High Quality Internet Video Conferencing is Here Now ! Bob Dixon - Ohio State Univ Mairead Martin - Univ of Tennessee Tyler Johnson - Univ of North Carolina Mary Fran Yafchak - SURA EDUCAUSE Conference October 12, 2000 Nashville, Tennessee

What is Video Conferencing? Just like the telephone, except you can see who you are talking to. There is no privacy issue, since you can leave it turned off, just like the telephone. You can talk to one or many other people at the same time, just as with the telephone. It is NOT video broadcasting.

Two Types of Video Conferencing Traditional Internet Use in special room; rare Use anywhere; ubiquitous Uses ISDN telephone lines Uses Internet High installation cost Low installation cost High usage cost No usage cost Usage at plateau Usage growing rapidly Scheduled in advance Impromptu Professional operator Do-it-yourself Centralized control Decentralized control H.320 standard H.323 standard

Internet Point-to-Point Videoconferencing Ohio New York Internet

Ohio New York Minnesota ColoradoInternet Internet Multipoint Videoconferencing MCU

H.323 Video Components Internet End-User Station Local H.320 Video Room Video Interface Unit Gateway ISDN Telephone Lines Gatekeeper Multipoint Control Unit Remote H.320 Video Rooms

Video Conferencing Systems 1. Software-based Generally slow and non-standard; not very satisfactory. Examples: Microsoft NetMeeting, White Pine CUSeeMe. 2. Hardware-based, plug into PC USB Port. Newest approach; will become ubiquitous Examples: Polycom ViaVideo, VCON ViGo. 3. Hardware-based, PCI-bus cards install inside PC. Added features and controls, beyond USB systems. Examples: Zydacron Z340, VCON Escort Hardware-based, standalone, no PC involved. Easiest to use, best quality. Examples: Polycom Viewstation 128, VCON Falcon

Application: Guest Lecturer in College Course Lafayette College Students and Professor Easton, PA Ohio State Univ Professor Lecturer Columbus, OH

Application: College Course Argonne National Lab Technical Control Chicago, IL Univ Calif. Santa Barbara Students and Professor Santa Barbara, CF Univ of Illinois Students and Professor Champaign/Urbana, IL Ohio State Univ MCU Columbus, OH Purdue Univ Students and Professor West Lafayette, IN Univ Southern Calif. Students and Professor Los Angeles, CF

What is The Megaconference ? 1. A permanent, ongoing, multipoint H.323 videoconference. A place to test your equipment, give demonstrations, and talk to your colleagues. THREE Things: 2. An discussion list. A place to ask questions, arrange demonstrations, spawn collaborations and hear important announcements. 3. A collective effort that creates large, pioneering, state-of-the-art activities, such as the October, 1999 event at the Internet 2 conference in Seattle, Wash.

Megaconference II October 31, 2000 Worlds first totally remote conference track Empty lectern Worldwide interactive audience; 114 locations The model for all future conferences on all subjects See

How can I participate in Megaconference activities? 1. Connect your H.323 client to the Megaconference MCU. To do so, set your gatekeeper address to Set your speed to 384K. Dial 70* Subscribe to the Megacon list. Its address is Send to to be added to the list. Explain who you are and why you want to subscribe. 3. Volunteer when people ask for help and participation in special events. They will help you in return.