Television
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Television, or TV, was an electronic device for mass communication that was popular during the mid- and late-20th century and early 21st century which had a screen that displayed moving images with synchronized sound.
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[edit] History
The first television sets were small cathode ray tubes that only displayed black, white and shades of gray. In the late 1950s, color televisions began to replace black and white sets. Nearly all shows were broadcast live except for special programs temporarily saved on film for broadcast in different times zones; reruns of shows that had previously premiered began to be rebroadcast by the early 1960s. By the 21st century, televisions were routed through telephone lines and were capable of video conferencing and displaying multiple screens. Television could also be displayed with a flat screen hung on a wall, and in video glasses.
By 2015, video units were everywhere, and people were accustomed to following several different programs at the same time. At the Cafe 80s, twenty sets were in operation on one wall alone, simultaneously displaying shows from the 1980s such as Taxi and Family Ties. Marty McFly Jr. watched six channels at the same time, although his television glasses only accommodated two channels. A window shade in the McFly living room was a scene screen which showed images from The Scenery Channel 24 hours a day, although the screen was worn out, and Marty had thrown out a repairman (for calling him chicken). The image could be changed with a remote control, although Lorraine switched it off.
Besides showing television, video units in 2015 had other functions, such as allowing people to see each other while talking on the telephone, and waiting on tables, with computer generated images of Ronald Reagan, the Ayatollah Khomeini, and Michael Jackson interacting with restaurant guests.
[edit] Programs in 1955
Sam Baines bought his family's first television set on November 5, 1955, and the first program that the family watched was The Honeymooners.
Doc had a television set at his garage, and Marty was able to hook a 1985 video camera to the set to play back the tape of the events at the Twin Pines Mall. Doc had a second television set in his mansion, so this apparently proves that he is rich, according to Milton Baines' statement about people who have two television sets, although his mother didn't believe anyone had two sets.[1] In 1955, the price of even a portable television set in a rolling cabinet, like the one that Sam had bought for his family of seven, was about $140 [2]. When adjusted for inflation, this would be the equivalent of more than $1,000 in 2005. (see [http://www.westegg.com/inflation/infl.cgi "The Inflation Calculator").
George McFly regularly watched Science Fiction Theater, his favorite program, on his family's television, every Saturday night, and did not want to miss a show for the Enchantment Under the Sea dance.
On the morning of November 13, the Howdy Doody show was the first program broadcast on Sunday morning.
[edit] Programs in 1985
In 1985, Marty did not seem to watch much television, although his family liked The Honeymooners. On October 25, 1985, the McFly family watched a re-run of the show while eating supper. Marty would later see the same episode ("The Man From Space") when he had supper with the Baines family in 1955. The McFly family had two televisions, one in the living room, and a portable TV that was in Marty's bedroom.[3] Doc had a television set in his garage, along with a timer which was set to turn the set on at 8:00 every morning. Marty had apparently seen films like A Fistful of Dollars on television, as well as shows like Star Trek, and made reference to those shows in 1885 and 1955, respectively.
[edit] Programs in 2015
- "Art off! Okay, I want channels 18, 24, 63, 109, 87, and The Weather Channel!"
- —Marty McFly, Jr.
Jennifer Parker was only able to glimpse 2015 programming for a few seconds, but watched her future son from a distance as he tuned in, and paid attention to, six programs at once. Among the scenes were a mushroom cloud (on 109), a parachutist (on 24), cartoons on 18 and 87. On Channel 63 was a commercial for Bottoms Up!, a plastic surgery store of that era, advertising "The Super Inflatable 'TIT', for that last minute adjustment," and "The Headlight 'TIT'" 2 for 1 sale". The weather was on channel 247, and had a commercial for USAir service to Vietnam. Channel 87 has a bald man yelling "Money! Give me big money!"
When Marty, Jr., joined the family for dinner, he put on a set of JVC video glasses that, to his disappointment, allowed him to watch only two channels. He was watching Channel 57 on his left lens, and remarked that he was seeing "The Atrocity Channel". According to the novelization, he was watching the "Bears-Spacers" game on his glasses as well, seeing the Chicago Bears playing American football (the Bears had a very good season in 1985 and were having their "best season in 30 years" in 2015).
[edit] Appearances
[edit] References
- ↑ According to The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 1956, page 791, 70% of homes in the U.S. had television in 1955, while 3.5% of homes had two or more sets.
- ↑ "2 Sets Can Eliminate Problems", from The Chronicle-Telegram (Elyria, Ohio), September 21, 1955, p26; retrieved from newspaperarchive.com, July 9, 2008
- ↑ According to The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 1986, 98% of homes had at least one television in 1985, 91% had color television, and 57% had two or more sets.
