SEEING BY RADIO

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 168, 12 April 1935, Page 13

SEEING BY RADIO

Advance of Television REAL PROGRAMMES THIS YEAR British Committee’s Report The British Postmaster-General re ceutly presented the report of the Television Committee to Parliament. The committee finds That high definition television is a commercial possibility and recommends the broadcasting of picture programmes in association with sound. That ultra short wavelengths (those below ten metres) must be used in the present state of the art, and that Studio performances can be transmitted direct. The committee is believed to be of the opinion that the best method of tackling outdoor scenes is with the help of the cinema camera, by which actual events can be sent out within a minute of their occurrence or can be held back until a suitable time in the programme. All the methods of receiving television are reviewed in the report, but no recommendation as to the best receiver is made. As a result of the work of the Committee in examining the present state of television, not only in this country, but in Germany and the United States, it is probable that we shall have real television programmes this year, but it is unlikely that the first signals will go out before September. Though two or three systems are ready to work now and, in fact, are working in an experimental state, much vital thinking must be done before extended programmes can be given. Televised News Items. The major problems are financial and not technical. Recent statistics bring out the fact that if the cinema films imported into this country were to be shown once each they would provide a programme of ten minutes a day only throughout the year. We know the enormous cost of preparing films, and can therefore calculate the high expense of providing home entertainment by television on anything approaching the scale of the cinema. Certainly the public will not long remain satisfied with the type of programme now sent out by the 8.8.0., limited as it is by the low definition system used, as well as by cost. The cinema industry has nothing to fear from television for many years to come. Within a year or two it may be using brief televised news items in the nature of sporting events or those of great national importance. Both cinema and stage, however, will be considerably affected by the necessity for their help in the way of providing programmes which those in charge of television will have to invoke at once. The cinema industry particularly has considerable knowledge of the problems of programme production which will confront the television producer. The financial side of television was not in the terms of reference of the committee. There is, however, a general impression that, in view of the ■very good work being done in more than one laboratory, the committee has worded its report in such a way as to prevent any monopoly, and to suggest a transition period of two or three years in which some degree of stability can be reached. Pooling of Resources. The British Broadcasting Corporation would seem to be the obvious handlers of television programmes and transmissions, but for the sake of the art it would doubtless be better if the two or three really progressive firms—that is, Baird Television, Seophony, and Electrical and Musical Industries —were to pool their resources and to take the whole business over, just as was done by the big firms in the early days of broadcasting. Nation-wide television will be impossible for some time. The first transmitter will be in London, and the nature of ultra short-waves will prevent reception outside about twenty miles. If the transmitter is more or less central this will mean that the whole of Greater London will be covered, and the potential audience will be about ten millions. Receivers will be available in quantities in time for the first transmission. It will not be possible to attach apparatus to an ordinary broadcasting set as is done now by those who take the 8.8.C.-Balrd transmissions twice a week. Self-contained apparatus will be necessary. There are three possible systems: the cathode ray tube, the mechanicaloptical, and the mechanical. Baird television, EA1.1., and Cossors have pinned their faith to the cathode ray tube though it is believed that Baird is

ready with a mechanical system as well. Seophony is the only representative of the mechanical-optical class, whilst the characteristic representative of the familiar mirror drum is the International Television instrument. Home-Constructed Sets, The disadvantages of the cathode ray tube are the smallness of the picture, which is of about postcard size, the short life of the tube, the high voltages necessary, and the high cost of the apparatus, which in Germany is now about £lOO. The mechanical-optical system, such ns that of G. W| AValton, can be produced complete for about £3O, and will give a brilliant projected picture of about the size familiar to users of the home cinema. Alirror drum apparatus will cost about the sameThere will, undoubtedly, be a large number of home-constructed sets, and these will probably make use of tbe socalled mechanical systems.. The cost of receivers will naturally fall with demand, and ultimately they will be as cheap as broadcast receivers are to-day.