Evening star., 1939-05-14

OfEquipnent
Outlined
Commission Studies
Stable Value of
New Sets

scenes the images would be quite
small and are not likely to give
that detail which the general pub
lie may expect.
But the matter of protecting the
public against the rapid changes
which might be expected is the
paramount one before the commits
sion. 1t appears that the manufac-
turers have not yet taken any steps
which would make it possible for
owners of receivers to be able to
change the size of their screens
to take advantage of improve
ments. Such increase would have
to be taken care of by the pur-
chases of new sets, which. con-
sequently. would mean that the
original sets would be a total loss.
The latest information which the
committee has obtained on this
phase is that one of the laborato
has a system which will make it
possible for the receivers to be
changed to take care of the in
creasing number of lines-which
means, increased size of the pic
tures-at cost of so per cent of
that of the original sets. The COM
mlttee has evinced much interest
in this phase of the development,
but even this means increased cost
to the public. but it does mean that
the original cabinet and other parts
might be salvaged
The greatest cost in the sets Is
the large tube which produces the
picture. The other tubes in the set
are standard, such as are used in
the regular sound receivers. But
the large tube, it was said, costs $50,
and it has a use expectancy, under
ordinary conditions. of l 1000 hours.
Because of the variation in sys-
TENS of transmission and the neces-
slty of synchronization between the
sending stations and the receivers,
1t was estimated that the universal
pick up all programs in an area in
a given community, is still far into
the future. This is one phase per-
haps which the general public does
not fully understand. If there are
three stations in community, each
using a different system, the listen
er or viewer would have to have a
set for each system. All of them,
under the present stage of develop
ment, would have to have nearby
stations available, because as far as
radio television has been developed
now, using as it does the higher fire.
| Quency spectrum, the signal cam
not be picked up beyond points
| from which the station antenna can
be seen. That is why stations
transmitting apparatus will have to
be located on high points and is
why the broadcasts from the Empire
State Building in New York will not
be available for pickup in receivers
for a distance greater than SIS miles
in all directions.
The frequencies in the spectrum
assigned to television also are few
and stations cannot be located
| closer than 300 miles. the experts
say. The problem of chain trans
mission as in the case of sound also
is a great one. At the present stage
it is limited to the expensive coaXial
cable, which, it has been estimated,
would cost about $l00, 100000 to lay
from coast to coast. However, ex-
Fermentation now is being made
| which it is hoped will obviats the
use of this expensive system. 1t is
| the use of radio relays-that is
having a series of radio relay sta
tions to pick up the pictures and re-
transmit them over the chains
they are formed.
The matter of installing televisio!
receivers in the homes will be muc,
more difficult than the presen.
sound receivers, which may be
plugged into any outlet. They vii
have to be installed by experts, a.
they have a much more critical an
tenna system than the sound boxes
In some cases, it was said, a certain
amount of experimentation may be
necessary to determine the best an
tenna location. Once installed in
the home, it will not be possible to
move them about as the presen.
sound receivers, which is a problem
confronting the housewife who likes
to change her furniture around
from time to time. Special antenna
have to be provided and the regular
antenna will not be suitable for tele-
vision. Furthermore, television re-
ceivers cannot be installed while
there is no program on the air. 1t
is necessary tn have a OrOpram in
order to check the performance of
the set and to make the proper type
of antenna installation. They have
not been developed for use in areas
where only battery current Is
available.
The only regular programs now
available are in the New York area,
some of which will be pickups Of
events. There Is no station avail