Digital is the future

The pioneering use of mobile video transmissions at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games gave people a glimpse into the future. At the request of the Japanese newspaper, Yomiuri Shimbun, Canon was involved in image transmission experiments using their new professional video camera (the RC701), a transmitter, and a car phone.

While a glitch with the car phone meant a public payphone had to be used, the experiment was a success, and the data was transmitted back to Japan within 30 minutes. Although no one knew it at the time, this unorthodox distribution model was an early precursor to the internet, smart phones, and digital video distribution.