The Future of Television

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The screen resolution of television sets in the mid-1990s is considered by many to be insufficient. It is based upon standards set in the early 1940s. After several years of negotiations, the FCC has cleared the way for "High-Definition Television." See this snippet from Studio Briefing:
The FCC Thursday (12/26/96) officially approved a compromise set of standards that are intended to bring digital television, including high-definition TV, to home TV sets by 1998. Peter S. Willmott, president and CEO of Zenith, which is regarded as the primary developer of the digital system, told today's (Friday) Wall Street Journal, "What a great way to usher in the New Year." He predicted that digital TV "should be as significant to our industry and our company as the change from black-and-white to color TV." FROM STUDIO BRIEFING, 12/27/96.
This new digtal standard is a flexible standard, as it will permit various types of receivers to coexist in the marketplace. My early comments on the variety of future sets have been echoed recently by the head of the FCC, Reed Hundt. He stated in late-December 1996 that the new digital standards will "guarantee there will be dozens of different kinds of digital television receivers of many, many different prices. Some with software, some with big screens, some suitable for your wristwatch." (Quoted in the Houston Chronicle, 12/27,96, A1).