Television Representations Research Articles

Installation of Theater Television Equipment

Recent initial installations of the RCA PT-100 Theater Television System are described. Problems encountered in these installations and their practical solution are discussed. Now that the first commercial Theater Television Systems have been installed in a number of representative theaters, the experience acquired at these installations will be valuable in reducing the installation of theater television equipment to a routine procedure, comparable to the installation of sound motion picture equipment. Procedures followed in making these initial installations are described, beginning with the preliminary theater survey to the final installation check and adjustment before projecting a picture on the screen, including service and maintenance problems.

The RCA PT-100 Theater Television Equipment

The design of the first commercial theater television equipment is based on the experience gained from installing and operating earlier developmental equipments in theaters. Designed to augment the standard theater sound equipment, the PT-100 Television Equipment is intended to combine maximum reliability with performance limited only by the quality of the incoming signal.

Projection Kinescope 7NP4 for Theater Television

The paper describes the design and development of the 7NP4, a 7-in., 80-kv kinescope which is capable of providing clear, bright, theater-size (15 × 20 ft) television pictures. The development involved solving design problems including: (1) a high-efficiency, low-color-shift, white fluorescent screen; (2) adequate high-voltage insulation; and (3) a gun to provide electrostatic focus of a high-current beam into a small, sharp spot, and magnetic deflection through a relatively narrow angle to conserve deflection power and provide essentially uniform focus over the entire picture area.

Some Commercial Aspects of a New 16-Mm Intermediate Film Television System

Theater television requires picture quality comparable to that attained in feature film releases, and flexibility in program scheduling comparable to television broadcasting. A new 16-mm intermediate film system designed for these requirements is described. The system includes video recording equipment for pickup of coaxial-line or broadcast programs, high-intensity film projection equipment, and an automatic rapid film processor. The use of the rapid film processor is discussed in connection with delay techniques for adequate program scheduling. General operating characteristics are analyzed in terms of economics of the system.

Theater Television Committee Report

Theater Television Committee Report

The Eidophor Method for Theater Television

The paper considers briefly some system aspects of theater television. The most important single technical problem of theater television remains the method used for large-screen projection. A new system, developed in Switzerland, using a special electromechanical accumulation process is described briefly. It gives projection on full-size screens with ordinary lighting. The system is still in the stage of early development, but has already proven quite promising.

Statement on Theater Television

Statement on Theater Television

"Radiolympia"

THE sixteenth national radio exhibition at Olympia, London, new generally known as “Radiolympia", was opened on September 28 by Mr. Herbert Morrision Lord President of the Council. The exhibiton which remained open until October 8, was organised by the, Radio Industry Council, and seaved primarily to show the present state of development and manufacture of broadcasting sets and sets and television receivers. The range and variety of receivers now available reflects the advanced and stable position of the television service of the B.B.C., and shows that the industry is ready to meet the demand that will be created in the Midlands when the Button Coldfleld transmitting station is opened next December. Direct-viewing receivers with cathode-ray tubes ranging in size from nine to fifteen inches in diameter are the most popular type, but several firms displayed models of the projection type giving a larger picture on a flat screen. While, as has been announced officially, the present standards for transmitting black-and-white pictures will remain in Great Britain for several years, an interesting demonstration of transmitting and receiving pictures in colour was given by one firm. The method comprises the use of synchronized, rotating colour filters in both camera and receiver giving fifty pictures per second in the three primary colours successively. Although it may be many years before colour television broadcasting becomes a feasible proposition, it is possible that such a system as that shown would have some application on a closed-circuit network for educational, medical or industrial purposes. A feature of particular interest to the visitor interested in television was the installation in Olympia of a complete television theatre. This structure included a stage 90 ft. by 45 ft., probably the largest television stage in the -world; and the theatre was used daily during the exhibition for the provision of the normal B.B.C. television service programme.

Progress Report—Theater Television<!--<xref ref-type="other" rid="fn1-10.5594_J16511">*</xref>-->

In connection with a theater television demonstration of an instantaneous theater television projection system, a chronological record of the early development and current progress of theater television is presented. References are made to both instantaneous projection and the kinescope-photography methods. The demonstration consisted of the projection by theater television of lantern slides for the paper, live action, and film reproduction fed from the anteroom of the auditorium together with broadcast television programs received by radio transmission and telephone circuits from a near-by television station.

Demonstration of Large-Screen Television at Philadelphia

In an effort to determine some of the problems and to learn some of the limitations and potentialities of the instantaneous projection method of large-screen theater television, Twentieth Century-Fox, with the assistance of the Radio Corporation of America, made an installation in the Fox-Philadelphia Theater, June, 1948. It is the purpose of this paper to give a factual report on the problems encountered in locating, installing, programming, and using the equipment in a typical operating downtown theater, and to comment on the reaction of the audience to a showing of the Louis-Walcott world's championship fight.

The Motion Picture Theater: Planning—Upkeep

A new book carrying the above title and published by the Society of Motion Picture Engineers was announced in December, 1948. Motion picture exhibitors, purchasing agents, and theater architects will find a wealth of valuable information in its thirty-eight articles and 427 pages on the technical aspects of motion picture theater planning, construction, maintenance, modernization, and theater television. — Copies are available from the Society at .00, postage paid within the United States, except that copies sold in New York City are subject to an additional ten-cent city sales tax. Copies shipped outside the continental United States or its possessions are .50, postage paid.

Television Transcription by Motion Picture Film

The paper describes the electronic and camera equipment for recording television sight and sound on film, the picture made directly from the face of the cathode-ray tube. The application of this technique will be discussed with regard to documentary recording, network syndication use, and theater television. Representative films recorded in this manner are available.

Theater Television—A General Analysis<!--<xref ref-type="other" rid="fn1-10.5594_J12628">*</xref>-->

Excellent engineering progress has been made in the development of equipment and methods for the exhibition of television pictures in theaters. Considerable thought has been devoted to types of acceptable programs for theater television. However, the final design of commercial television equipment for theaters is not yet available, nor are proved and acceptable program methods as yet clearly defined. — Accordingly, theater television may be regarded at present as being, in some respects, in a partly developed state. Considering this situation, the following analysis is perforce a descriptive report, as of today. It contains as well some analytical discussions of possible future trends. But the data and conclusions are of necessity subject to revision as further progress in theater television brings forth new methods and offers greater capabilities in this highly interesting field.

Problems of Theater Television Projection Equipment

Some of the more important problems of theater television projection technique and equipment are discussed. The importance of the two principles of optical storage and light modulation for overcoming certain limitations is stressed, and some Scophony developments are described in which these principles are utilized.

Frequency Allocations for Theater Television

Frequency Allocations for Theater Television

Some Economic Aspects of Theater Television<!--<xref ref-type="other" rid="fn1-10.5594_J14254">*</xref>-->

A discussion is given showing how the motion picture theaters of America, once they install large-screen theater television equipment, will be in a position to underwrite and control certain events of great public interest; how theaters will be available as supplementary concert halls, lecture rooms, etc., and how theaters can be employed as remote control fight arenas, race tracks, football stadia, etc. Theaters, having a box office, may be the logical answer to the question of who is going to pay for television.