The first patent for synchronous sound was already filed in 1907, but it took the superstar power of Al Jolson starring in the
Jazz Singer in 1927 to make the conversion to sound seem like a viable idea. And even then, it took another few years and a few different formats before we worked out the basis for the system we use today. Similarly, Sony was already demonstrating HD projection in Japan in the mid 80's. They’d even created a prototype pre-fab theater where the “movie” would be beamed from a 3/4" U-matic deck programed for automatic “reel” changes from one cassette to another
