Amateur talking pictures and recording (1933)

RECORDING NOTES 59 The Pick-up or Recording Head. Although most of the present day pick-ups operate on similar principles, and their construction does not widely differ, it is essential for the purpose of home recording that a really substantial instrument be employed. The writer finds that in this country much of the home recording work is being done using "B.T.-H." pick-ups which are certainly satisfactory. In choosing a pick-up for recording one is concerned also with the method of suspension. Of course, if a complete attachment is purchased direct the pick-up will be included, and there the matter ends, but if one is making a home recording set the method of operating the lead screw enters Fig. 28. B.T.-H. Pick-up into the question. Usually this necessitates the use of one of the vertical type of heads, such as is shown at B, Fig. 15, of the Ekco Radiocorder. On the contrary, for pre-grooved work a pick-up arm of the style of the Pacent Recordovox in Fig. 22 is obviously most suitable. An English equivalent to this is the B.T.-H. minor shown in Fig. 28. Again, we must remind the reader that if he or she contemplates home talking picture work where it may be necessary either to record or reproduce from 16-in. die the pick-up arm must be long enough to accommodate this diameter. Messrs. Varley supply a very useful pick-up and arm suited to 16-in. disc recording. As a matter of fact this is the instrument employed on the talking picture apparatus of British Talkatomes, and shown in Fig. .">! . If the type of traverse is such that it moves the pick-up itself across the disc in angular direction then in pitting the apparatus care should be taken that the angular error of the needle is shared. Usually it is sufficient to fit a pick-up and arm so that the needle passes over the centre of the turntable when in the inner position. Other things