Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 5, No. 3 (1930-12)

80 The Phonograph Monthly Review Television By E. E. SHUMAKER (President RCA Victor Company, Inc.) Editor's Note: Many P. M. R. readers have inquired if television instruments or equipment might be expected in the near future. The following statement on the part of one of the largest phono-radio manufacturers gives an indication of the problems involved,—and the excellent prospects for their early solution. T HE American public, accustomed as it is to prodigies of scientific and technical achievement, seldom realizes that the engineering marvel that is heralded today was preceded by years of research and experiment. Television is a case in point. The almost fantastic possibilities of this wonderful, new radio development have caught the fancy of the public as nothing else that has been produced during the past few years, and the public, as is its habit, has jumped at the conclusion that, because television is a laboratory suc- cess, tomorrow may see its introduction to the home. Un- fortunately such is not the case. The RCA Victor engineers have been working on television for a number of years and have made truly phenomenal strides towards its practical use. We have overcome many of the technical barriers, and already have made successful demonstrations, but the apparatus necessary to carry out successful television today is totally unfitted by its character to installation in homes. In a word, television is a labora- tory success but appears to be a long way from practical and general use. It is impossible to say how many months or years may intervene between the present stage of televi- sion development and its ultimate availability for home use. Quite apart' from the development of television receivers is the problem of equipment for broadcasting television. It will take time and a great deal of money to parallel the pres- ent transmitting equipment of the broadcasting networks with equipment for broadcasting visual impressions, and this would be true, and would be another element of delay in the coming of television, even if the home television receiver were now ready for presentation—which it decidedly is not, The erection and cost of a multitude of expensive transmit- ting stations, the proper and complicated choice of wave- lengths for distortion-free transmission, the building of com- pact, attractive, simple, and reasonably priced receivers which will operate automatically and give a picture of satisfactory size, color, brilliancy, and detail,—these are vital factors in the problem television presents. The problem is literally one- hundred times harder than that of radio telephone broadcast transmission and reception, and is taxing to the utmost even the long experience and high intelligence of the profound research and development workers who devote their days and nights to the solution of this fascinating problem whereby the world may see as well as hear through radio broadcasting. There remains also the problem of the program for televi- sion. What sort of a program shall it be, how shall it be co- ordinated with the musical or speech program, and above all who will pay for it? Must actors and actresses be hand- some as well a mellow-voiced? Must elaborate costumes and complicated backgrounds and sets be provided? Are we inheriting all the problems of the motion picture producing industry. Apparently we are and these things are not to be solved in the next few months. Fortunate, indeed, if they are solved in any measure in the next few years. However, the public may be assured that television is coming, and that RCA Victor will not only bring it to its highest development, but will present it when it is satisfied it is in practicable form. We have noticed a certain amount of public curiosity as to what effect television, when it does come, will have on radio receivers of the present day type. The answer to that is fairly obvious, I think. Television will be a part of the radio set—a, vital part, and it will add immeasurably to the entertainment value of radio. I think there is a perfect parallel in the motion picture field. Motion pictures were a going concern in a high stage of development before the coming of talking pictures, yet it was sound that really brought them to life, and now sound is as vital and organic a part of motion picture entertainment as the visual part of the motion picture. In the movies, sight came first and was subsequently joined with sound; in radio, sound came first and will certainly be united with visual impressions— but it is sound that vitalizes and gives realism to the motion pic- ture just as it will to television. There would be no more point in offering television as a thing complete in itself than there would be in going to work to make a silent motion picture today. The public has become accustomed through the modern sound motion picture to the synchronization and simultaneous impressions of sight and sound. Surely tele- vision will not offer anything less and, indeed, it will offer more. Combination receivers for sound and television are logical, and inevitable. The RCA Victor Company believes that with the ultimate perfection of television a new and undreamed of field of entertainment for the home will be explored. Its possibilities seem almost magical. The theories of the imaginative writers, who wrote their tales of incredible scientific marvels long before there was a radio, will certainly come true within the next few years. PHONOGRAPHIC ECHOES A New Philadelphia Phonograph Society A new phonograph society is being organized called “The Philadelphia Miniature Phonograph Society/’ of which Adrian Bollox Woltz, Esq., is president. All gramophiles who are interested in thel future development of the phonograph should get in touch with the president at his home at 419 North 32nd Street, Philadelphia, Penna. Schubert Memorial Concert The winners of the 1930 Schubert Memorial Contest are Flora Collins, soprano, Sascha Gorodnitski, pianist; and Olga Zundel, ’cellist. Miss Collins is an Iowan by birth, Miss Zundel was born in China of Russian parentage, and Mr. Gorodnitski of Russian birth,—giving the contest a highly international flavor, although both Miss Zundel and Mr. Gorodnitski are now naturalized American citizens. In prev- ious years the winners of the Schubert Memorial Contest have been given the opportunity to record for the RCA Victor Companyj and undoubtedly record collectors will have an opportunity to hear this year’s prize-winners on discs be- fore the season is out. An earlier prize-winner, Muriel Kerr, has been adding steadily to her laurels, making her latest appearance at The Worcester Festival in Liszt’s E flat con- certo.