Tube: The Invention of TelevisionIn the half century since its commercial unveiling, television has become the undisputed master of communications media, revolutionizing the way postwar generations have viewed the world. Yet almost no one in America knows how television was created, who created it, or how it actually works. The inventors of television were a diverse group of iconoclasts from different corners of the world - including an Idaho farm boy turned college dropout, an eccentric, sickly Scotsman, and two Russian Americans. These men - Philo T. Farnsworth, John Logie Baird, Charles Francis Jenkins, Ernst Alexanderson, Vladimir Zworykin, and the corporate visionary David Sarnoff - each had one eye on the others as they raced for fortune and scientific glory. Tube traces their progress, from the laboratory prototypes that drew public laughter to the vicious courtroom battles for control of what would become an enormous market power. Taking us through the advent of "living color" and beyond, authors David E. Fisher and Marshall Jon Fisher conclude with a forecast of the latest digital technologies and their impact. |
Contents
A Note from the General | 3 |
ONE The Dream | 9 |
TWO Puir Johnnie 21 | 21 |
Copyright | |
5 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
able Abramson Alexanderson already American announced apparatus appeared asked Baird beam became become began beginning better broadcasting build called camera cathode-ray charge clear color continued Corporation create David Sarnoff decided demonstration designed disk dollars early electrical electronic Elma engineer Everson fact Farnsworth field finally followed four future gave give going hand hundred Iconoscope idea important improve industry interest invention Jenkins John June laboratory later light living London looked March mechanical months moving needed never operating patent Philo picture possible president problem produced radio RCA's receiving reported result Sarnoff scanning screen signal sion soon station success television things thousand tion took transmission transmitting tube turned wave week wrote York young Zworykin