Tuesday May 21 2013

A Broadcast Technology Timeline

1837	Morse patents the telegraph
1876	Bell patents the telephone
1877	Edison invents sound recording
1888	Hertz demonstrates radio frequency (RF) transmission
1901	Macron demonstrates radio telegraphy
1905	Dial telephone invented
1906	Vacuum tube developed
	Fessenden transmits voice and music
1911	Oreo cookies introduced
1912	Radio Act of 1912
1917	U.S. enters WWI
1917	University of Wisconsin signs on WHA radio
1918	WWI ends
1920	Commercial radio broadcasting begins in U.S.
1926	Baird demonstrates electronic television
1934	Communication Act of 1934
1935	Radar invented in Britain
1936	BBC begins TV Broadcasting
1941	CBS begins commercial TV broadcasting
	NTSC monochrome system finalized
	U.S. enters WWII
1945	WWII ends
1947	TV stations in East and Midwest connected by microwave
1948	Cable TV is born in Oregon
	FCC's TV licensing "freeze" begins
	First broadcast use of audiotape
	The transistor is developed by Bell Labs
1951	Transcontinental TV interconnection
	Direct Distance dialing introduced
	UNIVAC-first practical electronic computer
1952	FCC's TV licensing "freeze" ends
	FCC allocates TV channels in the UHF band
	FCC reserves channels for non-commercial educational TV
1953	KUHT/Houston, first non-commercial TV station signs on
1954	Swanson introduces the TV Dinner
1955	Fiber optic cable invented
1956	First broadcast use of videotape
1959	Xerox markets first office copier
1962	First cable only network premieres
	First demonstration of satellite communications
1963	Norelco introduces audiocassette
	Touch-tone phones introduced
1964	All-Channel Act mandates UHF reception
1965	First geo-synchronous communication satellite
1967	Public Broadcasting Act of 1967
	First use of keyboard to control electronic computer
	Cable reaches 2% of U.S. TV households
1969	PBS incorporated
	Men walk on the moon
1970	NPR formed
	Diskette (floppy disk) introduced for computers
1971	First microprocessor (computer) chip
1972	PONG (first video game) marketed by Magnavox
	Cable penetration reaches 10%
1973	Digital time-based corrector and frame synchronizer introduced
1975	HBO begins satellite distribution of its services
1976	VHS format introduced
1977	First Apple computer
1978	Public television begins satellite program distribution
1979	Visicalc, first spreadsheet software for small computers
1980	CNN debuts
	VCR penetration is 1%
	Cable penetration is 23%
1981	IBM enters the PC market
1982	Audio compact disk introduced
	Average household receives 12 channels
	Cable penetration is 33%
1983	Apple introduces the mouse
	VCR penetration passes 10%
1986	Space shuttle Challenger blows up
	58% of U.S. households receive two or more PTV stations
1987	VCR penetration passes 50%
1988	Cable reaches into 50% of U.S. TV households
1989	Berlin wall comes down
1991	General Instrument demonstrates digital TV
1993	Congress mandates spectrum auctions for "new services"
1994	"Grand Alliance" field tests digital TV
1995	Cable penetration is 64%
1996	DTV broadcasts begin in Washington, DC, and Raleigh, NC
	FCC adopts modified Grand Alliances (ATSC) DTV standard
1997	FCC announces channel allocations and DTV transition timetable
2003	All PTV licensees must have DTV signals on air
	WSIU/WUSI TV Goes Digital
2006	End of NTSC (analog) television broadcasting