The “Typewriter“ That Changed the World

#vintagecomputer #electronics #typewriter Don Lancaster’s TV Typewriter, introduced 47 years ago in the September 1973 edition of Radio Electronics, was a revolutionary innovation that cracked open the door to affordable home computing. Lancaster’s pioneering device excited legions of electronics enthusiasts who dreamed of having a computer, or at least a computer terminal, in their own home. Through clever design, Lancaster created a device that, for the first time ever, let a person put words on their TV set. The use of the TV set, something every household had, made it much more affordable than conventional terminals, or glass teletypes and ushered in a wave of innovation that led to the world we live in today. This video covers the history, the inner workings, and takes you on a demonstration of a real, authentic TV Typewriter, albeit one built in 2018, modelled after Lancaster’s prototype. Link to more info, schematics and construction guide: