Radio age research, manufacturing, communications, broadcasting, television (1941)

IK i)igfrnoHOimND3go Wilts "TEX" Demonstrated Two-way Customer-to-Customcr Communications Link With Netherlands Opened to Public ANEW two-way, ciistomer-to- custdmcr overseas radio tele- printer exi-hanjre service, called TKX. was demonstrated May 10 for the lirst time by RCA Commiiiiica- tions. Inc., in cooperation with The Netherlands Postal and Telecom- munications Administration. The new service was made available to the public on May 15, its initial ap- plication providing direct connec- tions between teleprinters in New York f'ity and all parts of The Netherlands. The demonstration consisted of an exchantre of official messages, current news information and in- formal conversations between con- sular officials and members of the press assembled in the RCA Kxhibi- tion Hall, 40 West 49th Street, and a similar jri'oup in The Hajrue. '"For the first time in ci)mmuni- cations' history," H. C. Injrles, President of RCA Communications, explained, "direct teleprinter con- tacts on an intercontinental .scope will be available to the jreneral piil)]ic. RCA private-line teleprinter installations in customers' oHkes in New York hereafter will be con- nected direct to teleprinters in Holland through the Telex network there. Telex corresponds to the do- mestic teleprinter network iTWXi in this country." For the use of firms not now e(iuipped with teleprinters in New York City, the necessary equipment has been installed at RCA offices, ti(i Hroad Street. Charges for TEX are made on a time basis rather than on the usual telegraph word-count basis. Kates are ?:{.00 per minute with .1 .'Jii.dO minimum for each connec- tion. Operating at a sjjeed of ap- proximately GO words per minute, the new service provide.s facilities comparable to normal conversation- ,'il speeds by ti'ansoceanic telephone. 1 SKRS OK THE TEX SYSTEM OF TWO-WAY I OMMTNlrATIONS SEE BOTH Ol'TCOING \\|l INCOMINC TEXT WHICH IS PKRMA- NENTI.Y RECORDED BV THIS RCA COM- MUNICATIONS TELEPRINTER. AT THE FIRST PfBLU- DE.MONSTRATION OF TEX. THE AUDIENCE GETS A C'U(SE-UP VIEW OF THE TELEPRINTER COPY ON A TELEVISION SCREE.N SUPPLIED WITH SIGNALS PICKED UP BY THE VIDICON CAMERA AT RIGHT. and at a lower cost per minute. The regular telegraph charge is 30 cents per full-rate word. "New techni(|ues were retjuired lo develop this direct customer-to- ustomer service," according to -idney Sparks, \'ice President in rharge of Commercial Activities, ivCA Communications, Inc. Mr. Sparks explained that the present method of handling the bulk of RCA's regular overseas me.><sage traffic is based on a network of five- unit teleprinter machines. These machines operate electrically to convert individual letters and fig- ures into code combinations of five- signal units. Because of the wide usage of such equipment, this sy.s- tem is particularly adajitable to the interchange of radio and land-line mes.sage t rallic. "However," he added, "in order to make all the necessary letters, figures and signs required for tele- graph traffic, almost all usable com- binations tif the five units are em- ployed, which makes the system somewhat susceptible to mutilations due to static, interference and fad- ing. Prior to the war, RCA de- veloped a system which u.sed seven- unit combinations and, for radio transmission, greater stability and reliability were achieved." To clarify the operation of TEX in the first public demonstration, use was made of RCA's new indu.s- trial television system. A A'idicon camera, focused on a teleprinter, was connected to a battery of tele- vision receivers in the auditorium, and the incoming and outgoing texts appeared on the TV screens as they were transmitted across the ocean. This combination of the latest developments in television and in- ternational communications, it was said, indicated the possible use of similar installations for military and commercial conference services. Such a service would i)rovide an immediate written record of inter- continental conversations that could be observed simultaneously in nu- merous locations. [26 RADIO AGE] i