It’s a bit of a trend to say you don’t have a television at
home. Some people fear their minds will be “poisoned” by today’s programming,
and others don’t want a distraction of that kind in their home. Considering 98%
of American households have had televisions since the 90’s, the notion of
someone NOT wanting a television these days is rare. This 1927 invention
revolutionized entertainment and is now readily available in a variety of
sizes, prices, and formats--but it wasn't always that way.
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All your base are belong to us. |
When you hear the term “cathode ray” you probably think of a
retro sci-fi movie with men in silver space suits. But the cathode ray was
actually a main component of early television sets which were called picture
tubes because of the ray’s structure. Images were first created by coding radio
waves or scanning images onto a rotating disk. There were no transforming
robots or blue aliens on these television sets. The first image ever projected
from a television was a line. Yes, just a regular line and then a dollar sign. As for the size of these “picture tubes”, all
you had to do was set aside a small space if you were able to purchase one,
because they measured in around 5” x 12”.
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1955 Zenith Remote Control |
You might have heard of the RCA company--especially if
you’re reading this blog. Well, they considered the television such an
important invention that they invested $50 million into its development. When
World War 2 came around, however, the buzz quickly died down, and production
pretty much halted when larger companies turned to producing materials for the
war effort. Once the war was over and the “baby boom” generation was born, the
evolution of the television went full speed ahead.
Cable? 1940’s. Color television? Patented in 1904,
authorized to broadcast in 1953. Remote controls? 1956. People seem to have
this idea that the 50’s were some sort of dinosaur age when it came to
technology (no Instagram!?) but the opposite was true. Remember that line that
was projected? Americans now had the ability to chose from a handful of
television shows like “Howdy Doody”. They got their news information from two
15 minute daily broadcasts, which was a huge deal considering Americans only
received news from the radio before those brief reports.
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Ancient VCR Tapes |
The 80’s saw a boom in television accessories like the VCR
and, of course, Nintendo, but the 90’s ushered in the future of television
sets. Parental controls, the sleep timer, and the picture-in-picture feature
all appeared in the 90’s. While plasma TV’s were still in their experimental
phases, the technological aspects of television weren’t the only ones changing.
We were being exposed to sitcoms like Roseanne, and a little something called
reality television. Programming was changing just as fast as the tech.
The 2000’s brought on the death of analog television. HD and
BluRay became household terms and TiVO appeared to make sure you never missed
out on your favorite shows. After 2009, all televisions turned to a digital
format. Televisions also changed physically--they became thinner, lighter, and
bigger at the same time.
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3D TV In Your Home |
What can we expect in the years to come? We already have 3-D
television and Google Glass. Sony is playing pioneer this time. They are
already working on a “4HD” television that has a resolution of nearly 4,000
pixels horizontally. That’s like bringing theater-quality viewing into your
home. Also, this “4HD” television measures a huge 84” and costs a hefty
$25,000. Other things you can do with 25K? Travel to Europe and Asia, buy a
car, put a down payment on a home, and attend a few semesters at a
university--it all comes down to priorities.
So, if you want to experience the future of television and
you already have a 3D TV at home, start saving your pennies and set aside some
space.
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