# Columbia Astronauts Video--I Call "no Way" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 1, 2003, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbia-astronauts-video-i-call-no-way/158278 "2003-03-01T00:49:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbia-astronauts-video-i-call-no-way/158278/21 "2003-03-01T20:38:28Z")
It probably WAS digitial, but digital is still recorded on film. As has been mentioned, I would think that the last moments wouldn’t be very “interesting”. Likely a white flash and the camera cuts. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbia-astronauts-video-i-call-no-way/158278/22 "2003-03-01T23:49:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duckster \* > \*\*Besides, videotape is high-quality, low cost technology. NASA is into safe but sure (the tragedy notwithstanding) technology and redundancy. Even with the advances in technology, especially computers, I’m betting they are still using 486-based computers on board. The military still uses 386 and 486 chips in their systems because reliability and safety count much more than bleeding edge bells and whistles. \*\* Hubble’s most recent upgrade included the installation of a 486 processor. Another reason why NASA some times uses older technology is that it takes a while to design something that can withstand the rigors of space flight and with faster processors coming out almost every day now, there’s simply no way they could use cutting edge technology in something that takes a year or more to design and build. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbia-astronauts-video-i-call-no-way/158278.md?page=1)