The History of Television: Fun Facts About the TV

From the electric telescope to today’s smart TV: Admittedly, the TV has changed quite a lot. But how did it all actually start? While 4K, large screen sizes, and smart TV systems are standard today, these would’ve been completely unthinkable at the very beginning of the television era. The fact that we’re spoiled today with tons of channels, streaming services, and even a remote control is shown by our fun and quirky facts about the rectangular box.

Invention of the television: How it all began

So when was the TV actually invented? The entertainment device that today hangs or stands almost naturally in every household first appeared in 1880 as nothing more than a drawing on paper. From the first idea of transmitting images serially, it took three years until tinkerer Paul Nipkow built a mechanical prototype. He created the electric telescope, an image‑transmission device in the form of a disc that broke images apart and reassembled them at the receiver. It didn’t become fully electronic until almost half a century later—specifically in 1930. Using the Braun tube, inventor Manfred von Ardenne presented the first fully electronic television set at the Berlin Radio Exhibition. And the technology worked!

With the first German TV broadcast on March 22, 1935, television came to life for the general public. Three times a week, viewers could enjoy movies or the broadcast of special events. At least until World War II began and the German film industry came to a halt. Only with ARD (Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Rundfunkanstalten Deutschlands) did the success story of TV entertainment continue in 1952. In the years and decades that followed, more and more programs were added, color TV emerged, and more and more households owned a television.

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TV then and now: From luxury item to mass medium

Time really flies! Looking at the history of television, you can see how enormously the technology has changed to this day. What was a total luxury back then has become a mass medium today. We dug a bit through the memory box and show you the funniest tech facts about why watching TV today is way more fun than it used to be.

Honey, where’s the remote?

Just a bit of channel surfing? Unthinkable without a remote. But why switch between channels anyway? Most households only had three programs. The upside: with so few choices, people agreed on what to watch much faster.

My house, my yacht, my TV!

While today you can get a TV for as little as around 100 euros—or even less—you had to dig deep into your pockets back then. If the old prices were still charged today, a TV would cost about 9,000 euros. Ouch!

Binge‑watching around the clock? No way!

Letting the TV run late into the night? Nope! Broadcast breaks were a thing. Anyone wanting to watch TV at night had no choice but to stare at the colorful test pattern—or fall asleep to static noise. Even in the afternoons, the TV often stayed off because the broadcasting employees also wanted their lunch break!

Suddenly color‑blind? Nope, totally normal back then!

The world isn’t just black and white for you? Back then it was. It took quite a while until the first color TV arrived. Not until 1967 did colorful images flicker into German living rooms, letting the film and television world shine in a completely new light.

What would TV be without good sound?

Highlights and milestones of German television history

Which TV shows started it all? What were the first news items German viewers saw? Here’s an overview of the highlights and milestones of German TV history.

To this day, the Olympic Games in 1936 count among the most important TV events. Around 150,000 viewers watched the live broadcast in so‑called “television parlors.” Watching sports at home? Unthinkable at the time, since hardly anyone owned an expensive TV set. Today, major sports events like the Winter Olympics reach millions.

In 1952, German viewers were informed about the world’s most important events through the very first Tagesschau. News about the football match Germany vs. Yugoslavia, the return of U.S. President Eisenhower from Korea, and scenes from the Baier ice show flickered across German screens.

With “Je später der Abend”, Germany aired its very first talk show—even though host Dietmar Schönherr didn’t quite know what he was actually hosting on March 18, 1973. Quote: “Today we’re doing what’s called a talk show. What that is, you don’t know—and honestly, neither do we.”

Anyone who thinks German TV history has been going downhill since then is mistaken. During the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the final between Germany and Argentina reached 34.65 million viewers—the highest ratings ever. And that doesn’t even include the massive crowds at public viewing events.

Teufel sound for TV and home cinema

We love TV. Whether you’re watching on an old tube model or with your fully equipped home cinema system—Teufel wishes you tons of fun with even more TV entertainment!

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▶ If you want to install a complete home cinema systemOpens in new tab right away, choose the CONSONO 35 AVR “5.1‑Set.”Opens in new tab With this AV receiver from Marantz, you’re fully equipped. It supports Dolby True HD, DTS‑HD High Resolution Audio, and HDR10+. The 2‑way speakers deliver realistic surround sound, and the center speaker ensures clear dialogue. The subwoofer brings powerful bass to your movies.

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Conclusion

TV feels totally normal to us today, even though TVs haven’t even been in private households for a full hundred years. Just like cinema, television has evolved incredibly fast, allowing us to enjoy HD and 4K programs today. At the same time, more and more video streaming services are competing with classic TV. Today, we have more choice than ever before.

• Title image: ©Sebastien DE LEROUT some rights reservedOpens in new tab. Source: UnsplashOpens in new tab
• Image 2: ©Kyle Dias some rights reservedOpens in new tab. Source: Unsplash