The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Talking Picture and Address System Installed on the Liner Manhattan finest ship of the United States Lines when she sailed on her mai- den voyage, had in operation the most complete talking picture, radio and music distribution system yet to be installed on any ocean liner. Yet had you been on that maiden yoyage, you would not have been aware of the presence of this elab- orate system until it was put in actual operation. So skillfully and artisti- cally has it been installed that every piece of equipment is concealed. Not a single loudspeaker is visible to de- tract from the harmonious appoint- ments and decorations that make the ship one of the most beautiful afloat. To visualize the extent of this in- stallation and types of entertain- ment which it provides, imagine that you are one of the passengers. You stroll into the grand saloon on the promenade deck. There you find one of the latest talking pictures being exhibited in surroundings and with a quality of sound and picture projec- tion on a par with the finest Broad- way theaters. Simultaneously, an- other picture is entertaining the tour- ist passengers in the tourist lounge on deck B, for the ship contains two com- vlete talking motion picture systems, each operating independently. Tee S. S. MANHATTAN, newest and Radio Program Reception If by chance the talkie does not hold your interest, you still have other forms of entertainment in store for you. Take a walk around the prom- enade deck to other public rooms such as the veranda cafe, the cabin smok- ing lounge or the palm court, and in any one of these rooms you will hear a radio program coming from your favorite radio station back home. It has been picked up by the radio re- ceiver which is a part of the com- plete system, transferred to the radio distribution system, a part of the Same system, and transmitted by wires to these rooms. Simultaneously the Same program is being enjoyed by the tourist and third-class passengers in the tourist smoking lounge and third class lounge. If by chance the radio program ceases to be entertaining or music is desired for dancing, the radio program is switched off and the music reproducing system put in action. On This article was prepared at the re- quest of the editor. The author is con- nected with the Electrical Research Products Inc. 20 By Will Whitmore this system the latest recordings may be played and transmitted throughout the ship to the various public rooms. Already you have been offered three types of entertainment in the ten pub- lic rooms on the ship. But this is not all. Perhaps for the evening enter- tainment a musical program by the passengers had been arranged to be held in the grand saloon. The motion picture screen and horn are elevated from sight and the stage cleared for the artists. While you sit there com- fortably enjoying the program, you can have the unselfish feeling that all other passengers on the boat may be enjoying the same program. Washington Similarly Outfitted A microphone outlet is provided on the stage and the microphone which has been plugged in is picking up the entire performance. The amplifying equipment boosts the microphone cur- rent and transmits it to each of the other public rooms so that everyone on this deck may enjoy the same pro- gram that you are hearing in the grand saloon. Three other’ public rooms have similar microphone pick- ups so that programs may be picked up from each of these rooms and transmitted to the other public rooms. Another such microphone, provided in the radio room, is used for making an- nouncements to passengers. Such, then are the forms of enter- tainment that you as a passenger may find on the MANHATTAN. If, in the near future, you should find your- self on board the S. S. WASHINGTON, sister ship of the MANHATTAN and now under construction, you will enjoy the same forms of entertainment. Electricians and sound experts are already busy wiring and installing on this vessel an even more elaborate system which will include all the fea- tures of entertainment now offered by the MANHATTAN. Engineering of the installation was started at an early date in order that correct placement and suitable hous- ings could be arranged for the loud- speakers, and that satisfactory sound distribution could be provided in the various rooms. Harly agreement was reached with the suppliers’. of the system as to the _ interwir- ing of the rooms, dimensions of loudspeaker housings and local volume controls, location of equip- ment and centralization of controls. Under this coordinated arrangement, MARINE REVIEwW—February, 1933 installation was started and operat- ing economy assured, long before the design of the circuits and the manu- facture of the equipment was placed. Contrary to the more usual prac- tice of using only direct current power aboard ship, in this case the sound reproducing system operates from an alternating current power supply, which is obtained from a mo- tor generator set and regulator in- stalled in the engine room and oper- ated from the 440-volt direct current power system. Speed regulation of the projection motors and record turntables is thereby simplified. High temperatures in the control rooms, which would have been occasioned by the use of resistances for obtaining different potentials with a direct cur- rent system, are avoided, as is also the installation of several small motor generator sets. Furthermore, since manufacturers offer alternating current equipment almost exclusively as the basis of standard equipment, this was chosen as the most econom- ical arrangement. The system oper- ates without batteries, the necessary direct current potentials being ob- tained from rectifiers and _ filters, with the exception of the low-drain field supply for the dynamic loud- speakers, which is taken from the 110-volt direct current ship lighting. Control is Centralized Control of the sound reproducing system is centralized in the projec- tion room above the altar in the grand saloon. Here are located the radio receiver, the music reproducer, two theatrical type talking picture projectors, the announcing micro- phone and the monitor horn, as well as an imposing array of amplifiers, switching panels, rectifiers, and other equipment. Despite the many items of equipment in this small room, it provides a particularly con- venient and workable arrangement. Entrance is gained from the boat deck instead of through the public rooms, the delivery of film and movements of the operator, there- fore, being possible without disturb- ance to passengers. Maximum economy has been Ob- tained in the use of amplifiers and associated equipment. Duplication has been avoided, yet either of the talking picture systems can be oper- ated independently while the sound