History of Television

History of Television

History of Television • The word Television is derived from 2 ancient words: • The first being from the Greek “Tele” meaning Far • The second being from the Latin “Vis” meaning to See

History of Television • Peter Roget discovered a very important principal that makes Television possible. • Persistence of Vision • The Brains ability to momentarily remember an object after it has moved or disappeared.

History of Television • Dr John A. Paris was a London Physician that is credited with the creation of the Thaumatrope. • The Thaumatrope was a toy that would combine two images into one as it was spun. • Means ‘Magic Motion’ in Greek

History of Television • The next invention that worked upon the ideas of the Thaumatrope was the Zoetrope. • The Zoetrope combined multiple pictures into a more animated movie. • Much like a Flip Book

History of Television Toy story zoetrope

History of Television • At the time, Photography was beginning to be developed. • The first discovery that helped in the was the fact that the element of Selenium is photo reactive

History of Television • Frenchman Louis Daguerre was one of the first individuals to record a visual image. • There were others that he was working with, but he is credited • His photos were referred to as Daguerreotypes

History of Television • Photography at this time was very expensive • Cameras were very primitive • Others working on different forms of photography • William Henry Fox Talbot • Calotype • Produced a Negative Image • Worked much like a fax machine does today

History of Television • American inventor Samuel FB Morse was also at this time working on a form of distance communication using an electrical signal. • In doing this, he invented the telegraph and Morse Code.

History of Television • Morse Code … --- … S O S

History of Television1.3 (Telegraph)

History of Television1.3 • To add to the ideas of distance communication, Alexander Graham Bell was working hard on his invention • The Telephone

History of Television • While working on the concept of distance communication, it was discovered that Selenium was able to help in the transformation of light into an electrical signal.

History of Television muybridge

History of Television • In 1872 Leland Stanford commissioned Eadweard Muybridge to use newly invented photographic technology to establish whether a galloping horse ever has all four feet off the ground simultaneously, which, it was found, they do. This project, which illustrated motion through a series of still images viewed together, was a forerunner of motion picture technology. • Leland Stanford is the same individual that gave an endowment to start Stanford University.

History of Television • In 1884 a German scientist named Paul Nipkow invented a device that would scan a picture and reproduce it • He was working on this as a part of his University Thesis (University of Berlin), he did get a patent. • Registered it as the Nipkow Disk

History of Television • Many limitations with the device. Too many variables for it to be practical. • Both Transmitter and Receiver had to be perfectly timed, or there would be no picture. • An increase in picture size also would mean a larger disk. • Nipkow was too ahead for the time, there was no real use for it. But it proved that a picture could be transmitted.

History of Television • In 1888 Thomas Edison met with Edwin Muybridge and saw a demonstration of the zoopraxiscope. • This gave Edison the idea to create his own machine that both recorded and reproduced images. • In 1891 Edison developed the Kinetoscope which allowed a single viewer to watch a one minute movie. • Named for the Greek words "kineto" meaning "movement" and "scopos" meaning "to watch.” • Would later be called the “Peep Show Viewer”

History of Television • But prior to the invention of the Kinetoscope, Edison met and worked with George Eastman • Eastman was in the process of inventing one of the most important items needed in the creation of movies. • What was it?

History of Television • George Eastman • Founder of the Eastman-Kodak Company • Acquired the technology to produce Celluloid Film. • Flexable • Had Sprocket Holes on it • This would lead to the invention of the Kinetoscope from the Mutoscope

History of Television (MM – Coin Operated)

History of Television Kinetoscope)

History of Television • Soon after, the Vitascope was invented. • This combined the “Magic Lantern” and the Kinetoscope in to one • The Kinetoscope parlors gave way to small theaters • Theaters were called “Nickelodeons” • This was because it cost $0.05 to get in, a Nickel

History of Television • Motion Pictures are now starting to get popular. • Many new theaters start to pop up in large cities. • BUT, there is a new problem! • NO SOUND!! • As a result, many theater owners started to hire people to play music to go along with the movie. • Based upon the local area, the music may be different each time for the same movie.

History of Television • A new way that the Movie Studios began to help tell the story was with the use of Sub titles or Insert Titles • A Sub title was a general term for any writing in movie • Most of the time, it was a sign that would pop up on screen during the film, it was also referred to as an Insert • A major problem with this, the majority of the population was Illiterate

History of Television • Many studios did not want to attempt sound • They felt that language spoken would limit the people who would see the film • They also believed that the actors performance was enough to tell the story, and that their body action would convey the same as the spoken word • Filmmakers felt that sound would limit the scenes. • They believed that the actors would not have as much movement because of microphone placements • They also feared that many popular and successful actors would not be able to transition to sound, based upon the quality or tone of their voice.

History of Television • In 1927 the first movie with sound as a part of the film was debut • The Jazz Singer • Stared Al Jolson • The movie lasted 88 minutes

History of Television • Variety called it "[u]ndoubtedly the best thing Vitaphone has ever put on the screen...[with] abundant power and appeal. • the success of The Jazz Singer signaled the end of the silent motion picture era

History of Television (Singing in the Rain)

History of Television • In the early 1900’s the movie capital of the world was New York City • Many of the Movie studios formed at that time are still in business today • These include: • 20th Century Fox • MGM (Metro – Goldwin – Mayer) • Universal • Paramount • Warner Brothers

History of Television • Early 1900’s: New York City was the movie capital of the world. • Movie companies included Warner Brothers, Twentieth Century Fox, Paramount, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Universal. • Problems for Movie Companies in N.Y.C. • Moviemaking attracted gang activity. • Weather didn’t allow for year-round filming • The Motion Picture Patents Company (MPPC) pooled film patents and wanted control of production and expected royalties.

History of Television • As a result, the Studios decided to move • First Move was to Northern New Jersey • New Jersey provided many things that New York City did not: • Close to the Primary Market • Land • Most of Northern New Jersey at this time is for Agriculture • Hog Farms • Produce Farms • Much of the area that supplies the food to NYC

History of Television • Still for some, New Jersey is not far enough away • They moved to other areas, including: • Jacksonville, FL • San Antonio, TX • Santa Fe, NM • Cuba (Havana) • Los Angeles, CA • Why would each of these areas be good for film making? What do they offer?

History of Television • In addition, they also pooled the most important filmmaking technology patents • They were attempting to control every aspect of the filmmaking process • This was also done to make money • If you wanted to use some of the technology, you would have to pay the group a royalty

History of Television • Carl Laemmle was the first studio head to move to what is now Hollywood. • By the time that most of the gangs figured out where the studios had moved, they were established and the gangs could not gain control

History of Television • Up to this point we have talked about: • How Vision works • History and Development of Movies • The next things we are going to talk about: • How Radio works • The Development of Television • How Television Works

History of Television • In 1895 Guglielmo Marconi invented the first “wireless” radio • Then in 1901, he sent the first radio signals across the Atlantic Ocean • It was not a voice; what type of signal was it? • Marconi will go on to be the most powerful man in radio till the 1920’s

History of Television • On Christmas Eve 1906, the first Voice was transmitted over radio • Reginald Fessenden was conducting experiments in his lab at Brant Rock, MA • He originally worked for Edison • A Ship off the cost of New England was able to hear the sound in their Telegraph room • He read A Christmas Story, played the Violin and wished everyone a Merry Christmas

History of Television • David Sarnoff • Will become the head of RCA • Worked for the Marconi Co. as a radio operator • Was reportedly working the night the Titanic sank • As a result of the Titanic sinking, the Radio Act of 1912 was passed • This required all ships to have a monitored radio on at all times while at sea

History of Television • Sarnoff approached Marconi about the idea of using the radio for entertainment • Marconi said no. He felt that there was no need for the company to move in that direction. • Sarnoff then took the idea to GE (General Electric) • GE had recently purchased the Marconi Co. • Then renamed RCA

History of Television