Remember that Edison was a telegrapher, and that he specialized in the mechanical aspects of the inventions. He was not schooled in electrical technology, and though he did discover the thermionic (Edison) effect, he had no idea what to do with or about it. It took another guy to add the grid to control plate current in this thermionic thingamajig. Edison understood the effect of causing a carbon filament to glow, and he had a good grasp on materials and their properties, but he was not an engineer, especially an electrical engineer. For a guy who was just about stone deaf, it'samazing that he was able to get a recording-playback system going that was ahead of those of so many others. I've always wondered what the outcome might have been if he'd adopted lateral recording. The big reason that I shy away from diamond discs is that in order to play them properly, you need an Edison phonograph. I have too much stuff hereabouts without having another system and equipment in here. I think that old Tom's unspoken (and unaware) principle was: "Non Comprendum Pugilarium" (If you don't understand it, fight it). He was washed asore by technology that he had to swim with, and sadly too late, had his kid take care of it. It was a sad ending to a great era.
Doug Houston > [Original Message] > From: Walt Sommers <[email protected]> > To: Antique Phonograph List <[email protected]> > Date: 9/18/2006 3:26:05 PM > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Edison's Son Not a Chip off the Old Block..Subjectwas RE: Phono-L and Censorship > > Randy, > > I like those points. You wrote: "Edison should have stepped aside sooner." > Yes, I think I agree as I consider that "what if" brainstorming. > > I realize that there is abundant writing by a variety of people who > hypothetically consider many of the "if only Edison would have..." scenarios > (and the same is done concerning Victor, Columbia, Silvertone, etc.), but I > am of the opinion that the future of Victor, Edison, Columbia, and so on (at > least as I consider them as phonograph companies) was written on the wall > way back about 1906 or so (maybe as early as ). I say 1906 because that is > when De Forest added that 3rd, almost magical, electrode (i.e. the Audion or > triode) to Mr. Flemings variation of yet another original Edison invention, > the vacuum tube. Of course, we need to mention Alexander Graham Bell's 1876 > fame with the first usable telephone whose principles would stimulate the > invention of the first electrical pickup. I think Eldridge Johnson was keen > to the writing on the wall, but not Edison. > > When I think about Edison's use of a vacuum tube in the invention of the > light bulb I always wonder why on he didn't go on to invent the first > oscillator (Fleming did) and then to ponder how in blue blazes can a rich > spoiled liberal like Lee De Forest (and not Edison) invent the triode. After > all, these guys all referred to the space charge of electrons between the > electrodes as "The Edison Effect". So, why didn't Edison advance his own > inventions? I think I have part of the answer. > > History marks Thomas Edison as chiefly being an inventor; a guy who seems to > have pulled revolutionary technology right out of thin air (at least back in > his day it probably seemed that way to the average horse ridin', candle > burnin', horrible piano playin' Joe). These things weren't mere paradigm > shifts like we tend to see in technology today, his inventions were radical. > > I tend to think that he [Edison] invented the balls, so to speak, and always > purposefully left the rolling of them to someone else. Even way back, it > seems to me, and I am no historian whatsoever on the subject, that Thomas > Edison had little or no desire to glance ahead at the time line of > technology as to what could be. I suppose he was such a brass tacks > fundamentalist engineer that he was primarily concerned with "today" and not > so much about "tomorrow"... You gotta love the guy for what he did (and > didn't) do. But I have to admit that I for one am glad that his son > apparently did not inherit daddy's tone deaf chromosomes. > > What ultimately killed the reign of the phonograph as the only game in town > was of course the radio. Although it is widely thought and published that > records sales were severely impacted by The Great Depression, I maintain > that technology, and not economy, are at the root. Think about it: Eldridge > Johnson invited the boys from RCA in a long time before the RCA takeover. > Johnson surely saw something of the future in that move and he understood > how to survive in business. Now for Edison, the poor dear: It is one thing > for an old fart (can I say that here Loran?) to allow his own flesh and > blood son to have some say over recording technology, but can you imagine > that old grouch smiling or shaking hands (and I don't mean fists) with David > Sarnoff? Can you hear Edison saying, "Hiya Dave, take my desk, you'll look > great sitting here." > > There's a song from the 1980's by an obscure band, The Buggles, entitled > "Video Killed the Radio Star" that reminds me of the late 20's-early 30's. > It goes [in part]: > > Pictures came and broke your heart, Put the blame on VTR. > Video Killed the Radio Star > Video Killed the Radio Star > {and so on} > > Here is my adaptation to better fit 1920-1930 or so: > > Radio came, put your records away, Blame it all on RCA. > Radio Killed the Phonograph Star > Radio Killed the Phonograph Star > > It's ALLLLLLL Sarnoff's fault...LOL.... > > Walt > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of [email protected] > Sent: Sunday, September 17, 2006 8:42 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Phono-L and Censorship > > Towards the end of the Edison's company's days, the "Old Man" grudgingly > let > his son take a more active role in record production. That is why the late > Diamond Disks have some of the best music Edison ever released. The > selections > were "up to date," and wonderfully recorded. Edison should have stepped > aside sooner. Alas, he was not willing to do so until it was too late to > save the > company. > > Randy > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > [email protected] > > Phono-L Archive > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org/archive/ > > Support Phono-L > http://www.cafepress.com/oldcrank > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.4/449 - Release Date: 9/15/2006 > > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > [email protected] > > Phono-L Archive > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org/archive/ > > Support Phono-L > http://www.cafepress.com/oldcrank
