Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1950)

15 KEEPING SOUND IN SYNC Accurately synchronized music, narrative and even lip-recorded speech are claimed by Movievox wire sound system MARTIN WELEDNIGER LIKE the electric light and the automobile, there now seems no doubt but that sound with amateur movies is here to stay. Whether you're working with sound on film (see opposite page — Ed) , double turntable sound on disc, or magnetic sound in any one of its present or promised forms, today's aspiring amateur filmer insists increasingly on a musical and narrative accompaniment with his pictures. Thus, as part of a stimulating series on sound (April, May, September and November, 1949), Movie Makers has asked us to state the case for Movievox. We are glad to have this chance to do so. MAGNETIC WIRE RECORDER Movievox, as some of you will already know, is basically a system for magnetic wire recording and playback. However, if these were its only abilities, it would have, certainly, no more claim on your attention here than a half dozen other recorders of equal sound quality. It is what we have added to Movievox that, we believe, makes it unique in the amateur film field. Our basic recording mechanism is built for us by the Webster-Chicago Corporation, already well and favorably known in the development of magnetic wire sound. Standard with this unit are such helpful operative features as an automatic brake guarding against wire breakage, an automatic stop mechanism and a timing dial. COMPACT CONTROL PANEL To these we have added, on a control panel of our own design, a centralized grouping of three control knobs. The first, oh the extreme right, switches on the current and monitors the tone. The second, which is central in the group, serves as the volume control, while the third (at left) governs the three functions of the sound unit. These are to record, to play back and to serve as a public address system independently of the magnetic sound track. It is when this switch is in the record position that any previous recording on the wire is automatically erased as a new recording is made. This permits not only the re-use of wire customary to such units, but also a selective correction of recording errors down to as little as a single word at a time. AMPLIFIER AND SPEAKER The Movievox amplifier controlled by these switches has a frequency response of good quality from 80 cycles to well above 9000 cycles. The power output is approximately 5 watts. There are three input connections provided— one for the included microphone and two for plugging in pickups from a double turntable record player. The two output connections provide leads to the Movievox speaker and either to a booster amplifier for large audience screenings or to a head set when the unit is used for dictation. All input connections, as well as the external amplifier connection, are of high impedance, while the speaker connection is 3.2 ohms matching the Movievox speaker. CONTROL PANEL of Movievox has three central switches, three input connections and two outputs for complete handling of sound. IN OPERATION, the unit is placed centrally between controlling projector and turntables. Patented synchronizer is left front. The Movievox speaker is also of our own design. Although housed as is customary in the cover of the singlecase unit, we have built into the cover a patented baffle system which makes possible overtones heard only from the Movievox. The speaker is of the permanent magnet type, and comes equipped with 25 feet of extension cord. PATENTED SYNCHRONIZING UNIT We come now to the outstanding feature of the Movievox, which marks it as unique among all comparative magnetic sound systems. This is our patented synchronizing unit. With it, says J. F. Bailey, the designer, the Movievox recorder can be coupled with any projector on the market — 8mm. or 16mm., silent or sound — so as to play back music, narrative [Continued on page 38]