Guide to the J.P. (John Paul) Smith papers
M1894
Finding aid prepared by Tim Noakes
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford, California, 94305-6064
specialcollections@stanford.edu
2012-5-17
Title: J.P. (John Paul) Smith papers
Identifier/Call Number: M1894
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
1.75 Linear feet
(4 manuscript boxes)
Date (inclusive): ca. 1927-1970
Abstract: J.P. Smith worked on the development of the television at Radio Corporation of America (RCA). This collection contains mostly
his early papers and schematics.
Biographical
John Paul Smith (frequently referred to as J.P.) was born in 1905 and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical
Engineering in 1927 from Texas A & M College. Upon graduation he joined General Electric in Schenectady where Ernest Alexanderson
led the six person television research group, which broadcast a 24 line television signal in 1928 from its station WGY. WGY
produced and transmitted the first television drama, “The Queen’s Messenger.” Smith worked on carrier current and early television
circuits at GE. With the merger of the television interests of GE, Westinghouse, and RCA in 1930, Mr. Smith moved to Camden,
New Jersey to work as a television development engineer at RCA Victor, “where he worked on studio and terminal equipment,
specializing in sync generators” (quoted from his resume). Smith worked at Camden on a number of television projects. During
World War II Smith seems to have worked in radar and communications primarily. In 1947 Smith resumed his work on television
and was focused a great deal on broadcast transmission equipment, especially mobile broadcasting. From 1949 until about 1962
Smith worked on color television on a wide variety of important technical issues. He also trained RCA television dealers on
the television sets they were selling. For the rest of his career until he retired in 1971 he worked on a number of diverse
government contracts and on satellite communications in such fields as ground stations and image perceptibility and clarity.
Access to Collection
Open for research; material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.
Publication Rights
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the
Head of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California 94305-6064. Consent
is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission
from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner, heir(s) or assigns. See: http://library.stanford.edu/depts/spc/pubserv/permissions.html.
Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research
and educational purposes.
Acquisition Information
This collection was purchased by Stanford University, Special Collections in January, 2012.
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], J.P. Smith collection of RCA Television History ephemera (M1894). Dept. of Special Collections and
University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.
Scope and Contents
This collection contains articles, notes, schematics, photographs, blueprints, and slides related to the development of the
television.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Radio Corporation of America (RCA).
Smith, John Paul, 1905-
Box 1, Folder 1
RCA: Schematic Wiring Diagrams of 120-line Television Amplifier Terminal Equipment
circa 1932
Language of Material:
English
Box 1, Folder 2
RCA: Resistance-Coupled Picture Frequency Amplifiers for Television Circuits
1932-09-20
Box 1, Folder 3
RCA: Electrical Synchronizing Generator Using Multivibrators
1933-08-28
Box 1, Folder 4
RCA: Counter Circuit Timer for Television Synchronizing Signal Generator
1940-01-05
Box 1, Folder 5
RCA: Ground Clutter Reduction Using the Storage Tube
1946-07-15
Box 1, Folder 6
Graph: Length of uniform Transmission line determination
circa 1940
Box 1, Folder 7
RCA: An Evaluation of Photographic Image Quality
1962-12-14
Box 1, Folder 8
RCA: Dynamic Regulation of Image Orthicon Beam current
1963-12-31
Box 1, Folder 9
Miscellaneous graphs, blueprints, articles, reprints, notes
Box 1, Folder 10
Extensions of Image Sensor Capabilities (with photographs)
Box 1, Folder 11
RCA: Television Field Pick-up Equipment
1949
Box 2, Folder 1
RCA: Television High Voltage R-F Supplies
1946-08-15
Box 2, Folder 2
RCA: Design and Operation of the Television Carrier Synchronizing Equipment
1949-02-14
Box 2, Folder 3
Reprint: A Method of Measuring the Optical Sine-Wave Spatial Spectrum of Television Image Display Devices
1958
Box 2, Folder 4
RCA: Vertical Aperture Equalizer Servo Instruction Manual
1957-08-17
Box 2, Folder 5
RCA: A High-Definition Television Simulator
1958-07-01
Box 2, Folder 6
RCA: The Potential of Television Technique in Medicine
1967-11-20
Box 2, Folder 7
Synchronizing Generator papers for RCA review article
Box 2, Folder 8
RCA: Synchronizing Generator, Instructions
Box 2, Folder 9
RCA: Television Camera Equipment Catalog
1966
Box 2, Folder 10
J.P. Smith patents
1936-1957
Box 2, Folder 11
General Engineering Instruction: Patents
1927
Box 2, Folder 12
Vacuum tube articles and data
1927-1929
Box 2, Folder 13
"Television and Voice Broadcast equipment...," J. P. Smith
1929-07-23
Box 2, Folder 14
WTAW: First football broadcast articles
1954
Box 2, Folder 15
RCA: Synchronizing Signal and Blanking Impulse Generator
Box 3, Folder 1
Miscellaneous photographs
Box 3, Folder 2
Miscellaneous photographs
Box 3, Folder 4
Facts about the Camden Plant RCA Manufacturing Company
Box 3, Folder 5
J.P. Smith Retirement material
1970
Box 3, Folder 6
J.P. Smith diploma from Institute of Radio Engineers
1942
Box 3, Folder 7
J.P. Smith Personal Data Summary
Half-box 4, Folder 1
Slide Carousel #1: Early TV Equipment From 1923 to 1930
Half-box 4, Folder 2
Slide Carousel #2: The Early Shows. (1-??), Victor Talking Machine (2-17 to 2-36), RCA 60 Line TV (2-37 to 2-49), Our Competition
in 1931 (2-50 to 2-104), The RCA 120 LineField Test (2-105 to 2-114), Iconoscope Camera Tube (2-115 to 2-140)
Half-box 4, Folder 3
Slide Carousel #3: Field Tests By NBC in NY (3-1 to 3-27), Camden TV Engineers (3-28 to 3-50), The Amtorg Project. (3-51 to
3-86), Excerpts From RCA Television Publications (3-87 to 3-134), About The Year 441 Lines Became The RMA Standard
Half-box 4, Folder 4
Slide Carousel #4: About The Year 441 Lines Became The RMA Standard, The Fall Of ’39 TV Terminal Equipment “Rogues Gallery”.
(4-11 to 4-28), TV At The New York World’s Fair Of 1939 (4-29 to 4-32), The Washington DC Field Tests Of RCA Portable TV Equipment
(4-33 to 4-49), The RCA Block Equipment (4-50 to 4-52), Other Important Television Events In 1941 (4-53 to 4-62), Construction
Begins On The RCA Laboratories, Princeton, N. J. (4-63 to 4-67), Laying Of The Cornerstone At RCA Laboratories On November
15, 1941 (4-68 to 4-83), NBC TV People in the Mid-40s (4-84 to 4-102), Engineering Department: Telephone Directory (4-120
to 4-126)
