Televisions

Televisions are amongst the most common objects that you will find in a typical household. Throughout the years, televisions have radically changed in both form and function. Today, you can get televisions ranging from the old, black-and-white televisions to the contemporary, multi-million colour televisions. No matter which kind of television you choose, it will likely bring you great fun, entertainment, and memories. In this article, you will learn about the history of televisions and how they have evolved from a simple picture box into multi-functional entertainment systems.

Televisions - beginnings in telecommunication

Televisions originated from the idea of transmitting light through wires. The idea came about during the fourth quarter of the 1800's, just after the invention of the telephone. The pantelegraph, an early mechanical version of the fax machine, was the first device to effectively transmit images through scanning. In scanning, the visual image is converted into electrical pulses, a process known as rasterization, which greatly helped in the development of televisions. More developments came about in the technologies used to rasterize images, including the invention of a scanning disk and the advancement of amplifier tubes. Still, the early prototypes of the television were only effective at transmitting still images.

Televisions - transmitting moving images

It was not until 1925 that the technology was invented to allow the transmission of moving images. The television was made up of both electronic and mechanical parts and was able to transmit a
30-line resolution. The technology was at the cutting-edge during that time and it would not be long before the public would be able to purchase their own televisions. In 1927, televisions were improved to reach 100-line resolutions at 16 frames per minute. Televisions were transformed once again in 1928, when the first fully-electronic television was created. With the innovation of electronic televisions, numerous countries began to broadcast television signals during the latter half of the 1930's.

Televisions - colour bursts onto the screens

During the 1950's the television was reborn. From the monochrome systems of the 1920's, 30's, and 40's, black-and-white televisions were invented and, during the mid-1950's, colour televisions and remote controls finally hit the scene. By the 1970's, satellite and cable technologies were developed for use in the distribution of broadcast television, boosting the sales of televisions and television-related services and products. Throughout the second half of the 20th century, more inventions and innovations helped to refine the television and add many new features to the system.

Televisions - the television today

With the advanced technologies in the televisions of today, it is not hard to tell how far technology has come. What started-out as a simple desire to transmit pictures through wires, is now a multi-functional powerhouse of an entertainment system. Televisions have been made smaller and flatter, outfitted with surround-sound systems, hard-disk drives, DVD and Blu-Ray players, and video recording devices. With all of the great innovations and inventions found in today's televisions, one can only imagine what is in store for the televisions of the future!