The launch of mass production of the first television receiver manufactured in Poland, i.e. the Wisła TV set, was the greatest production project of the first five-year economic plan in Poland, which covered the years 1956-1960. The design of the Wisła was based on a purchased license for the Soviet Awangard TL-1 television receiver of 1953. Overall, 16,000 Wisła units were built in 1956-1957. Two versions were built: the first made of parts and components from the USSR, the second – the upgraded Wisła-B – designed with partial use of Polish vacuum tubes. The Wisła television set was designed to receive black-and-white television broadcasts. The device was turned on by lifting the top cover, below which there were two built-in speakers and control knobs. The Wisła was equipped with a round cathode-ray tube, covered with a pane of protective glass. In the front wall of the housing there is an oblong cutout for the CRT screen with a size of 18 x 24 cm. The television was designed to receive only one channel, because Poland transmitted only one program at the time so a channel switch was unnecessary.
At the time when it was manufactured, the Wisła television set was a luxury item. When the country became fascinated by television in the 1950s, buying one was not easy. Production could not catch up with demand as only several dozen units left the factory every day. The TV set was purchased on the basis of coupons granted to work leaders, as well as people who had made a contribution to national culture, science, defence, or security.

Authors: Piotr Turowski, Filip Wróblewski