Technology forecasting-tv look-ahead

More than two decades have passed since the original National Television System Committee (NTSC) standards for U.S. 525-line commercial color television were implemented. The electronic distribution of information and entertainment has undergone several technological revolutions in this relatively brief span, and still more innovation is forecast for the immediate future. Remarkably, the original standards have stood the test of time well, providing a continuity of purpose and function between yesterday's vacuum tube and today's integrated circuit. But with domestic color TV sales nearing saturation, the pressure is on for receiver manufacturers to develop a brand-new market for home TV systems. The possibilities here include (but are not limited to) video disks, large flat-screen displays, higher-resolution TV (more scanning lines), and narrowband transmission allowing many more channels than are presently available.