History of tv in the UK

Throughout the years broadcasting in the UK TV has changed massively. In 1920 the first experimental broadcast was put together and in 1922 the BBC had their first transmission day. For this to happen they had a 2LO transmitter installed on a roof in London. This gave a broader reach for people to receive it , this was used until 1929.  In 1924 the BBC had their first relay from America and then 11 years later , the  world’s first TV service was launched,  this was the first broadcast on high definition  television. For this to happen they used Marcani –Emis 405 line system and Bairds 240 line systems. In 1937 the BBC were able to film outside of the BBC grounds as the first TV van was put into use this gave people the  chance to watch what was going on around England. In 1958 the BBC made the first video tape recorder, this made it able to record the filmings and show it at other times instead of being live. This video tape was called VERA (vision electronia recording apporotis.) This wasn’t used very long as the Americans made an Ampex vriocan which people when used here in the UK. In 1967 tv took a big step and became colour. BBC2 was the first channel in Europe to be become in colour. 1995 was the year that ITV came to the screens. This was then joined by BBC 2 in the 1964 and the channel 4 which was launched in November 1982. Then Channel 5 completed the terrestrial TV channels in 1997. These 5 channels were received through radio waves by antennas or aerials which were placed on top of the TV or outside your house on a wall. Mainly until the 2000’s TV was mainly broadcasted in analogue but over the past 11 years we have been introduced to digital television which is received through aerials just like terrestrial but you have a freeview box to connect to the TV. In 2006 The first high definition  service started . In parts of the England the Analogue service has been switch off this means that they will have to have a tv with digital on or have to get a freeview box to receive  any sort of television programme.

This is the first  RCA television.That was brought out just befor the war.

This is the VERA recorder which was used and made by the BBC.

Through the years video technology has also changed, it all started with Bairds 240 line system since then there has been big changes. In 1946 the first most popular television (around that time) went on sale this was the RCA 630TS this video was a small size of 10”. After this television RCA made more television which progressed and became bigger but still were a very small size. Then in 1949 RCA made the first projection television .Since this television have had a huge change , you can get much bigger television and the quality has become much better. In the last 10 years you have been able to buy high definition television but to be to get this you must have a box that can change the images in HD. In last two years 3D television has also been developed by Sony. To be able to get the 3D experience you have to wear glasses that have a special lenses in them.  Camera’s have also improved throughout the years .
By all this changing TV is now easier to consume as there are many different ways to watch tv and people now have the choose of watching many different channels , to suit what they like.

In the UK, analogue television is broadcasted through PAL (Phase alteration line). PAL is used in many countries around the world including many parts of Europe. PAL is made up of 25 frames per second and has 625 lines. Other countries use different broadcasters such as NTSC; this is different to PAL as it send 30 frames per second and is made up of 525 lines. NTSC stands for national television system committee .This is also a analogue broadcaster but is not used in the uk but is used in America, Japan and parts of the pacific ocean. Another analogue broadcaster used is SECAM (sequential colour with memory). This is the same as PAL but SECAM sends its colour signals through separately. PAL uses 576 of its lines to show the picture.

How has the digital world changed the way we consume and create tv?

The digital world has changed a huge amount in the last 10 years. There are now many ways that you can watch TV. Terrestrial TV is a type of way you can watch TV. Terrestrial has 5 channels and is received through radio waves. In the UK this is received by PAL.

Another form of watching TV is through cable this is received in a different way, it is received through radio frequency signals and is transmitted through optical fibres and coaxial cable which is put underground. This means that there is no satellite dish needed.

Satellite is another way; this is received through a satellite dish and a set-top box. By having satellite you can choose what channels you want to watch to what suits you. You also have to pay monthly for satellite TV.

Digital terrestrial is received through aerials just like terrestrial TV but this can receive more channels then just your five analogue channels. To get the more channels you have to have a freeview box connected to your television. This has a multiplex transmitter so it can receive the more channels.

Multiplex is another way of watching TV this is a group of channels that are mixed together for broadcasting over a digital TV channels and then are separated again by the receiver , which then transmitters them so it can be watch on TV.

As well as watching your TV shows on TV you can now watch them in different ways-

IPTV (internet protocol television) this is TV that is received by the internet. This allows people to watch live shows online, or to catch up with shows that have been on a few days ago.

Video on demand is similar to IPTV but you can’t watch live TV. This allows you to watch past programmes when it suits you. This can be received through the internet. An example of this is BT vision to get this you must have a vision box.

This is BBC iplayer which allows people to watch tv when they want to.

Over the past few years digital cameras have become more popular over the video/film cameras. There are many advantages from using these as they give the filming better qualities’ digital camera uses a SD card where as a video camera uses a HDV tape or a miniDV tape. With video/film cameras the tape can only be used once to have a good quality where as if you use a CD card they can be used until the card is full. Once it is full, filming and images can be deleted and the card can be used again with the same quality. In the long run digital camera have a much bigger advance as you don’t have to keep paying for the tapes as you can re-use the SD cards. A digital camera also allows you to delete any shot that you don’t want when you are out filming so it’s not wasting space, whereas on a DV tape you can’t do this. You can also change things while out and about, for example you can change the white balance.

This is the sony HD handycam .

The way TV has been shown on TV has changed a lot. Pre-recorded TV shows have an advantage of making them better by editing the show. This improves the shows so that they can cut bits out and can make sure that shots are to the best quality. Many shows will use the apple software “final cut pro” to edit there shows. Editing allows film crew not to shot things in order. So if they can spend one day in one place and they can film everything even if it’s not in that order.  So if they can spend one day in one place instead of going back and forward to somewhere, this can save companies a lot of money. When they come to editing they can then put them in order.
In the last 10-15 years editing has become a big part of post production. Editing lets the show rearrange shots, use colour correction, sound missing and adding voice over’s to the clips. This has improves the digital world a lot as its able’s companies to make the shows better quality.

Have online videos lowered the standards of television production?

TV used all about watching good quality productions but now a day’s many people are deciding to watch lower quality productions online. By people watching these people now don’t expect that high quality that the TV gives you. As many people now have easy access to the internet as home, YouTube is becoming a very popular way to watch videos and to add your own short movie that you have made. Many people are also using things like BBC I player to catch up on the programmes that have been on a few days before.  By people watching these online they are not watching it in as high quality to which they could have seen it on TV. These two websites are very popular as they are free to watch and YouTube is also free to upload your videos. Many videos on YouTube are of poor quality but people will still watch it as they are free. In the past two years there have been a few films that are done in a home movie style. An example of there is paranormal activity. By people watching this it makes people think that they can make videos like this.

Equipment used for these productions vary. For example videos on YouTube won’t have a very high budget, so will either be filmed o a mobile phone or a digital camera. The general public wouldn’t have a lot of money as they wouldn’t be given money to make these productions like big companies. A popular small camera that is easy to carry round would be a Sony handy cam which can vary in price from £150 to £700. These would film in good quality, unlike your mobile phone. Big companies that make big production can spend up to £20,000,000 on a camera’s. The quality of these would be a lot better compared to a little Sony handy cam but these have professional part for example that will shoot in HD.

Overall the way people watch television has had a huge change over the years. Television is now more accessible for people of this generation to watch as you now have video on demand and IPTV which allows people to watch television when they want. As you now can watch television on you phones, iPods it is easier to watch when you are on the go.