Today, we take color TV for granted, but that was not always the case. On this date in 1953, the first color television sets (made by RCA) went on sale for a whopping $1,175. And just two days later, the first coast-to-coast color broadcast occurred–the Tournament of Roses Parade. As you can imagine, the majority of people could not afford this. It would be the equivalent of about $8,000 today. Nowadays, I would say one is hard pressed to find a black and white TV.
For more info:
http://yearinrev.weebly.com/first-color-television-set.html
http://pdxretro.com/2011/12/first-color-tv-sets-sold-on-this-day-in-1953/
http://famousdaily.com/history/first-ntsc-color-tv-set-on-sale.html
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13 Comments
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What an amazing time.
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This was only four years before I was born, I can remember having black & white TV in our parents home. But man do I also remember when we got our first color TV too. It was truly a great day!
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Author
My mom always tells me about how they had a special screen that went over their black and white TV that gave them the illusion of color TV. It worked well for outdoor scenes, but indoor scenes were sometimes kind of funny.
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haha! i had NO idea a color tv cost SO MUCH!!!!!!
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While my generation had so much more technology than our parents and grandparents did, I like to remind my own daughters just how much more they have then I did. We had a black-and-while TV until near the end of my time in grade school. I remember running to a friend’s house to watch “The Wizard of Oz” on color when I was in about the 3rd grade. My daughters are very into gaming – especially my middle daughter. I’ve told her about MY first video game – PONG! We had a party line on our “landline” and never even dreamed about cell phones. It makes me wonder what will come in the next 10 or 20 years, too.
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My Grandparents were so proud of their new TV they took a ton of pictures of it!
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wow thats crazy! thank you so much for sharing that! i remember in the 70s my parents had this big color tv that sat on the floor. that thing was so heavy too. it was very pretty though with a beautiful woodwork and all. the big flat screens of today are very different.
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My mom was born in 1947 so she grew up through this time. It is great to read about it.
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My Mom who was born in 1950 use to tell me about how they were the last people on their block to get a TV but the first to get a color tv. If TV’s were this expensive though I’m going to assume they got it in the late 50’s though when it came down a little. $1175-yikes! I wouldn’t pay that even now for a TV.
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It seems similar to the switch from SD to HD Tv’s
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We take a lot of things for granted these days. I try to be thankful for everything I have.
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Amen to that!
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Wow.. What cool information.. I had no idea.. Thanks for sharing dear 🙂
