Television digest with AM-FM reports (Jan-Dec 1951)

6 PEERING INTO COLORED CRYSTAL RALL: Thinking ahead 6 months or so in the color war, we venture that dominant motifs will be: "dual standards" and "universal receiver. " Everything points that way. Reasons appear quite simple: (1) RCA now produces excellent color. That alone is a solidly-planted foot in FCC's oft-reiterated "open door" to compatible systems. (2) Cost of compatible system sets, which now employ 54 tubes, will certainly come down as did early TV sets, but is likely still to appear high at year's end. And mass production of tri-color tubes will probably still appear more difficult task than mass output of CBS discs, drums and motors. Those 2 "cost and time" factors could prove enough to keep ECC from totally reversing itself and replacing CBS system with compatible one — despite latter's equality or superiority in color quality, to say nothing of the basic overwhelming desirability of compatibility. * * ♦ ♦ Commission may then size up situation something like this: "We acknowledge high quality and compatibility of new system. But we have doubts about prices and immediacy of sets, also about enthusiasm of manufacturers to make color sets in absence of competition. If compatible system is indeed superior, it should be hastened, but not at public's expense. "Best goad to manufacturers will be competition provided by CBS system, which has the jump in cost and potential speed of manufacture. "Dual standards are the answer. But we cannot burden public with cost of buying 2 sets to get all color programs. Therefore, we will authorize both systems, IF "universal receiver" can be built to accept both signals — at a cost no greater, or little greater, than that required for most expensive of the two systems." This sizeup may sound too pat. Possibly it is. We think not, because — It's directly in line with FCC's color decision; with post-decision statements of commissioners ; with "multiple standards" efforts, all through hearing, of Comr. Jones, the prime color mover; and with the entire background and thinking of Sen. Johnson, whose great drives are "competition" and "anti-monopoly." It wouldn't be surprising, in fact, if Sen. Johnson and/or Comr. Jones were to take lead in advocacy of dual standards. Much hinges on feasibility of universal set. We think this a small detail. If such set is the condition FCC puts on adoption of a system in which industry has obstinately placed its technical and economic faith, ingenuity of its engineers will meet it — with margin to spare. Any existing CBS sets won't get compatible color, if dual standards are adopted. But a Commission which rejected importance of compatibility when there were 10,000,000 sets isn't likely to hesitate at partially obsoleting a few thousand, or even a few hundred thousand, sets which could still get monochrome from both systems, plus CBS color. It must give Commission pause when it considers that manufacturers, though desperate for a sales fillip, have not leapt into production of CBS color in hopes of quick profits envisioned by a few. 4: * * In interim, before compatible system is again presented to FCC, 2 principal factors are most important: (1) Public demonstrations of compatible system, by RCA and/or others of the NTSC group. (2) Production of CBS sets. If FCC deems RCA's shows are for "exploitation" purposes, to combat acceptance of CBS system, it may initiate clampdown. But this would seem to be an unlikely procedure, from obvious public relations and political standpoints. If Commission is satisfied, on other hand, that demonstrations are designed to compile field-test data on public evaluation of color quality, compatibility, etc., it isn't likely to complain — inasmuch as it has previously stipulated such tests are important facets of field tests. RCA will open color demonstrations to public about Aug. 22. relaying signals