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From: rv01@gte.com (Robert Virzi)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Videos By Phone
Message-ID: <16422@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 25 Jan 91 04:24:38 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 67, Message 5 of 11


In article <16348@accuvax.nwu.edu> djcl@contact.uucp (woody) writes:

> Reportedly, the technology can transmit a two hour movie over phone
> lines in fifteen seconds to thousands of destinations. That must be
> something like 20-40 gigabits/s transmission (and to think people get
> excited over such primitive toys as ISDN or mere 56 kb/s stuff :->).

I called Explore Technology and they sent me out a fairly uniformative
fax.  They *do* claim to be able to send a two hour movie in fifteen
seconds, but they are unclear as to the technology involved.  They
seem to be claiming this rate is possible over fiber, coax, and
satellite links, not twisted pair.  The technology does not use
"cassette catridges", so some other form of local storage is required.
They mention something called an "Instant Video Reciever", so the
download is not to tape format.

Some speculations.  They are using compression technology and possibly
(as some folks around here believe) a board set that allows storage
and decompression.  They are not very willing to give information
without a non-disclosure agreement.  Apparently they have legal staff.

If anyone else wants to try, the phone number and address of the
company is:

Explore Technology Inc
7950 E. Acoma Dr.
Suite 211
Scottsdale, AZ  85260

(602) 991-3224

Apparently the techies there are Richard Lang and Peter Spiess, among
others.  If anyone else finds out more about what it is they do,
please keep me posted eitehr through the net or email.


Bob Virzi    rv01@gte.com