Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

with Electronics Reports WYATT BUILDING J WASHINGTON 5. D C • TELEPHONE STERLING 3-1755 Trade Report February 28, 1953 NO WIDESPREAD PRICE HIKES FORESEEN: It's still too early to tell, of course — but as yet there have been no discernible moves, not on broad scale anyhow, to increase list prices of TV receivers or parts as result of the lifting of OPS price controls (Vol. 9:7-8). But industry leaders still have their fingers crossed, fearful lest some seize on decontrol as reason to boost prices right away. There's always the supplier, and there's always labor — but inclination of the major manufacturers, enjoying steady markets, is to give the laws of supply-&demand full play and, to use words of DuMont tube div. mgr. Fritz Rice, "not to embarrass the new Administration after all we've worked for." One authority who predicts no increases either in TV-radio or appliances is Harry Holbrook, now sales v.p. of Universal major appliances and former NPA durable goods director. He thinks appliances have reached price peak, says NARDA News. All remaining controls on refrigerators, ranges, other major appliances, are due to be lifted within week or so. TV production was 187,584 units (9926 private label) week ending Feb. 20, according to RTMA. Inventories at factory were 139,115. Output was up only about 1500 from preceding week, inventories down about 1000 (Vol. 9:8). Radio output held to same high level as preceding week, totaling 504,072 (150,609 private label), just about the same as record 304,252 of Feb. 13. Factory inventories went up to 290.126 from 273,695. Production of auto radios continued high. Week's radios: 107,874 home, 22,219 portables, 46,542 clock, 127,437 auto. STANDARD COIL'S 82-CHANNEL TUNER READY: A new departure in vhf-uhf tuning — the long-heralded Standard Coil Products Co. detent-type unit, is slated for production within 2-3 weeks. First substantial run of pre-production samples is now under way, and 30-40 will be shipped to manufacturers next week. Standard is about 90% tooled for mass production, says president Glen E. Swanson, and within 30 days of the first production run should be turning out at least 1000-a-day in Chicago & Los Angeles. New unit by biggest tuner manufacturer is first "automatic" all-channel tuning device. Previously introduced "automatics" — those which click into place for each channel — have used strips or "matchboxes" to get only a limited number of uhf channels. Current all-channel sets employ dial-type continuous uhf tuners. "Simplicity of tuning is of prime importance in TV," according to Swanson, whose vhf turret tuner is in use in some 70 different makes of sets. First engineering model of new tuner was shown just a year ago (Vol. 8:9). Actual production model, says Mr. Swanson, "looks somewhat the same, is substantially smaller and 2 or 3 times as good." Tuner has 3 concentric knobs, and window which shows channel number. Inner knob tunes "10s", second one tunes units — both snapping into place like the conventional vhf tuner. Outer knob is for fine tuning. It's same height and width as Standard turret tuner, but is 2%in. longer, should fit most manufacturers' present chassis with some modifications. Price to manufacturers will be "about twice that of turret tuner," or in neighborhood of $25. Tuner uses 5 tubes and crystal mixer, adds extra stage of IF when tuned to uhf channels, feeds directly into IF section of set. Different circuitry is used for vhf and uhf portions. Models will be made for both 41 & 21-mc IF. Several big manufacturers already have tested unit in Portland & South Bend, reportedly liked it. Detent tuner — so-called because it snaps into position — will be Standard Coil's first big venture in all-channel uhf tuning, though that company helped design Admiral ' s recently announced continuous uhf tuner. Latter may never see full-scale production, since Admiral is expected to be one of first to adopt new Standard unit. Standard's uhf production to date has consisted of strips for its turret tuner. 10