Re: [ARSCLIST] X-Ray records

[David Lewis <davlew@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Joe wrote:
I guess CDs were not the first "optical" discs.....

Hell no! See http://members.optushome.com.au/picturepalace/FilmHistory.html

1886: A. G. Bell, C. A. Bell, and S. Tainter patented both a variable-area
and variable-density method of recording a sound-modulated light beam
through a small slit upon a photographic film.6 Both a physical slit and an
optical slit are disclosed.
This seems to me to be an important patent that has heretofore been
overlooked. It clearly anticipates Ries, as may be seen from the following
quotations: "According to the record part of the invention a variable beam
of light is caused to pass through a fine slit or other opening, and an
image of the slit enlarged, diminished, or of the same size is then
projected, by means of one or more lenses or other suitable devices upon a
sensitized tablet which is moved progressively in front of the slit"; and
"Sometimes it is desirable to use a second slit close to the recording
tablet".
1887: C. J. Hohenstein patented a more sensitive method of recording a sound
modulated light beam "by reflecting light from a small pivoted mirror
several times, focusing beam of last reflector, which is parabolic, upon a
photographic film".8 This is quite similar to the optics of the recording
system later developed by General Electric.
1900: J. Poliakoff filed a patent application on the focusing of a light
beam upon a photoelectric cell, through a positive photographic sound record
moving uniformly across the beam, the photoelectric cell being connected to
a telephone circuit.11 This disclosure is interesting in that it mentions
the first use of a positive record and also a photoelectric cell for
reproducing.
1901: Ernst Ruhmer began publication of his work on sound recording.12 Since
he was a professor, his interest was more academic than commercial. He
devised the "photo-graphophon", an instrument something like the sound
camera of today. With this he recorded and reproduced speech using arc
lights and Gehrke tubes as light sources, and selenium cells in reproducing.
His film speed was rather high, being of the order of three meters per
second. Ruhmer's original " photographophon'' and some sound records were
brought to this country by the Fox Film Corporation. The apparatus was
practical and the records show clear definition of the recorded sounds (Fig.
1). Although Ruhmer never commercialized his work, he says in one article:
"For practical uses the application of the photographophon in combination
with the kineomatograph whereby on one and the same film both motion and
speech may be recorded should be kept in mind." Also in another article, "As
far as simplicity is concerned the glow light tube surpasses all other
previous means for the perception of alternating current curves."
1902: An inventor named Hulsmeyer obtained a patent on producing
photographic sound records. 13 This describes "an oscillating mirror which
is varied by sound-electric impulses and which re-flects a beam through a
plate on a photographic strip, through a slit, said plate having a
transmission varying in the direction of motion of the reflected beam in
proportion to the sine of the angle' '
1903: Wilhelm Asam filed a patent to produce records for phono-graphs using
a reflecting diaphragm to modulate a light beam.14
1907: J. F. Dirzuweit patented a photographic method of recording and
reproducing sound. He also shows the use of a gas discharge tube for
recording. The claims of this patent are rather broad, for instance, "Claim
8-A sound recording apparatus comprising a photosensitive surface and a
source of actinic rays movable relative one to the other, and means for
exciting said source of actinic rays by and in accordance with sound waves".
1908: J. F. Child patented the making of a photographic record of a
manometric gas flame and the use of selenium in reproducing the record.21
1910: R. 0. P. Berglund, of Sweden, patented recording sound using a mirror
attached to a microphone diaphragm, thus modulating a light beam and
recording the variations on a sensitive disk or film.22
1911: C. G. Timm obtained a Swedish patent similar to that of Berglund.23
1911: F. D. Pudumjee, of India, described a method of using a mirror
attached to a vibrating diaphragm to produce a photophono-graph.24
1912: I. H. MacCarty, a resident of the United States, obtained a French
patent covering "simultaneous recording by means of photography upon one and
the same films of animated views and articulate or other sounds with a view
to insure synchronous reproduction of such views and sounds".26 (His drawing
of a combined sound and picture film showed a much keener appreciation of
the problem than was shown by Lauste.)
1914: H. G. Stocks filed a patent application covering the process of
recording sound photographically by modulating a mercury lamp for the
purpose of making an optical phonograph.29
1918: A. C. Rutzen received a patent to engrave a sound track on a moving
picture film adjacent to the picture. J. Balance received a similar patent
in 1906. Again in 1926, E. H. Foley proposed the use of a separate film for
an engraved sound record. None of these methods has been practical. F. L.
Madelar cut his record on the back of the film in the nitrocellulose base
with a diamond stylus. Later, similar patents were granted to A. L. Curtis
and J. Kaiser.32

David N. Lewis
Assistant Classical Editor, All Music Guide

"Music expresses what one cannot say, but about which one cannot remain
silent." - Victor Hugo

-----Original Message-----
From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
[mailto:ARSCLIST@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of joe@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2006 4:06 PM
To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] X-Ray records

That's not new actually, recordings were made on x-ray plates as early 
as the 40s, as far as I know, because the materials were scarce during 
the war. There exists a Dohnanyi performance from about 1941 or 2 of a 
Mozart concerto taken down off the radio onto X-Ray film.

I guess CDs were not the first "optical" discs.....

Joe Salerno
Industrial Video Services
PO Box 273405
Houston Texas 77277-3405

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