Presto

P R E S T 0-T I M E S
PROGRESS MADE
IN TELEVISION
Plugging Into a Light Socket Is the New
Method to Be Employed to Enjoy Broad-
casted Pictures, Says A. J. Carter,
Pioneer Expert.
A. J. Carter, "daddy" of the Radio Manufacturers'
Association, pioneer in Television, and president of
the Carter Radio Company of Chicago, startled the
radio and motion picture worlds the other day with
two predictions. When "Nick" Carter prophesies,
the public usually sits up and listens.
"Television for commercial use, available for mil-
lions of homes, will be an actuality within the present
interfering in any way with the normal functioning of
the power line.
"It means that every room with a light socket can
have television," he said. "Set the little box on top
of the radio, or anywhere else you please, and see the
picture without flaw. Your television device will not
be a part of your radio set. It will be wholly inde-
pendent and suffer none of the difficulties of air
transmission."
The home talkie prediction by Mr. Carter was
born of the successful experiments his experts have
conducted from almost the beginning of the industry.
By adapting the light frequency, sound track system
employed in the talkies, a home device will furnish
music by film for hours without requiring changing
or manipulation, and from the same device talking
pictures can be had when wanted. This device, too,
will be low in cost to the public, and simple of oper-
ation.
RADIO PARTS BUSINESS.
Tons of radio parts, literally thousands of tons,
worth many million of dollars annually, are still being
used and also, contrary to popular belief, the radio
parts business is not declining but is on the up-grade,
according to A. J. Carter of Chicago, a prominent
parts manufacturer. Mr. Carter is a founder, past
vice-president, and influential leader of the Radio
Manufacturers' Association, the national organization
which includes every prominent manufacturer of all
radio products. "Although not generally known, the
manufacture and sale of radio parts is a mammoth
industry in itself and growing larger," said Mr. Car-
ter. "There are fewer manufacturers of parts, but their
output is increasing, and this great branch of the
industry is in stronger and more responsible hands."
HENDERSON ELECTED PRESIDENT.
The Northwest Radio Trade Association, at its
annual election of officers and banquet held recently
in connection with the Northwest Radio Show in
Minneapolis, chose by a unanimous vote J. W. A.
Henderson as its president for the coming year. Mr.
Henderson is manager of the Minneapolis branch of
the Edison Distributing Corporation and directs the
distribution of Edison radios, phonographs and rec-
ords in the northwestern section. He has been
actively engaged in the work of the Northwest Radio
Trade Association for many years, serving on its
membership committee and board of directors.
CREDIT AND COLLECTION SERVICE.
Many hundreds of thousands of dollars are being
saved annually to national radio manufacturers, frauds
are unearthed and collection of accounts insured by
cooperative service of the Radio Manufacturers' As-
sociation, according to Leslie F. Muter of Chicago,
chairman of the Credit Committee of the Radio Man-
ufacturers' Association. As the "watch dog of the
treasury" of the Radio Manufacturers' Association,
Chairman Muter and his committee, which comprises
eastern, central and western divisions covering all
parts of the country, have an extensive credit infor-
mation and also collection services in force.
A. J. CARTER.
year," was one prediction. "Talkies, and music from
films, will be common in the home also within the
year," was the other.
Mr. Carter's company was the first in the world to
demonstrate publicly the sending of pictures with
sound, over broadcasting wave bands. That was at
the Stevens Hotel in Chicago a year ago last June.
Later he successfully demonstrated at the New York
and Chicago radio shows. And he also was first in
the world to successfully send pictures to a moving
airplane.
And now his company has abandoned air television
entirely as a practicable commercial proposition. The
immediate future of television lies in the use of the
country's vast system of power lines. Within the
year, Mr. Carter said, all you will have to do is plug
into a light socket, and enjoy perfect pictures of the
broadcasting station from which you are receiving
your radio programs.
"Nothing new in it," the big radio parts man said.
"Television over wires was thought of more than
40 years ago. We've merely developed the theory and
idea practicably. The use of television will be low
in cost, in fact the device will cost less than a radio,
and so simple to operate that there will be nothing
to it but plugging into a light socket, and turning a
knob."
Air television, Mr. Carter said, has been proved
impracticable for commercial use. The "spotting" of
the picture by the least disturbance, plus the national
commission's holding to the theory that television
should be practiced on short wave lengths, plus the
fact that monopoly of the air by advertising and pro-
grams gives television too few air channels—all these
bar the air, he said. But by superimposing one fre-
quency upon the other, the power line can be used
to transfer the picture in perfect detail—and without
EARL MERGES WITH KOLSTER.
The Kolster Radio Corporation has acquired the
Earl Radio Corporation. Rudolph Spreckels will con-
tinue as chairman of the consolidated company, with
Ellery W. Stone, present president of Kolster, as
chairman of the executive committee and Clarence A.
Earl as president. Operations of the Kolster Radio
Corporation, Earl Radio Corporation and the Freed-
Eisemann Radio Corporation will be continued as
distinct units without disturbing contracts with exist-
ing dealers and distributors.
ELECTRIC PHONOGRAPH IN MINIATURE.
Something entirely novel in the way of an electric
phonograph in miniature was demonstrated in the
booth of the Stevens Manufacturing Corporation at
the recent R. M. A. Trade Show. This device in-
cludes everything from amplifier to loud-speaker, in
addition to the phonograph turntable, motor and
pick-up. The Stevens miniature electric phonograph
can be used for the demonstration of phonograph
records in department stores, music shops and so on.
Another important application is for talking movies in
the home, or even for the playing of records alone.
SELF-EXPRESSION THE NEXT STEP.
The outstanding development in this season's radio
progress is the appearance of the element of self-
expression, according to J. E. Smith, president of the
National Radio Institute, Washington, D. C. Just
as manufacturers of automatic pianos, automatic or-
gans, and even phonographs have found it necessary
to cater to the self-expression desire in-born in every
individual, so radio manufacturers are now turning
to a means of self-expression in the radio set.
One sign of advance for the human race is the dis-
covery that repaying injury with compound interest
as a practice is dying out except in the underworld.
November 1, 1929
BUSH & LANE LUCKY NUMBER.
Bush & Lane, Holland, Mich., hit upon the idea
of persuading the public to keep its descriptive folder
as a requirement for eligibility to win a Bush & Lane
radio awarded at the close of the show to the person
holding the circular bearing the lucky number. This
contest drew the attention of the resulting throngs
to the fine group of consoles, which certainly justify
this old piano home's slogan: "Built like a fine
piano." C. L. Beach, president of Bush & Lane, fre-
quented the display and was enthused by the great
interest shown in the Bush & Lane line. Others in
attendance: James De Pree, sales manager; and the
following district representatives: Andy Anderson,
Indiana; Harry Pearson, Iowa and Illinois; George
W. Marquis, and B. A. Marquis, both of Chicago.
The complete line was displayed.
RADIO DIVIDENDS DECLARED.
At the meeting of the Board of Directors of the
Radio Corporation of America, held on October 18,
the following dividends were declared: A quarterly
dividend of one and three-quarters per cent on the
"A" preferred stock for the fourth quarter of the
year 1929, payable January 1, 1930, to holders of "A"
preferred stock of record December 2, 1929. An
annual dividend of seven per cent for the year 1929
on the original preferred stock, payable January 1,
1930, to holders of original preferred stock of record
December 2, 1929. A quarterly dividend of $1.25 per
share on the "B" preferred stock for the fourth
quarter of the year 1929, payable January 1, 1930, to
holders of "B" preferred stock of record December
2, 1929.
RETAILERS OF MUSIC.
Traders must realize that they must become re-
tailers not of endless paraphernalia but of music.
Here, perhaps, is the one big reason for the present
very desirable amalgamation of the music trader and
the radio trader. And only when this achievement
becomes a generally recognized and accepted fact, then
we shall see the end of the price-cutter, the "junk"
merchant and the dabbler. These are dying hard but
surely, and the radio trade will see the survival, not
only of the best and most reputable firms, but the
soundest factors; the rest will die a natural death.—
Retailers' Chronicle.
THE MAJESTIC RADIO NO. 91.
A. G. Spalding & Bros. Radio Shop, 211 South
State, Chicago, says: "Majestic is a famous name in
radio—the name of a leader. And to this name we
gladly add the name and guarantee of Spalding. The
Majestic No. 91 offers a range, a selectivity, a
mechanical perfection usually found only in the high-
est-priced radios. It has a built-in dynamic speaker
that brings out every note and nuance of the original
—and brings them out faithfully and clearly. And
it comes in a cabinet that any living-room can be
proud of."
THE TENOR DRUM'S USES.
Musical Truth, the publication of C. G. Conn, Ltd.,
Elkhart, Ind., says: "What the tympani are to the
band, the tenor drum is to the drum corps. Fills in
the spot between the snare and the bass drum. The
tenor drum is something new but is rapidly being
adopted as standard by the finest drum corps. If you
don't have tenor drums, you need them—one for every
bass."
FADA INCORPORATES AT LOUISVILLE.
Articles of incorporation of the Fada Radio Store,
Louisville, Ky., capitalized at $1,000, have been ap-
proved by Miss Ella Lewis, Kentucky, secretary of
state. Incorporators are Thomas B. Crutcher, Jr.,
Horace G. Brooks, Jr., and William H. Crutcher, Jr.
BALDWIN PIANO USED.
A distinct honor for the makers of the Baldwin
piano was the choice of that instrument as the exclu-
sive accompaniment for all programs sent over the
national hookups from the broadcasting studio in the
south ballroom, and for the television and theremin
demonstrations.
A CHICAGO EDISON DEALER.
William P. Krause, Edison radio dealer at 4611
Lincoln avenue, Chicago, was a visitor to the radio
show. He takes great pride in the merits of the new
Edison Light-o-matic tuning device.
ORGANIZING BANDS IN WILDERNESS.
One of the C. G. Conn dealers reports he is organ-
izing bands so far from civilization that recently when
a postman went through the town in his gray uniform
somebody shot him thinking he was a confederate
soldier.
A new apparatus developed by the engineering staff
of the Farrand Manufacturing Company, Long Island
City, N. Y., records the frequency response of a loud-
speaker over a range of 60 to 10,000 cycles.
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