Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

9 AMPLIFYING LIGHT-TOWARD NEW ERA IN TV? Just 50 years a^o, man developed a device which could amplify electrical impulses — Lee DeForest's 3-element electron tube — and on this device the TV-radio-electronics industry was founded. Scientists since that time have searched for a method of amplifying light in the same manner as the electron tube amplifies electrical signals. General Electric this week demonstrated for first time that the "light amplifier" is on the way. The implications are fascinating — not only for TV, but for such fields as X-ray fluoroscopy, photography. Interior & exterior lighting, devices to "see in the dark," and, no doubt, new fields scarcely dreamed of. This week's demonstration in New York was mere prelude. GE engineers stress that the principle is still in primitive stage, that far more development is necessary before any practical applications can be considered. Actually, this is what GE showed; a device which amplifies light directly, without use of electron tubes. It's based on development credited to GE scientist D.A. Cusano — a phosphor cell composed of zinc and manganese through which an electrical current is passed. Ultra-violet energy falling upon the phosphor screen activates the amplifier, increasing picture brightness. GE says amplification of more than 10 times has been achieved in the laboratory, using this method. Demonstration unit consisted of small screen, round, about 4-in. in diameter. An ordinary slide projector was used as light source, projecting a regular black-&white photo slide. Brightness of projected picture was increased by increasing the voltage applied to the screen. Amplification was proportional, contrast remaining virtually the same while brightness was increased. RCA has announced that it achieved amplification of light "experimentally in ratios of more than 20-1," but has released no details. Chairman David Sarnoff said last week; "When that figure reaches 100-1, a practical amplifier of light will mark a significant step forward in the science of illumination and TV." Its significance to TV is that it will free the picture from the confines and limitations of the cathode ray tube, making possible what GE calls "picture-on-thewall TV" and what RCA calls "mural TV" — at same time eliminating greatest drawback of projection TV, insufficient brightness. Elsctronics Rsports: “Electronics and its associated fields may show the greatest growth of any major technology in the next decade,” according to David L. Babson & Co., Boston investment counsel. As against less than $500,000,000 in 1940, the industry will have produced $8.8 billion worth of equipment in 1954, Babson states, and that’s double the volume of 2 years ago. By comparison, here’s the 1953 size of other major U. S. industries (in billions): Value of motor vehicles produced $11.1 Value of steel ingots produced-^ 10.0 Electric utility revenues 6.8 Value of crude oil produced 6.3 Telephone revenues 5.0 Electric appliance sales 4.0 Natural gas revenues 2.3 Wholesale drug sales 1.8 RCA chairman David Sarnoff last week (Vol. 10:51) guesstimated 1954 electronic sales at $10 billion, predicting 10% increase in 1955. Apparently, it all depends on what’s included as electronics — and even within big RCA there’s no definite agreement, for RCA pres. Frank Folsom has predicted a $9.5 billion electronics industry in 1955, $10.9 in 1956, $11.8 in 1957. Babson tops even those figures, asserting “longerrange projections indicate a volume of $20 billion by 1970.” The mainstays of electronics this year, as in the past, are military items and TV. Indicative of the movements within the industry, marked by advent of many companies not hitherto immediately identified with electronics (Vol. 10:20), is report in Dec. 17 N. Y. Journal of Commerce that General Precision Equipment Co., once identified primarily as a supplier of theatre equipment, is now to be classified as a major factor in electronics as well as the precision instrumentation field. Theatre volume is expected to account for only 22% of its total shipments this year as against 67% in 1950. Net income this year of more than $6,000,000 will be equal to more than $6 on each of the companys 933,000 shares outstanding. GPE is now composed of 18 active subsidiaries, including Kearfott Inc., Link Aviation Inc. and Librascope Inc. in the electronics fields, as well as General Precision Laboratories Inc. in the TV-radio station equipment field. Wrist watch radio receiver, operating on broadcast band and using 3 transistors and printed circuits, is described in detail in report issued this week by Commerce Dept. Tiny AM set is tunable from 1000-1600 kc, has 45-mi. range, uses hearing aid speaker. Antenna 1-ft. long can be built into watch strap, but isn’t needed in city areas. It’s powered by tiny %x%-in. battery. Signal Corps, which developed it, says slight modifications can cut power requirements sufficiently to make radio only half size of current model. Details are in report PB111461, available for 25<} from Office of Technical Services, Commerce Dept., Washington 25. Arvin Industries Inc. has formed electronics products div. to specialize in subcontract work on military and industrial electronic projects, with Leo Burns as sales mgr. Gramer Yarbrough, American Microphone, Pasadena, Cal., elected chairman of West Coast Electronic Mfrs. Assn.