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

Rear view of the new RCA 21-inch simplified color TV set shows how circuitry has been reduced. color; with size, picture brightness, picture quality and contrast comparable to present popular black-and-white tubes. There are several important new features em- bodied in this tube which contribute to high perform- ance, lower cost and ease of production." Among the features of the new tube listed by Dr Engstrom were: 1) considerably lighter weight; 2) a new and shorter electron gun and a wider deflection angle, making for more compact color sets; and 3) an improved shadow mask and mounting system that en- sure an excellent picture out to the edges of the tube and a brightness comparable to black-and-white. "We believe that the simplified construction of this 21-inch tube," Dr. Engstrom continued, "will allow it to be manufactured at reasonable cost in large quantities." New RCA Color Receiver Has 28 Tubes In describing the development of RCA's new, sim- plified color receiver. Dr. Engstrom said: "This new receiver is the result of our experience with the 15-inch RCA color set, and of lengthy trial by our engineers of many forms of simplified circuitry. This receiver has reduced by one-third the circuitry re- quired for color television sets. It employs 28 tubes counting the picture tube and draws less than 300 watts from the power line. It is interesting to note that RCA's original model 630TS — the first larae-scale black-and-white production receiver produced by RCA — used 30 tubes and drew about 300 watts. 'Our simplified receiver covers all TV channels — botli UHF and VHF — and there is more than ample reserve capacity in all circuits to accommodate low limit tubes and low line voltage." NBC's Color Pro^rciiii Plans Mr. Sarnoff, in reviewing NBC's color program plans, said that "nobody can doubt" that color television will be the major broadcast medium of the future. "At NBC, we have just concluded our Introductory Year of color broadcasting," Mr. SArnoff continued. "During this past year, we have produced and broad- cast over 50 diflferent programs in color. About 90% of our production staff has had on-the-job color training in connection with these shows. As a result, we are now opening the commercial phase of color broadcasting. Color has become an integrated part of our regular operation. "A number of individual stations throughout the country have already equipped themselves to originate color programs locally and several more are about to do so. Local origination of color programming will add a further stimulus to the growth of color circulation in the areas served by these stations. "By January 1, we expect that at least 82 stations on the NBC network will be color inter-connected and equipped to transmit network programs in color. At that time, about KT^r of all television families in the country will be within range of the NBC color service. '"With a national color circulation potential covering ST^r of the present television sets, with high appeal NBC color programs scheduled on a regular basis — plus the color programming of other organizations and with 21-inch color sets on the way — with all these new developments — the stage is set for rapid growth in the color medium during the coming year — and for accelerated growth in the following years. "I believe that a year from now, we will be looking back on a record of progress that will surpass present predictions. That has been the experience of our in- dustry in the past — and we believe it holds true for the future." The 15-minute color program seen during the dem- onstration was transmitted via microwave relay to the David Sarnoff Research Center from NBC's Colonial Theatre color studio in New York. Produced by Barry Wood, NBC Executive Producer in Charee of Color Coordination, the telecast featured Andre Eglevsky and Diane Adams in a ballet selection, singer Connie Russell in two vocal numbers, and an excerpt from the color film "The African Queen." RAD/O AGE 5