The historical development of television systems

Abstract

This paper shows how the various criteria for the successful introduction of an advanced television system have been established. The idea that television was evolving towards HDTV is no longer uppermost in everybody's mind. Does the viewer want quality or multiple choices is the current question to be answered. The general view is that although viewers can perceive improved picture quality it does not rate high in the purchasing decision making process. Viewers were originally satisfied with 405 line monochrome and it is said that we do not need to provide a quality level greater than VHS. This is a dangerous statement as the new digital home recorders and optical video discs are likely to provide a higher quality picture than the broadcast standard. That is why it is dangerous to assume that the broadcaster or distributor can continue to get away with quality levels of digital signals that are supposedly equal to VHS. The long awaited flat screen display be it plasma, LCD or even a projection system is nearing commercial reality. Providing the choice of advanced television systems can do justice to these new displays in terms of perceived resolution the days of the real home cinema experience will be here. Are we going to continue to evolve our standards towards this goal whilst the cathode ray tube is the limiting factor or are we going to choose an advanced system that is future proof and provides a period of stability that all can see? The viewer, who is often left out of the debate, will need to see a clear unambiguous future before he puts his hand in his pocket 'en masse' to take up the latest advanced television systems.