Regency Model TR-1 Transistor Radio
date: label: Date made
content: 1954
name: label: maker
content: Idea Incorporated
notes: label: Description
content: During World War Two scientists and engineers at Bell Laboratories conducted research on many radar and radio devices. One goal was to find a replacement for fragile and energy-wasting vacuum tubes. Building on war-time research, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain, working with group leader William Shockley, developed a device they called a transistor. The first laboratory demonstration took place on 23 December 1947. Bell publicly announced the new invention on 30 June 1948.
label: Description
content: At first the US military bought all the transistors Bell Labs could make, and the company agreed to license other manufacturers. As engineers learned how to use the new invention, plans were made for commercial products that could take advantage of the transistor's small size, energy efficiency, and rugged design. In 1953 hearing aids became the first commercial product to use transistors.
label: Description
content: A small, portable radio seemed a good opportunity, and a company called Idea Incorporated designed and produced the Regency. Planning began in 1951 between Idea and Texas Instruments, supplier of the transistors. Work began in earnest in the spring of 1954, and this first Regency transistor radio was in stores for the Christmas season later that year. The Regency model TR-1 contained four transistors. Capable of receiving AM stations, the radio cost about $50 (that would be almost $400 today.)
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: Place Made
content: United States: Indiana, Indianapolis
label: location of prior holder
content: United States: Texas, Dallas
topic: label: classified
content: Radio
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Electricity
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content: Popular Entertainment
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content: Communications
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content: Artifact Walls exhibit
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: from Dr. Willis A. Adcock
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1984.0040.01
label: accession number
content: 1984.0040
label: catalog number
content: 1984.0040.01
label: model number
content: TR-1
objectType: label: Object Name
content: radio receiver
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: red (case color)
label: Physical Description
content: cardboard (box material)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (case material)
label: Measurements
content: receiver: 12.7 cm x 8.7 cm x 3.5 cm; 5 in x 3 7/16 in x 1 3/8 in