History of Television: Evolution Over 90 Years

Television has come a long way: from a bulky box with blurry images and poor sound, it has evolved into an interactive screen just centimeters thick. We tell you how it all happened.

1920s. Mechanical Television

In 1925, thanks to British inventor John Logie Baird, the first mechanical television was created. It worked simply: the image changed due to a special rotating disc, and the picture had only 30 vertical lines. Today, in our televisions, we see 24 frames per second, whereas back then there were only five. In the following four years, 1,000 devices were sold, which was a significant breakthrough for the inventor.

The Germans went further and in 1928 introduced a device that worked like a projector — projecting images onto the opposite wall and showing only shadows and unclear silhouettes.

In 1929, an American company released the first 'Vitaphone' televisions.

However, the device did not become popular due to poor image quality. The picture was the size of a stamp, and even when magnified with lenses, only general outlines were visible, and faces were completely indistinguishable.

1930s. Electronic Television

With the arrival of the new decade, a breakthrough occurred. In 1931, Russian immigrant and RCA employee Vladimir Zworykin invented the 'iconoscope', marking the beginning of the transition from electromechanical to electronic television.

Vladimir Zworykin, 1930s

In 1931, at the Eighth Radio Exhibition in Berlin, German company LOEWE demonstrated the first television image transmission in the world. This was a serious statement towards mass television broadcasting.

By 1933, electronic televisions had entered stores in France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. However, they were not accessible to everyone: the cheapest model with a 30-centimeter screen cost $445. In today's equivalent, that’s about $7,500.

In the same year, 1933, company LOEWE released the first television in the world with a dynamic speaker.
At that time, the audio quality of this television was at an impossibly high level.

1940s. Crisis in Europe

During World War II and for several years after, Europe had no time for television, while in the United States, television production developed rapidly.

If in 1946, televisions were present in only five out of every 100 families, by the end of the 1950s, television receivers were in 77% of the population.

1950s. Color and Remote Control

In 1953, the United States introduced the analog color television system NTSC. In the same year, 40,000 color televisions were sold.

In the 1950s, the first remote control was also introduced. It was developed by Eugene Polley, an employee of the American company Zenith Radio Corporation. However, the remote was connected to the television via a cable.

In 1955, the wireless Flashmatic remote appeared, which contained a photoelectric cell that responded to light. Today, this principle is used in devices like gate remotes or metro turnstiles.

1960s. Pixels

In the early 1960s, the U.S. launched its first plasma screen. Initially, it was used as an information display at train stations and airports, with a resolution of only 16×16 pixels.

JFK Airport, New York, 1960s

1970s and 1980s. Infrared and Computers

In 1974, the infrared remote was introduced, which is still in use today. In the 1980s, it became possible to connect gaming consoles, video recorders, and computers to televisions.

1990s. Plasma

The first full-color plasma panel appeared in 1992.

The sensation of 1997 was the first Internet-ready television LOEWE in the world. This was the first Smart TV, without which it is impossible to imagine any modern television today.

In 1998, a German company was among the first to introduce a flat-screen television LOEWE Spheros.

2000s. The Design Race

In the early 2000s, among 'plasma' manufacturers, a race began for the largest and thinnest television, as well as one with additional visual effects.

In 2004, a Japanese corporation developed back lighting for all sides of the television, which enhanced the effect of the action on screen. However, this technology quickly caused eye strain, and the model was withdrawn from production.

2010s. 8K Image and OLED Display

One of the latest technologies for modern TVs are OLED displays with organic LEDs and infinite image contrast.

Many manufacturers plan to release 8K resolution models soon. Modern models feature Internet access, automatic synchronization, and playback from any mobile device.

One of Google's executives, Kevall Desai, put it best: “The future of television lies in eliminating the difference that currently exists between television and the Internet.”

The future of television lies in eliminating the difference between television and the Internet.

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