A piece of amazing reporter gear is described in a story by Media Guardian about CNN’s use of said gear, a satellite videophone.
The portable satellite phone, around the size and weight of a laptop computer, links to a camera and a folding satellite dish around 40cm in diameter. It can be set up and ready to film in seconds. Because it takes up 40-50 times less bandwidth than a traditional satellite uplink, it can be used immediately.
CNN first used the videophone, developed by a company called 7-E, when a US spy plane was shot down in Hainan last year. It was the first unauthorised video transmission from China.
The lightweight equipment also gives broadcasters a few minutes grace should a situation become dangerous. “It only takes a few minutes to pack the phone away, jump in a car and broadcast from somewhere else. All the equipment can be run from a cigarette lighter in a car,” says Robertson.
I totally want one.
