Television digest and FM reports (Jan-Dec 1946)

mmz TV STAISTS Keep your eye on Washington, Detroit and St. Louis as next TV boom centers. They will have first stations to go on air post-war, and manufacturers may be expected to channel quotas of their receiver production to^ those cities. In fact, RCA has already sent a few dosen new sets into Washington (our own is being installed as vfe write this). More may be expected as more stations go into regular operation — although RCA dealers have taken orders for 10,000 sets in New York City alone sinca "T" Day (Vol. 2, No. 44), which is more than its entire scheduled 1946 production. Washington now has DuMont’s WTTG operating sporadically, telecasting both DuMont and NBC New York programs off coaxial. New 5-kw transmitter will be installed this month in Harrington Hotel, in about center of saucer-shaped V/ashington. But present 700-watt signal from antenna 216 ft. above ground (atop Harrington) even now enables FCC commissioners, engineers and others with sets to get good reception both downtown and in residential sections. First on list of promised RCA transmitter deliveries are : ( 1 ) NBC's WNB'W , Washington, v/hose 150 ft. tower atop Wardman Park Hotel is being completed, its transmitter room ready, studios coming along; (2) Washington Star's WTW, which has 2 Orthicons already delivered, plans laid for transmitter on American U campus, but fulfillment of order for tower not yet in prospect; (3) St. Louis Post-Dispatch's KSD-TV, whose studio is nearly completed and for which work has started on tower base and last concrete poured for transmitter house. They are now promised deliv • ery in February. These jobs will run $160,000 to $170,000, but that's for transmitting equipment only and does not include cost of real estate, tower, studios, etc. After Washington and St. Louis deliveries, RCA hopes to be able to deliver 2 to 4 installations per month to other grantees (Supplement No. 18A) from whom it has orders. Racing to be first post-war commercial TV station on air is Detroit News' tV'A'DT, whose start is now postponed to about Jan. 15. Its Penobscot Bldg, tower is up, temporary studios in newspaper plant being readied, plans laid for 4 hours of telecasting daily, 7 days per week, mostly sports and news events. Sponsors have already spoken for half the schedule. DuIAont equipment is being used. Only other Dul^ont transmitter sale as yet disclosed is to Scripps-Howard for Cleveland. EVS 0? BIS TV E2AHIHSS; Here are the four main points to keep in mind as pros and cons of CBS's proposed uhf TV standards are expounded before the FCC Monday, and probably all the rest of next week: (1) Systems . The' contending systems are sequential vs. simultaneous. (2) Standards. Major consideration is whether proposed ceiling is high enough to permit utilization of future developments. (3) Receivers. Corollary to first two is question whether receivers can be made that will accept both high and low band signals. (4) Colorimetry. Physics of color will play big part in hearing. Several new appearances were filed this week, so that now the lineup and tentative order of testimony is; CBS, RTPB, RMA, RCA, Philco, DuMont, V/estinghouse , Cowles, Zenith, TBA, Federal, Bendix, Farnsworth, Continental Television, Emerson^ Federal Telecommunications Lab, ThomaScolor. In addition to those reported last week, CBS will present report on antennas and propagation by Andrew Alford, wartima asst, chief of MIT's famed Radiation Lab. Thomascolor (new method of making and projecting color movies) will be represented by Carl Haverlin and E.C. Page, MBS vp's but appearing in private capacities. Continental (Boston) will report on its uhf tests (Vol. 2, No. 34), for which it got experim.ental TV license' this week for 580-630 me. Pre-hearing sidelight; Neatly timed, but not very well executed, says our New York reporter, v/as vuiveiling of Bendix color TV receiver with 12-inchpicture , Wednesday. Reception from CBS color laboratory (liva and film) was marred by both transmitter and receiver difficulties. However, picture was brightest yet seen, • v.'ith remarkable clarity, though reception quality fell short of previous CBS showings. Bendix made sets on CBS order, is expected at hearing to give cost figures. FCC has become so TV-conscious since monochrome vs. polychrome issue was