In 1892, Thomas Edison invented a moving picture camera with a “peephole” viewing device called the kinetoscope. This was one of the first devices where it was possible for a series of pictures to be viewed in rapid succession. The process created the illusion of motion.

This procedure was very rudimentary compared to modern movie standards where just about anything is possible on the big screen. But at the time, it was a movie marvel. It didn’t matter that the picture was grainy with stuttered movement.

When sound was added to these movies, it became even more difficult to sync voice to movement. It’s interesting to watch a movie from the 1920’s – with all it’s jittery flaws – and realize just how far technology has come.

Well, maybe not. During this time of social distancing, live television shows are broadcasting from the homes of the participants. This has created many technological and logistical problems. This past week, the coaches on The Voice were all video conferencing from their respective living rooms.

There were times when the video was stuttered and fuzzy and the dialogue was choppy and somewhat inaudible. Though not to the extent of the world’s first musical motion picture, The Jazz Singer, produced in 1927.

Nick Jonas seemed to have the most problems, but none of the coaches were without some jitter issues during the two hour show. No big deal, it was still a pleasant diversion and, as we’ve all experienced while working remotely, jitter happens.

When the NFL decided to conduct a virtual draft instead of the usual big production, this year slated for Las Vegas, technology would become as big a topic of conversation as who the Bengals would select with the number one pick.

Just a few days before the live event, the NFL ran a mock draft to iron out the many technical and logistical issues that come with connecting 32 league executives working from home with Commissioner Roger Goodell and a national audience.

Sure enough, before the Bengals could announce their mock first round pick, the broadcast was littered with technical issues. Their biggest concern was bandwidth. If you’ve read our blogs in the past or visited our website before, you know that this type of video conferencing has a lot more to do with latency and jitter than bandwidth. Either way, it’s a problem.

Two billion dollar industries with decades of experience producing elaborate performances found themselves totally dependent on their Internet service. If this is to become the new normal, and we hope that’s not the case, it is more important than ever to make sure your company stays on top of the key network performance issues that can put even the largest corporations in the country at the mercy of their Internet connection.