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Real Time Collaboration - Internet Video Conferencing
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The University of Iowa supports videoconferencing solutions that follow the International Telecommunications Union H.323 Internet-based multimedia communications systems standard.

Videoconferencing topics covered below:
Detailed information on real time collaboration environments is available on the Real Time Collaboration Environments web page.

Also, see our Videoconferencing FAQ.

Solutions Overviewjump_to_overview
Type Characteristics Examples
Large Room Solutions
  • Requires a display device
  • Mostly set-top boxes
  • Some can be rack-mounted
  • Some take multiple inputs for video
  • Most use a remote control
  • Most have one or more external microphones
  • Polycom VSX line
  • LifeSize
  • Tandberg 880 or 990
  • VCON HD line

Small Office Solutions
  • Most will rely a computer’s monitor or will have a built-in monitor
  • Not designed for more than one to three people
  • Very few have external inputs for VGA, external cameras, etc.
  • Focusing can be difficult to get exactly correct
  • Becoming less popular and is expensive compared to software endpoints
  • Polycom VSX 3000
  • VCON ViGo
  • Tandberg 1000

Software-Based Solutions
  • Most work only with Windows OS
  • Rely on computer monitor for displaying video
  • Use USB or Firewire webcam for capturing video
  • A decent USB webcam will cost $100
  • Most software costs around $150. Most offer a free trial period download

Large Room Solutionsjump_to_overview

Coming soon... Picture of Polycom's VSX room videoconferencing unit.

Small Office Solutions jump_to_overview

Coming soon... Picture of Polycom's small office video conferencing units.

Software-Based Solutions

 

Preferred H.323 video conferencing software solutions

Windows XP SP 2

Macintosh OS X 10.4 or newer

Software

Polycom PVX

Polycom PVX screenshot

Hardware requirements

Windows-based computer:

  • CPU - P4 2.2GHz / 2200+ Athlon XP and above
  • Memory - 512MB or higher
  • Disk space free - 100MB
  • Display - SVGA display (800x600) 16-bit color or higher
  • Internet Explorer® 6.0 or later
  • Microsoft Direct X 9.0b or later
  • Windows Media Player 9.0 or later

Audio:

  • Audio in - echo cancellation microphone, e.g., GlobalMedia Clearmic Duo or a headset such as GlobalMedia AMH-300 headset
  • Audio out- Any sound card or device

Video:

  • USB webcam:
    • GlobalMedia's iREZ K2 camera
    • Logitech QuickCam

Macintosh OS X based computer:

  • OS 10.4 or newer
  • QuickTime 7.x

Audio:

Headset such as GlobalMedia AMH-300 headset

Video:

iSight or any USB or Firewire camera.

 

Network
  • Broadband IP connection (LAN, DSL or Cable - minimum 128 Kbps upstream for Internet connection). Better videoconferencing experience if upstream is 384 Kbps or more.

Sharing Data During a Videoconference jump_to_overview

Once the video and audio solution has been determined, the next issue is how best to share data such as PowerPoint slides, images, and applications running on a computer during a video conference.

The preferred method is one that follows the H.239 standard, a standard that defines multiple channels for delivering audio, video and data in a point-to-point or multipoint call.

Any newer Polycom, Tandberg or LifeSize units will support H.239 and each type can be configured to display the video and data on one screen or the data on a second screen.
PeoplePlusContentIP ScreenshotPolycom's People+Content IP for Software-based Solutions

Multiple Site (more than two) Videoconferencing (often called multipoint videoconferencing jump_to_overview

 

Coming soon...

icon for internet2 commons