Where did LCD TVs come from?

Where did LCD TVs come from? by Johnny Waymire

There are three technologies today that are competing to be the number one TV technology: LCD, Plasma, and DLP. LCD will likely be the winning technology.

LCD TV's popularity has recently exploded. The technology is expanding and is now comparable to that of IBM and DVD. LCD TVs are the most up-to-date high-definition televisions with rich picture and color quality. It is a little known fact that LCD technology actually dates back to the year 1888 when the properties of liquid crystallization were discovered by Austrian scientist Friedrich Reinitzer. That would make the concept of LCD TV at least eighty years old! Probably the first efforts to utilize the process of liquid crystallization for commercial products were taken by George Heilmeier, an Electrical engineer from the University of Pennsylvania. Heilmeier also held Ph.D, M.S.E, & M.A's in Solid State electronics from Princeton University. He went on to work with RCA and while working along side Lucian Barton, Joseph Catellano, Joel Goldmacher, Nunzio Luce, Louis Zanoni and Richard Williams he shaped LCD technology, one piece at a time.

Before LCD TV came together as a whole, individual parts of the technology were first developed. Liquid crystal display (LCD) was the result of experimentation with liquid crystals. While dabbling in this technology RCA found that it was possible to create digital clocks, watches, calculators, and so on. The digital alarm that is common to timepieces today is due to Heilmeier's work with RCA.

James Fergason, a graduate from the University of Missouri was passed the baton of LCD technology and developed it further. As the Liquid Crystal Institute associate director at Kent State University, Fergason discovered the nematic field effect, which took the prototype LCD TV displays of Heilmeier's team toward the present-day LCD technology.

Fergason's team unveiled the first LCD TV in 1971, which unfortunately proved to be a disappointment in terms of the "phantom images" that were visible during action broadcasts. After making adjustments and the addition of reverse pull-down correction, the picture quality on modern-day LCD TV is excellent, hardly ever allowing distorted picture transmission. As a result of his work fine-tuning LCD technology, Fergason began his own corporation and forged over 100 patents.

LCD TV today is an amazing experience. At this rate, LCD TVs are sure to replace the old CRTs as the television-watching technology of the future. LCD TVs now are High Definition capable and provide an astonishing viewing resolution. It is also a favorite for individuals with home theaters.

Johnny Waymire has a great free resource site, http://tv-advisor.com , containing practical and helpful information on how to purchase Flat Panel TVs that fit YOUR needs. Visit to find all the helps, brands and reviews to make your next purchase very informative.

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