Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1946)

console models (with large screen, AM-FM added) until 1947. The images on the “cheap” model are good, and complete servicing is guaranteed, but that’s still a lot of money to pay for TV only. RCA will have at least one demonstration receiver in the hands of each of 1,000 dealers by the end of this month in those cities having TV reception. Its production line is reported to be “moving nicely” and will be geared to demand. Next cheapest set exhibited was GE’s console with 10-inch tube, AM only added, at $425 — due to start on their way to GE dealers shortly at rate of 25 per day. In January, GE will bring out this model with FM and phonograph added, possibly at an added $50; in February, it will start selling $1,200-$1,400 sets. Farnsworth demonstrated a table model it hopes to market in about six weeks — at $300. Sonora showed the cabinet (no insides) of a $300 set without AM-FM not yet in production. But DuMont showed models at $795, $1,795, $2,495, nothing cheaper even planned, saying it had an immediate market for 5,000 to 10,000 of these. And Telicon showed a custom-built job, which it starts producing next week at the rate of 25 per week, costing $2,640 — a super-duper set with all the trimmings, including even push-button TV tuning. It won’t go into lower-price field until January, and then it expects to charge at least $425 for a table model with AM-FM. These give a bit of an idea of the price factors, without telling of extra costs (manufacturers don’t know yet exactly what they will be) for installation, service, etc. Even though TV production is not OPA price-controlled, many of the component parts are — partial reason for the high prices. And, of course, there is no real competition as yet. Merchandise-wise Philco had a booth at the show, but showed only a laboratory model, disclosed no details or prices, stating it was going to unveil its models first to distributors and dealers at their mid-winter convention. It promised a complete line of sets, table and console models, direct viev.dng and projection screens. Large-scale production begins early in 1947. In a press release Thursday, Philco reaffirmed its belief in blackand-white TV, stated that through certain patented and exclusive features it will present what it believes to be “the clearest and sharpest blackand-white pictures ever achieved in television” — “superior to 16mm home movies.” No prices were mentioned. Apparently it’s going to be blue chips for the public as well as the broadcaster — the initial investment in TV. Hopes for small sets at very low cost were dispelled when Viewtone, first promising a 7-inch tube set at $100, finally got on the market with one at $169.95, then added installation C0i.t which brings it up to about $225. T HIGHLIGHT NOTES ON TEA: You got the feeling, at ' tending the TEA sessions and exhibits in New I York this week, that you were in on Something | Big, a new industry whose high destiny is as cer } tain — yet as incalculable — as the proverbial death * and taxes. Here are a few highlight observations and impressions; Nearly 1,000 registrants, some 1,200 at the big banquet with such figures on the dais as GE’s Phillip Reed, RCA’s David Sarnoff, Paramount’s Barney Balaban, Bell Lab’s Dr. Oliver E. Buckley, AT&T’s Keith McHugh — among other bigwigs consistently and outspokenly enthusiastic about TV. At least 2,000 persons milling in and out of the exhibit rooms. Exhibits were relatively few but demonstrations quite convincing — ^the more convincing in that they bore such solid names as AT&T, RCA, GE, Philco, Farnsworth, DuMont. Attendance dominantly from manufacturing and technical ranks, with surprisingly few broad . casters and movie people (who often have said TV is their rightful heritage) on hand; and only a sprinkling of publishers and advertising people. Just about every other person present seemingly an expert with something to say — and saying it — in some 75 set speeches, lay and scientific, long and short, dull and interesting. These, when later published by TBA, should provide a veritable text. book of TV. Report on coaxial by AT&T’s long lines chief, L. G. Woodford; That two more New York-Washington circuits and Philadelphia-Pittsburgh will be operating by spring 1947; that Jacksonville-AtlantaDallas-El Paso coaxial will be operating by end of this year; that Detroit-Chicago-St. Louis will be completed and can be tied into Philadelphia-Pittsburgh in 1948; that some 12,000 miles of coaxial will be operating by 1950; that rates for TV, taking up circuits otherwise capable of hundreds of telephone, AM or FM channels, will inevitably be costly. Reasons given by Standard Brands’ advertising manager, D. B. Stetler, whose company is going : so heavily into TV as an advertiser when sales results as yet don’t justify; “We long ago learned in radio the value of securing good time. We want to be on the ground floor in learning what to do, what not to do, what people want, how to give it to them.” Warning by MBS’s Edgar Kobak that TV has had “too much publicity”, has been fooling public in promising sets it cannot deliver; and that TV as a new art “should start clean — don’t force movie, stage or radio experience on it.” Next day Farnsworth sales v.p., Ernest H. Vogel, called upon in ^ dustry for 750,000-1,000,000 sets during 1947, urged manufacturers to bring starting price down to $200.^ Tocsin call to publishers to get into TV,sounded