Despite On-line Scanned Access!

[peter scott]

You might think that the on-line scanned version of the "Black Book" would have reduced the value of original published copies but some people think differently.

Peter

[ppppenguin]

I think I paid £250 for my copy.

There's more than one scan around. The Black Book is a loose leaf volume, there are different versions of many pages. I don't know if anyone has attempted to assemble a set of scans with all the versions of each page.

My understanding is that Birkinshaw wrote the Black Book because M-EMI didn't provide adequate documentation of their AP installation. Birkinshaw and his fellow engineers had to operate and maintain all this complex and novel equipment so needed decent documentation.

[peter scott]

I photographed each page of my copy and Brian Cuff cleaned them up. I also sent the copies to Steve McVoy but asked him not to broadcast them as I was concerned that the BBC copyright police might arrest me. I think Brian subsequently bought his own copy and that's the one available at ETF.

Peter

[ppppenguin]

There's Brian Cuff's scan, augmented I think, by a couple of different/extra pages from my copy. There's also Simon Vaughan's project in 2012: https://rts.org.uk/shiers-trust-award Not sure where that scan is hosted. Is the scan on bbeceng.info that you referenced either of these? Or yet another one?

[peter scott]

Yes, I referenced the bbceng one which is 1260. Mine is 1301. I didn't know about the Simon Vaughan one. The ETF links are here.

Peter

[ppppenguin]

Mine is 1240, issued to Cardiff. Brian's scan (or at least the files I have) don't have the inside cover with the serial number.

Question: at what number did the serials start? Possibly 1000? I think that the Dulwich Museum has Birkinshaw's own copy so the serial in that would be worth noting next time I'm there.

[peter scott]

Yes, that would be interesting.

Peter

[Radio Fixer]

Is it really worth having? I dont do TV so have no idea of the contents. Even at hundreds of pounds it seems crazy particularly when there are scanned versions around.

I have the big F. Langford Smith book but I didnt pay much for it and wouldnt have for the number of times its used. Also have the slim short form and that mostly does the job.

Gary

[ppppenguin]

Gary, The Black Book is a very beautiful and tactile object. Yes, I want the content, but there's something special (to me) about seeing it, holding it and turning the pages.

Different people have differing views on what's valuable to them. For example I got rid of my paper copies of Practical Television magazine. I don't feel any attachment to the objects but do need the information. This is available on the World Radio History site (along with a huge amount of other stuff) and, most important of all, it's searchable. This makes it more useful than the paper copies.

[Geordie McBoyne]

Mine is No. 258 and was issued to Mr. C. C. E. Bellringer.
Earliest pages are dated October 1937.

Geordie McBoyne.