Final Cut Pro 6 - A Brief History of Film, Television, and Audio Formats

402

Part V

Appendixes

1895

Lumière brothers demonstrate combination camera/projector (16 fps).

1918

First color motion picture appears.

1920

Commercial radio broadcasts begin.

1923

16 mm film is introduced.

1927

First major motion picture with sound is released (1.37 aspect ratio),
ending the silent movie era.

1932

BBC begins official monochrome, 30-line video broadcast.

1934

RCA experiments with 343-line, 30 fps television format, removing
flicker by introducing interlacing.

1936

BBC begins broadcasting a high definition, monochrome, 405-line,
25 fps interlaced signal tied to European 50 Hz electrical frequency.

1939

NBC begins regularly scheduled broadcasts of electronic television,
441 lines and 30 fps.

1941

National Television Systems Committee (NTSC) standardizes U.S.
commercial television format, 525 lines, 30 fps tied to U.S. 60 Hz
electrical frequency.

1945

FCC allocates 13 channels for television broadcasting and moves
existing radio channels to 88–108 MHz.

1946

ENIAC, the first electronic computer, using 18,000 vacuum tubes,
is unveiled.

1948

Long-playing (LP) phonograph records are introduced.

1948

Hollywood switches to nonflammable film.

1948

Ampex introduces its first professional audio tape recorder.

1948

The transistor is invented.

1951

The first commercially available computer, UNIVAC I, goes on sale.

1952

The FCC provides UHF channels 14 through 83.

1953

Second NTSC adopts RCA color TV standard, 525 lines,
29.97 fps, interlaced.

1953

First CinemaScope, anamorphic film is released with 2.66 aspect
ratio (1.33 x 2).

1955

Stereo tape recording is introduced by EMI Stereosonic Tapes.

1956

Ampex introduces its first video recorder using 2-inch reel-to-reel tape.

1961

Stereo radio broadcasts begin.

1963

Philips introduces audio cassette tapes.

1967

BBC TWO becomes the first British color broadcast network, using
the PAL system, 625 lines, 25 fps interlaced.

1967

France introduces SECAM, 625 lines, 25 fps, interlaced.

1967

The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE)
standardizes timecode.

Year

Event

Appendix A

Video Formats

403

V

1968

The computer mouse is invented.

1970

3/4-inch U-Matic video format is introduced.

1970

Computer floppy disk is introduced.

1971

First permanent IMAX film system is installed.

1972

FCC establishes rules for cable TV.

1972

The first computer editing system, the CMX-300, is introduced.

1975

JVC introduces the Video Home System (VHS).

1977

First preassembled personal computer, the Apple II, is introduced.

1982

Sony, Fujitsu, and Philips introduce audio compact discs (CDs).

1984

Apple introduces the Macintosh computer.

1986

Betacam SP is introduced.

1987

The first commercial digital videotape format, D-1, is introduced.

1990

General Instrument proposes an all-digital HDTV system in the U.S.

1991

Japan adopts Hi-Vision/MUSE as the national HDTV standard,
16:9 aspect ratio,1,125 scanning lines, 30 fps, interlaced.

1991

QuickTime 1.0 is introduced, including the Apple Video codec and
Animation codec.

1993

Digital Betacam is introduced.

1996

DV format is introduced.

1997

DVD format is introduced.

1997

Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) digital television
standards are adopted by FCC, including 18 formats, 6 of which
are HDTV.

1999

Final Cut Pro 1.0 is introduced.

2000

DVCPRO HD equipment begins shipping.

2000

First IMX VTRs begin shipping.

2003

First HDV camcorder is introduced.

2005

QuickTime 7 is released, including support for H.264.

2006

XDCAM HD format introduced.

Year

Event