what channels being watched by TV viewers in their homes, with out their knowledge. Quite a unique and high-tech surveillance system for 1956. Good quality original film with clear narration, runs 13 minutes. Followed by a brief commercial featuring the same 1952 Westinghouse television that is shown at the opening of the Polo-O-Meter film.
The film was produced by Vortex Incorporated and was titled “the Billion Dollar Question.“ The “Poll-O-Meter” was an automatic, electronic tuning recorder of television reception developed by Calbest Electronics Company of California. The goal was measurement of audience viewing habits on a large scale, to supply feedback data to TV networks and production studios. A competitor of the early Nielsen ratings service, their goal was to become a leader in the automatic tracking of U.S. TV viewers. The film provides a very rare look at how Poll-O-Meter operated and how it compared with its competitors in 1956.
We hope you enjoy this unique look into this vintage technology system of the past.
This 1954 Volkswagen panel van was also used for other electronic surveillance and/or communication systems over the years. The film itself was published in 1956. Partially restored and uploaded by the Computer History Archives Project (CHAP) as an example of vintage electronics technology.
Explore our other vintage technology films and videos
youtube.com/channel/UCOyJD0RHtF_77_oAf5tT1nQ/videos
With many thanks to Speakeasy Archives for 16mm film scanning and transfer.
speakeasyarchives.com
