Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1963)

NEW SERIES VOL. 3, No. 40 TELEVISION DIGEST-11 GE*S 'MUSIC MODULES'; Several imique products— including company's first tape recorder— were introduced by GE at week' s end in preview of first public showing Oct. 11 at National Decoration & Design Show in N. Y. Highlight was new product category, which GE calls its "series 5000 modules" and describes as "bridging the gap between consoles & components." Each module is available individually, all in matching rectangular walnut cabinets, designed for easy hookup by inexperienced amateurs. They can be installed in bookshelves, on tables, hung on walls, etc. All equipment is fully 'transistorized. GE promises modules will be "open stock," with no annual appearance changes, so owners can build music systems gradually. GE's modules are; AM-FM-stereo tuner-amplifier, $299.95; drop-down stereo tape recorder, $299.95; drop-down changer, $89.95; speaker systems, bookshelf size at $99. 95 per pair, larger units $119.95. Recorder uses modified V-M deck, GE's own transistorized electronics. Also due for introduction this week by GE is "Pillow Talk" portable stereo phono at $74. 95. In place of conventional speaker, unit has corduroy -covered foam cushion containing stereo speakers for use as headrest or conventional pillow. Phono can be used as regular stereo by placing cushion (whose surface is parabolic) in lid of changer and using higher volume. Both tape recorder & cushion speaker are expected to show up later in other GE versions. Using GE equipment. Designer Vladimir Kagan will display some interesting custom-made concepts at decoration show— including free-form love seat with stereo . speakers built into high side wings, and coffee table into which 11-in. TV disappears when not in use (reminiscent ! of RCA's TV coffee table of several years ago). DISTRIBUTOR NOTES: Sylvanla appoints Wheeling Kitchen Equipment (George Bailey vp-gen. mgr.), 36th & McColloch Sts., Wheeling, W. Va., home instruments distributor for 24 northern West Virginia & 5 eastern I Ohio counties. . . Olympic Radio & TV and Sony Corp. name American Wholesalers distributor in District of Columbia area. American had been a Sylvania distributor for past 2 1/2 years, was succeeded by factory I branch (Vol. 3:39 plO). Standard Japanese color tube size will be 16-in. rectangular, 90-degree deflection. Committee of Jap) anese EIA has recommended measurements, with goal of standardized product. Industry' s immediate aim is to develop sizeable domestic color set market in time r for Olympic games in fall 1964, as well as promoting '' exports to U. S. First 16 7/Z rpm stereo discs have been introduced by XLP Record Corp., Lake Geneva, Wis. New records play more than 2 hours, will list at $8. 95. Company 1 claims listening tests showed 97% of listeners couldn't tell difference between sound quality of 16 2^3 and 33 1/3 rpm discs. "Stereobooster," indoor FM booster designed for stereo & mono FM reception, has been announced by Blonder-Tongue. With claimed power gain of 18 db, it has list price of $21. Legalities: Sonic Electronics, N.Y. manufacturer of phonographs & hi-fi equipment, is bankrupt (Vol. 3:21 plO), Referee Asa S. Herzog ruled. He upheld objection by V-M Corp. to proposed Chapter llplan, appointed Thomas E. Zodatrustee in bond of $50,000. . . Judgment suit of $375,000 has been filed in Chicago Federal Court against Majestic International Pres. Leonard Ashbach and 2 other employes of firm bn breach -of -agreement charges by Nichimen Co. concerning transistor radios it sold to Wilcox-Gay. Plaintiff contends radios were to be warehoused under its name and that it was to retain title, but warehouse receipt was written inMajestic's name. Nichimen seeks $125,000 actual damage, $250,000 exemplary damage. Audio Engineering Society convention Oct. 14-18 at N. Y.'s Barbizon Plaza Hotel will feature session on FM stereo, with papers by FCC's Harold W. Kassens, Zenith' s J. Fleming Dias & Jouke Rypkema, Collins Radio' s A. Prose Walker, GE's A. Csicsatka & R. Linz, GEL'S B. T. Newman, others. Other papers will be on magnetic tape cartridges, disc recording, broadcast audio studio equipment, sound systems, loudspeakers, wireless microphones. Teleglobe Pay-TV System. Muntz TV says its sales for fiscal year ended Aug. 31 probably reached about $13 million, compared with $11.4 million for fiscal 1962. Reports & comments: Tektronix, prospectus, Lehman Bros. , One William St. , N. Y. 4. . . Electro Instruments, report, Leason & Co. , 39 S. La Salle St. , Chicago 3.. . Varian Associates, comments, Bache & Co. , 36 Wall St., N.Y. 5... Microwave Electronics, report, Hannaford & Talbot, 519 California St. , San Francisco 4.. . International Resistance, analysis, Hirsch & Co., 25 Broad St. , N. Y. 4. . . Dynamics Corp. of America, study, Schwabacher & Co. , 100 Montgomery St. , San Francisco 4. . . Metromedia, comments, Ross & Hirsch, 120 Broadway, N.Y. 5... Walt Disney, study, Schwabacher & Co. , 100 Montgomery St. , San Francisco 4. . . Crowell -Collier, discussion, Carl M. Loeb, Rhoades & Co. , 42 Wall St. , N. Y. 5. . . AT&T, report, Hirsch & Co., 25 Broad St. , N. Y. 4. . . Thompson Ramo Wooldridge, study, Burnham & Co. , 60 Broad St. , N. Y. 4. . . CBS, report, Freehling & Co. , 120 S. La Salle St. , Chicago, 3. . . Crowell-Colller, memo, Purcell, Graham & Co. , 50 Broadway, N. Y. 4. Ravenswood Corp. assets will be sold by Internal Revenue Service which seized plant (Vol. 3:39 pll) for alleged non-payment of some $63, 000 in excise and withholding taxes. IRS is now accepting sealed bids for Ravenswood' s inventory of stereo sets & cabinets, speaker systems, and other components, will open bids Oct. 10, 10:30 a. m. at its Annapolis, Md. office, 253 West St. Stewart -Warner's July-Aug. sales & earnings produced percentage gains "of similar magnitude" to firsthalf's 10% sales jump to $66.4 million, 11% earnings increase to $1.21 a share. Chmn.-Pres. Bennett Arch ambault reported that sales of electronic products during first 8 months topped volume in original -equipment automobile parts. Mimtz TV stock purchases, reported to American Stock Exchange: Chmn. Floyd G. Dana bought 500 common shares, holds 7,053. Secy.-Treas. Daniel J. Domin bought 630, holds 31, 608 and is custodian for 30.