A resilient, flexible video push cable is coiled in a stack of coils inside an
annular portion of a non-rotating cable storage drum. A video camera head is electro-mechanically
connected to a distal end of the push cable. A display is connected to a system
interconnect cable which is in turn connected to a proximal end of the push cable.
While the drum is held stationary, the push cable can be unwound from its main
annular portion and the camera head pushed down a length of pipe. This unwinding
of the push cable is facilitated by routing it through a centrally located frusto-conical
guide portion of the drum. The video camera head can be pulled out of the pipe,
and the push cable can be manually re-inserted through the guide portion to facilitate
re-forming of the stack of coils within the main annular portion of the drum.