The Washington times., 1928-10-19

y
Yet in that time it has revolution
lied an industry and has trans
formed the worlds most popular
medium of entertainer t-the mo-
ton picture,
1t required courage. foresight and
imagination to undertake the public
introduction of Vitaphone, which
was 10 give voice to the silent
drama. In the face of opposition
and skepticism, Warner Brothers
dared when their competitors hesi'
tated. Today, az the entire picture
business is accepting the arrival or
this new era in screen history,
Warner Brothels are advancing far
ahead of the field with condolences
that is born of practical experience
and the assurance Of the successful
picture.
In august. 1925. Warner Brothers.
as licensee of the Western Electric
Company, proclaimed themselves
ready to present for public approval
the most epoch-makinS DEVELOPMENT
| in screen history. Previous expert
mente in talking pictures from time
to. time had proved ludicrOus fall
ures. it was suspected that this
demonstration would be just one
more like the rest.
But Warner Brothers faith In
Vitaphone was not shallow inter-
est in endowing the screen with
voice to make it temporary freak
novelty. They saw 1t as the crown
ing technical perfection of the mo-
ton picture. They backed 1t with
their regulations as film executives
and the reputation OF their company.
Moreover. they invested 1t with the
more concrete assets of their own
tireIess efforts and the vast re-
sources OF the organization which
carries their name.
The first audience TO hear Vita
phone assembled at the Warner.
Theater in New York. AS they en-
tered the playhouse on Broadway
there was little enthusiasm for the
experience that awaited them. Then
the house was darkened and there
faded in on the screen the figure or
Will Hays.
moment later his voice on The
Vitaphone was speaking telling of
the honor he felt as leader of the
industry to indorse the marvellous
device. At his first words there
was a gasp OF breathless astonish.
ment. At last the illusion of speech
in connection with the motion pic
ture- was real. A spontaneous burst
of thunderous applause from the
amazed spectators followed and
NitaDhone was a success.
The system and apparatus en-.
pIoyed by Vita phone were developed
by the Bell Telephone Laboratories
and the Western Electric Company.
Through Vitaphone music speech
and song are electrically repro.
duced, as the performers seen on
the screen appear to render II;
music especially played TO accom-
nany a certain picture is electrically
reproduced in synchrorism with the
action of the screen; and in general.
the visual and audible presentation
OF performers IL given mechanically
and electrically at any place or at
any time, without their actual
presence in the theater or hall.
The sound vibrations created by
the orchestra are picked from the
air by microphones which are placed
OUT OF the range of the cameras and
yet within a few feet of the players.
Where the rendition is that OF
single singer or player one micro
phone is sufficient. but in the per-
forma noes of large Orchestras like the
New York Philharmonic, six or more
microphones may be used.
Fro the microphoneS the fiuctu.
ating electrical current passes
through wires 10 the control LOON.
where il passes through an amplify
ing system. Amplifier panels of
the Western Electric public address
system type are used in this con
nection. Because the current set
up by the fluctuations of sound
pressure at the diaphragm of the
microphone are too minute TO op,+-
rate the registering device which
cuts the grooves on the soft wax
| disk which serves as master
record, this amplifier system is in
PRODUCED to take the small current
at its input end and by means Of
distortionless vacuum tubes amplify
it to the requisite strength. There
is also a monitoring system here
used in connection with regulating
the total volume of sound, a volume
Indicator. and panels for testing
purposes which have nothing d.
rectly to do with the registering
equipment.
| From the anplifier system the
| current passes to the recorder. Here
I the fluctuating electrical current Is
! translated into mechanical Vibra-
| tions These mocha nical vibrations
faithful facsimiles of the sound