“That’s good. Well, I’m ready for you as soon as I get this statement
off to the bank. What’s the idea, Tom, borrowing so much money on
notes?”
“Got to have it, Ned,” and the young inventor seemed a bit put out by
the question.
“Is it for this new invention?”
“Yes.”
“Well, why not sell some of your securities? Money is high now, and to
borrow it I’ve got to make statements to the bank that disclose a lot of
your private dealings. Of course, they’re in safe hands, but——”
“Go ahead and get the money, Ned. We’ll need all that and more. I’ve
sunk a lot in this invention, but I’ll get it all back again, and more
too. No use spoiling the ship for a pennyworth of tar, you know.”
“Yes, I know, Tom. And if you’re sure you’re on the right track——”
“I’m never sure of anything in this world, Ned. But I know one thing, if
I don’t pull out of this a winner, the banks will be asking a lot more
questions than they have.”
“As bad as that?” asked Ned, struck by his friend’s serious manner.
“As bad—or as good. It depends on how you look at it. But I’ll leave
the finances to you. I’m going to try out some new ideas now as soon as
you can get into the broadcasting room.”
Tom called the room where Ned did his acting under the battery of
electric lights his “broadcasting studio.” In a measure this was what it
was, for vocal sounds and instrumental music were broadcast from it in
the manner familiar to all who own a radio set.
But what Tom was trying to do, and which he found not at all easy, was
to broadcast the sight of Ned and the song, making sight and sound
synchronized. He wanted to perfect a radio receiver with an added
apparatus by which, on a screen attached to the sounding cabinet, a
person could view the person or persons doing the singing, dancing, or
whatever form of activity was being presented.
This of course was not to be confounded with some moving and “talking”
pictures, which are a combination of films and phonograph records,
working simultaneously. By Tom’s machine, when perfected, one would be
enabled to see and hear an actual theater play, a complete vaudeville
show, or even a complete operatic performance.
When Ned finished his financial work he went to the studio and there he
remained until far into the night while Tom, in his laboratory, watched
the metallic glass screen and changed and adjusted switches,
eliminators, tubes and different forms of electrical currents,
endeavoring to capture not only Ned’s voice but his image.
“Well, how did it go, Tom?” asked Ned, coming to the laboratory after a
bell signal told him work for the night was over.
“Somewhat better, I’m glad to say. I could see you much more plainly.
Your voice was very clear. It’s only the vision apparatus that needs
improving. How did you make out?”
“Oh, I don’t mind it. But why did you send some one to look through the
windows at me?”
“Look through the windows at you?” exclaimed Tom. “I didn’t! You must be
dreaming!”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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