Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1955)

LIFE SPAN OF PICTURE TUBES-AND SETS: It's a curious fact that none of the 50-odd TV picture tube manufacturers, big or little, can provide detailed statistics about the life expectancy of CR tubes. However, at our request, ^ came up this week with the first data we've been able to secure on the subject — in form of "conclusions" by its tube dept, market research mgr. R.B. Yepsen; (1) Average picture tube life in the home is approximately 4 years — that is, 50% have to be replaced by the end of their fourth year of use. (2) Life span varies with the size of the tube — and, generally, it can be stated that the larger the tube, the shorter the life. (3) Changes in technology, both in sets and in picture tube maniifacture, are bringing trend to longer tube life — a significant factor being aluminized tubes. "Factored into these conclusions," Yepsen tells us, "is the supposition that TV sets are scrapped when they require a second replacement tube, at about 8 years of life. Surveys indicate the average set owner decides to scrap his set instead of installing a second picture tube replacement, because the tube replacement averages somewhere between a fourth and a third of the price of a new set. This contrasts with the automobile market where even a major repair job is only a small percentage of the cost of a new car." How did the GE researchers reach their conclusions? By surveying 4000 sets operating in homes and representing a composite of all brands and all sizes in proportion to actual sales in the last 5 years. "The data from these surveys was translated into picture tube life curves which were then applied to retail set sales by size by year. While the number of complete histories of tubes was limited by the sample size and the length of time that tubes were in use, we were able to obtain sufficient information on 16-in. & 17-in. tubes through about the fourth year of life and on 21-in. tubes through 2^ years of life to be able to extrapolate..." Why aren't actual engineering tests run? They are and they do serve certain engineering requirements. But: "They are somewhat unsatisfactory as a practical standard of measure to marketing personnel because of the arbitrary assumptions which must be made as to actual end of life under field conditions. Engineering surveys also are very costly because of the hundreds of tube samples that must be kept operating continually year after year. To our knowledge, no tube manufacturer has ever been able to determine picture tube life by engineering tests alone." * Note ; Up to 8Y2 years has generally been accepted in the trade as the life expectancy of a TV receiver — at least the length of time it's kept before being scrapped or turned in. But these are the first definitive figures we've been able to get on how long the picture tube lasts. They also point up enormous importance of the tube replacement market — considering that some 37,500,000 sets are now in use and from 7,000,000 to 8,000,000 sets are now being sold each year. GE tube dept, mgr. J. Milton Lang just year ago (Vol. 11:1) predicted that 5,500,000 tubes would be required as replacements in 1955 — then about one in every 6 sets as against one in 7 in 1954. He estimated that about 11,500,000 tubes would be made this year, presumably including rebuilts. Actually, he turns out to be about 1,000,000 shy for, while RETMA figures do indicate about 11,500,000 new tubes, they don't include estimated 1,000,000 rebuilts, which bring total to 12,500,000. With 1955 set production running about 7,650,000, each requiring a new tube, it's estimated 4,250,000 new & rebuilt tubes went for replacements, or about one in 9 sets-in-use. Remaining 600,000 new & rebuilts went to export and Govt. This week, Lang predicted consumers will spend S300,000,000 in 1956 to replace picture tubes in 6,000,000 sets — in addition to replacing more than 150,000,000 TV circuit tubes. NETWORK LINEUPS-YEAR'S FLUX, HIGHER COSTS: Nowhere in the flourishing business of telecasting has change and expansion been more pronounced than in network TV, whose 10-month time billings totaled nearly $329,000,000 as against $254,000,000 in same 1954 period, according to PIB (Vol. 11:50). That indicates 1955 will run better than $400,000,000, representing actual revenues of some $300,000,000 after all discounts. More affiliates and higher time rates tell part of the story. More stations