Broadcasting Telecasting (Jul-Sep 1960)

EQUIPMENT & ENGINEERING NEW COMPACT TUBE FROM GE 'Compactron' will reduce set cost and size General Electric Co. last week (June 28) announced development of a new electronic device called ■"Compactron." a tube-like unit described as promising significant cuts in size and complexity of radios, tv sets, hi-fi, electronic organs and industrial gear. In disclosing the potential of the Compactron, I. D. Daniels, general manager of GE's electronic components plants at Owensboro, Ky., said costs "will be reduced appreciably while preserving the superior performance characteristics of tubes in relation to other existing miniaturized devices." A radio receiver using two Compactrons measures IVi inches high and deep, IOV2 inches wide, with most of the width ascribed to "the generous size of the speaker." Tv sets with the device would have 10 compactrons compared to present 15-tube circuits using three diodies, or 24 transistors and 1 1 diodes. W. F. Greenwood, marketing manager at Owensboro, said savings in ii material and labor would make possiii' ble a 20% lower price per function jj than tubes and considerably lower than ij transistors, with marked simplicity in ' production methods and integration of more functions into a single unit. Sales potential is envisioned as "tens of millions of dollars by the end of 1962." Compactrons will be especially use ful in color tv, reducing bulk, expense and circuit complexity it was stated. A new anode material developed by GE and a supplier is said to cut heater power requirement of the cathode as much as 40% . Merger tall<s start for Ampex and TMI Ampex Corp., currently serving the data processing and computer industry with magnetic tape handling equipment through its subsidiary, Ampex Data Products Co., hopes to strengthen its service to this field through a merger with Telemeter Magnetics Inc. Negotiations are currently underway between the two companies, with George I. Long Jr., Ampex president, heading up his company's representatives, while Erwin Tomash, TMI president, is chief spokesman for his company. TMI manufactures punched ferrite cores of various sizes, which are magnetically bistable and are a basic memory element in all modern computers. I MI is 85% owned by Paramount Pictures Corp. and is a spin-off from Paramount's International Telemeter Division, whose engineers, in developing memory apparatus for this company's pay-tv system, came up with other memory products not needed by pay tv but usable by manufacturers of computing equipment. So it was separated Savers of space ■ General Electric's newest electronic development, the Compactron, is described as a space saver. Two Compactrons (right) are said to do the work of five miniature tubes (left) in performing identical functions in a radio receiver. The diagrams show the functional role of the old and new components. Research into new uses continues. from ITC by Paramount and set up as a separate organization. "We're both in the memory business," an Ampex spokesman said, "and combining forces will enable us to serve the computing and data processing industry more etfectively." Despite TMI's previous relationship with IT, the telemeter pay tv system is in no way involved in the projected merger, he emphasized, nor has it any relationship to Ampex's operations in tape recording radio and tv programs. Jerrold to redeem 1975 debentures Milton J. Shapp, president of Jerrold Electronics Corp., Philadelphia, last week announced to stockholders at the annual meeting that a call has been issued for the redemption of the company's 6% convertible subordinated debentures, due June 1, 1975. The issue in the amount of $2,750,000 is Jerrold's only long-term debt, he stated, and the redemption ofl'er is an indication of the company's increased financial strength. (For 1959 Jerrold figures, see Broadcasting, June 13.) Of the original convertible debentures, $400,000 worth was outstanding as of June 24. These bonds may be redeemed at the redemption price of 105% of the principal amount or they may be converted at the conversion price of $5.75. Thus each bond of $1,000 may be converted into 173 shares of Jerrold common stock, the company announced. At the meeting Mr. Shapp told stockholders that for the first quarter ended May 31, 1960, sales are running at approximately last year's level. Jerrold does not report quarterly. Olympic to produce color television sets Olympic joined the still relatively small band of color television set producers last week. The company's 1961 line will include a 21 -inch color console with a suggested retail price of $695 and a "stereocenter" combination featuring a 21 -inch color receiver, am-fm and phonograph for $995. The suggested prices are for mahogany cabinets; blonde costs $20 extra; walnut $30. The color sets are among 50 tv models in Olympic's new line. The "stereocenter" combinations can provide different audio programs at two locations simultaneously for am and fm stero broadcasts. BROADCASTING, July 4, 1960 73