Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

13 ElecirOnicS Roporis: Thin picture screen that can be hung on wall like a painting, with built-in circuitry and with controls in small box beside an easy chair — that’s vision of the TV set of 1964 that GE press release this week says is “just a glint in the scientists’ eyes at the moment.” Apparently prompted by “future TV” unit pictured in current Collier’s, Dr. Lloyd T. DeVore, mgr. of GE electronics lab at Syracuse, explains that the “POW” (picture on the wall) of the future stems from development work being done on new miniature electronic components and from a complex project under way to speed the plotting of aircraft in military filter centers. As the GE release states: “At present, this aircraft plotting, essential to successful interception of enemy planes, is done manually. The planes are followed by radar operators and information fed to plotters who pin-point the planes with crayon on the transparent wall-size plotting board. The plotting would be done automatically with POW type of board. “Dr. DeVore says the radar display system under development will use electronic computer circuitry techniques to convert a transmitted signal into an image on the plotting board. The plotting board screen will be composed of a space matrix constituted by closely spaced perpendicular wire grids luminescing at their intersections to reproduce the transmitted picture. “Development of speedier switching techniques and new fast-reacting electroluminescent phosphors are needed before the POW system could be applied to TV receivers.” * ♦ ♦ ♦ TV intercom for inter-office and inter-plant use was to be demonstrated in San Diego this week by Kalbfell Laboratories Inc., 1090 Morena Blvd., San Diego. Tied in with telephone, it employs vidicon cameras, 17-in. sets, 8-mc bandwidth. When phone receiver is lifted, caller’s image appears on half of screen; when person called answers, his image appears on other half. For intercity use, system would require rental of coaxial or microwave facilities from AT&T or installation of private microwave by user. To obtain private microwave, users would have to apply to FCC and demonstrate need. RCA offers new point-to-point communications equipment in 890-920 me band for around $3000, believes it is lowest priced unit of its kind. Gear is designed for onehop service, provides one or two channels for voice communications, facsimile, telegraph, telemetering, etc. With military secrecy wraps off. Admiral reports manufacture of 225-400 me transceiver for bombers and fighters; it contains 56 tubes, can be set to any 20 of 1750 separate channels. ADMIRAL’S new “automation” proce.ss was disclosed in JT\. some detail this week, along with addition of 3 sets to its 1955 line. The new sets, all 21-in., are an ebony metal table model at $150, mahogany finish $160, mahogany wood $170, blonde wood $180; an open-face mahogany console at $260, blonde $270; mahogany combination, with radio & 3-speed phono, at $400, blonde $420. Optional uhf tuners are $30 extra for table model, $40 for console and combination. The table model was produced in part by the “automatic” process, in which high-speed robot machines automatically assemble approximately one-half of a TV chassis “in a matter of seconds.” John B. Huarisa, exec, v.p., predicted that the mechanized TV production line “eventually would have the same effect on the electronics industry that Henry Ford’s moving chassis assembly line methods had on the giant automotive industry over 40 years ago.” Like other industry executives who have commented from time to time on “automation,” Huarisa cautioned that the process is far from perfected. Admiral disclosed it has built and installed, at cost of “hundreds of thousands of dollars” and under direction of production v.p. C. S. Rossate, a 30-ft. long battery of machines into which electrical components such as resistors and wire jumpers are automatically fed and from which a completely assembled printed circuit board emerges in few seconds. Stacked printed-circuit boards are automatically moved from machine to machine. Over 60 assorted resistors and wire jumpers can be inserted in the board, up to 3 at a time, said Huarisa. Before inserting the resistors, the robot machines trim wire leads to size. Whenever any part fails to feed from chute, red light goes on at that machine and entire line is automatically halted until components again feed smoothly. Huarisa said 2 other robot machines — one of them 100-ft. long — are under construction and will be in use early next year. “There’s practically no limit to what automation can accomplish,” he said. “Eventually the machines will be able to insert such complex items as tube sockets and tubes. The advantages of using a printed robot chassis include: more uniform production, trouble-free soldering, more flexibility of engineering and lower production costs in these highly competitive days.” New table models use aluminized 90-degree deflection tubes and vertical chassis, with cabinets 3-in. shorter from front to back and 6-in. lower from top to bottom than conventional models. The console and combination set use 74-degree deflection tube. Admiral Corp. sales for first 6 months of this year totaled $105,201,498, net earnings $2,558,850 ($1.09 a share), compared to sales of $131,222,438 and earnings of $4,762,152 ($2.02) for .same 1953 period. Second quarter sales were $49,223,936, net earnings $1,054,806 (45<^), compared to $62,030,589 & $1,705,274 (72<‘) in same 1963 period. John B. Huarisa, exec, v.p., said that retail TV sales were ahead during first half but came largely out of distributor-dealer inventories. He predicted Admiral sales during second half would equal and earnings equal or exceed last year’s second half. He reported company is expanding its automation program, with resulting lower costs. Olympic Radio directors and counsel, who met this week but took no action, are studying proposal of Sol M. Zweifach, who claims control of 50,000 shares already (out of 432,000) to acquire Fox, Wells & Co.’s 123,000 shares (Vol. 10:32). Plan also is to spin off research subsidiary Olympic Development Corp., which Fox, Wells interests want to keep. .Meanwhile, New York JournalAmerican reported Aug. 20 that Louis E. Wolfson interests, believed to be real principals seeking Olympic control, have bought into Montgomery Ward with view to control — indicating possibility that Wolfson plan may be to get own TV-radio manufacturing facilities for Montgomery Ward brand, such as Sears Roebuck has for its “Silvertone.” Erie Resistor Co. earned $39,558 (1^* per share) after taxes of $22,242 on sales of $4,663,508 in 28 weeks ended July 11, compared to .$414,833 ($1.49) after taxes of $470,438 on sales of $7,784,591 in corresponding period year ago. For 52 weeks ended July 11, earnings were $220,235 (53(*) after taxes of $116,532 on sales of $9,724,652. In interim report, pres. G. Richard Fryling attributed declines to lower TV-radio production and to strikes by its plastic div. and by “one of our largest customers” (presumably Philco). Standard Coil Products Co. has registered 189,656 common shares with SEC, offered by Robert E. Paterson, one of 3 principal stockholders; underwidters will be headed by A. C. Allyn & Co. and Dempsey & Co.