1080 hlines resolution 16:9 screen 1920x1080 dpi DIRECTV | 540 vlines resolution 4:3 or 16:9 screen 720x480 dpi Digital Video Disc | 480 hlines resolution 4:3 screen 704x480 dpi | 720 hlines resolution 4:3 screen 1280x720 dpi | 1080 hlines resolution 16:9 screen 1920x1080 dpi Vidikron |
1989 - International Telecommunications Union established the first HDTV standards, based on digital packet transmission rather than analog wave transmission.
updating Nipper of 1900 |
1990- The RCA dog Nipper was joined by a smaller canine companion named Chipper, who represented the semi-conductor-based future of digital consumer electronics.
1993 - Digital HDTV Grand Alliance was created to develop prototype digital high definition television equipment. Thomson introduced CinemaScreen, the first widescreen TV available in the U.S. (but analog, not yet digital). Thomson Consumer Electronics was created by the 1988 purchase of RCA and GE consumer electronics businesses from General Electric.
1994 - RCA Digital Satellite System (DSS) became North America's first high-power direct broadcast satellite (DBS) consumer television system, with DIRECTV, started by Hughes Electronics Corporation in 1990 in the Ku-band of the radio spectrum, and three Hughes HS 601 satellites relaying 200 channels to any 18-inch dish in North America.
1996 - In December, the FCC approved HDTV standards proposed by the Advanced Television Standards Committee (ATSC) that was formed in 1983 to replace the analog standards of the NTSC. Each HDTV channel has been allocated a bandwidth of 6 MHz for a theoretical data rate of 19 Mbps (but actual rates of 14.7 to 17.9 fall short of the 18 Mbps required for fast-moving sports broadcasts, and less that the 24 Mbps needed for 1080p). This allowed transmission of different digital signals, from 480 to 1080 interlaced lines of resolution (but not 1080 progressive lines), and from 640x480 dpi (300,000 pixels) at 4:3 normal screen ratio to 1920x1080 dpi (2 million pixels) at 16:9 widescreen ratio.
1999 - March 6, HBO began HDTV satellite broadcast of motion picture films, starting with "U.S. Marshalls" at 8 pm. By November, 70 of America's 1600 TV stations were broadcasting HDTV and 88,000 sets had been sold. DIRECTV added a second HDTV satellite channel Nov. 1.