http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/18/color-television-comes-true/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Sat, 30 Aug 2008 14:45:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/18/color-television-comes-true/#comment-927228 Gutie Tue, 18 Dec 2007 20:17:52 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/18/color-television-comes-true/#comment-927228 As I recall the spec did change for the exact reason that they wanted a compatible color system. Amazingly enough the CBS spinning wheel has actually been approved and it was not compatible and had less resolution than the current 525 line B&W. The UK and Europe eventually better color becausee they did not require compatability. RCA in about 1960 or so b'cast a color show that only a few saw in color, but millions saw in B&W. The spinning wheel system would have been awful! As I recall the spec did change for the exact reason that they wanted a compatible color system. Amazingly enough the CBS spinning wheel has actually been approved and it was not compatible and had less resolution than the current 525 line B&W. The UK and Europe eventually better color becausee they did not require compatability. RCA in about 1960 or so b’cast a color show that only a few saw in color, but millions saw in B&W. The spinning wheel system would have been awful!

]]> http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/18/color-television-comes-true/#comment-926502 glindsey Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:28:46 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/18/color-television-comes-true/#comment-926502 I wonder if they were just simplifying the concept for the layman, or if there were changes to the spec before it was finally implemented, but their explanation of the color transmission -- using three frequencies, one for each color -- isn't really true. NTSC color data is carried on a frequency subchannel, but it isn't split into separate red, green, and blue channels -- instead the amplitude and phase indicates the overall hue. This allowed black and white sets to remain compatible with color transmissions, as they just ignored the new color subchannel, but still displayed the existing luminance information. I wonder if they were just simplifying the concept for the layman, or if there were changes to the spec before it was finally implemented, but their explanation of the color transmission — using three frequencies, one for each color — isn’t really true. NTSC color data is carried on a frequency subchannel, but it isn’t split into separate red, green, and blue channels — instead the amplitude and phase indicates the overall hue. This allowed black and white sets to remain compatible with color transmissions, as they just ignored the new color subchannel, but still displayed the existing luminance information.

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