1. Global connection Local connections Video conferencing

2. Video-conferencing - ? • transmission of image (video) and speech (audio) back and forth between two or more physically separate locations. • To enrich communications • To access remote locations • To bring together people and groups for discussion

3. V-C - Examples of use • Distance Education • Counselling • Cross organisational meetings • Foreign language/cultural exchange • Individual or group discussions • Interviews – jobs and viva • Observation of limited access locations

4. VC – Target audience • VC technology easier and inexpensive • To all users with basic desk top/windows skills • H323 – ITU umbrella standard • terminals, gateways, gatekeepers, and multi-point control units. • To enable interoperability

5. VC – basic ingredients • Terminal end stations or clients • Peripheral sets – cameras, speakers, mic’s • Workstations – windows (some mac) unix • High speed network connections – 128Kpbs • IP addresses for workstations • MCU (optional)

6. VC - connections • ISDN – Integrated services digital Network • System of digital phone connections allowing simultaneous data transmission • Voice and data carried via B channels • Via 64 Kb/s Basic Rate Interface – BRI = 64Kb/s B chann Primary Rate Interface- PRI =144Kb/s D chann

7. VC - Connections • To access BRI service • Subscribe to ISDN phone line • Customer has to be within 5.5 Km of HQ • After that expensive repeaters required • To communicate with phone company – • ISDN terminal adapters • ISDN routers

8. VC – Network requirements • Data packs must arrive and be sent out to maintain “real time” • Low end – 64-128Kbs – OK in general • >700 Mb/s more demanding • Category 5 plus, horizontal wiring combined with fibre optic vertical wiring • Campus desktop via network = hub thus • providing a shared ethernet connection – not recommended for VC

9. VC - Network • Recommend a switched ethernet connection • Gives a “private line” no interference with other computers • Firewalls - ? Complex within H323

10. VC – Room preparation • Any suitable small conference room may be adapted • Main critical factor LIGHTING • To equalise light and eliminate shadows • Soft textured wall coverings or smooth • Size of room – allow for equipment, wall charts, chairs, desk/table • How many people on average in your VC

11. VC – Room preparation • Reasonably soundproofed • Curtains for windows • Camera must be able to see all group • Trowt-Bayard, Toby, and Jim R. Wilcox, Video Conferencing The Whole Picture, Flatiron Publishing, Inc., 2nd Edition, March 1997

12. VC – survey of market • Websites – (cookbook) • Discussion lists • Conferences • Journals • Colleagues who already have VC • Manufacturers

13. VC – guidelines - bids • Price bids for individual equipment • Any training needed? • Installation and insulation? • Warranty and maintenance costs • Any contracts needed – purchase/maintenance • Special note if PC’s to be used

14. VC - Guidlines • Enquire as to near future upgrades • Operating system changes ? • Will there be a newer system? • Will it require hardware changes? • Bear the above possibilities in mind when calculating funding

15. VC - Components • Camera – how will your image appear to others • Video display – computer monitor • Audio – important to maintain audio • Speakers and microphones • Add ons – document camera, VCR, DVD, electronic whiteboard interface

16. UWS - VC • http://www.swan.ac.uk/media/videocon.htm •  5 main studios linked to MCU • MCU - a VC 4600 unit • Enables up to 8 sites involved in conference • PC based + special processor cards • Linked to PC in media services • Allows multiple sites within conference • Multiple conferences concurrently

17. UWS - VC • Main studio holds up to 15 • Links to campus theatres and seminars • Insulated special room • Cameras allowing normal transmission and rostrum cam for transmission of documents • Electronic whiteboard • Networking point to campus and internet • Monitors showing incoming images • Speaker phones

18. UWS – VC Examples of use • language teaching between Swansea, Liege (Belgium) Strasbourg +other European sites • Job interviews with Canada, US, NZ, AU • Multipoint conferences with universities • Regular post-grad seminars • Post-grad Viva interviews • Interviews and discussions world wide