In 1940, prior to RCA, CBS researchers led by Peter Goldmark invented a mechanical color television system based on the 1928 designs of John Logie Baird. You couldn't buy one though.

Production of monchrome sets started to take off dramatically after the end of the war and it wasn't until the FCC (Federal Communications Commission ) hearings of 1949-50 that a standard was even introduced, with the first sets being made commercially available in 1951.

Much like the later rows of standards with video, there were huge rows over what standards would be used in the adoption of colour technology, with the CBS system winning the first round at the aforementioned hearings and releasing the first colour TV onto the market in 1951.

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