International projectionist (Jan-Dec 1946)

INTERNATIONAL QJECTH With Which Is Combined Projection Engineering Henry B. Sellwood Editor MONTHLY CHAT Volume 21 JANUARY 1946 Number 1 Index and Monthly Chat 5 A Postwar 16-mm. Projector: The Ampro Premier 10 ... . 7 Leroy Chadbourne A Researcher Views Television 11 E. W. Engstrom Telecasts 14 Common Projection Room Hazards 16 Theodore P. Hover Variations in Print Density . . 17 Arthur W. Sweet In the Spotlight 18 Harry Sherman Projectionists' Course on Basic Radio and Television: XIX— Vacuum Tubes 20 M. Berinsky At Your Service 23 The Stratovision System for Television, F. M.— II 24 C. E. Nobles Disregard of Safety Switches a Source of Danger 26 Presenting: Joe Moran 30 Letters to the Editor 31 I. A. Local Elections 33 Personnel 34 News Notes Technical Hints Miscellaneous Items Published Monthly by INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST PUBLISHING CO., INC. 19 West 44 Street, New York 18, N. Y. R. A. ENTRACHT, Publisher SUBSCRIPTION REPRESENTATIVES AUSTRALIA: McGills, 183 Elizabeth St., Melbourne NEW ZEALAND: Te Aro Book Depot, Ltd., 64 Courtenay Place, Wellington ENGLAND and DOMINIONS: Wm. Dawson & Sons, Ltd., Pilgrim St., London, E. C. 4 Yearly Subscription: United States and possessions, $2, (two years, $3); Canada and foreign countries, $2.50. Single copies, 25 cents. Changes of address should be submitted two weeks in advance of publication date to insure receipt of current issue. Entered as second-class matter February 8, 1932, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. Entire contents copyrighted 1946 by International Projectionist Publishing Co., Inc. International Projectionist is not responsible for personal opinions appearing in signed articles in its columns. 420 THE time has come to face squarely the facts anent television: the war is over, the bars are down, the lines are drawn. Any lingering doubts as to the imminency of commercial television (show business regarding a year as only a "season") were dispelled by RCA's recent demonstration of its television system, both color and black-and-white, and the unveiling of a line of video receivers. Details of this event appear elsewhere herein. Impressive as was this showing technically, the real story, from our point of view, lies in the prompt and vigorous reaction the demonstration provoked among competing telecasters, notably CBS. RCA concluded showing its color tele system, then promptly announced that the present mechanical set-up (requiring viewing analyzers) was obsolete; in fact, "no advancement on identical experiments . . . abandoned by the film industry .. . in 1911." All-electronic tele. the. ideal, was five years in the future, opined RCA, thus the industry should proceed, immediately on a black-and-white basis. "No," cried CBS, which holds that color will be ready within two years, a short time for the industry to wait before ushering in tele full-blown, with technique and standards, especially anent sets, all wrapped up in one neat package. CBS hinted, none too subtly, that RCA's desire to shove off now reflected the batter's position as a leading manufacturer. Now, anytime there is a sweetly tart exchange of opinion centering on the potential spoils of a commercial enterprise, one may be sure that the gold lies in not too distant hills. In other words, tele is en route — but fast. This fact, and it is a fact, prompts several questions by this corner: The video crowd ascribe a major role in the tele art to the "Hollywood film producers" — but where does this leave the theatre field? Has any branch of the film industry so much as stretched a shoelace to find the answer to the preceding question? Are projectionists prepared to cope with television — if necessary? We don't know the answers to the foregoing queries, nor do we know of anybody else, least of all in the film business, who does. But of one thing we are certain, and that is that from this moment on our previous burning interest in the video art. particularly as its commercial course becomes clear, will have turned into a all-consuming conflagration. The availability of 500.000 tele receivers .by the end of 1946 may not constitute very edible food for thought, but it sure does open up broad vistas for contemplation. We recommend an equal measure of inquisitiveness on the part of the projectionist craft. JANUARY 1946