I just had to pass this on. At the moment I’m “working” while watching (on a second computer) two live streams.
It’s times like this that I am blown away by the miracle of communication technology. The screen shot below left goes like this: helmet cam on astronaut Mike Massimino as he walks in space, holding on to the Hubble telescope. The video signal (watch here) is sent to the Atlantis communication system, then relayed to Houston, then sent out on a live stream, probably utilizing a satellite at some point. Then, sent through several server systems probably all across the country, perhaps even out of the country… then to my internet connection, and finally sent wirelessly to my computer. All in a few seconds.
The screen shot on the right: Cameraman on the back of a speeding motorcycle in the Alps; wireless signal sent to local communications station, then relayed out to the internet, sent across the ocean either on underground wires or by satellite relay, then to my house and wirelessly patched in to my wife’s computer.
Amazing.
Note that today’s stage Giro d’Italia (watch live here) started in Austria, passed through Switzerland, and will end in Italy. This screen shot was taken as they passed through St. Moritz Switzerland, a beautiful ski town in the Alps – which happens to be the same place I went to “work” on a photo shoot (see last post – POD – Scotty on the Move, Italy) a few years ago. In the screen shot, you can see Lance Armstrong (black jacket, yellow bike).
