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From: dgp0@bunny.gte.com (Dennis Pratt)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Videos by Phone
Message-ID: <16437@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 25 Jan 91 20:16:55 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 68, Message 8 of 11


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

> Explore Technology Inc. which apparently is about to deliver
> the first video-on-demand service, Instant Video. This product was
> demonstrated at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas
 ...
> technology can transmit a two hour movie over phone
> lines in fifteen seconds to thousands of destinations

I went to the Consumer Electronics Show.  I passed by the Explore
booth, but did not notice their system.  The Winter CES Official
Directory does not list their "Instant Video Receiver" or their
"Instant Video Transceiver" products as part of their product line.  A
review of all the seven daily trade magazines that wrote about many of
the highlights of the show and that were distributed free at the show
does not mention Explore or its outstanding achievements at all.

Explore's press release has relatively little information.  Instead it
is filled with adjectives such as "unprecendented", "revolutionary",
"graduated from science fiction to world of today", "like something
born of the 25th-century technology protrayed by the television series
'Star Trek'", "significant benefits", blah, blah, blah.

They contend their 'technology' will enable video on demand.  They
also talk about their "*patented* Instant Video system" yet will not
talk without non-disclosure.

Their speed contention is that "an IVR connected to a *high-capacity*
transmission line using Instant Video technology would receive a
two-hour motion picture in approximately 15 seconds."

My guess is that all we have here is a typical video compression
algorithm hidden by a bunch of sales hype and exaggerated by fiber.

Their number, if you want to confirm this, is 602-991-3224.  Richard
Lang is "CEO".  If they aren't just hyping, I'll buy their stock for
sure.


Dennis Pratt
Disclaimer:  My company doesn't know about any of this ever.