The Beginning, Middle.& Now: The Birth & Life of Television

Television was not invented by one person. There were many scientists that created this entertainment out of a box that we enjoy worldwide. Here's an early timeline on just a few people that contributed to the evelotuion of television.

1831: Joseph Henry and Michael Faraday’s work with electromagnetism makes possible the era of electronic communication to begin.

   1862:  Abbe Giovanna Caselli invents the "pantelegraph" and becomes the first person to transmit a still image over wires.

1876: George Carey wanted to do a complete television system and in 1877 he made drawings for what he called a "selenium camera" that would allow people to "see by electricity."

1880: The inventors Bell and Edison conceive on telephone devices that transmit image and sound. Bell's photophone used light to transmit sound and he wanted to advance his device to also send images.

1900:   At the World's Fair in Paris, the 1st International Congress of Electricity took place, where Russian Constantin Perskyi made the first known use of the word "television."
Soon after 1900, the momentum shifted from ideas and discussions to physical development of television systems. Two major paths in the development of a television system were pursued by inventors.

Inventors attempted to build echanical television systems based on Paul Nipkow's rotating disks

Inventors attempted to build electronic television systems based on the

cathode ray tube developed independently in 1907 by English inventor A.A. Campbell-Swinton and Russian scientist Boris Rosing.

The Development of Color Television

In 1904, a German patent contained the earliest proposal for a color television system. In 1925, Zworykin filed a patent for an all-electronic color television system. But unfortunately, neither of these systems were successful but they were still considered the first color television. The very first successful color television system began commercial broadcasting in December 1953. It was based on a system designed by RCA.

In 1940, before RCA (Radio Corporation of America), CBS researchers led by Peter Goldmark invented a mechanical color television system based on the designs of John Logie Baird. The FCC (Federal Communications Commision)          authorized CBS's color television technology as the national standard in October of 1950, in spite of the fact that the system was huge, complicated, and was not compatible with earlier black and white sets. RCA sued to stop the public broadcasting of CBS based systems. CBS had begun color broadcasting on five East Coast stations in June1951. However, at that time 10.5 million black and white televisions (half RCA sets) had been sold to the public and very few color sets. Color television production was stopped during the Korean War, and with the lawsuits, and the slow sales, the CBS system failed.

Those factors provided RCA with the time to design a better color television, which they based on the 1947 patent application of Alfred Schroeder. Their system passed FCC approval in late 1953 and sales of RCA color televisions began in 1954.

Vladimir Zworkin demonstrates the first practical electronic system for both the transmission and reception of images using his new kinescope tube.

John Baird opens the first TV studio, however, the image quality was poor.

1930
Charles Jenkins broadcasts the first TV commercial.

The BBC begins regular TV transmissions.

1933
Iowa State University (W9XK) starts broadcasting twice weekly television programs in cooperation with radio station WSUI.

1936
About 200 hundred television sets are in use world-wide.

The introduction of coaxial cable, which is a pure copper or copper-coated wire surrounded by insulation and an aluminum covering. These cables were and are used to transmit television, telephone, and data signals.

The first experimental coaxial cable lines were laid by AT&T between New York and Philadelphia in 1936. The first regular installation connected Minneapolis and Stevens Point, WI in 1941.

The original L1 coaxial-cable system could carry 480 telephone conversations or one television program. By the 1970's, L5 systems could carry 132,000 calls or more than 200 television programs.

1937
CBS begins its TV development.

The BBC begins high definition broadcasts in London.

Brothers and Stanford researchers Russell and Sigurd Varian introduce the Klystron. A Klystron is a high-frequency amplifier for generating microwaves. It is considered the technology that makes UHF-TV possible because it gives the ability to generate the high power required in this spectrum.

1939
Vladimir Zworkin and RCA conduct experimentally broadcasts from the Empire State Building.

Television was demonstrated at the New York World's Fair and the San Francisco Golden Gate International Exposition.

RCA's David Sarnoff used his company's exhibit at the 1939 World's Fair as a showcase for the 1st Presidential speech (Roosevelt) on television and to introduce RCA's new line of television receivers, some of which had to be coupled with a radio if you wanted to hear sound.

The Dumont company starts making tv sets.

1940
Peter Goldmark invents a 343 lines of resolution color television system.

1941
The FCC releases the NTSC standard for black and white TV.

1943
Vladimir Zworkin developed a better camera tube called the Orthicon. The Orthicon (see photo right) had enough light sensitivity to record outdoor events at night.

1946
Peter Goldmark, working for CBS, demonstrated his color television system to the FCC. His system produced color pictures by having a red-blue-green wheel spin in front of a cathode ray tube.

This mechanical means of producing a color picture was used in 1949 to broadcast medical procedures from Pennsylvania and Atlantic City hospitals. In Atlantic City, viewers could come to the convention center to see broadcasts of operations. Reports from the time noted that the realism of seeing surgery in color caused more than a few viewers to faint.

Although Goldmark's mechanical system was eventually replaced by an electronic system he is recognized as the first to introduce a broadcasting color television system.

1948
Cable television is introduced in Pennsylvania as a means of bringing television to rural areas.

A patent was granted to Louis W. Parker for a low-cost television receiver.

One million homes in the Unite


1956
Robert Adler invents the first practical remote control called the Zenith Space Commander. It was proceeded by wired remotes and units that failed in sunlight.

1960
The first split screen broadcast occurs on the Kennedy - Nixon debates.

1962
The All Channel Receiver Act requires that UHF tuners (channels 14 to 83) be included in all sets.

1962
AT&T launches Telstar, the first satellite to carry TV broadcasts - broadcasts are now internationally relayed.

1967
Most TV broadcasts are in color.

1969
July 20, first TV transmission from the moon and 600 million people watch.

1972
Half the TVs in homes are color sets.

1973
Giant screen projection TV is first marketed.

1976
Sony introduces betamax, the first home video cassette recorder.

1978
PBS becomes the first station to switch to all satellite delivery of programs.

1981 1,125 Lines of Resolution
NHK demonstrates HDTV with 1,125 lines of resolution.

1982
Dolby surround sound for home sets is introduced.

1983
Direct Broadcast Satellite begins service in Indianapolis, In.

1984
Stereo TV broadcasts approved.

1986
Super VHS introduced.

1993
Closed captioning required on all sets.

1996
The FCC approves ATSC's HDTV standard.

A billion TV sets world-wide.

 

 

 A vidoe to show how everything came together to make t.v. work :

           

FIRST GAME show or QUIZ show

--- "Truth or Consequences" with Ralph Edwardsand Bob Barkers first
 showA classic game show that has been on the air since July 12, 1976 has seen different hosts and slew of different people but has kept the same concept. In this clip to the right comedian Steve Harvey now hosts the fun filled family game show.




FIRST show or program on day one --- Baseball game at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn Dodgers vs. Philadelphia

1939 -- First televised baseball game

2011 world seires winners celebrating and you can see the difference in picture how much games on television have evolved.
 Classic shows and even context have evolved. So its no surprise that television itself has adopted some new fashions.