History of Sound Recording and Broadcasting

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Brief History of Sound Recording and Broadcasting Technology

1864
James Maxwell's electromagnetic wave theory becomes the basis for radiowave propogation.
1877

First description of recording sound onto a cylinder or disc described by Charles Cros in France and Thomas Alva Edison in the United States.

1878
Thomas Edison patents the recording of sound onto discs and cylinders.

1887
Heinrich Hertz transmits and receives radio waves over short distances.

1888
Emile Berliner shows first example of a working "phonograph"playback device.

1888
Basics of magnetic recording put forth by Oberlin Smith.

1889
Danish inventor Valdemar Poulsen patents the first magtnetic recorder.

1895
Development of first wireless telegraph system by Guglielmo Marconi.

1905
First electron tube developed by Sir Ambrose Fleming.

1906
First wireless communication of human speech.

1912
Development of the 'Audion' vacuum tube amplifier by Lee de Forest, leadingthe way towards the electronic amplification of sound.

1919
KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is licensed as the very first radio "staion" to broadcast to the public - announcements, prize fight results and shipping traffic info along with a violin solo on Christmas Eve 1919.

1920
The first COMMERCIAL radio station - playing music interspersed with time announcements, weather information, sports, news, and paid commercial announcements for local sponsors (in other words what we now call modern radio) signed on the airwaves as XGA, in Montreal, Canada early in 1920. That station, still on 600 KHz AM in Montreal is call-signed CFCF. Currently privately owned, the station was once owned by Guglielmo Marconi (yes, the inventor of wireless).

1925
First electronic recordings made with the use of a microphone released tothe public.

1931
First stereo recordings made by Bell Telephone Laboratories, fore xperimental use.

1933
Theory of frequency modulation (FM) for radio broadcasts developed by Edwin Armstrong.

1935
Development of the tweeter and woofer in loudspeaker technology to reduce loudspeaker distortions.

1936
The first true magnetic tape recorder, the Magnetophone, is issued.

1939
'AC Bias' added to tape recordings to improve sound quality.

1948
Introduction of Long Play (LP) record by CBS.

1948
First transistor introduced.

1949
RCA makes the 45 rpm, 7 inch disc available.

1949

Developmental work on the acoustic suspension loudspeaker done by Harry Olsen.

1954
Introduction of stereo tapes to the public.

1954
Edgar Villchur and Henry Kloss begin to popularize the acoustic suspensionloudspeaker.

1958
First stereo LP records released.

1962
First stereo FM radio broadcasts.

1964
Philips makes public the compact cassette.

1975 - 1978
Early digital recording made.

1980
Sony introduces the "Walkman".

1983
First CD player made available through technology developed by Sony and Philips.

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