# Live H/D from outer space



## moonman (Jul 21, 2004)

Here's one you might want to record.....a post from our sister forum AVS...
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 9, 2006

Live! From the International Space Station
Discovery HD Theater Airs Exclusive First Ever LIVE HD Downlink:
Space Station Live: HD
Wednesday, November 15 at 11:30 a.m. ET (primetime replay at 9pm E/P).

For the first time ever, a live high-definition downlink from the International Space Station will allow Discovery HD Theater subscribers the clearest look yet at Earth. Never before have HD cameras transmitted (broadcast) live from space - until now. The downlink is made possible through an exclusive cooperative effort by NASA, Discovery Communications, Inc. and NHK.

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The rest of article here....... http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8855003&&#post8855003

:up:


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## HomieG (Feb 17, 2003)

Very cool. DVR is set. Doesn't show up at 1130a ET on the guide, but does for the 9p replay.


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## moonman (Jul 21, 2004)

HomieG said:


> Very cool. DVR is set. Doesn't show up at 1130a ET on the guide, but does for the 9p replay.


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Mine does not show the early Live feed @ 11:30 AM either, wonder what's up with
that? But does show repeats at ISS Live replay @ 11/15 9PM-11/16 12AM [email protected] [email protected] 11-18 @8PM.....Hopefully this is a event to have as the
ultimate H/D eye candy....all are 30 minutes in duration.


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## cheerdude (Feb 27, 2001)

Very cool - Thanks for the heads-up


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

9pm set to record here.

Thanks.


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## Todd (Oct 7, 1999)

Neat.

Thanks.


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## GotATiVoToo (Apr 20, 2002)

Sweeeeeeeeet!


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## Paperboy2003 (Mar 30, 2004)

While this is OT, I'm going to be taking the kids to NASA (Cape) the week of T-giving. Has anyone done any of the tours there. I know they offer a couple of different ones and I want to make sure the kids see the best one....

Thanks
D


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## moonman (Jul 21, 2004)

Paperboy2003 said:


> While this is OT, I'm going to be taking the kids to NASA (Cape) the week of T-giving. Has anyone done any of the tours there. I know they offer a couple of different ones and I want to make sure the kids see the best one....
> 
> Thanks
> D


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IMO, while the bus tours are interesting, there is plenty to see and do at the visitor's complex.......
http://kennedyspacecenter.stores.yahoo.net/


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## Paperboy2003 (Mar 30, 2004)

Thanks...looks good


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

Paperboy2003 said:


> While this is OT, I'm going to be taking the kids to NASA (Cape) the week of T-giving. Has anyone done any of the tours there. I know they offer a couple of different ones and I want to make sure the kids see the best one....


I highly recommend the "Up Close" tour. It's worth the extra time and money. I was very glad I chose this when I did the tour last year. The visitor's complex is fine, but you get to see a lot more on the tour (which is not just sitting in the bus.)


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## shendley (Jul 19, 2006)

I'm wondering if anyone has an explanation for this. My HR 10 finds this broadcast at 8 pm central (though not, as others have noted, the time of the first broadcast in the morning). But my HR 20 doesn't show either broadcast. Why would one receiver have one content for its guide while another has a completely different content for its guide?


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## moonman (Jul 21, 2004)

For some reason, my Tivo does not show the live program @ 11:30 A.M. 11/15
but does list the ISS Live replay @ 11/15 9PM-11/16 12AM [email protected] [email protected] 11-18 @8PM ET...ALL ARE LISTED AS :30 Minutes in length. 
According to a NASA PR, there are two "Live" broadcasts...the earlier "live" one @ 11:30
is apparently only available at Discovery stores....whatever they are?
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NASA SCHEDULES FIRST LIVE HDTV BROADCAST FROM SPACE

Houston -- NASA makes history next week with the first live broadcasts from space in High Definition television (HDTV). NASA, in cooperation with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Discovery HD Theater and Japanese broadcast network NHK will produce the broadcasts on Nov. 
15.

Two live HDTV broadcasts will feature Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria on the International Space Station, with Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter serving as camera operator aboard the 220-mile-high laboratory. The broadcasts will be carried by Discovery HD Theater and NHK. Discovery HD Theater will carry the special broadcast live at 10:30 a.m. CST and will be shown at Discovery Channel stores.

"HDTV provides up to six times the resolution of regular analog video," said Rodney Grubbs, NASA principal investigator. "On previous missions, we've flown HDTV cameras but had to wait until after the mission to retrieve the tapes, watch the video and share it with the science and engineering community, the media and the public. For the first time ever, this test lets us stream live HDTV from space so the public can experience what its like to be there."

Known as the Space Video Gateway, the system transmits high bandwidth digital television signals to the ground that are not only spectacular, but also valuable to scientists, engineers and managers.

NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, along with both NHK and Discovery, are cooperating in this effort through a Space Act Agreement originally signed in 2002.

The equipment to record and downlink HDTV signals was delivered to the station by the Space Shuttle Atlantis crew in September. It includes a commercially manufactured camcorder, viewfinder, lenses and power cables, an HDTV signal decoder, processor and hard drive, and power and data cables.

For more information about the International Space Station and the Expedition 14 crew, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

I asked my wife to set up the recording (since I'm traveling) and she said she was able to set up the 11:30AM show.

Discovery Channel does have retail stores where they sell science-related toys and merchandise.


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## willardcpa (Feb 23, 2001)

stevel said:


> I asked my wife to set up the recording (since I'm traveling) and she said she was able to set up the 11:30AM show...


Steve, I'd recommend doublechecking with the wife. I just checked again for about the umpteenth time and at that time on channel 76 is "A Wedding Story". Now on SD ch 376 NASA they do have ISS Mission Coverage on from 11 - 12 EST. Maybe she's catching that.
Although I did set up a manual recording on 76 at the 11:30 time, we'll see what ends up being there.


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

Same here. Set up for the 9PM replay, cause 11:30 showed A Wedding Story.


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

I did doublecheck, and indeed, she could not find the 11:30 in the program guide.


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## willardcpa (Feb 23, 2001)

stevel said:


> ....she said she was able to set up the 11:30AM show......


Hmmmm, you're "traveling" and the wife is trying to blow stuff like this by you.  
Hope that's the only deceit going on at the stevel homestead.   
Maybe "she was able to set up the 11:30AM show" was a double entendre???


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## leesweet (Mar 13, 2004)

I saw a story about this and it said the live broadcast "would be on Discovery HD in Discovery stores". We have one in a mall near here... I, also, couldn't believe that didn't really mean it was actually being broadcast on DHD, but I guess that's really the case.

Weird.


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## ayrton911 (Sep 4, 2000)

I think seeing inside the space station in HD might be a little boring. It's just all white and stuff in there. I'd rather look outside it at earth.


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## Bruce N (Dec 28, 2001)

Will they still sound like they're talking through two cans connected by a string?


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## wmcbrine (Aug 2, 2003)

leesweet said:


> I saw a story about this and it said the live broadcast "would be on Discovery HD in Discovery stores". We have one in a mall near here... I, also, couldn't believe that didn't really mean it was actually being broadcast on DHD, but I guess that's really the case.
> 
> Weird.


See above... "*Discovery HD Theater will carry the special broadcast live at 10:30 a.m. CST* and will be shown at Discovery Channel stores." Somebody just dropped the ball on updating the guide data, that's all. And the bit about the stores is for the benefit of all the poor suckers out there who don't get Discovery HD Theater at home.

BTW, I saw an ad for a standard-def replay on the Science Channel. They were showing anamorphic footage... I wonder if it'll really be like that?


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## judson_west (Nov 10, 2001)

Well, the TiVo guide is in sync with the Discovery HD Theater website guide. No LIVE presentation at 11:00AM EST only the rebroadcasts later in the day and week.


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## rich (Mar 18, 2002)

Ha ... my lowly Time Warner SA8300HD shows this in its Guide at 1130a (ET).


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## moonman (Jul 21, 2004)

The Tivo guide as well now lists the program for 11/15 @ 11:30 AM ET (30 min duration)


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## srt (Jan 27, 2006)

gentlemen: start yer tivos!
and hope...


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## GhostDog69 (Aug 16, 2004)

That was very cool. The salt thing was funny. I'm surprised HDNet wasn't in on this with their NASA agreement.


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## willardcpa (Feb 23, 2001)

You'd have thought that the rocket scientist that set this up would have timed it so that they weren't looking out the window at the Sahara Desert at twilight.


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## stephenC (Apr 15, 2004)

Maybe the downlink required the ISS be in a certain orbital position.


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## fhedemark (Oct 5, 2006)

Holy dead pixels on that camera, huh?


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## rifleman69 (Jan 6, 2005)

fhedemark said:


> Holy dead pixels on that camera, huh?


I'm sure I'll forgive them for even taking one of those up there to begin with. More than likely it has brushed up or been in contact with something up there.


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## bobbo007 (Oct 3, 2006)

This was enjoyable but I was looking forward to extended earth shots. What we got was dusty Africa near sunset. Not much to look at in comparison to the other earth shots they showed before the live feed. Wonder why they didn't time this better for a nicer view, but they probably only had a small window in their schedule for this live feed.

I was thinking the camera lens had water droplets or dust on it. It didn't seem to be there when they started, if I remember correctly.

The inside shots are cool so you should enjoy this.

Bob


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## ayrton911 (Sep 4, 2000)

I LOVED it. I thought it was just fabulous. I had so much fun watching that. Thanks Nasa and Discovery!


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## srt (Jan 27, 2006)

I'm impressed! I wondered if the specs were static charged dust? THe salt floating in an electronics filled capsule, I'd be freaked that it would cause corrosion or other probblems, even though I believe they have very good filters on board. I too wish the timing of the overheads would have been better. If they went to the live feed at the start of broadcast they would have been over the atlantic.
The best part :up: was my 250 started and stopped correctly, the worst part :down: ongoing snaps and pops in the audio...


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## HomieG (Feb 17, 2003)

It was excellent. Could have watched it for hours. And amazing, comparing it to the 1969 first moon landing pics, and those from Apollo, even those SD pics from the ISS. Goodness, I'd watch an HD special from the ISS every night. Really interesting to get a better perspective on the interior. I'll take the specs anytime if they'd just show a lot more of what we've seen today.


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## skanter (May 28, 2003)

Pretty fascinating in HD! I watched the 1969 live moon shots, which were certainly more thrilling, but this broadcast portends for some amazing images in the future.

I was saying -- "wipe the lens!" but the white dots could have been some other issue that couldn't be fixed. Sure, would have liked to see spectacular view of earth, but that wasn't going to happen. Stiil, as close as I'm gonna get to really being onboard the ISS! :up:


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## az_double_eagle (Aug 14, 2006)

The orange colored juice droplet in the spherical ball was the coolest part to me. Looked really cool in slow-mo.

Other people have mentioned this, but couldn't they have scheduled this when they were over the US, or at least something other than dusty, cloudy Western Africa? 

By the way, two 30-sec skips, and the outside shots were done.

Overall, mildly boring, but just the sheer promise of doing this more in the future is worth it to me.


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## wmcbrine (Aug 2, 2003)

wmcbrine said:


> BTW, I saw an ad for a standard-def replay on the Science Channel. They were showing anamorphic footage... I wonder if it'll really be like that?


The Science Channel replay was letterboxed SD... curiously, it was also the only SD program I've seen to be erroneously flagged "HDTV" in the guide on my HR10-250.


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## bobbo007 (Oct 3, 2006)

SRT...

I had the pops too in the audio. It was them not us. I've never had those before.

Bob


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

It was certainly not what I expected - I thought there would be at most a brief intro and then long shots of the earth. Instead, it was an interview and, as mentioned, a couple of 30-second (at most) earth shot.

I still found it enjoyable, just watching how things worked in the weightless environment.


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## GotATiVoToo (Apr 20, 2002)

I suspect that the dead pixels on the camera were caused by being zapped by cosmic rays. If you noticed, the older footage (from the prior expedition) had no dead pixels, but the more recent stuff did.

It was definitely fun. Too bad about the particular orbit timing, but I think if they had looked out the window any earlier, they would have been over the ocean. The initial desert shots were a bit flat, but once they got into cloud cover it was much cooler.

I definitely enjoyed Mike Lopez-Allegria's little "yikes" grimace when he shot the salt solution towards the, uh, ceilingish surface...


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

When I viewed, there was an occasional message on the screen saying that "pixels may appear on your screen" and were indeed the result of cosmic rays damaging the camera sensor.


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