Beyond Cable: The History of Television
The entertainment world has undergone a multitude of changes over the course of history. The original main source of entertainment for people was through books and newspapers. The entertainment business eventually moved to the radio where people could hear live entertainment without pictures. This led to the invention of motion pictures where pictures and sound were put together for the first time. And, eventually television evolved to a point where pictures and sound enabled television broadcasters the opportunity to present events and entertainment into people's homes.
The history of the television can be dated back to the late 1800’s when inventors experimented with ways to have signals transmitted to a receiver. In fact, the first coaxial cable (commonly used to distribute cable TV signals) was invented during this time. The first actual transmission of images was successfully completed by John L. Baird in 1925, which led to rapid developments in television in subsequent years. And, the first television system was created by Philo Farnsworth in 1927. These early developments led inventors down the road to rapid improvement in the television industry.
In a matter of years, television stations and networks began to emerge and TV began to be a complement to commercial radio. Thanks to this Coaxial cable began to become more and more popular as a means to distribute content. Dozens of types of coaxial cable were invented for a variety of different uses. Today the two main types of coax cable are RG59 and RG6. While these cables look almost identical, there is a definite difference between RG59 and RG6. While RG59 was once used exclusively in cable TV networks, RG6 is rapidly becomming mroe popular. Sponsors and advertisers began to see the possibilities of radio programs and stars becoming the first television stars. Performers such as Burns and Allen, Jack Benny and others began crossing over, bringing with them commercial opportunities for corporations.
Over the years, television has become a world-changing media. Television has brought worldwide events to the homes of all people. These events included music performance, sporting events such as the Olympics and special events such as Presidential elections and one of the most memorable moments on television – the first steps man had on the Moon.
It is amazing to look back and see all of the changes that television has seen over the years. Back in the day it was unheard of to have more than one TV in the same house. Today’s TVs are not only thinner, better quality, and HD (and color!), but they are also more affordable. And it’s not just the TV itself that has advanced over the years. Now people have moved from simply owning a TV to having entire entertainment systems with satellite and cable receivers, gaming consoles, internet streaming services, Blu-Ray players, and more. All of these new sources of entertainment have caused some poeple to move away from expensive cable and satellite companies. To suppliment their online viewing, many have turned to HDTV antennas to get live HD channels for free in addition to their online content.
While TV has moved far beyond simply being a medium to watch cable TV, cables themselves are far from being left behind. With so many different components that need to communicate, cables are more important than ever. Cables have advanced from RCA to VGA to HDMI, moving from low quality analog video to high definition digital video. The newest leap in cable technology has been HDMI cables with Redmere technology. Redmere allows for smaller HDMI cables that can reliably transfer signals for much longer distances.
HDMI cables aren't just beneficial for connecting a source up to a display though: they can also be used to easily and powerfully extend HD video and audio signals from a computer to an HDTV using a state-of-the-art USB-to-HDMI converter.
But that's not all, there have been dozens of inventions that have all worked to improve our TV watching experiences. TVs are getting thinner and thinner and are great for mounting on a wall, so the LCD wall mount was invented. All TVs require IR (infrared) signals to travel from the TV's remote to the TV's IR sensor in order to change channels, volume levels, etc., but these days not all IR receivers are in the same room as the TV (especially if the TV is mounted on a wall). For this reason, the IR repeater was created. Another good example of an invention that came out of the TV age is the HDMI splitter which allows you to watch multiple video feeds simultaneously on multiple HDMI TVs.
Television has been a powerful medium and has changed the way we see the world. From fuzzy images and poor sound of early television, to the hundreds of channels in high definition and stereo sound, television has come a long way. To learn more about the history of television, we have compiled this list of information:
Invention of the Television
- History of Television – Informative page providing background on the invention and changes in television over time.
- Inventors of the Television – Useful look at the key developments in the beginnings of television.
- Television Timeline – Helpful listing of the events that occurred in the history of television.
- Invention of the Television – Historical look at the key developments and events that transpired in the invention of the TV.
- Television Invention – Information and facts surrounding the beginning of the origins of the television.
Early Television
- Early Television History – Resourceful site with many links with information on the early days of television.
- Television History – Site containing information on the world of television in the years prior to 1935.
- Early Television Events – Information on many of the key development and events in the early years of television.
- History of Television – Chronological listing of key events in the world of television.
Start of Commercial Television
- First Commercial Television Broadcast – Informative page containing information on the first broadcast of commercial television.
- History of TV Advertising – Brief summary of advertising that has been used in the early days of television.
- Early Commercial Television – Information on the early days of commercial television.
- 1950’s Television Commercials – Helpful site containing information on some of the earliest commercials seen on television.
- Broadcast History – Useful site providing information on a variety of facts on early TV broadcasting.
Golden Years of Television
- Golden Age of Television Drama – Information on the key dramas that were broadcast on television primarily in the 50’s and 60’s.
- Golden Age of Television – Overview of the programming that was found during the 1950’s television.
- Television in the 50’s and 60’s – Helpful page containing information on the television shows and events of the 1950’s and 1960’s.
- 50’s TV Shows – Listing of some of the key shows that were broadcast during the 1950’s.
Network Television
- National Broadcasting Company – Information on the early days and evolution of the National Broadcasting Company.
- DuMont Television Network – Historical look at one of the earliest networks that operated from 1946 to 1956.
- ABC Network History – Useful site with information on the origins and history of the American Broadcasting Company.
- CBS Network History – Brief look at the history of the Columbia Broadcasting System.
- Fox Network History – Overview of the major events surrounding the history of the Fox Network.
Cable Television
- History of Cable Television – Informative site providing a good deal of information about the start of the cable television boom.
- U.S. Cable Television – Helpful information on the history of cable television in the United States.
- History of Cable Television – Information dating back to the origins in the late 1940’s on the history of cable television broadcasting.
Television Resources
- Television Resources – Helpful site from Hofstra University providing a number of resources on television.
- Television Resources – Useful information on a number of topics on the television industry.
- TV Resources – Informative site with a great deal of information and resources on television.
- Motion Picture and TV Resources – Guide to resources on television and motion pictures.
- Film and Television Resources – Collection of resourceful site about the world of movies and television.