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Live Via Satellite

Posted by michael on from the ground-control-to-major-tom dept.

markhb writes "40 years ago today, the first trans-Atlantic TV transmission made it out of the Maine woods and into history, via the original Telstar. The IEEE and Lucent plan to commemorate the event at three events today in Pleumeur-Bodou, France, Goonhilly Downs, England, and Andover, Maine."

5 of 89 comments (clear)

  1. Blair Witch Project ame from there too... by puto · · Score: 2, Interesting

    All well and nice to commemorate this first signal and all....

    But didn't the Blair Witch Project come outta those woods too? They must be cursed, cause the utter shite that movies was still gives me nightmares.

    I won't ever go back in the woods again.

    Puto

    --
    The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
  2. Pleumeur-Bodou by monotoy · · Score: 2, Interesting

    If you ever make it to northwestern france, be *sure* to check out the communication site at Plemeur-Boudou! It's very cool, you drive through a forest in a hilly landscape, and all of a sudden huge satellite dishes pop out like mushrooms ... and you can still visit this very first satellite. all in all, very impressive.

    1. Re:Pleumeur-Bodou by o'reor · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Also pay a visit to the telecom museum, located in the main antenna basement (that huuuuuge white balloon that can be seen miles around). I think there's also a planetarium nearby. Beautiful place (I've lived in the area, I'm intending to go back there within a few months...)

      --
      In Soviet Russia, our new overlords are belong to all your base.
  3. More information... by RobinH · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It's interesting to note that domestic television satellites didn't reach North America until 1972, 10 years after Telstar. Here's a link to a Communications Satellites Short History. From that page:

    In 1965, ABC proposed a domestic satellite system to distribute television signals. The proposal sank into temporary oblivion, but in 1972 TELESAT CANADA launched the first domestic communications satellite, ANIK, to serve the vast Canadian continental area. RCA promptly leased circuits on the Canadian satellite until they could launch their own satellite. The first U.S. domestic communications satellite was Western Union's WESTAR I, launched on April 13, 1974.

    --
    "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." - Mark Twain
  4. PBS satellite interconnection by TheSync · · Score: 3, Interesting

    In 1978, PBS became the first North American broadcaster to use satellite transmission for the primary distribution of its programming.

    Before then, most broadcast networks used point-to-point connections such as AT&T's terrestrial microwave system to deliver content to sattions. Satellite was only used to acquire content for networks, not to distribute it to stations.