Projection engineering (Sept 1929-Nov 1930)

Page 30 Projection Engineering, March, 1930 New Developments and News of the Industry SELECTOR OF AUDIO FREQUENCIES (SAF) The SAF 3, manufactured by Simplimus, Inc., Boston, Mass., is one of the most important advances in natural reproduction of sound since the advent of the talkies. The SAF 3 is built to correct most of the defects encountered in present-day reproduction. It is designed to add brilliance and depth to reproduction. It will make the voice sound more natural and human, and the music more pleasing. When playing an orchestra recording, the SAF 3 can take out the base horn without affecting the higher pitched instruments. It can also take out the high, shrilly notes without affecting the lows. In voice reproduction the SAF 3 will eliminate the low drummy sounds which muffle the speech, and it will bring out the high frequencies necessary to clear articulation and pronunciation. Full instructions how to attach accompany the SAF 3. It can be connected in a few minutes. Deliveries are immediate. The SAF 3 Mixer will work with all makes of amplifiers and all makes of talking equipment. NOISELESS BATTERY CHARGERS The Interstate Electric Company, 4339 Duncan Ave., St. Louis, Mo., manufacture rectifiers suitable for recharging storage batteries used in connection with talking-picture equipment. These chargers can be used on 3, 5 or 6 cell batteries at either a 6 or 12 ampere charging rate. They set up no noise in the amplifying equipment, being of the 2-coil type, full transformer. A NEW STRIPER A new striper, for continuous striping with lacquer, paint and aluminum bronze has been brought out by the Paasche Airbrush Company, 1909 Diversey Parkway, Chicago. . This striper has many uses in the manufacturing industries, making for improved appearance of products and for economy in production. SAUTER TIME SWITCH The Sauter Time Switch automatically turns lights "on" and "off" at predetermined hours. It is used by theatres for control of their sign lighting, marquee lighting, flood lighting, and by larger theatres where airway and roof marker signs have been installed. This time switch is marketed by R. W. Cramer & Company, Inc., 136 Liberty St., New York City. A small motor winds the clock and operates the switch with very little electricity cost a year, and it Is said to pay for itself by watching that no unnecessary lighting is wasted. WESTERN ELECTRIC SOUND SYSTEM TO BE INSTALLED AT N. Y. CENSOR BOARD OFFICES . Electrical Research Products has closed contracts for the installations of Western Electric Sound Systems at the offices of the New York Censor Board in 42nd Street, New York, and in the Army Y. M. C. A., at Fort Jay, Governor's Island. The standard 3S equipment is being used for both installations. FIREPROOF FILM CEMENT Hie conscientious, overworked tire marshal who is doing so much running around these days trying to minimize the fire hazards attendant upon the hanjling of motion pictures, is receiving material aid from the Hewes-Gotham Company who have developed a fireproof film cement. In addition to its fireproof qualities which have been tested and approved by fire prevention bureaus of several states all over the country, the new cement continues to carry the "2-in-l" feature of the company's film cements. Both the standard nitrate and the safety non-flam films can be spliced with it. CRESOHM A newly developed enamel of superior qualities is used in the manufacture of the wire-wound resistance units made by The Cresradio Corporation. The coating has the same coefficient of expansion as the wire used. This company's Crescent Lavite resistances have been on the market for the past seven years. LATE MODELS FOR SOUND The Kinoplay Corporation, 1600 Broadway, New York, has issued a new catalog of its Multiphone (sound-on-disc) and Kinoplay (sound-on-film) apparatus. This synchronous equipment is applicable to Powers, Simplex, Motiograph, Superior and standard European projectors. FILTER GLASS A line of optical crown glass plates for inclosing projection and observation portholes in projection booths, is being marketed by the Fish-Schurman Corporation, 45 West 45th Street, New York. LONG DISTANCE LENSES The introduction of the Filmo 75 Camera to the American movie-making public quickly brought the demand for Super-Speed lenses. Long distance and telephoto lenses for the "75," which make distant subjects "close-ups," are listed in a new catalog issued by Bell and Howell, 1801-15 Larchmont Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. COMMERCIAL HOME TELEVISOR AT CHICAGO RADIO SHOW One of the outstanding features of the Chicago Radio Show is the first commercial home televisor, which was demonstrated at the DeForest Radio Company's booth. This device is an actual production model of the Jenkins Television Corporation, and represents the type of equipment which will soon be available to the public. Briefly, the Jenkins televisor is a handsome wooden cabinet measuring about 18 by 18 by 24 inches. The front panel contains a recessed opening or shadowbox, through wh;ch the pictures can be viewed. A magnifying lens in the shadow-box enlarges the radio pictures so that as many as eight persons may view them at one time. Directly below the shadow-box opening is a metal panel with two toggle switches, one to control the "loudspeaker" and "picture" functions, and the other to start, accelerate and stop the motor SHORT-WAVE RADIO RECEIVER The Jenkins televisor must be employed in combination with a short-wave radio receiver to tune in the television signals, and a suitable amplifier to amplify the signals without introducing distortion. In actual operation, the top televisor switch is thrown to the "loudspeaker" position, and the characteristic buzz-saw signals are tuned in as loudly as possible. The switch is then thrown to the "picture" position, while the motor switch starts the motor. The pictures are then viewed in the shadow-box, in the form of pink-and-black animated pictures. If the pictures are out of frame, the motor switch is flipped until the pictures are properly framed. The present device is said to be entirely commercial and intended for immediate use in the average household. WESTERN ELECTRIC WORLD-WIDE INSTALLATIONS NEAR 5,000 MARK World-wide installations of Western Electric Sound Systems are nearing the 5,000 mark. The latest report shows that 3,489 installations have been completed in the United States and 1,268 in the foreign field. The 500th installation of a Western Electric Sound System in the British Isles has just been completed. NEW TYPE DONGAN TRANSFORMER An announcement of exceptional interest to electrical laboratories and manufacturers making electrical apparatus is the variable voltage test ng transformer, an entirely new departure in the transformer field. This transformer is a development of the Dongan Laboratories, as the result of an insistent demand from various engineers for this type of transformer. By the use of this transformer, an electrical laboratory or manufacturer can definitely fix upon any voltage within a range of 1 to 150 volts in steps of one volt with input of 115 volts. Thus, all guess work can be eliminated in the designing of electrical apparatus. The findings of the proper voltage is quick and simple. There are two plugs and twenty-five outlets, one plug controlling the voltage in one-volt graduations, and the other plug in 10-volt graduations. The current capacity is 5 amperes at any voltage. A feature of this variable voltage testing transformer is the fact that all connections are designed to eliminate the possibility of accidental short circuits or shocks. Mounted in a polished walnut case with an engraved bakelite panel, the transformer weighs 14% lbs. It is made for either 60 cycles or 25 cycles. The specification number is 4612. Designed and manufactured by the Dongan Electric Manufacturing Company of Detroit. ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES As a result of the formation recently of a "foreign production committee" through the medium of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, representatives of various film studios are cooperating in a movement to solve the problem of converting American talking_ pictures into the native tongues of the foreign countries in which they are exhibited. This problem, it is said, is one of the most crucial facing the cinema industry today, involving the preservation of the great percentage of revenue on Americanmade pictures that heretofore has been derived from foreign markets. Various experiments have been tried to determine a feasible method of making talking pictures in the languages of other countries and it is the purpose of the committee, newly formed through the Academy, to arrive at a simplified and standardized procedure on the subject. The committee's preliminary activities, which will be executed with the cooperation of the Academy, will cover, according to present plans, an interchange of all information touching foreign areas; collective viewing of other studios' pictures; and assembling of authoritative data on abilities of linguists and foreign technical directors. Among the fields of foreign languages quoted in the Academy meeting were Spanish, French, German, Czech, Polish, Hungarian and Italian. Paul Kohner, of Universal Studios, was chosen as chairman, and Geoffrey Shurlock. of Paramount, as secretary, of the committee. Additional members include John Stone, head of foreign department. Fox; Frank Davis, Jerome Lackenbruck and Salvador de Alberich, Metro -Goldwyn-Mayer; Leon d'Usseau, R-K-O, and Heinz Blanke and DeLeon Anthony, Warner Brothers. Lester Cowan. Assistant Secretary of the Academy, represented the Academy at the meeting. DEALERS IN SOUND During the past year a new and highly lucrative field has been opened to the radio-trained man in the form of sound apparatus and installations. Instead of merchandising non-descript amplifiers, pickups, wiring and loudspeakers, the trend today of the radio industry is to seek sound specialists or dealers in sound, who sell a complete sound installation and service rather than so much equipment. "Sound installations are in demand for all kinds of institutions, ranging from the school, church, public auditorium, park, and stadium, to the club room, hospital, railway waiting room, train platforms, and hotels," states J. E. Smith, president of the National Radio Institute of Washington, D. C. "Because of the considerable investment represented by such installations, the public as well as the industry are prepared to deal only with radio-trained men. Many manufacturers of such equipment are seeking men who are willing to specialize in this lucrative field, and master the technique of acoustics as well as radio. Many organizations are coming into existence in this field."