Television as a Technology

According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Television (TV) is a widely used telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images, either monochromatic ("black and white") or color, usually accompanied by sound. This word, meaning "far sight" originates from the Greek tele, far, and the Latin visio, sight (from video, vis- to see, or to view in the first person). People may use it to refer to a television set, television programming or television transmission.

The concept of television originated in 1884, when a German scientist named Paul Nipkow patented his ideas to re-create moving images with electricity. Using a rotating disk, with holes in a spiral pattern at the sending and receiving ends, he demonstrated a way to send a representation of an image in motion over a wire with the use of varying electronic signals. This was done by mechanically scanning the disk. Nipkow's method provided effective plans for a system of scanning images, and was used until it became possible to scan them electronically. In today's world, the signals representing these images can either be transmitted, or sent through a wire to a television monitor or receiver.

Television functions in a process called broadcasting, the act of transmitting sound or images. This requires the creation of a signal to be transmitted. Britannica.com reports that a television's audiovisual signal begins with the conversion of an image and accompanying sound into an electronic code by a television camera. This code is usually recorded on tape. To be broadcast, it is imprinted upon high frequency radio waves, acting as a carrier from a broadcasting antenna to a receiving antenna, which is linked to a television's receiver. Here the audio and visual signals are detached, then amplified before moving into what is called a picture tube. The intention of the picture tube is to re-create the original image by rapidly hitting the back of the television screen, coated with a fluorescent compound, with a narrow beam of electrons. These electrons, which scan the screen, causes the compound to illuminate each area of the picture with the brightness needed. They scan the screen in horizontal lines, with each picture scanned twice, and alternating lines lighting up on every scan. This leads viewers to ignore the flickering that happens when consecutive images are displayed too slowly, because twice the number of images are shown.

The purpose of this technology relies on human vision; an eye's retina is able to retain images for a short period of time after coming into physical contact. Television makes use of this by displaying bits of a picture on a television screen at an accelerated pace, so that a viewer can see them gathered together as completed pictures. The illusion of motion is produced by changing the pictures on the screen, at a sufficient rate of 25 to 30 pictures per second. A viewer watches the moving pictures.

As the possibility of profit-making became more of a reality, more funding and effort was spent on experimentation in television technology. From these experiments improvements were made. In an article published by The Museum of Broadcast Communications, Steve Runyon writes that we are now seeing new delivery systems, on-call access, a greater number of available channels, two-way interaction, and the coupling of television and the computer. Better technical quality can now be experienced with improved resolution, HDTV (high-definition television), digital processing and transmission, and flatter, lighter, more convenient receivers. Color television has become the viewing standard, and commercials have developed into an attractive, powerful advertising tool.

The current form of television programming encompasses a wide variety of genres, making it possible to inform, educate, and entertain its viewers. There is some variation between the genres, determined by the emphasis of its programming. The favorite of these genres are action-oriented, such as crime, police, horror, or thriller shows, or detective dramas. Comedy is also popular, including situation comedy and animated programs designed for the adult audience. Drama-oriented programs and miniseries usually require the highest production costs. Game, talk, variety, and reality shows are the least expensive to produce.

After much thought, I arrived at the conclusion that currently, television provides many attractions and some practical uses, creating reason to view. It can educate, entertain, advertise, and inform a person at any time of the day. It appeals to the audience as an easier way to assimilate, and can also be more cost-effective than other ways of transmitting information, such as a newspaper. The technology of television has advanced to the stage providing constant choice entertainment for those audiences able to see it.

Sources

1.)Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, "Television" Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2.)Encyclopedia Britannica, "television" Britannica.com

3.)Steve Runyon, "Television Technology" The Museum of Broadcast Communications