Evening star., 1954-01-11
On the Air

Mont will be reserved until
later date when his latest achieve
ment can be examined in proper
perspective. The DuMont Labor
atorieS have made a number OF
contributions to the science Of
broadcasting and receiving tele-
vision signals. DR.. DuMont's ex-
periments with the cathode ray
tube probably had a lot to do
with speeding television's ar
rival.
True, he did incur the wrath
of the Federal Communications
Commission one day when he
blew all its fuses. But the Du-
Mont scientists were merely
demonstrating their disapproval
of the Inflated CHS color system.
To do it they built a TV mon
strosity with a gigantic color
wheel and incurred the great de-
light of many whose fuses were
not blown when they plugged
. it in.
There is reason, however. to
doubt the true merit Of DR.. Du-
Monts latest triumph over the
galloping electron. This may not
be precisely a step forward, In
case you missed the news report,
the doctor has come up with a
TV device named the Duoscoplc.
which receives two television
programs at the same time.
You wear a pair of polarold
glasses and an ear piece akin TO
those on hearing aids to watch a
single program. Reverse the
glasses and switch to the other
audio channel and you see and
hear the other program. Inc
pictures come right in the house
with the windows closed and the
doors bolted, too.
The first question the Duo
scopic raises is what in the world
ever made the doctor think in
the first place that anybody
might want to get two programs
instead of one on TV set? ms
is the same sort Of progress as
the hydrogen bomb. which Will
blow a vaster area farther tnan
the atom bomb.
Two programs where one
glowed before. Doc, is not neceS-
sarily an improvement. What we
need is a television set which
will shun a dull program by
shutting itself off. An electronic
brightener which would auto
matically polish up banal scripts
would be a help. too.
There is the argument, OF
course, that the Duoscript T'V re-
ceiver will be just the thing for
those homes where viewing tastes
cause conflicts. A man can watch
Lucille Ball, say, while his wife
communes with Dennis Day. Uh
huh.
This argument could be set
forth only by a bachelor who
never in his life encountered a
difference of opinion in front
of a television set. The Duo
scopic is sure to start more argu-
ments than it ever stops. A man
will walk over and adjust the
contrast control, running the pic
ture he isn't looking at. His wife
will retaliate by fiddling with the
volume and blasting his ear plug
right through his ear drum.
The possibilities are almost
endless in number. We can see
one scene now, being repeated
all across the land. The wife
will be sitting there in properly
receptive mood, plugged. in on
Bishop Sheen. Nearby will be her
oafish husband, shoes off, can OF
beer in his hand, watching Mil
ton Berle and guaffawing rudely
into bis wife's unplugged ear.
| The message of Christian
| charity and love for your fellow
man is certain to suffer. That
wife is sure to belt her fellow
man over the noggin with brass
ash tray, long before $3.50 rolls
around.s
Our advice, in case the Duo
scopic ever turns up in your
living room, is simple. Get two
pairs of glasses. one counter
acting the other, and accept no
ear plugs attached to wires.
Then you'll always think there
is nothing on the television and
you can get that back reading
done. Or turn on the radio.
X X \
TRIFLE-A man can see and
hear some strange things while
keeping an eye and ear cooked
in the direction of a TV set
vAich shows only one program