Channel 100
Encyclopedia
Channel 100 was a pay television channel company run by Jeff Nathanson and Alan Greenstadt. Also called Optical Systems, it was one of the first all pay-per-view
cable TV channels. It used a box manufactured by TRW
, in which a user inserted separately purchased punched plastic cards for access. In 1972 Mission Cable in San Diego became the first cable company to use the Optical Systems arrangement—under the name “Channel 100." Channel 100 operated on several cable television
systems in the United States during the 1970s, including San Diego, California
and Toledo, Ohio
. It showed two movies a week.
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
cable TV channels. It used a box manufactured by TRW
TRW
TRW Inc. was an American corporation involved in a variety of businesses, mainly aerospace, automotive, and credit reporting. It was a pioneer in multiple fields including electronic components, integrated circuits, computers, software and systems engineering. TRW built many spacecraft,...
, in which a user inserted separately purchased punched plastic cards for access. In 1972 Mission Cable in San Diego became the first cable company to use the Optical Systems arrangement—under the name “Channel 100." Channel 100 operated on several cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
systems in the United States during the 1970s, including San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
and Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
. It showed two movies a week.
Sources
- John Sire, Oral History Collection, The Cable Center,
- Megan Gwynne Mullen, The Rise of Cable Programming in the United States: revolution or evolution?, 2003, University of Texas Press, ISBN 0292752733