“See yourself in full color!”
In 1967, Remco took a page from Wham-O’s over-the-top playbook and released Instant TV, a wacky toy that was more marketing sizzle than steak.
Heavily advertised on television at the time (naturally), Instant TV promoted the opportunity to see yourself on screen in full colour, without the need for batteries or a wired connection. Given that most full-sized televisions in the United States were still black & white, Instant TV’s playtime appeal for young children was understandable.
Remco achieved the magical feat of “broadcasting” with a series of internal mirrors built into the approximately 8-inch x 5-inch box. Staring into the “camera” on top of the box caused one’s image to be reflected onto the clear viewing screen below. Instant TV’s fatal flaw was its reliance on proper lighting. Using the toy in low light led to a dark and fuzzy image. The toy’s plastic knob and focus ring were purely cosmetic and could not be used to sharpen the image.
VARIANTS
One year after Instant TV hit store shelves, Remco doubled down with a Star Trek version. There was nothing new or notable in the new version of the toy, save for updated branding — known as “label slapping” in the collector community.
COLLECTOR CONSIDERATIONS
Despite or perhaps because of the inflated claims, Instant TV remains popular in the collector community. For fans of Remco’s quirky line of Star Trek toys, the sci-fi version of Instant TV remains a staple for their collections.
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