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EPCOT Dishes
- Thread starter Tom
- Start date
wild01ride
Well-Known Member
I was always under the impression that they were part of the communication network used for "Communicore." IIRC, they've been there for-ever!
Yeah, I would presume that if they were for something that was actually important, like admin or park ops, then they'd be hidden. They look pretty stupid, just sitting out in the middle of the grassy area. They're not even themed to anything, just 2 giant white dishes.
Hopefully someone on these boards has a clue.....:hammer:
Hopefully someone on these boards has a clue.....:hammer:
cherrynegra
Well-Known Member
I believe these are the dishes he was talking about. They painted them for the Flower & Garden Festival.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/Photos/FlowerGarden_04/pages/CRW_5469_RJ.htm
cherrynegra
Well-Known Member
Sorry Steven. That's weird. It was working when I found it. Oh, well. Here's another link.
http://allearsnet.com/tp/ep/fg04/fg04a.htm
The title of the picture you want says it all. Satellite Dishes as Sunflowers.
http://allearsnet.com/tp/ep/fg04/fg04a.htm
The title of the picture you want says it all. Satellite Dishes as Sunflowers.
colliera
Member
Dishes function
Originally they were up/downlinks for an attraction in CommuniCore. There was a theater where the audiance would go into and take a survey/poll electronically much in the same way Millionaire Play It! works. Just outside the theater was a display with multiple TV screens showling feeds from around the world. TV screens on a lower kiosk allowed you to select from among the different feeds. The idea was all about connecting to a wealth of information from around the globe. I believe they are the "steerable" type so they can be pointed at different birds in the sky but I haven't seen them moved in years.
I know this seems lame now but when EPCOT Center opened about the only satellite TV being received was from designs for home TVRO promoted throught the efforts of Bob Cooper which meant you had to construct the receivers and dishes yourself.
The first commercially availalbe home units in the US were made by the R.L. Drake company in 1981 and the entire setup and install usually cost over $4,000.00! However, ALL the feeds were in the CLEAR or unscrambled. Just point and enjoy.
Originally they were up/downlinks for an attraction in CommuniCore. There was a theater where the audiance would go into and take a survey/poll electronically much in the same way Millionaire Play It! works. Just outside the theater was a display with multiple TV screens showling feeds from around the world. TV screens on a lower kiosk allowed you to select from among the different feeds. The idea was all about connecting to a wealth of information from around the globe. I believe they are the "steerable" type so they can be pointed at different birds in the sky but I haven't seen them moved in years.
I know this seems lame now but when EPCOT Center opened about the only satellite TV being received was from designs for home TVRO promoted throught the efforts of Bob Cooper which meant you had to construct the receivers and dishes yourself.
The first commercially availalbe home units in the US were made by the R.L. Drake company in 1981 and the entire setup and install usually cost over $4,000.00! However, ALL the feeds were in the CLEAR or unscrambled. Just point and enjoy.
colliera
Member
Dead as a ...
I would presume so unless they use it for the uplinks they do for special events like New Year's Eve and the Christmas Parade. I really don't know how they manage that feed. Nowdays probably just from a satellite truck like your local TV station would do.
Back in 1982 seeing an industrial satellite dish in person was pretty cool. While some might think they are ugly and out of place now - at the time it was a perfect fit for Future World.
As I said I haven't seen them move from their present aim in years so they may not be pointing at anything now. The entire satellite band over the US went from four degree spacing between birds to two degrees years ago so even if they are on target they are aimed at the wrong satellite.
I wonder if anyone employed at WDW knows if there is any actual use for them now?
I would presume so unless they use it for the uplinks they do for special events like New Year's Eve and the Christmas Parade. I really don't know how they manage that feed. Nowdays probably just from a satellite truck like your local TV station would do.
Back in 1982 seeing an industrial satellite dish in person was pretty cool. While some might think they are ugly and out of place now - at the time it was a perfect fit for Future World.
As I said I haven't seen them move from their present aim in years so they may not be pointing at anything now. The entire satellite band over the US went from four degree spacing between birds to two degrees years ago so even if they are on target they are aimed at the wrong satellite.
I wonder if anyone employed at WDW knows if there is any actual use for them now?
signerdreams
New Member
I always wondered what these were. But i just assumed they were for something important
TheDisneyMagic
Well-Known Member
Me too, I have always wondered what these Dishes were for, thanks for the info on them and the pictures of them both with sunflowers painted on them and with out. :animwink:
colliera
Member
How did it all fit together?
Posted in a couple of other places on WDWMagic as well but it fits here. A link to a old scanned guidebook that tells about the satellite news feeds, the Fountain of Information, and the Future Choice Theater. At last, the correct names for those things and the pictures that go with them to boot! :sohappy:
Link at http://disney.timetrip.net/wdw-guide-page35.jpg
Posted in a couple of other places on WDWMagic as well but it fits here. A link to a old scanned guidebook that tells about the satellite news feeds, the Fountain of Information, and the Future Choice Theater. At last, the correct names for those things and the pictures that go with them to boot! :sohappy:
Link at http://disney.timetrip.net/wdw-guide-page35.jpg