In the last few decades, the fast pace of technological progressions has broadly expanded our television viewing experience beyond the cathode-ray tube TVs of the 20th century. But what are all the options available today?
Let's go over the evolution of TV's, covering the past, present, and what we expect to arrive in the future.
Humble beginnings
In the 1860s, decades before television creation, the pantelegraph became the first machine to transmit images electronically. Giovanni Caselli was an Italian physics professor who invented the pantelegraph. The pantelegraph could transport drawings and notes across distances. Through the power of electrochemistry, images were reproduced from one area to another.
John Logie Baird was a Scottish engineer who invented the first working TV in 1924. Using any material he could find, such as cardboard, a bicycle lamp, and wax, Baird's first invention could transmit the outline of an image a few feet away.
In 1925, he demonstrated his invention to the public by successfully transmitting a ventriloquist's dummy image. After the experiment, he said, "The image of the dummy's head formed itself on the screen with what appeared to me, an almost unbelievable clarity. I had got it! I could scarcely believe my eyes and felt myself shaking with excitement."
Tubed TVs
A decade later, new technology came in cathode-ray tubes, consisting of a vacuum with an electron gun that produces an electron beam and a phosphorescent screen. The electron beam is modulated to create images. Developed at the beginning of the 20th century, cathode-ray tube technology for televisions was a huge hit, expanding screens to 600 or more lines of pixels in each direction and a frame refresh rate of sixty times a second (60 Hz).
Direct View TVs
Direct View TVs are a rebranding of the classic, century-long dominance of the cathode-ray tube TVs. Unfortunately, if you’re looking to buy a new direct-view TV, you’re probably out of luck. If you’re into gaming, especially older gaming, having a direct view TV may be important. Many classic video games were developed specifically for the cathode-ray tube technology. Older games played on more modern TVs can appear dysfunctional or lag in ways that aren’t a problem with direct view TVs.These games can be modified to work with newer televisions but require extensive modifications. Cathode-ray tube TV technology may feel outdated now, but it may be reclassified as vintage and feel nostalgic in the future.
Plasma Display TVs
In the 1990s, plasma display panel TVs became the first flat-screen alternative to cathode-ray tube technology. Plasma displays are designed as a cellular grid with pixels that contain the plasma, an ionized gas that responds to electric fields. The plasma layer is flanked by electrodes, with glass panels in the front and rear. Plasma TVs use similar phosphor screens as cathode-ray tube TVs, making the color depth equal in both technologies.
In terms of color and contrast accuracy, the plasma is slightly better than the LED and LCD TV screens- arguably so. Due to its costs, the format is limited to screen sizes that are larger, not smaller. Typically, 40 inches and above. Purchasing larger plasmas tend to work out a bit cheaper. They are more cost-effective to produce larger sizes. Plasmas have somewhat disappeared off the market, though.
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) TVs
Liquid Crystal Display TVs are by far the most common TV type available today. First formulated in the 1960s, LCD technology uses a unique state of matter called liquid crystals. In this state, molecules are fluid but maintain a specific crystal structure such that they are all oriented the same way. For LCDs, each pixel of the display contains numerous precisely oriented liquid crystal molecules arranged between two electrodes and two polarizing filters.
LCDs have been used for almost all screens produced in the last decade (the 2010s), including, among others, computers, clocks, smartphones, and watches. This is partly due to the versatility of the LCD technology, allowing screen sizes ranging from small watches all the way up to very large TVs.
And unlike preceding TV technologies, LCD screens are all flat and lightweight. LCDs also offer the highest resolution of all technologies reviewed thus far, at 1080p (1,080 × 1,920 pixels), with similar or higher frame refresh rates of 60 Hz up to 240 Hz.
LCD TVs today are also affordable. - so, what's the downside?
One of the most significant shortcomings of LCD TVs is they can suffer from ghost or motion blur under long-delayed response times. This is where anything moving on the screen loses its sharp edges and softens more than other objects on the screen that are stationary.
Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) TVs
Now, one of the latest of all screens is the OLED! This TV brought a massive leap in TV screen technology. While it does have LED in the name, it is far more superior than an LED TV. OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode and uses organic elements such as carbon to produce light directly supplied by an electrical current. OLED TVs do not require a backlight to illuminate the screen area. Without restricting an external light source, OLED TVs can be thin and even flexible!
The first OLED TVs hit the market in 2012 and have been a steady rival of LCD TVs ever since. In addition to better color quality, OLED technology allows for much faster response times over the LCD mechanism. Because OLED TVs don’t require backlighting, they also use roughly 40% less power than LCD screens, saving you money on energy bills in the long run.
Although the OLED offered major improvements from the LCD, there are still some significant drawbacks. OLEDs' biggest problem is a finite lifespan on the light-emitting fluorescent materials, resulting in a much shorter lifespan than LCDs.
Quantum Light-Emitting Diode (QLED) TVs
Only a few years old, quantum light-emitting diode (QLED) displays are the next generation of LCD displays. Tiny nanoparticles called quantum dots are emended in the LCD display, which dramatically improves color and brightness. Quantum dots are microscopic molecules that, when hit by light, emit their own uniquely colored light. OLEDs still have sufficient contrast ratios over QLEDs, but QLED screens can be larger, last longer, and are not susceptible to burn-in. Furthermore, QLED TVs are more affordable than OLED TVs.
What’s Next (MicroLED)
Samsung now says it's poised to go into large-scale production of MicroLED screens, even up to 150 inches! This would open up the consumer market for MicroLED displays.
So what is MicroLED, and what makes it special?
MicroLED is an emerging flat-panel display technology. MicroLED displays consist of arrays of microscopic LEDs forming the individual pixel elements. Compared with extensive LCD technology, MicroLED displays offer more excellent contrast, response times, and energy efficiency.
So what’s next for the world of television? How will the top tech engineers push the boundaries for the years ahead? According to an interview with Deloitte conducted by Techrader.com, Deloitte predicts that by 2030 it will be possible to get a third of the price off a TV in exchange for the authorization to share viewers’ watching habits that TVs will get impressively big.
The Future in Streaming
Another advancing technology is streaming services and mobile platforms. This has changed the way people interact with screens. A person is no longer required to own a TV to watch television.TV is now often consumed outside the home, on small mobile screens, on jumbotrons at sports areas, or in other public spaces.
It has also led to increased interaction between the consumer and the media they consume. The ability to talk back to a TV through apps and devices is also making interactivity more possible. But also, interactive apps and devices don't necessarily create this—they tap into pre-existing fan cultures around the TV and the participatory nature of communications more broadly.
Conclusion
Technology is forever evolving. We have seen television transform from black and white tubed boxes to futuristic quantum technologies. Whether you want an LED TV for your child's bedroom and an 8k Samsung Wall to impress your family during the holidays while binge-watching Christmas movies, we have you covered. Technology is showing no signs of slowing down, and neither is SANDS TECH AV.