Baird Mechanical Television (Prewar)
After years of research and experiments, the first television to actually present an image resulted in 1926 thanks to the work of John Baird. This television is commonly referred to as the mechanical TV.
This apparatus (pictured left) functioned with a spinning disc powered by a motor, which worked in harmony with a neon tube located behind the disc to produce an image. As can be expected, the quality was undesirable and reflected the image onto a one-inch screen, which in result was only able to make thirty to sixty lines. While in contrast a modern day TV creates about 525 lines. The more lines a television has the clearer picture.
Due to the unimpressive picture quality, the Baird TV was discontinued in 1933.
This apparatus (pictured left) functioned with a spinning disc powered by a motor, which worked in harmony with a neon tube located behind the disc to produce an image. As can be expected, the quality was undesirable and reflected the image onto a one-inch screen, which in result was only able to make thirty to sixty lines. While in contrast a modern day TV creates about 525 lines. The more lines a television has the clearer picture.
Due to the unimpressive picture quality, the Baird TV was discontinued in 1933.
Electronic Television (Prewar)
Among the first to create the next functioning TV was Vladimir Zworykin and Philo Farnsworth. They both created images on camera tubes between 1924 and 1927, which contributed to the production of the electronic TV. Vladimir’s iconoscope created the best images, while Farnsworth was using an image dissector to create a picture. All programs now relied on this new electronic imaging system to air shows.
David Sarnoff funded the development of the electronic television and presented it to the US public in 1939. Other contributors included programmers such as CBS and Don Lee. A whopping 19,000 electronic TV sets were produced in Britain and 7,000 in the United States. Unfortunately World War II put a halt to the expansion of the TV.
David Sarnoff funded the development of the electronic television and presented it to the US public in 1939. Other contributors included programmers such as CBS and Don Lee. A whopping 19,000 electronic TV sets were produced in Britain and 7,000 in the United States. Unfortunately World War II put a halt to the expansion of the TV.
Postwar Television
The TV experienced a dramatic change after the war; it began to make appearances in homes across the United States. By 1949 there was thought to be 4.2 million TV’s present in residences and by 1953 almost half of the country possessed a television. The company AT&T became involved in the TV network and built a system that linked stations together and united the US’s television programs by using satellites. This was referred to as the microwave and coaxial cable network.
Color Television
By 1953 professionals had produced an adequate color TV that could be sold on the market. Originally the screen was a meek 15 inches wide but by 1955 21-inch TV’s reached stores. But these small TV’s did not come cheap; one could purchase one for around $1,000. By 1960 prices reduced and more were able to indulge in the new fad.