John Logie Baird

They called my early television 'Baird's Televisor.' I preferred to call it 'the contraption that might just work.'

The future is not something you predict, it's something you invent. Preferably with a lot of wires and a bit of luck.

I once tried to transmit a picture of a ventriloquist's dummy. It was surprisingly effective, given the limitations.

The greatest joy of invention is not the applause, but the quiet satisfaction of knowing you've made something out of nothing.

My work was often dismissed as a 'parlor trick.' A rather elaborate parlor trick, I might add.

I've always believed that if you can imagine it, you can build it. The 'how' is merely a technicality.

The first time I saw a truly clear image on my screen, I nearly dropped my tea. A rare moment of clumsiness for a man of science.

Some people collect stamps; I collected electrical components. Far more exciting, and occasionally explosive.

The path of an inventor is paved with good intentions and a surprising number of burnt-out fuses.

I never claimed to be a magician, merely a man who understood the principles of light and shadow, and how to make them dance.

My early demonstrations were often met with polite bewilderment. Which, for an inventor, is practically a standing ovation.

The beauty of invention is that it's never truly finished. There's always another knob to turn, another wire to connect.

I often wondered if the people watching my early broadcasts understood the sheer effort involved in getting that flickering image to them.

They say I brought the world into people's homes. I merely provided the window; the world did the rest.

My greatest achievement? Not the television itself, but the ability to convince myself, day after day, that it was worth pursuing.

The secret to invention is to keep asking 'what if?' and then to be brave enough to find out.

I've always found that a good problem is simply an opportunity in disguise. Albeit, sometimes a very frustrating disguise.

My early television was a bit like a magic trick where the magician occasionally set his hat on fire.

The future holds wonders we can barely imagine. And probably a few things we'd rather not.

I never sought riches, only the satisfaction of seeing my ideas come to life. Though a comfortable living was a pleasant side effect.