Television: An international history of the formative years (History and Management of Technology)

From the first notions of 'seeing by electricity' in 1878 through the period to Baird's demonstration of television in 1926 and up to 1940, when war brought the advance of the technology to a temporary halt, the development of TV gathered about it a tremendous history. In this meticulous and deeply researched book, Burns presents a balanced, thorough history of television to 1940, considering the factors technical, financial and social which influenced and led to the establishment of many of the world's high-definition TV broadcasting services. Highly illustrated throughout, this is a major book in the study of history of science, technology and media. Content: * Part I: The era of speculation, 1877 to c. 1922 * Chapter 1: Images and society (c. 16th Century to c. mid-19th Century) * Chapter 2: Images by wire, picture telegraphy (1843-c. 1900) * Chapter 3: Seeing by electricity, the earliest notions (1878-1880) * Chapter 4: Persistence of vision and moving images (1825-c. 1900) * Chapter 5: Distant vision (1880-1920) * Chapter 6: A possible way forward (1900-1920) * Chapter 7: Developments of importance to television * Part II: The era of low-definition television, 1926 to 1934 * Chapter 8: The breakthrough, J.L. Baird and television (the 1920s) * Chapter 9: The approaches of a lone inventor and a chief engineer (the 1920s) * Chapter 10: Excellence in low-definition television (1925-1930) * Chapter 11: German and French developments (the 1920s and early 1930s) * Chapter 12: Some low-definition television broadcasting services, c. 1930 * Part III: The era of pre-war and high-definition television, 1934 to 1939 * Chapter 13: Large-screen television (1930-1935) * Chapter 14: Between low and high-definition television (1930-1931) * Chapter 15: Early electronic camera tubes, and the work of Farnsworth (c. 1920-1935) * Chapter 16: Zworykin and the kinescope (1923-1930) * Chapter 17: RCA, Sarnoff and television (1919-1932) * Chapter 18: RCA and all-electronic television (1933-1935) * Chapter 19: EMI, Shoenberg and television (1931-1934) * Chapter 20: Progress in the UK and abroad (1934-1935) * Chapter 21: The London station and foreign developments (1935-1938) * Chapter 22: Television in the US (1935-1941) * Chapter 23: The world's first, regular, public, high-definition service (1936-1939) * Appendices Images And Society (c. 16th Century To C. Mid-19th Century) -- Images By Wire, Picture Telegraphy (1843 -- C. 1900) -- Seeing By Electricity, The Earliest Notions (1878-1880) -- Persistence Of Vision And Moving Images (1825 -- C. 1900) -- Distant Vision (1800-1920) -- A Possible Way Forward (1900-1920) -- Developments Of Importance To Television. The Breakthrough, J L Baird And Television (the 1920s) -- The Approaches Of A Lone Inventor And A Chief Engineer (the 1920s) -- Excellence In Low-definition Television (1925-1930) -- German And French Developments (the 1920s And Early 1930s) -- Some Low-definition Television Broadcasting Services, C. 1930 -- Large-screen Television (1930-1935) -- Between Low And High-definition Television, (1930-1931) -- Early Electronic Camera Tubes, And The Work Of Farnsworth, (c. 1920-1935) -- Zworykin And The Kinescope, (1923-1930). Rca, Sarnoff And Television, (1919-1932) -- Rca And All-electronic Television, (1933-1935) -- Emi, Shoenberg And Television (1931-1934) -- Progress In The Uk And Abroad, (1934-1935) -- The London Station And Foreign Developments, (1935-1938) -- Television In The Us, (1935-1941) -- The World's First, Regular, Public, High-definition Service, (1936-1939). R.w. Burns. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [637]-639) And Index.

From the first notions of 'seeing by electricity' in 1878, through the period of the first demonstration of rudimentary television in 1926 and up to 1940, when war brought the advance of the technology to a temporary halt, the development of television gathered about it a tremendous history. Following the discovery of the photo-conductive effect, numerous schemes for television were suggested but it was in the wake of Baird's early demonstrations that real industrial interest developed and the pace of progress increased. Much research and development work was undertaken in the UK, the US, Germany and France. By 1936 television technology had advanced to the point where high definition broadcasting was realistic.

This meticulous and deeply researched book presents a balanced and thorough international history of television from 1878 to 1940, considering the factors - technical, commercial and social - that influenced and led to the establishment of public services in many countries. Highly illustrated throughout, this is a major book in the study of history of science, technology and media.

The following topics are dealt with: low-definition television; and high-definition television