What were the earliest models of HDTVs?

High-definition televisions (HDTVs) are taking over shelf space in electronics stores, outshining standard televisions. But where did this technology originate, and how long has it been around?

The story might surprise you. Although HDTV has been available in the U.S. for just over a decade, its roots stretch much further back. To explore the first HDTV models, we must look to Japan.

By the late 1960s, Japan had firmly established itself as a hub of innovation and technological advancement. While many around the world saw Japan as the home of inexpensive electronics, Japanese companies and the government invested heavily in technology development.

One key area of progress was in television broadcasting. Enhancing broadcasting standards in Japan would open up a new market for high-end TVs. In 1968, the NHK Corporation, also known as the Japan Broadcasting Corporation, set out to establish a new television broadcasting standard. By the 1970s, Japanese engineers had created the MUSE high-definition system.

In 1974, Panasonic created a prototype television capable of displaying 1,125 lines of pixels [source: Consumer Electronics Association]. In comparison, standard-definition TVs could only show 480 lines. Panasonic's design adhered to NHK's new standards, using an analog signal that carried more information than traditional television signals.

By the 1980s, NHK had refined its technology to a point where it was ready to seek out other clients. It became clear that if NHK could persuade the global market to adopt its standards, Japanese TV manufacturers would see significant financial gains.

Japan's progress in television broadcasting technology came at a time of political tension in the United States. If it weren't for a metaphorical tug-of-war between television broadcasters and companies invested in two-way radio communications, HDTV may never have made its way to the U.S.

The Race to HDTV in the U.S.

In the early to mid 1980s, a fierce debate unfolded in the United States. On one side stood the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), while on the other was Land Mobile, a lobbying group partially led by Motorola. Land Mobile aimed to secure unused television frequency ranges for two-way radio broadcasts. The NAB resisted, arguing that this would disrupt broadcast frequencies.

The NAB faced a serious challenge—Land Mobile was gaining ground with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Land Mobile's argument was that the unused frequencies were just being wasted. At that point, John Abel, then-president of the NAB, suggested that those airwaves could be repurposed for high-definition television broadcasts. He warned that if the FCC allowed Land Mobile to claim these airwaves, the U.S. could lose its chance to capitalize on HDTV.

To make his case, Abel organized a demonstration of HDTV technology by NHK representatives in Washington D.C. in 1987. However, the FCC commissioner at the time, Mark Fowler, declined to witness the demonstration. Despite his refusal, many politicians attended and were taken aback by the impressive technology emerging from Japan. The demonstration seemed to solidify the decision – HDTV would come to the U.S. But the lawmakers insisted this would only occur on their own terms.

The concern was that adopting the Japanese standard would permanently position American TV companies behind their Japanese counterparts. The solution was to establish a new set of high-definition standards for HDTV in the United States.

This led to the creation of the Advisory Committee on Advanced Television Service (ACATS). The committee decided that the new standard must meet two conditions: It must be analog, and it couldn’t disrupt the current television broadcast technology. Various companies and organizations submitted proposals for the standards to ACATS. Out of 23 entries, ACATS narrowed it down to six candidates. Each group had to develop a system for testing by 1991 and pay an entrance fee of $200,000.

Developing HDTV

As the six candidates worked on their approaches to HDTV, several interesting developments took place. One of these was the realization that digital television was becoming a viable option. When ACATS initially decided that the approaches should be analog, it was based on the belief that a digital solution wasn’t feasible. However, further reflection led to the conclusion that digital would ultimately be the future of terrestrial television broadcasting.

ACATS subjected each proposal to rigorous testing in a specialized facility built specifically for this purpose. Upon completion of the testing, ACATS determined that a digital solution was superior to analog. Of the six proposals, two were analog, including one from NHK. These two approaches were discarded.

There was no clear winner among the digital proposals, so ACATS decided a second round of testing was necessary. The remaining four competitors weren’t eager about the additional expense of another development and testing phase. Consequently, these four groups formed a consortium with several other companies, calling themselves the Grand Alliance. Their mission was to finalize the HDTV standard for the U.S. and build a functional HDTV prototype.

The Grand Alliance divided the development of the HDTV system into several subsystems, with each group taking charge of a specific part. The first HDTV machine in the U.S. was a collective effort, built by a committee that included companies like General Instruments, Zenith, Philips, and AT&T. ACATS approved the standard, clearing the way for manufacturers to begin marketing consumer HDTVs. The first sets became available to consumers in 1998.

The initial HDTV sets, released by companies like Panasonic and Sony, had a distinct look—they were wider than traditional televisions. This was due to the new 16:9 aspect ratio introduced with the HDTV standard, replacing the old 4:3 aspect ratio. These early sets also came with a hefty price tag—some were priced at $7,000 or more. If you were able to afford one, you might have been disappointed to find that there was limited programming available to watch.

Today, numerous cable and satellite providers offer high-definition content. The push to establish HDTV standards also played a key role in transitioning the U.S. from analog to digital signals. But that, as they say, is another story.