Where can I buy a Video Phone like the kind CNN uses for reporters in
remote locations?

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Request for Question Clarification by justaskscott-ga on 27 Aug 2005 19:31 PDT

Videophone technology is rapidly changing.  But I believe that I've
found a good answer regarding CNN's technology.  You can find it in
this article:

"For News Networks, Speedy Satellites Rule," by Glen Dickson
(11/8/2004) [starting at "Deploying the G4 laptop has had a big impact
on CNN?s digital satellite-newsgathering operations ..."]
Broadcasting & Cable
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA478568.html?display=Special+Report&referral=supp

If this information is sufficient, I would be happy to post it as the
answer, along with links for buying the products used by CNN.

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Clarification of Question by gotoblack-ga on 28 Aug 2005 05:42 PDT

That would be fine

Hello gotoblack,

As noted above, CNN's videophone technology is discussed in this article:

"For News Networks, Speedy Satellites Rule," by Glen Dickson
(11/8/2004)
Broadcasting & Cable
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA478568.html?display=Special+Report&referral=supp

The article refers to Apple G4 laptops, Sony PD-170 cameras, and Final
Cut Pro software.  Here are links to product and purchasing
information for those items:

"Powerbook G4"
Apple
http://www.apple.com/powerbook/

"Select your Powerbook G4"
The Apple Store
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore?family=PowerBook

"DSRPD170"
Sony
DSRPD170

"DSRPD170 > Sony Reseller Locator"
Sony
http://bssc.sel.sony.com/BroadcastandBusiness/FindReseller?m=0&sm=0&p=2&sp=11&id=71949

"Final Cut Pro 5"
Apple
http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/finalcutpro/

"Final Cut Pro 5"
The Apple Store
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wo/StoreReentry.wo?productLearnMore=M9920Z%2FA

- justaskscott


Search strategy --

Searched on Google for these terms, individually or in various combinations:

"video phone"
videophone
correspondent
cnn
site:cnn.com
7e [maker of a prior videophone used by CNN; the next six terms refer
to its products]
"talking head"
"th-1"
th1
"th-2"
th2
s0da
"g-4"
g4
apple
final cut pro
"pd-170"
pd170
sony

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Request for Answer Clarification by gotoblack-ga on 04 Sep 2005 02:27 PDT

When I read this article I dont really understand what model
videophone they use.  You reference a sony device, but you don't
include a link to that device, just resellers.  What is the device and
can you link me to it?

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Clarification of Answer by justaskscott-ga on 04 Sep 2005 09:28 PDT

I mistakenly omitted one of the links for Sony.  It should be:

"DSRPD170"
Sony
http://bssc.sel.sony.com/BroadcastandBusiness/DisplayModel?id=71949

The reseller locator page is a link from that first page.  It relates
specifically to model DSRPD170, which is also known as DSR-PD170. 
This is Sony's only model that matches the article's reference to
"PD-170."

The part of the article on which I base my answer is:

"Deploying the G4 laptop has had a big impact on CNN?s digital
satellite-newsgathering operations, according to Gordon Castle, senior
vice president, CNN Technology.

As he explains, at the beginning of the Iraq war, CNN was relying on
hardware-based videophones, specially built boxes that allowed
reporters to plug the camera in and transmit a serial video stream. 
One videophone box was dedicated to store-and-forward applications;
another was designed for live feeds.

'Now we can transmit through the G4 itself,' says Castle. 

Images are videostreamed to air. He says, 'It's eliminated a number of
pieces of equipment and made us much more flexible.'

CNN also uses Sony PD-170 cameras and runs Final Cut Pro on its G4
laptops.  It finds that a lot more material is being edited by
journalists in the field."

I don't know what CNN uses, but I can give you some feedback since I
recently purchased a phone that records video.  On a recent trip to
Hong Kong I purchased a Nokia 6230i.  You can see a previous Google
Answers thread here:
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=554700

Here's a link to the phone's product information:
http://www.nokia.com/nokia/0,8764,69499,00.html

Integrated Digital Camera

    * 1.3 megapixel camera (image size 1280x1024 pixels)
    * Record video in the 3GPP QCIF video file format (H.263 video and
AMR for improved sound)
    * Record up to one hour of video - depending on the amount of
memory available on the phone or MMC
    * Print images directly from the phone over a Bluetooth connection
or using an MMC (depending on the printer)

I use a Macintosh G4 Notebook to transfer the photographs and video
files from the phone to my laptop. Likewise, I am able to send
multimedia files directly from my cell phone to another cell phone
number or also to an email address, since I have the email service
available.  The 3GPP video files play in Quicktime with no problems
and the quality and sound is quite good, especially considering it's
on a cell phone.