British Kinematography (1953)

November, 1953 NEW EQUIPMENT 137 NEW EQUIPMENT As in the case of technical papers, the Society is not responsible for manufacturers' statements, and publication of news items does not constitute an endorsement. EKCO-VICTOR PROJECTOR FOR 16mm. MAGNETIC FILM OF the 16mm. magnetic-optical projectors currently in production, the Ekco-Victor is, at £295, the least expensive. For many years, the Victor has used a non-rotating sound-drum, easily detachable from the machine. This feature is now a substantial asset, for it allows the additional components for magnetic tracks to be supplied as attachments which the least technical of users can fit or dismantle in a few minutes. Since no mechanical or electrical changes are necessary owners of the Victor can buy the necessary magnetic assemblies in the form of a conversion unit as illustrated for £57 15s. The first stage of conversion is to replace the normal sound-drum by the magnetic drum — an operation requiring no tools. The magnetic drum contains a record/reproduce head, a separate erasing head and a hum-bucking coil. 0 y & A screened lead connects the two magnetic heads to the recording console, which contains a 110V. power pack. In recording, this lead carries amplified speech currents and a.c. bias and, on a second pair of conductors, an erase current derived from the biasing oscillator. A neon indication of recording level and monitor headphones are provided, and there are two separately-controlled input channels on the console. Recording, but not playback, can be done with the projector amplifier switched off. Signals from the striped film pass to the recording console, and, after amplification, back to the projector amplifier through the " non-sync." socket. Safeguards are provided against inadvertent erasure. The microphone can be used either on the recording console or up to 10ft. from the projector to reduce pick-up of projector noise. Recording and playback volume are controlled at the console. With careful microphone placing recordings of excellent quality can be made and magnetic recordings at 16 p.s. compare well with many 24 p.s. sound films. Satisfactory sound can also be obtained, with some increase in noise level, on a halfwidth magnetic stripe. This magnetic conversion unit has been developed by : The British Victor Division of E. K. Cole Ltd., 5 Vigo Street, London, W.l. (Block court c Film User.") CINEMASCOPE CINEMASCOPE is a system for the practical presentation of pictures on a wide curved screen, combined with true stereophonic sound ; it is designed to approach realism in motion picture presentation. This realism is possible because the CinemaScope scheme permits using lenses during photography to give the most natural perspective ; the angles of view approach those to which we are accustomed in life ; all the factors of depth perception are used. CinemaScope is not a so-called 3-dimension system, nor a temporary expedient of wide screen presentation. The stereophonic sound associated with CinemaScope is not a compromise ; the CinemaScope system of picture presentation is a completely engineered system of anamorphic lens, special screen and true stereophonic sound, all films being produced by Twentieth Century-Fox in CinemaScope have been staged and photographed in this medium. CinemaScope is an integrated whole, no separate part