How did TVs change from 1928 to 1980?

Answer 1

In the United States:

1. in 1928 the only televisions were experimental mechanical televisions, they were not available to the public
2. In 1939 the first televisions were introduced to the public by RCA at the New York World's Fair, RCA only sold 5 models, they were electronic but only black and white, there were only 5 channels (1 through 5) approved by the FCC but few towns had more than one channel actively broadcasting and most towns had none
3. In 1942 most television broadcasting ceased due to World War 2 and all manufacturing of televisions was banned to free those resources for the war effort
4. In 1947 manufacturing of televisions was resumed and the FCC authorized 12 VHF channels (2 through 13, the frequencies of the original TV channel 1 had been taken for military purposes during the war)
5. In the early 1950s A. T. & T. started carrying the video of network television programming on their system of microwave towers used for carrying long distance telephone calls and the audio of this same programming on their landline system for carrying long distance telephone calls, at the same time local companies (especially in the mountainous western areas) built the first Cable Television systems so people that could not get the broadcast signals could watch television
6. In the middle 1950s the FCC authorized a system for color that was compatible with the existing system for black and white, but few people could afford the new color televisions and few programs were even shot in color before the middle 1960s, so few people saw any color television programs until the late 1960s
7. In 1964 the FCC authorized 70 UHF channels (14 through 83), educational stations and networks (e.g. PBS) were some of the earliest to make use of these new channels
8. In 1983 the FCC reassigned the 14 UHF channels above 69 to other purposes, reducing the number to 56 UHF channels (14 through 69)

Answer 2

Television now has more channels and more networks. We also have color television.