The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

Look Back at The Auto Channel.Com 20 Years Ago +VIDEO


PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)

By Marc J. Rauch
Exec. Vice President/Co-Publisher
THE AUTO CHANNEL


The year was 1997: The Auto Channel's second full year on the new media called "World Wide Web." (Bob Gordon and I originally founded the company in May 1987 to develop a full-time automotive cable television network.)

The month was May: We were heavily involved in broadcasting over the Internet from Indianapolis for our coverage of what was then a month long schedule of events leading up to the big one, the 1997 Indianapolis 500.

About eight months earlier (October 1996) we broadcast the first live video of an automotive event: the unveiling of the Jaguar XK8 at Petersen Museum in Los Angeles. A couple of days later we broadcast the first live video of a motor sports event when we "webcast" the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Race at Sears Point Raceway in Northern California.

By May, we had been doing live Internet video for several months, so we were confident that we could handle everything thrown at us in Indianapolis.

We wound up doing more than 150 hours of live Internet video during that month in Indy. We were using a new streaming video technology called "VXTREME." We were their first external user of their software. Our experience and "proof of service" was so successful that the VXTREME company used our experience to visit Microsoft to seek a financial investment. However, Pete Mountanos (CEO of VXtreme) didn't get an investment, instead Microsoft bought VXTREME. The VXTREME codec replaced Microsoft's junky Web Theater codec and propelled Microsoft's newly renamed service (Window Media) to the number one video streaming solution.

For fun, we're presenting a few new car reviews from those days on our front page of TheAutoChannel.com.

And for more fun, the following is the promotional video we produced in the early 1990's to promote our efforts to launch a 24-hour automotive cable television network. It was so successful in helping us to get Cox, Comcast, and Continental Cable Systems interested that they risked all by stealing the entire kit and kaboodle to start their rip off network, Speedvision (later renamed Speed Channel). Alas, we lost out on millions if not billions of dollars, but at least we're still alive and kicking...unlike Speedvision, which died under a mountain of expenses and inept management.




Record of The Auto Channel's FIRSTS

       By aggressively seeking out and putting to use the latest Internet technologies, The Auto Channel has demonstrated the capability to do what others only talk about. TACH's Internet history making accomplishments include:

  • The first use of real-time streaming video clips by any web site using VDOLive software - new vehicle video reviews and Camel Trophy video news release - February 1996

  • The first live audio coverage of a major motor sports event - the Indianapolis 500, May 1996.

  • The first live automotive radio talk show carried on the Internet - AUTO TALK from the Talk Radio Network, June 8, 1996.

  • The first live audio coverage from a European motor sports event - the LeMans 24-Hour Endurance Race, June 10-11, 1996.

  • The first live audio broadcast of an automotive journalist event - the Motor Press Guild's Automotive Design Forum, June 23, 1996.

  • The first live audio coverage of a NASCAR Winston Cup event - the Brickyard 400, July 31 - Aug. 3, 1996.

  • The first live audio broadcast of a motorcycle race - the McGraw Insurance AMA California Superbike Challenge, August 23 - 25, 1996.

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  • The first live video & audio introduction of a new vehicle - the Jaguar XK8 from the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles, October 3, 1996.

  • The first live video & audio broadcast of a motor sports event - the NASCAR Kragen 151 Craftsman Truck Series Race, October 5, 1996.

  • The first live video & audio broadcast of an auto industry tradeshow - Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week in Las Vegas, November 5 - 8, 1996.

  • The first complete live audio broadcast of a driver-to-pit crew radio transmission - Jeff Gordon's Winston Cup team during the NASCAR Napa 500, November 10, 1996.

  • The first live video & audio coverage of all the month long festivities surrounding the Indianapolis 500 - Over 150 hours of live interviews, press conferences, and the rain delayed main event, May 3 - 27, 1997.

  • The first live video & audio broadcast of an auto auction - The Summer '97 Newport Beach Classic Car Show & Auction, July 12 - 13, 1997.