Privacy Security: Mobile Antenna Vans tracking Your TV Viewing History Electronic Surveillance 1956

Privacy Security: 1956 How Mobile Antenna Vans track Your TV Viewing History. Electronic Surveillance of citizens at home nearly 70 years ago. Explore how this was done electronically and legally for TV Networks Data Collection. How does this differ from today's technology? Original vintage film from 1956 restored to bring this historical use of mobile technology, radio tracking and data computing and reporting. The van’s antenna dish points at passing homes, and retrieves viewer data. The system called Poll-O-Meter (or Pollometer) was developed by Calbest Electronics Company of California. Data (like collection agencies such as Nielsen Media Research) was eagerly mined by giant Television studio corporations for rating statistics. Data collected was computing with the Totalizer machine. Data Collection, data mining at its early 1950's days. Original film title is “The Billion Dollar Question"by the Poll-O-Meter Corporation, Produced by Vortex, Inc.” -- Restored to nearly 4k, explore the technology used in U.S. cities. Enjoy this exploration of vintage tech. Your comments are most welcome!
2k and 4k stock footage available from PeriscopeFilm
www.periscopefi...

[@roachtoasties]

Very exciting. When will I be seeing Poll-O-Meter vans in my neighborhood?

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Greetings @roachtoasties, if you very carefully look out your livingroom window right now..... : )

[@marcse7en]

Good news! ... POLL - O - METER vans will be in your neighborhood in 1956! 📺👍🤣

[@ghostmantagshome-er6pb]

Too busy being mapped and photographed by Google maps.

[@radarmusen]

In Denmark it was used to find “freeloaders” there didn’t pay for tv or radio. I was taken by them because nobody was warning me about them when I was living at college, it’s hard to tell that you didn’t have a tv, when they can hear it through the open door. 😂

[@kc4cvh]

The Poll-O-Meter seems to have some limitations. First, the local oscillator signal to the antenna is going to be very, very weak as there is always an RF amplifier in televisions with two tuned circuits to block the path backward. Then the problem that the LO frequency will be in the FM broadcast or aviation band for some channels. And if the system works as planned, it only tells that a TV is tuned to that channel, not who and how many are watching. For that, you need the People Meter, from Nielsen Media Research.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @kc4cvh, thank you very much for your feedback. You make some very good technical points here. The data collected would be very limited and not give the accurate measure of how many viewers are watching at any one time. The weak signal would seem to have been a problem too. Thanks for the observations!

[@tpa6120a2dwp]

Interesting that they were able to pick up the LO leakage with this setup so reliably, those early TV tuners must have radiated quite a bit of power through the mixer. In professional receivers this is prevented by shielding circuit sections, adding filters, and much better mixers. In WW2 the Kriegsmarine had a unique shortwave receiver Lo6K39a made by Lorenz for this purpose that avoided the risk of getting detected by LO leakage. Instead of the superheterodyne principle it used a simple TRF design, but with 6 tuned resonant circuits.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @tpa6120a2dwp, thank you for the great technical info and bit of history! IO leakage from TVs and computer monitors has been a source of covert information harvesting for quite a long time. It is quite a fascinating science in itself. Thanks very much for your informative comment! Glad you took the time to share this info. ~ VK, CHAP

[@jecelassumpcaojr890]

I had guessed that they somehow were detecting a dip in the reflected spectrum, somewhat similar how RFID transmit by selectively receiving. A more complicated alternative would be to use something like Tempest to capture the image on the CRT and compare it with the output of a circuit with a dedicated receiver for each channel.

[@cubes123]

I think this must be how UK tv detector vans used to work too.

[@judmcc]

What is "LO leakage"?

[@MrBillmcminn]

@@judmcclocal oscillator, it’s a part used in superheterodyne receiving circuits. The local oscillator generates a signal a set frequency above the frequency of the TV/radio station being received. The next stage called the mixer takes the tuned frequency and then local oscillator frequency and then outputs a signal at a set frequency which is called the intermediate frequency or IF.

[@garthhowe297]

Apparently the Poll-o-meter van doesn't stop for meals, bio-breaks, or fuel. Tough job. I believe Britain used a similar tech to find homes with tv's, who hadn't purchased a license for one.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @garthhowe297, yes, good observation! It does remind one of the UK Television license tracking vans. Perhaps where they got the idea from. Thanks for your comment! ~ VK

[@paulusthegrey]

@@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject In the UK it was always questioned as to whether these actually worked. From personal experience in the TV industry most often it was the Line Oscillator's feedback pulse used to generate the 14kV for the tube that was the strongest signal, and although on a different frequency because of the wide spectrum RF noise it created would drown out anything from even a badly screened LO.

[@G8YTZ]

That is correct

[@G8YTZ]

@@paulusthegrey yes, but as I’m sure you know only too well you would’ve had to use the local oscillator frequency to detect which channel they were watching. The flaw in the process would have been the odd set radiating a very powerful local oscillator would’ve probably given th impression that about 10 sets were watching that channel as the signal faded in and out as you drove around but hey if you can convince marketing mugs to part with money, then make hay whilst the sun shines!

[@LeifES]

Must have used a lot of bottles.

[@lencortigiano1450]

Back in the 1950s, you could violate American’s 4th Amendment rights against ‘unreasonable searches and seizures’ and the privacy of your home, make money doing it, and even brag about it. Today of course, it’s different. That digital cable box reports your viewing habits much more accurately. And the cable providers no doubt, have clauses in their agreement with you, which allows them to monitor what you watch, without running afoul of the law.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @lencortigiano1450, "clauses in their agreement..." Yes, very good point! They make sure people consent to being observed and tracked, just for the privilege of watching their viewing content. Great feedback, thank you!

[@usvalve]

Hang on a minute... 10,000 readings per hour. Let's say American houses are at 10m intervals, so the van must travel at 100 kilometers per hour *average*, including corners, junctions etc. That is some supercharged VW camper!

[@agranero6]

Except that there was not only one van.

[@pileofstuff]

once again demonstrating that the advertising industry has always relied on creepy levels of monitoring to increase their abilities at manipulating the public.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @pileofstuff, an interesting observation and good comment. Thank you!

[@jagmarc]

@@pileofstuff And supermarket 'loyalty points cards' , that's for testing and measuring product advertising targeting to each household, in near real time. And for almost every marketing email you open, your email address appears on a leads list of followup. I know people who open a business to business email offer and within a minute gets incoming call from them. After clicking 'if this email fails to appear correctly click here' .

[@RottnRobbie]

Hey, nice to find you here, Mr. Pile O' Any chance you've got one waiting in the mailbag queue? I'd love to see a Curiosity Teardown of it! 😂

[@jagmarc]

I now notice my earlier comment this thread has dissapeared, censored no doubt. I won't say it otherwise this one will dissappear too.

[@ManiacalMichael504]

Very interesting film, I know "TV detector" vans were used in the UK, but never realized they were also used here in the US, albeit for a slightly different reason.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @ManiacalMichael504, glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for the feedback!

[@agranero6]

While that in UK: they used a similar technology for a different purpose: a TV detector van to find people that had a TV but didn't pay the TV tax. When I saw about TV van detectors on a book (it explained that was for countries where you needed a license to have a TV) I thought it was talking about of Eastern Europe like Romania, Albania, East Germany, etc...not even URSS would do that. But no: it was UK searching people that evaded the TV tax...UK and their taxes: big houses have windows closed with bricks to this day: a relic of the times of the Window Tax.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @agranero6, fascinating info! The "Window Tax" is something I never heard of. Had to look it up. Here is the def that Wikip gives: "Window tax was a property tax based on the number of windows in a house. It was a significant social, cultural, and architectural force in England, France, and Ireland during the 18th and 19th centuries. To avoid the tax, some houses from the period can be seen to have bricked-up window-spaces. In England and Wales it was introduced in 1696 and in Scotland from 1748. " wow, now that is really an innovative way to tax people...! Thanks for the new info! ~ VK, CHAP

[@agranero6]

@@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject The idea was to tax the rich...the richer you are the more windows you will have on your house. You can hide posessions and money...but not windows.

[@mike_w-tw6jd]

There is controversy over whether the UK TV vans could detect anything or were just used for intimidation.

[@agranero6]

@@mike_w-tw6jd It was technologically possible...but fake vans would be cheaper. Maybe very few were real and most were just for intimidation.

[@marks-the-spot]

Drop one hyphen (Pollo-Meter) and you have a device that counts how many homes are eating chicken for dinner! 😁

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

... a little "chicken humor" ... Thank you! : )

[@jessihawkins9116]

i hate chicken 😠

[@G8YTZ]

Not exactly a scientific conclusion in real Word or , it works by detecting the local oscillator frequency for the limited number of VHF channels back then. But as a vehicle drove around, they would’ve been fading. They would’ve clocked up false positives, and some receiver types with little in the way of local oscillator radiation wouldn’t have registered at all. The technology would’ve been completely obsolete by the time transistorised receivers became commonplace as more modern sets had very low local oscillator radiation.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @G8YTZ, you make some very good points! Thank you for the helpful info! ~ VK

[@WOFFY-qc9te]

CQ G8YTZ DE G8WOF who agrees with you. Local Oscillator radiation was the bane of the Royal Navy it was routine to have Land based operations scanned for such emissions including PC VDU's (still done to this day ) and many merchant ships were located by the Germans from the local oscilator. Scott Radio company (New Zealand) manufactured sets which with extra filtering suppressed Local Oscillator radiation in 1935. The BBC detector vans could at one time detect set operation and narrow down the channel by the time base sync pulse however were very crude and as there were only three channels it was like shooting fishing in a barrel and more a deterrent. Current detector vans do absolutely nothing and I agree with G8YTZ that the Poll-o-Meter would create false positives. The device would need multiple receivers running in diversity and no possible way of discriminating and detecting the number of set quoted in the demonstration was smoke and mirrors to convince advertising agencies to cough up in favour of paying Nielsons Market research who had set top boxes installed to collect viewers figures. They still do it that way as the important information is what the viewer liked about the program which the Poll-o-Meter could not collect. The BBC spend £14M on postage harassing people who do not watch television. The BBC use licence fee to subcontract programming making to a Ltd company called BBC Studios which is not the BBC, their profit from sales world wide or advertising income does not offset the license fee so technically a licence payer is a shareholder of BBC Studios but they don't get a dividend. Please sign the petition to save Droitwich Long-Wave 500kW transmitter which the BBC are closing down, it is a very important part of the UK's emergency communications system and Test match special. 73's G8WOF

[@jagmarc]

​@@WOFFY-qc9te? Is the BBC British ? thought it got its news editorial direction from Qatar?

[@WOFFY-qc9te]

@@jagmarc Last comment deleted I will try again. " Possibly but more like India ' check the BBC yearly report for names.

[@juslitor]

@@WOFFY-qc9te isnt droitwich being closed because of the unobtanium radio tubes running out ?

[@RealBastard-q9u]

I believe this van could pick up some signals but the accuracy would be highly questionable. It was probably a marketing stunt by a company collating TV watching data collected by other methods. By the way, the detection of TVs in the UK was done by professional engineers. Also most houses in the cities of the UK had no front lawn and the front window of the lounge was often at the edge of the footpath. The detector vehicle would often be line of sight only 2 to 5 metres from the TV set.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @RealBastard-q9u, you make very good points. Accuracy of the tracking and recording devices would seem to be very questionable. I wonder if there was any way to check the accuracy at all(?). Thanks very much for your feedback and info!

[@James-cz4xv]

In the 1970s And 1980s They use to fly in helicopters or planes try to detect were the signals were coming from. Which is entirely different then this

[@andywolan]

10:20 - that location has excellent TV reception, and an insane number of TV channels.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @andywolan, interesting, thank you!

[@rayceeya8659]

That's more stations than we had with CABLE back in the 80s. At least in my hometown of 1,500ppl.

[@user-ve3gh5xg9q]

I ❤️ vintage IT

[@marcse7en]

5:18 The "advanced electronic device' has CALBEST POLL - O - METER written on it with a black marker pen! 🤣

[@LarryBlowers]

I highly doubt the numbers claimed in this film I believe there inflated and exaggerated.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @LarryBlowers, could very well be.

[@mranalogman3525]

If they are detecting the signal using the local oscillator, it probably didn't matter if a signal was actually being received on the TV.

[@bblod4896]

I'll bet Comcast has very detailed information on the TV viewing habits in my household. 😮 Cool look back in time. Thanks CHAP. 🍻

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @bblod4896, yes, quite true. And they don't even need to drive a van around town to collect all our info(!) Thanks for the feedback and perspective! ~ VK

[@raymondcourtois67]

I'm pretty sure they know every button press you make on the remote with the all digital cable boxes. A couple of years ago their cable boxes (at least in my area) had a quirk that the audio would mute for a second or two the first time a button on the remote was pressed after the cable box was turned on. The interesting thing was, that audio drop out would happen even if first button pressed was volume up or down. Those buttons really only need to send an IR signal to the TV emulating its original remote. They don't need to send a signal to the cable box too. But they must have been, or the box would only have exhibited that quirk if a button it cares about like a number button or the guide button was pressed. So they know if you're muting during commercials, robbing them of profits!

[@hugh007]

I dont know how easy it was to 'hear' the local oscillator of TVs. Manufacturers were required by the FCC to limit its radiation so as to not interfere with nearby TVs. And people in high-rises?

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Very good questions. Folks in high-rise apts. would be out of range. The FCC regulations might not be specific on what they mean by "interference" i.e., Part 15 regs. Perhaps another one of our savvy viewers has more info on that scenario. Thanks for the interesting feedback! ~

[@AppliedCryogenics]

Nobody was bothering to write down what addresses they were visiting. I guess they used Google Maps 1962.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @AppliedCryogenics, yes perhaps a very early implementation of Google Maps... : ) !

[@dalecomer5951]

The choice of a VW Type 2 seems unusual for the time. The channels used in the tests filmed were exactly those in operation in L.A. in 1956.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @dalecomer5951, do you think it was an unusual choice because of its small size?

[@dalecomer5951]

@@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject Most likely they chose it because they hoped it would keep costs down. 1956 was only the second year any VW models were imported into the U.S. in significant numbers.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Very interesting, thank you!

[@UQRXD]

The SMART TV tells all, just like the cable box or Dish boxes. Your phone tells all including location. Social media and online shopping tell the rest. The computer system knows you better than you know yourself. The world will be controlled and enslaved like never before. You won't know it and in fact ask for more control. I have seen the roll out of this.Glad I will never see the end result before my time on this world is up. I lived most of my life relatively free. The more information the Beast is fed the bigger it gets. Knowledge is power, power is control. As control grows so does enslavement and less freedom of choice.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @UQRXD, good points, a little scary too.

[@TalmidAndy]

It is about as believable as the BBC's much mythologized TV detector van.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @TalmidAndy, the UK's TV license verification vans drove around for years... I think a license is still needed in the UK today, but the vans are gone.... The POLL-O-Meter van is gone too, replace with more accurate viewer monitoring software. More tracking than ever. ~ Thanks for the feedback! ~ VK

[@TalmidAndy]

@@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject TV detector vans drive around 'detecting' people watching the BBC but really did not do anything like what was claimed by the BBC. The license is still required but the new system, computer database and doorstep 'enforcement' by hired thugs, does not rely on faking a detection system.

[@rayceeya8659]

I was picturing something more like the British TV detector vans. They had a tax to own a TV set in Britain and they used the money to fund the BBC so they had cans that could detect active TVs and if you hadn't paid your licence fee, they would getcha.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Yes, have heard about that. How much was the Television License fee back then?

[@jonathaneastwood2927]

It's still going on today here in UK ​@@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

I thought it would have been abolished by now....

[@davidlucas6837]

@@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject No, TV Licence still required in the UK

[@rayceeya8659]

@@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject I think they only worked with CRTs so they don't work anymore anyway.

[@jimmyday9536]

This was back when TV was actually worth watching.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @jimmyday9536, I think you have a point there!

[@monterreymxisfun3627]

I wonder how hot those vans got with all those vacuum tubes and no air conditioning in the vehicle, wearing a suit no less.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @monterreymxisfun3627, that is a great point. No A/C in that van is quite true. Must have been a little "sweat box" when rolling along and the equipment was on. (Wouldn't like that job.)

[@James-cz4xv]

In the 1970s And 1980s they used to fly around in helicopters and planes trying to determine where the signals were coming from. But this is entirely different then this video

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Yes, very true. (It would be something to have one of these vans today, just to drive around for fun.)

[@RobertSmith-1]

Interesting to say the least!

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@mrcleanisin]

I guess they went out of business when UHF came along.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @mrcleanisin, good point! It quite possibly impacted their technology, and they would have to adapt or phase out.

[@johnopalko5223]

Pop a three-port circulator into the line so anything coming from the TV gets dumped into a resistor.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @johnopalko5223, interesting idea! Thank you.

[@johnopalko5223]

@@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject In theory, my idea would work. I don't know how practical it would be, however. It probably wasn't an option back in 1956. Glad you liked it, though.

[@johnevans9751]

A VW type 2 bus? Nice. Let's cruise through the trailer park, ummmm....quickly.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

That was quite a speed-through of the trailer park.... wonder why.

[@Madness832]

What'd they do when UHF become more well established?🤔

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @Madness832, presumably, they had to modify their equipment to keep the data collection going forward. Good question!

[@nickpalance3622]

I hate to say it but I wager that big advertisers with the 💰 $ to use this would not care too much about UHF. Not all TVs had UHF (once it became a thing) until required by law. UHF stations were often local independents of a lesser caliber than the big VHF independents. Time to rewatch Weird Al’s movie “UHF” (Wheel. Of. Fish! ; “it sticks!” ; “change, mister? you got change?”)

[@josron6088]

I'm not an engineer or anything. But I seriously doubt anything like this back then would actually work. Or be even remotely accurate on each individual house..

[@cayman_islands]

bu minübüsler ile rusyayı dinlediler.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

That would be amazing!

[@lansdragon2542]

Мощности не хватит.. это делал ваш вмф.. и U2

[@cayman_islands]

@@lansdragon2542 sınır bölgelerinde ufak dinlemeler içindi.batı almanya gibi.

[@BulacanUMNChannel34]

TV Licencing Van

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Looks similar, but no...

[@Wilkins_Micawber]

What a load of bulls#!t. Back in the 1950s we didnt have the computing power for such a device. TVs and antenna do not transmitt information of what the TV is tuned into.

[@hugh007]

In theory, the oscillator in any superheterodyne receivers could be detected by specialized equipment and converted to the channel being watched but the signal is VERY weak and is only detectable at a few yards. If that.

[@Wilkins_Micawber]

@@hugh007 Yes there is probably a means of detecting cathode ray tubes in use within a home. But it would only be detected as noise. I live in the U.K. Here we by law must purchase a TV licence if you want to watch or record ANY live to air TV or watch BBC through their iPlayer catch-up service. Back in the 1950s, days when you could only watch live to air TV broadcasts. The government had public information broadcasts warning of DETECTOR vans operating in YOUR AREA. With actors indicating that someone was found watching TV and the actor naming the program being watched. It was all BS to scare. Even today with the vast leaps in technology. This country has NEVER EVER had one prosecution for not having a TV licence USING detection technologies. Every prosecution is ALWAYS a result of the TV miscreant admitting to an employee of TV licensing of non-compliance. TV licensing only call at home where a TV license is recorded as not being issued. Yes people are being prosecuted every week. They can apply to a court for a warrant. But a warrant will only be issued on prima-facia evidence of an offence being produced. If this detection technology was available to TV licensing I am quite sure they would use it. I don’t personally have a TV licence, but I comply with the law as I outline above. This is the basis I put my earlier “BS” remarks.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Fascinating info.... thanks very much! Kind of exposes what's under the hood on this tactical tracking technique....

[@MessiahProphylaxis]

Weren't there only like 3 channels? WHY DO THE KNOBS GO UP TO 13?? Madness.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @MessiahProphylaxis, Good question! Back then there were 4 networks, ABC, CBS, NBC and Dumont. (Dumont went out of business in 1955). So that left only THREE nettworks. There were 13 channel spots on the average television set channel selector for VHS, but only a few local transmitting stations in those channels depending on where you lived. So the average family got to see 5 or six stations across the three networks. That's how I remember it anyway.... Hope this helps.

[@jasonacg]

Two reasons: first, dont forget there were independent stations, too. Second, you need to stagger channel assignments, so stations in neighboring cities don't interfere with each other.

[@mike_w-tw6jd]

maybe they received stations from 2 different cities

[@davidlucas6837]

In the UK there were only 2 channels, BBC and ITV

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

I recall three channels, BBC 1, BBC 2, ITV (Independent Television), but only two "networks". BBC, ITV.

[@Design_no]

Now un the uk they come and enter your house without an invitation.

[@murray_n]

Every claim in this video defies common sense. Televisions are receivers, they don't send anything to the antenna. Who were they selling these things to?

[@mike_w-tw6jd]

Signals given off by electronic equipment are very weak at those distances.

[@davidlucas6837]

@@mike_w-tw6jd And at speed driven through the streets!

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi @murray_n, perhaps some electronics and/or radio tech experts might disagree w/that comment. TV sets, especially the older ones, had many circuits, tubes coils and high voltage rectifiers that all produce varying amounts of RF signals. Sensitive tracking equipment can pick up some of these from a surprising distance, even through walls. How well the "antenna van" worked or not (I am sure they exaggerated its capability), the technology exists to sense electromagnetic coil radiation at a distance, even if the device is not technically a "transmitter." Its part of the whole science of EMF. ~ ok, off my soap box now. Thanks for your feedback! ~ VK

[@murray_n]

@@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject Sure, but in 1956?

[@Peterthethinker]

​@@murray_npicking up picking up local oscillator leakage is trivial even back then the main variability would be the give me the quality of the television set and how much leakage it puts out put on the receiving side this is not that hard to pick up if it's out there