TELEVISION TEST

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 160, 22 June 1935, Page 12

TELEVISION TEST

Royal Family Interested WINDSOR CASTLE FUNCTION 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, tclevisiou.

When the King made his State visit to Broadcasting House, the whole staff was lined up so His Majesty had little opportunity of seeing what actually went on in the studios, He was shown the television studio, but did not have tho opportunity of seeing any television in action. Luter, when the Prince of Wales made a surprise visjt to the 8.8. C., and without any formalities at all, insisted on being taken round the studios so that be could see exactly how the work was clone, be was shown tho television studio in the basement, then almost on the point of being dismantled, so that the apparatus could be moved to new preinisos. TELEVISION DEMONSTRATION. In conversation at Buckingham Palace tho Prince told his father how this now stylo of television was developing rapidly at the 8.8. C., but it was not until the King moved temporarily to Windsor that he had the Opportunity of witnessing the latest television reception.

Tho Duke of Yorjt—who is a wireless export—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 clear television picture with great detail. Tho type of imago 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 bo selected, and that in this early stage of the television craze it would be unwise lor 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 wore brought down with a ear load of apparatus to Windsor Castle. The rough laboratory television re coiver had, in only a few hours, been accommodated in a radio-gramophone type of cabinet so that it would bo presentable in the lounge at Windsor Castle in which Hie King wanted to look-in.” THE KING "LOOKS-IN.” Tho King was not content that the artists should perform in one room and that be should sec the televised images 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 took the engineers several hours of heetic work to get the wireless transmission going properly before the television appartus was switched on. Then tho cabinet was wheeled into tho lounge, a television expert bad a telephone message put through 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. 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 forwaid 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 ono 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 resolver, the amplifier, and the synchronising devices. . . but the King shook his head, laughed, and genially said he. he would never understand anything that was more complicated than an ordinary gramophone! The television demonstration was held in private, as the King was only interested to see a television programme for personal reasons, and he did not want it to be thought that ho 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 the first to see a practical television programme, but they can have the satisfaction of knowing that they saw one of the most successful television shows over given outside a laboratory-.