As he rockets into Griffin's Bend at over 200km/h, the view looking over Jim Richards' shoulder is heartstopping. And, thanks to the invention of the Racecam, possible from the comfort of your favourite lounge chair.

Back in the old days of racing at Mount Panorama, such scenes of a race-car driver in action were only available via a cameraman crouching in the rear seat space. Not always the ideal situation either for the poor cameraman or the quality of the pictures. So Channel Seven set about developing Racecam, to give armchair fans an almost first-hand experience of the danger and physical demands of motor racing.

Racecam was born through the imagination and brilliance of two ATN7 engineers, Geoff Healy and John Porter in 1979, when a fixed forward-looking camera was mounted in Peter Williamson's Toyota Celica for Channel Seven's coverage of the James Hardie 1000, as the event was then known. Having Racecam in the car also provided the added bonus of two-way conversations between the racing driver and the television commentator via a special headset in the driver's crash helmet.

Millions of viewers were greeted with a spectacular picture of motor-racing — something that had never been seen anywhere before. And they loved it! As far as Geoff and John were concerned, the first Racecam merely whetted their appetite.

By 1980, Racecam had already developed from the original single, fixed camera to a two-camera system with cameras that could pan, tilt and zoom, all by remote control. These innovations allowed the camera to show thrilling passing manoeuvers, zoom in on gauges on the instrument panel, photograph the driver at his controls, or simply share the speed and excitement of the challenging racetrack, virtually placing you in the passenger's seat.

Since 1979, continuing development has allowed numerous modifications to refine and improve Racecam. And the technology behind the camera that gives you front-seat experience of Mount Panorama has since been adopted around the world, used to bring you unique perspectives on many of your favourite sports including cricket, golf, the America's Cup, tennis and downhill skiing to name a few. And always with Australia continuing to lead the way.

For the 1998 Great Race, there will be 12 Racecams used in six cars plus the pace car, and the Seven team will be able to monitor the on-board engine performance of selected vehicles.

A racing car is a very difficult environment in which to mount delicate electrical equipment and there are numerous obstacles which have to be overcome.

The modern Racecam consists of a professional broadcast camera, mounted in a remotely controlled pan and tilt head. The camera needs to be shock-mounted to ensure the life of the camera, as the severe vibrations can literally shake electrical equipment to pieces, and yet the picture needs to be steady. High-energy ignition systems can play havoc with low-level video signals, and the noise level is so high that audible commentary is very difficult. Everything mounted in the car needs to be engineered to withstand crashes up to 10G, while at the same time remaining lightweight, so as not to penalise the driver. It also has to be tough and reliable enough to operate for six hours in high temperatures.

From the camera in the car, the picture and verbal commentary are transmitted via microwave signal to a helicopter flying above. The helicopter in turn sends the signal back down to the ground. The chopper is essential here, as the microwave from the car is basically a line-of-sight signal and, because of obstructions and reflections on the track, it is usually not possible to transmit the signal across the ground from the car. A helicopter, on the other hand, can easily follow the car around the circuit, keeping it within sight at all times.

All signals to the car — controlling the camera and the commentator talking to the driver— are achieved through a microprocessor-controlled digital telemetry data stream, carried on a UHF radio channel. This allows a camera operator to stand trackside viewing the camera output while having full control of where the camera 'looks' via a joystick controller. The camera controller can also manipulate multiple cameras at the same time. In the Outside Broadcast (OB) van the director can then mix the signal in with the signals from other Racecams, cameras at the trackside plus cameras in planes and helicopters above the track. The director and vision mixers in a series of OB vans assemble the picture the viewer will finally see before being sent straight to the satellite.

Through its innovations, ATN7 has changed the world's perception of live television coverage by directly involving viewers in the action, as it happens. These days a race is not a race without Racecam.