Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

2 factory color pictures. To reject the NTSC system now might well be to blunt industry interest and activity in color, and postpone color TV indefinitely." Indicative of FCC's general disposition is its attitude on demonstrations. It's now amenable to demonstrations in New York, though it reserves right to call for Washington transmissions if it considers them necessary. Out of the blue, on Sept. 10, Commission asked color parties to meet informally with staff next day to discuss demonstrations. Suddenness of notice made it impossible to get officials capable of committing their organizations; representation was generally by Washington counsel. However, FCC staff said Commission wants demonstrations in New York Oct. 1 or 1-2, wants it to be "joint industry" affair. Another meeting next week, probably Sept. 16, is expected to iron out details. Demonstrations in Washington, comprising rebroadcasts of New York originations, are now possible, NBC having equipped its WNBW for such transmissions. It asked for and received FCC permission to test equipment this week. It's expected NBC will next equip its KNBH, Los Angeles, and WNBQ , Chicago. KNBH will have to be geared to originate color to handle Jan. 1 Tournament of Roses (Vol. 9:35). * * * * NTSC's comments were presented to FCC Chairman Hyde Sept. 8 by NTSC chairman Dr. W.R.G. Baker, who told Comr. Hyde he thought they'd "make good reading". Comr. Hyde smilingly limited himself to statement that they'd "prove helpful". Dubbed "Dr. Baker's 5-ft. Shelf of Books," NTSC's comments comprised 16 volumes weighing 52 lbs. They include everything — technical monographs, field test data sheets, correspondence, minutes of meetings, etc. — but some of FCC staff are a bit miffed at enormous job of culling the mass, calling it "an unfair imposition". Dr. Baker said the 3825 pages represent 1,000,000 man-hours and an investment of about $10,000,000. Principal questions on equipment costs were raised by Paramount Pictures, through Paramount TV Productions (KTLA, Los Angeles) and Chromatic TV Labs, developer of Lawrence tube. Speaking for former, Paul Raibourn said FCC should withhold final action until it has assurance 17-in. color set can be sold for $500 or less. He then proposed a "4-color" system of his own employing "color sequences of equal luminance," claimed it would result in cheaper sets, said NTSC was studying it. NTSC's comments included evaluation of the idea by ad hoc subcommittee headed by Hazeltine's Knox Mcllwain. Group concluded: "Because of the severe pictorial degradation resulting from large area flicker, or moving patterns upon the picture surface, or both, none of the various forms of the proposal [can] properly be called compatible [and] cannot generally reproduce acceptable color pictures." Regarding Raibourn' s criticisms of receiver costs, group said he was unduly concerned about the "normal difficulties facing any new consumer product" and that his proposal seemed to offer little in cost reduction. NTSC comments also included analysis of another system advanced earlier by Raibourn, found it similarly wanting. It reached the same conclusions on Dana Griffin's proposals for exhuming the linesequential system killed off in last color hearing (Vol. 9:35). Chromatic called cost of prospective color receivers "fantastically high," said FCC should get detailed cost breakdowns of equipment before acting. It said that sets would cost too much, even with its Lawrence tube (see p. 9). A rambling attack on CBS, RCA, "monopolies," etc., constituted comments of U.A. Sanabria (Vol. 9:34). He asked that color be confined to one area of country for at least 3 years until economics are settled. Another filing was that of M. Soghoian and S.L. Cooke Jr. , Research Instrument Co., Richmond, Va. , claiming invention to make CBS system compatible. Westinghouse came through with solid endorsement of standards. * * * * CBS's comments, while urging adoption of standards, were concerned about the cost of transmitting equipment as well as receivers. It was only party going into detail about transmitting gear. It stated that initial complete color camera chain costs $95,000, additional chains $65,000 — 2-3 times that of comparable monochrome