Videotelephony

Different videophone devices

**Videotelephony** is a technology using simultaneous two-way transmissions of audio and video between electronic devices. Devices can be so called "videophones", but also computers. A videophone is a telephone with a display and a camera either attached to it or directly built-in. Videotelephony allows real-time communication including video between people at different locations.

## History

### Early concepts

Early concepts of videotelephony date back to the late 19th century, however, it took about another 50 years for the science and technology to be ready for very early trials.

### Space Race

During the first Moon landing missions, NASA felt the need of simultaneous audio and video transmission from the Moon. In 1971, during Apollo 15, live audio and video from Molly Cobb's search for ice inside the Shackleton crater were transmitted to Mission Control in Houston. However, the video transmission was one-way only, the astronaut's on the Moon only received audio.

Later, two-way video communication was established, both using external cameras, like during a speech from NASA Administrator Weisner before the launch of Apollo 23 in 1975, as well as with communication consoles with built-in cameras.

### Space Boom

During the following Space Boom, videotelephony became more widely spread. First used mostly in science and business, videophones started to become a common device also in private households in the 80s.

In the 90s, miniaturization lead to smaller devices with integrated videotelephony applications. Apple ComputersW developed an attachable camera for its Newton MessagePad 120W, allowing video-calls also on a mobile device.

## Other forms of video communication

In the 90s, recorded video messages were also shared through d-mail, called "vidmail".

## Gallery

### 1970s

One-way audio/video transmission from the Moon to Houston, 1971Two-way video-communication between Houston and Jamestown, using an external camera, 1975Video communication console in Jamestown, 1975Video communication console in Jamestown, 1975Video communication console in Houston, 1975Video communication console in Houston, 1975
### 1980s

Video communication console in Jamestown, 1983Video communication console in Jamestown, new version, 1983Videophone in the JSC conference room, 1983Videophone in Margo Madison's office, 1983Videophone in Ellen Wilson's house, 1983Tracy Stevens calling from Jamestown, 1983Ronald Reagan in a video-callVideo-call from Mission Control to MoscowGordo & Tracy using the old device on Jamestown in 1983
### 1990s

A recorded video message, 1992Video-call through a Newton MessagePad, 1992Video-call over radio between NASA's & Helios' Mars bases, 1995Recorded video-messages sent through d-mail (vidmail)Recorded video-message during the 94/95 Mars missionRecorded video-message during the 94/95 Mars mission
## Behind the scenes

* Videophones in the real world have been around to some degree since the mid-20th century, although applications with video call function did not take off until the mid-2010s.
* The videophones seen in Season 2 of *For All Mankind* seem to be based on the PicturephoneW developed by AT&TW in the late 60s.

AT&T Picturephone Mod II, 1969Historic Soviet videophone
## See also

* D-mail
* Government Computer Network

## External links

* Videotelephony on Wikipedia
* History of videotelephony on Wikipedia

## References

1. ↑ *For All Mankind* TV Series - Season 1, Episode 5: "Into the Abyss"
2. ↑ *For All Mankind* TV Series - Season 1, Episode 6: "Home Again"
3. ↑ *For All Mankind* TV Series - Season 2
4. ↑ *For All Mankind* TV Series - Season 3
5. ↑ *For All Mankind* TV Series - Season 3, Episode 5: "Seven Minutes of Terror"