Abstract
CAPTAIN A. G. WEST, of the Baird Television Co., Ltd., gave a very instructive address to the Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association at Cardiff on June 26. A summary of this address appears in the Electrician for July 5. He pointed out that the only possible waves that can be used to produce high-definition pictures are ultra-short waves the lengths of which are not greater than 10 metres. If a 6-metre length is used, then the necessary breadth of the band need lie only between 5-9 metres and 6-1 metres. If it be operated on 300 metres, it would interfere with many of the broadcasting stations in Europe. Ultra-short waves have almost the same properties as waves of light and thus cast shadows. The transmitting aerials on the top of the Crystal Palace tower are 700 ft. above sea-level and in most directions give an effective range of transmission of about 40 miles. In his opinion, the best all-round wave-length for television is 7 metres, which does to a certain extent curve round hills to more distant points. A large number of tests have been carried out in all parts of London in receiving pictures from the Crystal Palace transmitter. Excellent pictures have also been received at some fifty sites ranging from Southend to Maidenhead and from Hatfield to Sevenoaks. In two years time, it may be possible to buy a complete set for the home for about 35 guineas. For cinema work, he thought that the best method is to use an intermediate film. A film is taken of the scene to be transmitted. It is then developed, fixed, washed and dried before being televised, the whole operation being less than two minutes. The first cinemas to receive their programmes by television would get them by radio transmission links. Later on, the big central radio transmitter might conveniently be replaced by a central distributing exchange point, which would receive the televising waves by cable from the outside point possibly twenty miles away.
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Television in the Cinema. Nature 136, 98–99 (1935). https://doi.org/10.1038/136098d0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/136098d0