TELEVISION MARVEL

Taranaki Daily News, 9 November 1935, Page 18 (Supplement)

TELEVISION MARVEL

WORLD BEFORE OUR EYES. SEEING IS BELIEVING. Television is so much nearer that the British Postmaster-General has announced its appearance in the home for early next year. Seeing will be believing. What could be seen and heard now if the promised receiving sets were in their place, attached to their special aerials, and connected with the electric mains? The Baird Television Company has made a statement of what its television sets can do in receiving pictures and sound from the Baird transmitters at the Crystal Palace.

On the top of the South Tower of the Crystal Palace, 680 feet above sea-level, are the Baird aerials. From there a distance of 30 to 35 miles can be seen in all directions. The very short waves employed for effective television will travel only a little farther than the eye can see. this reason the highest point that can be found in the London area has been chosen, and the waves travelling from the aerials have been tested to transmit pictures and sound in all parts' of the Greater London area, not more than 25 miles from the Crystal Palace. Southend to the east, Hatfield to the north, Maidenhead to the west and Edenbridge and Sevenoaks to the south have received them.

On the lowest floor of the South Tower is the sound radio transmitter. The sound transmitted by it is synchronised with the vision sent out by the high-power vision transmitters. Both operate on short wavelengths, that for vision of seven metres wavelength and the one for sound of eight and a half metres. The sound transmitter was used in the first place for vision. These can transmit living pictures of individuals and of scenes taking place in the television company’s studios at the Crystal Palace as well as other scenes taking place on the terrace .in front. They can transmit also portions of cinematographic films already made and run off in the studios.

They will be capable, as the method develops, of transmitting the whole of such films.

The same apparatus which scans, for the purposes of transmission, cinematographic films in the studio can be employed to record on a film events taking place outside, as, for example, at the Albert Hall or at the Boat Race; arid the records thus made can be relayed to the Crystal Palace for retransmission to receiving sets.

Thus at the present time scenes and events, complete with sound, which take place in the studios can be transmitted. So also can events taking place in the immediate neighbourhood and portions of cinematographic films. The use of

specially prepared films for the transmission of daily occurrences is foreshadowed.

How will these be rendered in the home? The pictures will appear on two types of receiving sets which are ready and both of which will receive pictures and sound. The size of the picture produced on the first set is eight inches by six and is brilliant enough to be seen quit? clearly in ordinary room lighting. The size of the picture produced on the second set is 12 inches by nine inches and is more brilliant. Both sets receive sound as well as vision,