Utah State University Regional Campuses and Distance Education

History Prior to  Synchronous classes taught between main campus and remote campuses via audio teleconference and screen shared interactive pen display (Xerox Liveworks)  Additional classes taught via baseband video network, two way audio and video

History Prior to  Digital satellite uplink installed, 4 channels, Mpeg2 DVB, GI Magnitude compression, ~58 classrooms statewide  USU classes transmitted via one way video and audio, return audio channel via POTS audio dial up

History Prior to  15 mhz wide space segment allowed for 4 channels at ~3mbps  Annual budget – 1.4 million

History Prior to  At switch off on tenth anniversary, satellite system had 8 channels and ~230 classrooms  Satellite system was used for 5 degree programs, ~58 individual classes weekly  Final space segment – 15mhz wide, 1mbps per channel  Final budget- 1.4 million

History Prior to  Migrated baseband and satellite classes to IP, H.323.  Installed 156 receive classrooms and 20 teaching classrooms summer 2007  State network centrally scheduled and bridged.  Bridging capacity ~400 ports

New Facilities System Capabilities Receive Classrooms Teaching Classrooms  1 gig backbone, 10 gig by fall 2008  Distributed bridging expanding to ~500 ports at 768k default connecti0n speed  H.239 support  HD 720p supported by fall 2009

New Facilities System Capabilities Receive Classrooms Teaching Classrooms  Tandberg MXP990, Centric 1700, or Polycom VSX 7000  720p plasma or projector at all sites  Student PTT microphones  H.239 enabled for presentation  Internal 4-port MCU’s

New Facilities System Capabilities Receive Classrooms Teaching Classrooms  Tandberg 3000 MXP with internal 4-port MCU  Document Camera  Laptop interface  PC with pen tablet  DVD/VCR  Two cameras  Projector/Screen

New Facilities System Capabilities Receive Classrooms Teaching Classrooms  Rooms designed for rapidity and ease of construction  Features and design common across most rooms  Little attention paid to aesthetics and production values

Prototype Classroom Project Goals Functional Requirements Technology  State of the art* technology  Best Practices Model  Current practices evaluated and discarded if necessary  Eye contact and viewing angles as natural as possible  No physical barriers  Transparent Technology  Freedom of movement

Prototype Classroom Project Goals Functional Requirements Technology  Compatible with H.323 and H.239  Also Support cutting-edge delivery technologies  High resolution video  Space highly configurable

Prototype Classroom Project Goals Functional Requirements Technology  H.323 – H.239  H.323 high definition: 720p  Telepresence-like features  Access Grid  Conference XP or similar

Room Design

Project Info 