Home Talkies

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 708, 6 July 1929, Page 9

Home Talkies

Simple Invention Tried hi London CHEAP. EFFICIENT SYSTEM Home talkies, a new form of talking films of all-British invention, made their how to London. The invention consists of synchronising gear which can he fitted to ordinary gramophones and home cinema projectors. 1 \TO skill is required to work the out--A fit; it is all done by the synchroniser, which is said to be so close to perfection that it loses only one second in 12 months. All the operator has to do is to place a record on the gramophone, a film in the projector, and press a button. The film and record can be bought tor a few shillings, or rented for a week or so at a fraction of the cost. Enthusiasts can have exclusive talking films of themselves made at a cost of 10s for a five-minute “turn.” If the invention proves attractive to the 60,000 owners of home and baby cinemas in England, it is proposed to establish home talkie studios ior the production of films and records in the chief cities. The cost of the synchronising gear is about £5, and it is reckoned that in its cheapest form the entire outfit of cinema, gramophone, synchroniser and screen may be purchased for about £l4.

An additional instrument, known as the Radioscope, costing a few pounds more, enables the talking part of the fireside entertainment to be brought

over the lojd-speaker from a 8.8. C. broadcasting station. While there is no immediate possibility of the 8.8. C. playing any part in these home talkies, some of the leading officials recently attended a demonstration. They were so impressed by the synchronisation that they are considering the question of recommending the corporation to grant facilities for experimental transmission similar to that accorded television.

The inventor of the synchronising gear is Mr. G. V. Dowding, technical editor of several wireless papers.