How Sony Shaped High-Definition Video in the 80s and 90s

Making HDTV a Reality

High-definition video (HD video) feels like a modern staple, but its origins go back decades. Long before HDTVs became the norm, companies like Sony were laying the foundation for what would eventually transform the way we see the world. From pioneering hardware to supporting breakthrough technologies, Sony’s role in the story of HD is as fascinating as it is foundational.

The Birth of HD Technology

The push for HD technology began in Japan in the late 1970s, spearheaded by engineers at NHK’s Science & Technology Research Laboratories. NHK, short for Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), is Japan’s national public broadcasting organization. Their goal was to develop a system that delivered far more detail and clarity than traditional broadcasts. The result was MUSE (Multiple sub-Nyquist Sampling Encoding), an analog standard that used cutting-edge techniques like digital video compression, dot-interlacing, and motion-vector compensation to compress 1,125 lines of resoluti…