Radio annual and television yearbook (1954)

Future of Tape Recording in Television By BASIL F. GRILLO Executive Vice President Bing Crosby Enterprises, Inc. THIS year — 1954 — looks like the year for introduction of television recording on tape. And we mean not just another "demonstration" of technique but a practical, commercial device such as our VTR (Video Tape Recorder), that will accomplish the promises we made and revealed physically more than a year ag'O. In July of this year, we illustrat_ed near perfection of our black and white picture. It was a picture that any technician working in this newest field of electronics would be proud to achieve in such a comparatively short period of experimentation as we have experienced. Readers of the Yearbook may ask: ''What's this fellow talking about black and white tape recording when everybody else is workins on color?" The best answer to that is, "First things first." Let it hastily be added that we are taking second place to none in the development of color TV tape recording. The most important thing about the perfection of black and white tape recorders is the extent to which they will advance color television programming. We believe that our VTR will so revolutionize the TV industry and its present system of black and white broadcasting, that by virtue alone of the tremendous savings it will enjoy through simplification of techniques, resources now employed in present methods may be put to use in developing color programs. The ability of the television industry to achieve a great transformation from black and white to color TV has been questioned, in view of the motion picture industry's inability to accomplish a general switch to color after more than 20 years of trying. We feel the impracticability of such a transformation is just as real to TV as long as expensive color film must be employed. But, with the introduction of color tape and its comparative minor cost, this change may be expected with little effort. What are Bing Crosby Enterprises doing about color tape? It might better be asked: What are manufacturers doing about color receivers ? For, until suitable receivers are obtained for color broadcasts at costs that are within reach of a majority of viewers, color tape is virtually a surplus commodity. ^^^^^ That doesn't mean that we are sitting idly hy waiting the day of general color TV broadcasting nor until everybody in America has a color receiver. Our engineers have virtually perfected tape recording of black and white television signals. To include color is a matter of a few refinements that already are knov^m and being perfected. It is a matter of present minor concern because we know we have answered this need and will supply it when the industry is ready to adopt it. One other new factor worth consideration in the rapidly changing picture of TV broadcasting is the possible general advent of subscription type receiving, now undergoing trial in various communities of the nation. Unquestionably, the American public is usually a discriminating audience on most occasions. It has not proven particularly so with respect to television, perhaps because it still is quite a novelty in many areas. TV on tape may prove extremely helpful in the promotion of subscription viewing however, and the profitable conduct of this type of operation. Tape recording will also eliminate expensive filming processes and provide numerous and timely duplicate pictures for many widespread areas. After all, viewers can look at only one show at a time. So what happens when two or more first rate productions are in direct competition. Some advertiser must be a loser. But, if he can salvage his production on tape, he can salvage audiences by showing it again at another time or another place, and, with tape he achieves the highest quality duplicate at extremely low cost. That's the real beauty af this coming process — tape recorded TV, 83