Projection engineering (Jan 1932-Mar 1933)

Edit i a JANUARY, 1932 BIG YEAR FOR JHE year 1932 is sure to PUBLIC ADDRESS | be a profitable year for manufacturers of publicaddress equipment and for installation engineers who make a business of renting portable systems. In addition to the increment of business accruing from the natural extensions of a comparatively new art there will be thousands of temporary installations employed during the months preceding the presidential election. Auditoriums, halls, picnic grounds, fang-rounds, outdoor overflow areas, et cetera, will be widely subjected to the advantages of public-address facilities. There is opportunity for one or more concerns in 40,000 municipalities throughout the country to participate in some degree in this approaching business gain. Complete public-address systems, and the elements of systems are now available for use in every possible situation. THE YEAR 1931 ryj) i progress in the soundpicture projection art in more than one respect paralleled the advance of broadcast radio at about the same number of years after its commercial advent. Refinements have been the noteworthy steps during the year. Outstanding among the forward steps have been the introduction into widespread service of the all a-c. operated standard and special size equipments, and the new portable reproducing apparatus. In the successful transcription of sound on film a new ribbon microphone, introduced by R.C.A. Photophone, Inc., played an important part. Progress was made also in developing successful equipment for the suppression of the heretofore troublesome "ground" noise. The past year has witnessed the extension in service of the high speed "Pan" films, and in color cinematography a new additive screen process is reported to have been demonstrated successfully. A trend appears to have set in calling for projection lamps of higher amperage — betterment changes in other elements making this an advantage. From a mass of reports from manufac Page turers' laboratories may be gleaned the information that during a year of subnormal sales advantage has been taken of slack periods to lay foundations of developments of a technical nature which may be capitalized profitably when the business tide turns. ▲ THE OUTLOOK rv TJRING 1931 there was B°OATDCAST °N D I ™*ed improvement ENTERTAINMENT m tne technique of radio broadcast entertainment. In response to the demand for novelty and variety the large stations and the chains have progressively introduced betterments, both in matter and manner, which almost continuously bring into the homes of the country a grade and quality of entertainment such as insures sustained interest. There is no doubt that dramatically presented mystery stories, concerts by symphonic orchestras, amusing sketches of the vaudeville type, radio adaptations of minstrel shows, and so on, to an increasing extent are lessening the desire to go abroad in the evening in search of entertainment. The situation is such that silent movingpicture shows would now have a struggle for existence. Talking pictures are better able to compete with the home radio, but the competition compels the picture house to present pictures of unquestionable merit. The allure must be next to irresistible. The leaders in the moving picture industry are not overlooking the probable or the possible advent of broadcast television — and the extent to which television in the home might make further inroads upon attendance in theatres. Perhaps for the moment no more informing forecast can be presented than that suggested in NBC's annual report just issued. This reads, in part: "NBC engineers are conducting, tests that must lead eventually to the inauguration of public television service on a plane comparable with station synchronization and improved transoceanic broadcasting." j> mJj^mziUc orL Editor