Television systems before 1940

A number of experimental and broadcast pre World War II television systems were tested. The first ones were mechanical based and of very low resolution, sometimes with no sound. Later TV systems were electronic.
For a list of mechanical system tests and development, see mechanical television. For a station list see Prewar television stations

France

France 1930 : 30 lines, 12.5 frame/s
France 1932 : 60 lines, 12.5 frame/s, 3:7 vertical aspect ratio, vertical scanning ~35×60 pixels per frame, sound, live images
France 1935-1936 : 180 lines
France 1937-1939 : 455 lines, developed by Rene Barthelemy
France 1943-1956 : 441 lines

Germany

Doberitz 1932 : 48 lines, 25 frame/s, 4:3 horizontal aspect ratio, ~64×48 pixels per frame, sound, talking movies
Berlin R.P.Z. 1932 : 60 lines, 25 frame/s, 4:3 horizontal aspect ratio, ~83×60 pixels per frame, test movies and live images
Germany 1932: 90 lines
Germany 1935: 180 lines
Germany 1936: 375 lines
Germany 1937: 441 lines, 25 frame/s, line frequency 11,025 Hz. Vision 46.0 MHz Sound 43.2 MHz.
Germany 1940: 1,000 lines signal projection, no glass screen but projection screen

Netherlands

Netherlands 1930s: 441 lines, 25 frame/s, line frequency 11,025 Hz
Late 1940s: 567 lines

Poland

Warsaw 1937 : 120 lines, test movies and live images from a studio
Electronic TV 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.

Switzerland

Switzerland 1932 : 30 lines, 16.6 frame/s, 4:3 horizontal aspect ratio, ~40×30 pixels per frame, test movies and live images

Italy

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.

Italy 1932 : 60 lines, 20 frame/s, 4:3 horizontal aspect ratio, ~45x60 pixels per frame, test movies and live images
Italy 1937 : 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
Italy 1939 : 441 lines, 25 frame/s, 4:3 horizontal aspect ratio, regular service from Rome and Milan. 2 kW transmission power on VHF 45 MHz

UK

Mechanical

England 1926 : 30 lines, 5 frame/s, black-and-white experimental transmissions
England 1928 : 30 lines, 5 frame/s, first experimental colour TV transmissions
London 1932 : 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 : 240 lines, 25 frame/s, line frequency 6000 Hz, used from November 1936 to February 1937

Electronic

UK : 405 lines / 50 Hz. Used by the BBC Alexandra Palace television station initially from November 1936 to 1939 and then 1946 to 1985.
* 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.

USSR

1932 : 30 lines, 12.5 frame/s, 4:3 horizontal aspect ratio, ~40x30 pixels per frame, test movies and live images
Leningrad, 1935 : 180 lines, 25 frame/s with progressive scanning
Leningrad, 1937 : 240 lines, 25 frame/s with progressive scanning
Moscow, 1938 : 343 lines, 25 frame/s, 4:3 horizontal aspect ratio

North America

USA 1933: 240 lines
USA 1936: 343 lines; limited public demonstrations in New York City and Philadelphia. Field tests in Los Angeles used various line systems, but adopted RCA's 441 lines system by 1938.
USA 1938-9: First TV receivers sold on a very limited basis, mostly in New York. Manufacturers included RCA, General Electric, DuMont, and Andrea.
USA 1937-1941: 441 lines @ 30 fps and 605 lines.
USA 1941-1945: 375 lines @ 60fps field sequential color, tested by CBS in New York.