KING'S INTEREST IN TELEVISION

Evening Star, Issue 22032, 18 May 1935, Page 4

KING'S INTEREST IN TELEVISION

TESTS MADE AT WINDSOR CASTLE The 8.8.C.’s young and enthusiastic television director, Eustace Robb, is a personal friend of the Prince of Wales. Probably that accounts for the Royal Family’s interest in the latest craze, television. When the King made his State visit to Broadcasting House, the whole staff was lined up by the B-B.C. martinets, so His Majesty had little opportunity of seeing what actually went on in the studios. He was shown the television studio, (that was before the television section of the 8.8. C. was moved to the new premises down Portland Place), but he did not have the opportunity of seeing anv television in action. Later, when the Prince of Wales one afternoon made a surprise visit to the 8.8.0., and, without any formalities at all, insisted on being taken round the studios so that he could see exactly how the work was done, he was shown the television studio in the basement, ' then almost on the point of being dismantled so that the apparatus could be moved to the now premises. TELEVISION DEMONSTRATION. In conversation at Buckingham Palace the Prince told his father how this now style of television was developing rapidly at the 8.8. C., but it w;as not ijntil the King moved temporarily out to Windsor that lie had the opportunity of witnessing really for the first lime, the latest television reception. The Duke of York—who is a wireless expert —was asked what particular system the King should examine, and the Duke suggested that it would be advisable for a demonstration to be made of the cathode-ray system, as this gives a very 01031’ television picture with great detail. The type of image at present transmitted by the 8.8. C. is hardly typical of the latest television development, and so a decision had to be made as to which company should be invited to give a test so that the King could see the progress of television. Eventually it was decided that no single small concern should'be selected, and that in this early stage of the television craze it would be unwise for Royalty to show preference for any one particular system. So it was decided that a largo combine known .as the E.M.l.—embracing the 'television .development of the Marconi Company and the. H.M.V. organisations—should be asked to demonstrate. One Saturday afternoon a group of specially-selected engineers engaged on the television at the Hayes laboratory were brought down with a car load of apparatus to Windsor Castle. The rough laboratory television receiver had, in only a few hours, been accommodated in a radio-gramophone typo of cabinet so that it would he presentable in the lounge at Windsor Castle in which the King wanted to “ look-in.” In the laboratory the apparatus had worked, well, but ——! THE KING “ LOOKS-IN.” The King was not content that the artists should perform in one room and that lie should see the televised image in the next. He insisted that this should be a proper radio demonstration, with a television studio situated a considerable distance away from his temporary receiver. So that the King could have a good idea of the latest standard of television qualities it was decided to transmit talking films. It is not so very long ago that the King and Queen saw their first “ talkie,” so it is interesting to reflect that a strip of talkie film was run tlirough the television transmitter'* at Hayes. In this particular television system witnessed by the King a very small wireless wave-length is used as the connecting link. The apparatus at the transmitter and receiver is much more complicated than it would bo if ordinary broadcast wave-lengths are used, but the results are infinitely better, and it is possible to get a much better quality picture on the television screen. It took the engineers several hours of hectic work to get the wireless transmission going properly before the /television apparatus was switched on. Then the cabinet was wheeled into the lounge, a television expert had a telephone message put through to the men in charge at Hayes, and the King, accompanied by a few friends, came into the room and sat down in front of the television screen. A strange flickering light illuminated the screen, and the King was told that it was the beam of a cathode-ray tube being run up to correct speed. Flickering images appeared on the screen, and then very slowly the picture resolved itself into an exact reproduction of the film running through the television projector (many miles away. The King leaned forward with evident interest, and the other watchers in the lounge murmured with surprise as they saw the characters move on the “living” screen before their eyes. After the short television programme was over the King button-holed one of the experts, and asked him to give a rough idea how it all works. GOOD RECEPTION. The export started describing the cathode-ray tube, the short-wave receiver, the amplifier, and the synchronising devices . . . but the King shook his head, laughed, and genially said ho thought he would never understand anything that was more complicated than an ordinary gramophone! » The television demonstration was held in private, ns the King was only interested to see a television programme for personal reasons, and ho did not want it to be thought that he was anxious to encourage any one particular system. The reception was very good, and not only can the members of the Royal party that afternoon claim to be among tho first to see a practical television -programme, hut they can have the satisfaction of knowing that" they saw one of the most successful television shows that have ever been given outside a laboratory.

Immediately the 8.8. C. adopts new systems of television transmission,. so that the pictures are of good quality, the King is anxious to have television apparatus attached to his wireless receivers at Buckingham and Windsor. A man went into a shop to buy a fountain pen. The assistant gave him one to try ami he wrote on a piece of paper the words “ Tempus fugit.” This lie repeated a number of times. The smart assistant glanced at what had been written, and, offering another pen, said ; “ Perhaps you’d like one of these pens better, Mr Fugtt ”