Meet America's first color TV that quickly disappeared
CBS launched the Model 12CC2 in 1951, using a spinning color wheel to create the picture. But color broadcasts were soon suspended and production ended.
America's first color television set went on sale in 1951. CBS launched the Model 12CC2, a groundbreaking device that promised to bring color programming into American homes for the first time.
How the spinning wheel created color
The Model 12CC2 used a spinning color wheel to make the picture work. This mechanical system rotated filters in front of the screen to produce color images, a novel approach that seemed to represent television's color future.
The quick end of CBS color TV
Despite the initial promise, the Model 12CC2's time on the market was brief. Color broadcasts were soon suspended, cutting off the programming that would have made the television useful. Production of the 12CC2 ended, and the model quickly disappeared from stores and homes. The first commercial color television in America became a footnote in broadcasting history.
