The phonoscope (Nov 1896-Dec 1899)

THE PHONOSCOPE. December, 1896. THE PHONOSCOPE. Copyrighted, 1896. PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE PHONOSCOPE PUBLISHING CO., 822-824 BROADWAY, NEW YORK, (J. S. A. SUBSCRIPTION : United Stales and Canada $1.0(1 per year Foreign Countries, ■ . . 1.50 11 Single Copies 10c. each. ADVERTISING RATES FURNISHED CN APPLICATION. THE PHONOSCOPE is the only journal in the world published in the interest of Talking Machines, Picture Projecting and Animating Devices, and Scientific and Amusement Inventto s appertaining to Sound and Sight. Correspondents in London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Madrid, Alexandria and Constantinople. Australia, South America, Central America, Canada, and 108 cities in the United Slates We have received several letters from people interested in the Phonograph, Graphophone and Gramophone, commenting approvingly on our editorial and heartily welcoming our appearance in the field. It gives us great satisfaction to note that by taking up a stand absolutely independent of any particular interest, we have taken a step approved of by every one disinterestedly interested in the spreading of talking and kindred machines. We are not here to sound the praises of any particular machine or firm. We represent the public and not any manufacturer or brand. We look all around for whatever we may think of interest to our readers in any field coming within our scope, whether it bear a high-falluting name culled from the ancient tongues, or whether it be the product of an obscure Vermont Reuben. We want stuff, not gas. We do not advertise one machine and run down another. We shall persist in telling our readers all about the business, not a part only, assured as we are that the inherent merit will bring forth the best machine in due course. We shall not lend a helping hand in cornering a good machine, because somebody else wants it so. On the contrary, we shall uphold the. truth from first to last. In the interests of a great science we advocate truth in all things, scrupulously, religiously. We should like to see talking machines as common iu our homes as sewing machines or pianos are to-day. This end can only be attained by removing from the mind of the public all this halo of mystery which still clings in a measure to these inventions which for simplicity, practicability and scope surpass any made during this century. We want to familiarize the public with talking machines by giving it freely and unreservedly all the advantages of our long experience and that of our numerous friends throughout the land. It is surprising to note the very bad mistakes some of our journalists make in trying to give their readers news about matters they are entirely ignorant of. The following is a sample: "I wonder if the (iramophone is going to displace the Stenographer. Of course ii will not do away with the typewriter, for that is an essential part of the business. But it saves the time of the stenographer, which, in these days of time-saving, is an important thing. A man who uses a gramophone constantly, tells me that it is like having two stenographers. He talks into his machine and hands the records over to his typewriter, who reads them off on her gramophone and writes them out on the typewriter. A man must know pretty well what he is going to say to the gramophone, unless he wants to be taking his words back all the time. There are a good many arguments in its favor. One is that a man can get up in the middle of the night and talk into his gramophone, when it might be impossible to get hold of a stenographer. And only think of the inspired poet with a gramophone! He may wake up from a beautiful dream and, before it is forgotten, read it off into his "gram" (the other instrument is called the 'phone') at white heat. And then, again, there is nothing embarrassing about a gramophone. A latter-day poet might be embarrassed at times to dictate his verses into the ear of a stenographer, particularly a young lady stenographer; but to pour them into the recording cylinder of a gramophone would bring no blush to his cheek— nor to the instrument's." To any one who has a Gramophone, or is familiar with talking machines, this article is very amusing. We can assure the writer of the above that he need not wonder or worry, as the Gramophone will never displace the stenographer. In fact the Gramophone never has, and never will be used for commercial purposes, as its inventor, Mr. Emile Berliner has designed this instrument with a view to its being used in the household for entertaining purposes only, and as it does not record but simply reproduces, the article above is very far from the point.. When writing about scientific machines, why not hold strictly to facts, and not fancies. Hnswers to ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Corresponbents All questions pertaining to Talking Machines, Picture Projecting Inventions, Automatic Coin-in-Slot devices, Amusement Inventions, etc.; will be cheerfully and fully answered in this column. Inauiries for this department should be addressed — Information Department, The Phonoscope, 822 Broadway, New "York, U. S. A., v& w& v& v& v& The Phonoscope Publishing Co., etc. Please give me lists of anything that would be of interest and bargains to a phonograph exhibitor, or would be money earners in a phonograph parlor. Do you know anything regarding the Bettini microphone attachment for phonographs and will it make a better record, or give a better reproduction than the Edison automatic reproducer or standard recorder, and do you know of any other attachment that improves the phonographs any. Is the Multiplex phonograph on the market, and the price of same. Who can I address in regard to it. Give me the best size and shaped horn for hall or church use for horn reproduction, and best material to use in its construction. Have tried most everything and want to overcome overvibration, etc. Please give me a pencil sketch of same as to length, size of bell, etc. I believe I am the first to think of the Duplex speaker. The shape of the upper diaphragm contained is not right in the U. S. Phonograph Company's Duplex, nor is its connection, and is too heavy. Let me know, and oblige, very respectfully. C. C. C. P. S.— Is the add in Phonoscope, Nov. 15, lS9t>. for sale, Box 112, Sta. A., Boston, Mass., a reliable party so far as you know. [We are in receipt of the above communication. Although you do not use and ? marks in your letter, it is very apparent that you intend to convoy the idea to us that you wisli to ask a few questions, which we cheerfully answer as far as lies in our power. 1. — Kinetographs, Kinetoseopes, Kinetophones. X-ray Devices, Automatic Picture Machines, Cosmoramos, Toy Kinetoseopes, Metaphones, Graphophones, Gramophones, a Visual Telegraph signal in the window. Automatic Optical Illusions, etc. 2.— Yes. 3.— Write and ask Mr. Bettini. 4.— No. 5.— Yes. 6.— $150. 7.— The Multiplex Phonograph Co. 8.— Read article on horns. this issue. 9.— We have ordered sketch. 10.— Do not quite understand.] T. D.— [We do not know of any Phonograph of Graphophone that sells for $10. Your friend probably had reference to the Gramophone. M., Bangor, Me— [The Phonograph, by all means.] B.— [The only thing for you to do is to get a primary battery and charge it yourself. See our article on batteries— this issue.] W. M., Atlanta, Ga.— [Mr. Edison is the inventor of the Yitaseope. The scientific world in general concedes this to him, and we cannot find any proof to the contrary.] J. H. G— [The manner of hearing the Graphophone must be determined by the taste of the people to whom it is to be shown. It is a question as to the '"best way." To obtain the best results, as far as tone goes, the tubes give the most natural and clearest reproduction.] Mrs. P. — [The Edison Spring Motor is an ab solute success. The body on your machine can be attached to it by simply using the two body-holding screws which are already on your phonograph.] St. Louis X-Ray Co.— [Write to the Interna tional Film Co.. 150 Worth street. New York.] ••Inquiry," St. Louis.— [No. No company or individual can supply you with good origin;! 1 records at thirty-five cents. They might give you a few at that price, but cannot do so legitimately.] G. Paris.— [To obtain a good vocal record, elevate your machne so it is about five feet from the floor. Attach horn, and elevate it so the bell will be directly opposite singer's face. Have artist stand about eighteen inches from horn, and sing in natural tone without forcing his voice. Place piano directly behind singer. Do not use forte pedal when playing. The most important thing is to have a good diaphragm. If your recording stylus is dull, or your diaphragm glass too sensitive, you cannot get a good result] Geo. P. — [The various companies in the United States all keep a large stock of records. No company has the best. They all have good and bad records. Some make a specialty of some particular class of records to which they give their special attention, but no company has the best. They may have some of the best, but not all. Advise us what class of records you wish, and we may be able to help you out.] A. E.— [We do not know where the "French" glasses come from. We do know, however, that that three dealers in Paris, France, buy their diaphragm glasses here. We think that most of the "French" glasses are manufactured in or around Rochester, N. Y., U. S. A.] J. C. C— [We have never seen the Megaphonograph. and cannot find any one who has. We have seen and heard several phonographoscopetcons, but not the Megaphonograph.] H. W. G.— [You cannot record on the Metaphone. We can supply you with one. Price, $0.] The suit brought by Reed & McFarland to obtain judgment on a note for $1,900 given by W. F. Zoller and others was decided in favor of the latter by Judge Lamson. in the Common Pleas Court at Cleveland. O.. lately. The note was given to secure Reed & McFarland in the payment of a number of nickel-in-the-slot machines which they sold to Zoller. It was decided that the machines were gambling devices and contracts relating to them were invalid. Prof. McKendrick, of Glascow. Scotland, has been making experiments with the phonograph as a medium for transmitting sound vibrations to the deaf, and magnifying same so that rythmic vibrations may be audiable to them. Prof. McKendrick has obtained some very wonderful results by transmitting sound vibrations to a basin of salt water, which so magnifies them, that a deaf person placing his or her hands in the water, can recognize and partially hear the selection that is being transmitted. [We have made arrangements to have one of our representatives call on Prof. McKendrick and promise our readers a full account of these experiments in the near future.— Ed. |