B&W portable streaming camera + kit from 1960s

[Andrew Smith]

Only working in analogue (or "analog" according to he country of manufacture) mode, this camera saw only limited use. Here you can see it clad in a tremendous amount of tamper evident wrapping, making it impossible to open up and have a look without voiding the warranty. Clearly the development and manufacture of such items was highly competitive back in the day.

Andrew

[Andrew Smith]

One of the problems with this camera was the poor image quality from it, with noticeably harsh contrast in the image as well as a lack of detail. This close up of the lens probably shows why.

Andrew

[Andrew Smith]

The cables coming to the back of the camera are also well shielded from the sun, likely using the comparatively chunky old style DIN connectors of the day. Here you see them leading (forgive the pun) to the housing for the image transmission equipment.

Andrew

[Andrew Smith]

The camera mount, including stream transmission gear, was on a wheeled platform that could be driven to whatever location was required. Inspired by the design of a dune buggy, it could be taken anywhere. As seating for the operator was a lower priority, re-purposed lawn chairs were used.

Andrew

[Andrew Smith]

Also bulky by modern standards, the transmission link antenna which was still lightweight and foldable for ultimate portability when travelling.

Andrew

[Chris Harding]

Pretty cool Andrew .. I wonder if they had microwave links back then .. the internet would have been way too slow for video transmission ..not sure if it even existed in the 60's ... I actually have much the same era (or maybe the 70's) camera that was used for CCTV I believe ..never turned it on though!!

[Christopher Young]

Are you guys pulling our collective legs?

That is one of the original Apollo Moon Rovers. The gold wrapping of the camera was to protect the camera from solar rays. The link antenna was to beam the images back up to the lunar orbiter for TX back to good old Terra Firma.

Chris Young

More here:

https://www.popsci.com/blog-network/...king-car-moon/

[Andrew Smith]

So technically it's still streaming? It would be awful if I had placed the thread in the wrong section at DVinfo.

Andrew

[Chris Harding]

Hey Andrew

Yep correct section and yes you never said where they were streaming .. the fact that is was from the moon surface to the orbiter is purely a "location" Most would simply assume that it was on terra firma!!

I guess in the mid 60's only NASA had the technology and funds to that sort of stuff ... Did TV stations in the USA have OB facilities in the 60's???

[Andrew Smith]

Not sure when OB vans started, except that it was an Australian "first" and a (unfortunately long dead) friend of mine told me once of designing and building one when it was said to be impossible.

Separately, he also told me of one time when he was doing an television OB and had to get the video/audio feed across a city street but wasn't allowed to string cables across due to traffic. Appropriate wireless link products weren't available back then (microwave links are kinda overkill and require spectrum/path licensing in advance). He said he worked out how to, and did, send the signal through the telephone company wires going across the street, and without breaking any laws. Refused to tell me how he did it, though. But I digress ...

Andrew

[Paul R Johnson]

Oh come on chaps! The Post Office in virtually every country have been running Wideband video links down cable for a very long time. The BBC had the coronation outside broadcast in 1953, and this amazingly thing called television which miraculously sends pictures through the air with no wires. W3XK managed it's first 'moving pictures' in 1928! Fully electronic TV from studio to home before WW2 - 1938. Portable video from boats in the UK Boat Race from 1949.

In 1980 I was sending colour video and audio from my home on the British East coast to Holland, and getting pictures back from them. On equipment I built myself, on 435MHz. Licensing has never been an issue for broadcast - especially when pioneering new techniques as every countries Government wishes to be a leader in emerging technology.

[Andrew Smith]

Yes,of course, but we are in the southern hemisphere and things are just plain different down here. For a start, the swirly thing the water does when you flush or pull the plug goes in the opposite direction of spin.

The good news is that quality British humour still translates well, though not so much for the cheap American stuff.

Andrew

PS. I salute your novel use of the airwaves before the authorities got on to you.

[Chris Hurd]

Originally Posted by Andrew Smith

It would be awful if I had placed the thread in the wrong section at DVinfo.

It's the correct section and you've sent me over the moon with this thread. Many thanks!

You know this camera was remotely operated, with a five-second delay between sending a command to "tilt up" and seeing the results? Now that's what I call laaaaaaaaag.

[Paul R Johnson]

What I want to know is ...... how come it's here, on earth when it was parked on the moon? Did it get towed? I bet that was expensive!

[Christopher Young]

Originally Posted by Paul R Johnson

The BBC had the coronation outside broadcast in 1953, and this amazingly thing called television which miraculously sends pictures through the air with no wires. W3XK managed it's first 'moving pictures' in 1928! Fully electronic TV from studio to home before WW2 - 1938. Portable video from boats in the UK Boat Race from 1949.

In the 60's when I worked for the Beeb OB's were well established. Grandstand the iconic Saturday footy show was OB'ed from various venues all over the country every week.

"MCR 1 was built by the joint Marconi-EMI company and delivered to the BBC just in time to televise the Coronation Procession of King George VI in May 1937."

A bit of the Beeb's OB history:

BBC MCRs - B & W - TV Outside Broadcast History

Chris Young