International projectionist (Jan-Dec 1947)

Altec Service Celebrates 10th Anniversary WITH sound engineering research as the keynote, the Altec Service Corporation of New York, N. Y., this month observed their tenth year in the field of sound service. An outgrowth of Electrical Research Products, Inc., a subsidiary of Western Electric, Altec was founded by a group of ERPI employees upon W.E.'s decision to divorce itself from direct exhibitor service. A subsidiary, the Altec Lansing Corp., manufactures theatre loudspeakers, but Altec Service specializes only in servicing theatre motion picture equipment. In a statement commemorating the anniversary, G. L. Carrington, president of Altec, stated that it has been and will continue to be the policy of the corporation to be prepared with plans for techniques and methods to incorporate new developments in their clients' theatres long before these new improvements even get to the theatres. Continuing, Mr. Carrington said, "The reason for this is that behind the scenes, Altec engineers work continuously with the sound engineers in the producing companies, the research engineers in the Academy and the engineers in the equipment manufacturers' plants, so that they are always ready to meet a new situation even before the exhibitors know it exists." New Developments Noted With 6000 theatres in the nation as clients, Altec Service has become a mature and seasoned organization, with the respect of the entire motion picture industry. Foremost among new Altec developments is a new Service Meter, which will enable trouble-shooting Altec inspectors to diagnose sound system failures in a matter of minutes instead of hours. Further, it permits the discovery of such failures before they have a chance to create a complete breakdown in the sys tem. Other developments in past years have included the AQ-1030 Equalizer for modernizing old equipment, a magnetic speaker, which precluded the use of power-supplies containing critical wartime material and an all-purpose emergency amplifier to be hooked up for use while the regular theatre amplifier was being repaired. GPE Theatre Television Bid Indicating that the development of television will not be left to the ministrations of the radio and telephone groups was forthcoming through a recent announcement by General Precision Equipment Corp. that a radically new system of large-screen tele is now undergoing an intensive experimental program at its laboratories in Pleasantville, N. Y. GPE is the largest single manufacturer of motion picture equipment in the world, with 13 subsidiaries in the U. S. Tele No Threat to Pics Half of the technicians working on this new system have had previous electronic experience on radar projects at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, it was revealed by GPE chairman of the board Earle G. Hines. While declining to discuss details of the system at this time, Hines expressed the belief that it would require about five years for any theatre television system to match the quality of present motion picture projection. "I do not regard theatre television as a threat to the economic welfare of the motion picture industry," said Hines, adding that the new art could be extremely helpful "provided the film industry as a whole cooperated in an intensive and comprehensive research program." This statement was regarded as an oblique reference to the present situation wherein several film companies have em barked on individual tele programs, the while the industry's technical forces have met with nothing but producer rebuffs to their pleas for a coordinated effort. 'Just More Showmanship' Stressing the fact that television after all is "just another form of showmanship," Hines advocated the immediate formation of an industry-wide tele research organization which would utilize not only its own engineers but outside scientific talent as well. He characterized the present video activities of Warners and 20th Century -Fox, in collaboration with RCA, as "a step in the right direction," but emphasized his belief that the scope should be widened to include every branch of the film industry so that "progress not be frozen." The great significance of the GPE statement lies not only in the fact of its pre-eminent position as a manufacturer but also by reason of its pioneer step as a purely motion picture equipment company. GPE subsidiaries in the U. S. incude International Projector Corp., Hertner Electric Co., Strong Electric Corp., National Theatre Supply Co., Ampro Corp., and, of course, the ultra-modern Pleasantville laboratory. New RCA Tube Manual Out A new edition of the RC-15 Receiving Tube Manual has been released for distribution by the Commercial Engineering Section of the RCA Tube Department. Long the most complete and authoritative handbook on receiving tubes; the new edition, first since 1939, presents many new features, including data on FM, miniature tubes and television broadcast receivers. Sections on tube and circuit theory have been expanded and the classification chart has been brought completely up to date. New application data includes circuits on ratio detectors, discriminators, limiters and multivibrators. Copies will be available this month through RCA tube distributors. AT ALTEC'S TENTH ANNIVERSARY RECEPTION HELD AT THE WALDORF-ASTORIA HOTEL, NEW YORK Left to right: Harold Wengler, Altec advertising manager; Emil Smith, Left to right: Harry Sherman; Walter E. Green, president, Nationalpresident, Westchester Local 650; I. P.'s Harry Sherman; and Joseph Simplex-Bludworth; Mike Berkowitz and Cecil Wood, Sr., members Schappach, business agent, Westchester Local 650, make up a happy New York Local 306; and Earl G. Hines, chairman of the board, foursome at reception. General Precision Equipment Corp. INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST • December 1947