Movies By Radio

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 51, 6 July 1928, Page 2

Movies By Radio

} WONDERFUL DEVELOPMENT — ee TO OPERATE BY CHRISTMAS ACCORDING to the latest American files, within a few months moving (cinema) pictures will be transmitted by radio to the homes of all who possess a special receiving set which will shortly be availabie to the American public. By the transmission: of cinema pictures by radio with a little more perfection it will be possible for .a big event like the Melbourne Cup to be filmed and viewed in the homes of New Zealanders a few hours after the event, The New York "Herald Tribune" states :- "Radiovisor machines in homes by Christmas, at a price that will not make them a luxury, but more like a necessity is the expectation of C. Francis Jenkins, Washington ‘inventor, whose latest patent, receiver .of motion pictures by radio, hes just ‘been tested in the presence of officials of the U.S.A. Government Federal Radio Commission and others, Whether the distribution of the new radio wonder will be by a man like John Wanamaker, or some New York magazine, or some ye else with whom Mr. Jenkins has conferred, the inventor was not prepared to say, but he said enough to indicate that some big manufacturer or distributor will be making and delivering the machines by fall: (autumn) so they will be on the radio market during the Christmas holiday rush, "T have made no agreement on how the machines .will be made available," Mr. Jenkins told the Herald Tribune, "put I haye talked informally with several people who are impressed with the possibility of wide distribution of the radiovisor. Some definite announcement will be made when ié ts possible for me to know just what the announcement will be, 2 fact thet has not yet developed." Jenkins believes, however, as. a result. of the tests he has already conducted that the radio "movie" now comes into the home with its pantomime picture stories just as the wandering story-teller of long ago brought legend aud gossip.

Tunes Like Set. | A TLACHING one of these picture A 2 * ~ to the radio one tunes in radio "movies" just as music is tuned in. The device in which these new radio pantomime pictures appear is a small eabinet with mirror, resembling nothing so much as our grandmother's dvessing-table, before which she used to primp. But instead of seeing one's self therein, this magie mirror refiects a} pantomime fiicture story so realistic one's initial astonishment is lost im the fascination of the weirdly-told tale. This picture cabinet and its magic] mirror is attached to any loudspeaker radio set, just as the loudspeaker itself is attached, and gives a picture apparently about 6 x 6 inches square, . The mechanism inside the «cabinet consists of a small drum on the shaft of 2 moto. similar to those used on washing-machines and vacuum cleaners. The motor is attached to the house current. The drum is a special lamp, also developed by Mr. Jenkins, ‘The light of this lamp shines out through very small holes in the drum surface. The lamp is attached to the radio receiving set. Between the hub and the drum sur- face quartz rods are arranged, in four helices resembling the spokes of a miniature bicycle wheel, with each rod ending underneath a tiny hole in the drum surface. This arrangement gives a larger picture for a smaller scanning mechanism, and a brighter picture for a given radio energy, for the use of these tiny rods avoids the inverse square light loss law. Resembics Present Sets, TPHE picture receiver resembles the latest type radio cubinet.. The picture is seen in a mirror on the top of the cabinet, and appeared to be about six inches square, and could be watched by a unmber of people very comfortably. Ordinary radio sets and radio speakers were used in ‘this initial picture broadcast. Eaeh picture feature was announced through the loudspeaker. Immediately following the announcement and description of the picture the listener was instructed to push a certain "red button" on the front of the panel of the cabinet, whereupon the picture flashed .out on the face of the magie mirror in all ‘the fascination of a weirdly told tale. It was noticed that when the motor was first started the picture was sometimes out of frame, just as pictures in the theatre occasionally are out of frame. But it was easily corrected by moving a2 lever, as it is in a theatre projector. Special License Granted. "Pur pictures were broadcast from Mr. Jenkins’s studio, on Connecticnt Avenue here, on a short-wave band, on approximately 1000 KOS, by special permission of the Radio Commission. Mr, Jenkins himself made the an‘|nouncements, explaining that the work, and those associated with him ‘tin the development of radio vision and 0

8 eeeeeEeEOEeEeEeEeEeeeeeeeTOOEOEOEOEOEOEeEEEOeEEEOeeEEeeEeEeeoereeeeeeeeeereeT ee radio "movies?" the first public demonstration of which was made three} years ago, June 13, 1925. By this was shown what was actually happening at the moment in the navy radio shack. at Anacostia, several miles away, 2 station loaned to him by the navy for} the demonstration. The subjects: in ‘motion thus yisible by radio were} simple things, but they were in. motion, well lighted and easily identifled. This was the first time in history, it is believed, that vision and "movies" were ever carried by radio. It was explained that radio "movies" were selected, rather than ‘radio vision, for ‘beginning radio pictures for home entertainment, because film subjects could be gathered from it all over the world, guaranteeing a con-. stant source of radio pantomine picture stories, Admits Need for Development. Mz Jenkins frankly admitted that the pictures were not yet as perfect as theatre pictures, which have had thirty-five years of development; are, indeed, probably no better than the pictures he projected in his first theatre projector of 1893-94. But they ave just as mysterious and just as entertaining, and Mr Jenkins says the public is entitled to enjoy radio movies while further development is being made. The art is now only in the "erystal set" stage of development. , It was rather a surprise, however, to those who saw these silhouette pic-. tures to find them so entertaining, but. the explanation is that the story is told in the action, as in theatre movie cartoons, and the intermediate light values are therefore, not nearly so important as one might suppose. Silhouette pictures were the first pictures, and have retained their popularity for nearly two centuries. These radio "movie" receivers will be available, it was explained, as soon, as arrangements for their production can be made. Everybody ought to be able to have radio movies in the home in ample time for Christmas, and at 2 price about that of a good audio radio Ui receiver.