Heinl news service (July-Nov 1950)

Helnl Radio-Television News Service 9/20/50 propose 'bracket* standards in our present monochrome systems as follows : "Scanning-line Frequency. . . . 15,000 to 32,000 per sec. (Now 15,750) Field Frequency . 50 to 150 per sec. (Now 60 per sec. ) "A receiver built to receive these 'bracket' standards, hereafter called a Bracket receiver, would operate on the present black-white standards, and then, at the turn of the Bracket switch, give monochrome pictures on CBS color transmissions. For reception of color the further addition of a converter, say, a rotating color disc and motor, would have to be made to the TV set. "Why 'bracket' standards? If all future TV sets were Bracket sets, then the FCC's responsibility of seeing that set owners enjoy monochrome service from all transmitters within range would be limited to only (!) the present 7 million owners! (This will be 10 million at the end of 1950)* The FCC will not have to continue to worry about the compatibility problem growing worse when and if receiver manufacturers promise, at the request of the Commission, to build dual or Bracket standards into all their sets. And that is exactly what FCC has asked the manufacturers to do. By Sept. 29 the set-makers were asked to tell the Commission whether they will build Bracket receivers, starting 30 days after the FCC order is published in the Federal Register. "What will happen if they do not so promise? If the FCC does not receive sufficient assurances that the great majority of sets produced will be Bracket receivers, then the Commission declares it will not postpone final decision but will adopt CBS Color Stand¬ ards in one month! A rather clever but high-handed method of forcing, or attempting to force, manufacturers, over whom the FCC has no juris¬ diction, to help carry out the Commission's present intent regarding color. "What is the reward if the manufacturers agree to produce Bracket receivers? The FCC will then postpone its decision and wit¬ ness tests of color systems, provided they satisfy the criteria men¬ tioned above and provided the receiving equipment is delivered to the FCC Laboratory by Dec. 5 and a suitable signal is on the air in Wash¬ ington for test and that the tests terminate by Jan. 5, 1951* (Accord¬ ing to Commissioner Hennock's view the decision date should be moved ahead to June 30, 1951* She wisely points out that newly-developed, all-electronic systems, some of which have not yet been shown to the FCC, may bring the realization of an acceptable Compatible system. ) CTI has a new system to show; RCA has greatly improved the performance of its system since the last demonstration that FCC of¬ ficially recognizes; there is the Lawrence tube to see; Hazeltine has improvements; G-.E. also has a new system. How will these have a chance to be Included In the line-up when the color system for USA Is chosen? Only if in the meantime all the large manufacturers of TV sets promise to add Bracket equipment to their receivers, If our each receiver by at least $10 to $30. What will the customer get in return? A wider adjustment of horizontal and vertical scanning speeds; wide enough to include CBS standards; an addition which may never be used. It is possible that 3 million TV sets would be manu¬ factured before the final FCC decision. This would mean $90 million of customers' money thrown away on a useless addition to their 2