Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

First, the cost of apparatus is high. The estimated retail price of the receiver is in the luxury range of $800 to $1,000. The heart of the receiver problem lies in the color tube and its associated circuitry. The current estimated cost to a receiver manufacturer of a color tube with a viewing, surface which approximates that of a 12inch monochrome tube, is between $175 to $200. This figure alone exceeds the entire cost of several popular models of monochi’ome receivers. Similarly, the costs to television broadcasters for transmitting equipment, and particularly for the origination of color programs, are substantially higher than the cost of monochrome transmissions. Second, the maintenance and operation of a compatible color receiving and trail smitting. apparatus in a 6 me bandwidth will inherently result in greater costs than monochrome alone. Because the proposed signal specifications, rely on complicated techniques and because the “system i ■: a" is, in large part, shared by the receiver, it is reasonable to anticipate that receiver failures and service adjustments will be more frequent. Similar difficulties may also be anticipated at the studio and transmitter. Third, the additional susceptibility of the color receiver to interference and the possibility of causing interference to other services from the radiation of the subcarrier in the receiver, must be given close attention by the receiver manufacturer. Also, the transmitter manufacturer, in order to reduce interference, must take steps to eliminate, so far as possible, all unnecessary radiation. In this connection, it is noted that the industry has recently established committees, which have begun work toward these ends. 42. In the comments filed in this proceeding a number of parties urging adoption of the proposed signal specifications have requested that we waive or relax certain of our criteria. It is our view, in light of the changed circumstances, that a rigorous or inflexible application of our criteria would not be warranted and that, accordingly, these requests should be granted. It was our view that any new system would have to sustain the burden of establishing that any improvement which would result from its adoption must be substantial enough to justify the resulting dislocation to receivers then in the hands of the public. There are no color receivers in the hands of the public designed to receive transmissions in accordance with those standards. And no question is presented with respect to dislocation or harm because of investment in apparatus. We believe, therefore, that the change in circumstances warrants a shift in emphasis and that we are justified in relying on the representations of petitioners that certain of the inadequacies as presently exist are a function of “equipment limitations” and are not necessarily inherent “system limitations.” 43. We are persuaded to this view on the basis of the following factors: First, included among the NTSC and the other parties CONCURRING STATEMENT OF The adoption of standards for color television is an important milestone on the road to expansion of our broadcast industry. As a member of the Commission and one of the guardians of the public interest I have strong feelings that the adoption of such standards cannot be taken lightly. Consideration of the color standards proposed by the National Television System Committee indicates to me that those standards, and any system based thereon, involve certain problems among which are included such matters as: 1. Estimated high cost of color receivers and station equipment. 2. Complexity of receivers. 3. Degradation of color transmissions as received on monochrome sets. 4. Degradation of monochrome transmissions as received on color sets. 5. Susceptibility of color receivers to interference. It would serve no useful purpose for me to elaborate upon such problems here as the Commission’s Report and Order adequately discusses these and other problems. However, I believe that the public should be forewarned that in view of the subjective nature of the evaluation of any color television demonstration it is not likely that to this proceeding are the major electronics manufacturing organizations. Among these parties there is overwhelming support for the proposed specifications. There is virtual unanimity that these specifications are fundamentally capable of producing satisfactory color television pictures. There is also substantial agreement that the proposed specifications have a potential for growth. Second, although the major effort has, up to this point, been directed to the development of the system, approval of the proposed signal specifications will furnish an incentive and stimulus to manufacturing and research organizations to devote their efforts to the equipment problems. The success of color hinges on mass receiver circulation, and every effort must be made to bring the price down to the level of the mass purchaser. Every effort must also be made to design equipment to minimize the additional interference susceptibility of operations under the proposed specifications. History has demonstrated that American industry is capable of devising practical and economical equipment on a mass production basis. We have the assurance of the industry that the enormous engineering and production ingenuity at their command will be focused on these remaining problems. Third, the proposed signal specifications are broad enough to permit considerable latitude to competing companies in the future development of more economical and efficient equipment without obsoleting equipment in the hands of the public. Thirteen manufacturers demonstrated receivers in the proceeding employing several types of picture tubes. Thus, the proposed color specifications afford an opportunity and challenge to the industry to implement these specifications with the necessary equipment innovations. Fourth, the signal specifications proposed are compatible, and a compatible system will afford the consumer a greater degree of freedom than would an incompatible system in choosing whether or not to purchase a color receiver at a given price, since the public will, in any event, continue to receive the program material in monochrome. 44. Upon a careful consideration of the complete record in this proceeding, we are of the view that the signal specifications proposed by petitioners provide a reasonable basis for the development of a color television service in the public interest. We have therefore concluded that the present rules and standards for the broadcast of color television based on the field sequential signal specifications should be deleted and that the signal specifications in this proceeding should be adopted in lieu thereof at this time. 15. Authority for the adoption of the amendments is contained in Section 303(b), (e) and (g) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. 46. In view of the foregoing, IT IS ORDERED, That, effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, Subpart E of Part 3 of the Commission’s Rules Governing Television Broadcast Stations, is amended as set out in Appendix B attached hereto. •MMISSIONER E. M. WEBSTER unanimity will prevail with respect to the adequacy of present color pictures and that some viewers may find the results somewhat less satisfactory than expected. The adoption of these standards creates certain receiver problems which must be recognized. Accordingly, the receiver manufacturers are obligated to the public to incorporate in color receivers refinements beyond those in present monochrome receivers necessary to adequately suppress aggravated receiver radiation and to overcome the greater susceptibility to interference, particularly in the region of the color sub-carrier. While the current system designed around the NTSC standards may fall short of the established criteria in some respects, as for example the estimated cost of color receivers, I believe that compatibility is sufficiently important to warrant a reasonable flexibility in the application of the criteria. Furthermore, in my opinion those features which may be believed to be inadequacies in the current state of development are equipment problems, not inherent limitations imposed by the standards, and future improvement can be expected. Accordingly, I concur with the Commission in its decision adopting the color television standards proposed by the National Television System Committee. 6