When computers hit homes, the FCC’s RF interference concerns kicked into overdrive
At first, computers largely appeared in businesses and universities. They hadn’t quite hit the home just yet, though electronics that had computing elements—think Pong consoles and the like—were starting to make their presence known.
That meant that these devices, like every other type of electric device (even light bulbs), could be a new source of RF interference, and as the personal computer started to gain attention and popular uptake, the industry had to adapt. Stuff like the Altair’s accidental musicianship would not fly.
And so too, did the Federal Communications Commission, which asked the public in 1978 to help determine a plan of action for better managing RF interference, after getting flooded with complaints for years on end. An inquiry document implied that the FCC was considering its options for about regulating this technology. The organization implied that it may not be cost-effective or even necessary, and even floated a voluntary approach.
“Greater immunity will require more sophisticated design, additional components, and increased testing, all of which will increase equipment production cost. The magnitude of this increase will depend upon the immunity standards prescribed,” the commission wrote, adding that the public may still choose the cheaper, unshielded option if given the choice.
After spending time digging in, however, it’s clear the agency decided that they needed to take a harder line than the voluntary one posed. After all, computers were taking over the household, and so too were VCRs, video games, walkie-talkies, and all matter of electronic devices.
Of course, the computer industry was still very immature at this time, with devices like the Commodore PET, TRS-80, and Apple II still quite new, each representing early attempts at bringing personal computers to a large home market. We were a step beyond the pure hobbyist nerdery of the Altair but far from maturity. The FCC wanted to head off issues with these new devices before things went too far—and saw the dynamic around consumer devices as being distinctly different from commercial platforms.
By September 1979, the FCC was ready to weigh in, and it was worried about your neighbor’s TV experience above all else.
“We are most interested in protecting an individual who is receiving interference from his neighbor’s computer. To a lesser extent, we are concerned about devices in the same household,” the agency wrote in its rulemaking document, FCC 79-555. (The goal? To prevent interference so bad that it harmed the experience for someone in a completely different home.)