The Bain of Our Existence
As is the case for most technologies, television had no single “inventor.” But then there’s the amazing Alexander Bain. Consider: The first major-league baseball game to be televised was played […] More
Recent Posts tagged with history
A Baseball-Opera Chronology
“Who Would Doubt That I’m A Man,” sheet music for a baseball song from an 1895 opera I often write about the history of media technology. So why is […] More
Alternative Content for Cinema (mp4), NAB, April 15, 2012
Alternative Content for Cinema NAB, Las Vegas, NV April 15, 2012 MP4: Alternative Content for Cinema 690×540 24.3 MB TRT: 22:14 More
Getting the Big Picture
When did theatrical television begin? Would you believe 1877? On March 29 of that year, someone using the pen name “Electrician” described a device called an “electroscope,” some sort […] More
Satellites Are Really Old
Here’s something to ponder: Why is Galileo called Galileo? Other great astronomers and scientists are known by their last names: Copernicus, Kepler, Newton, etc. Tycho Brahe is known by his […] More
Headphones, History, & Hysteria
Headphones are an integral part of modern media production and distribution. So, who invented them? Here’s one theory: “The first stereo headphones were invented in 1958 by John C. Koss….” […] More
How Different Is 3D?
When you watch a televised advertisement for an automobile, do you fear there’s a moving car in the room with you? I didn’t think so. But more on that later. […] More
125th Anniversary of Pay Cable
Question: What is shown in the drawing at the left? Here’s more information to help you figure it out: It’s a small portion, the lower left corner, of a larger […] More
100th Anniversary Today
It isn’t often that we get hundredth anniversaries in media technology, so I figured this one — a double-header, actually — is worth mentioning. Today is the anniversary of […] More
Sports, News, Porno, and… Opera?
Electronic slow motion was invented for sports video. Tapeless camcorders were created for TV news. Pornography made streaming video successful. But something else that seems to drive media-technology innovation is opera. […] More