The conceptual leap from radio and television was much larger than moving from black and white television to color — in fact the earliest black and white television designers laid the ground for the color ones. The issue was mainly that on technology, and was largely solved by the 1950s. RCA developed their “dot matrix” color television standard, and CBS had a rival one, which RCA sued to stop — or just delay. But CBS went ahead with the grand experiment, launching the first color television set.

On this day, September 28, in 1951 CBS launched a color television set they hoped would spark interest in their color television programming, by then reaching 4 ½ hours duration weekdays and 7 ½ weekends.

Neither the public nor the sponsors were impressed with the system. No sponsors signed on for the colorcasts and the new more expensive sets languished on store shelves. Fortunately, CBS had an out: the Korean War. Charles E. Wilson of the Defense, Production Administration requested CBS to stop the manufacture of sets “to conserve materials for defense.” Less than a month after it started selling its color receivers, CBS announced they would end color broadcasts and television manufacture.