Journal of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (1950-1954)

feet, but shows in which direction the azimuth must be rotated if it needs correction. Such a test film is now being proposed under ASA standards and identified as SMPTE 512 MPRC 58.583B SO 12.2/6 Nov. 1, 1952. Among new equipments offered to the industry in 1952 may be listed the Westrex RA-1511-A converter which is a nonrotating device for the conversion of single-phase 1 1 5-v power to a threephase 230-v form for the synchronous operation of camera, sound recorders and other film-pulling mechanisms associated with the production of motion pictures.11 A new portable magnetic recording channel (Fig. 3) was made available by RCA, designed primarily for 17jmm film. By operating at 45 fpm a considerable economy in film cost is realized and the size and weight of the recorder are reduced. The recorder is also adaptable for 16mm and 35mm film. A new amplifier system utilizing miniature tubes and small components is provided as part of the equipment. In an effort to develop lighter weight and more flexible sound-recording equipment, the Telefunken Uni-Directional condenser microphone was repackaged by Paramount into a unit, including bail, weighing only 6 oz. The basic condenser element has been built into a 2^-in. diameter screen sphere, which also houses a subminiature tube. This has made possible the use of a lightweight boom having 40% of the weight of a typical boom, and also an ultra-lightweight fishpole having not only "panning" facilities but also "great circle" movement of the microphone. Six pictures have been recorded with these microphones. Sound Recording in England. It was not until 1952 that magnetic sound recording was adopted by the British on any considerable scale. This was due to the general policy of restraint in capital expenditure and the lack of suitable studio equipment. As a first step in the change-over /rorri photographic to magnetic recording, both RCA and West rex made available conversion kits by means of which existing photographic recorders could be operated as dual-purpose, photographic and magnetic machines. Later in the year, RCA, Westrex and GaumontKalee introduced recording, re-recording and portable equipments designed specifically for magnetic service. In general, the standard speed of 90 fpm has been adhered to in English equipments. A number of J-in. magnetic tape recorders were available in 1952. The Leevers-Rich Syncropulse recorder can be operated synchronously with the picture camera. High-quality nonsynchronous equipments were manufactured by Leevers-Rich, Philips and E.M.I. 35mm, 17jmm and 16mm perforated magnetic film were made available by Pyral and Kodak (both of French manufacture) and Gevaert (Belgian manufacture), while Minnesota Mining Corp. announced the manufacture of a similar range in England. 16mm During 1952 it was necessary to increase the plant capacity of most of the 16mm processing laboratories in the country to meet the increased demand for their product by the producers of films for television, television stations, industrial organizations and educational institutions. The conversion of silent 16mm pictures to sound pictures and the production of new sound 1 6mm pictures has been made possible and accelerated by the application of magnetic striping to 16mm film stock. In 1952, the Bell & Howell Company announced its Sound Stripe process for applying a magnetic stripe to the edge of 16mm film and its design of a combination optical magnetic recording 16mm projector (Fig. 4) which would record and play on film having perforations on both edges as well as on the conventional sound film perforated on one edge only. George R. Groves: Progress Committee Report 541