IT Staff Convention 2008:Bare Bones Videoconferencing: From My Faculty's Desktop to Yours

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Bare Bones Videoconferencing: From My Faculty's Desktop to Yours

Moderator: Donald Huesman, Wharton
Notes: Dan Dougherty, Information Systems and Computing

1 Don's intro (Wharton Computing)

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Don's intro (Wharton Computing)

- Ip based video conferencing experience- Speakers from remote locations

Interested in Sharing war stories, trade offs, applications for Video Conferencing
Gaven: SAS, Former life: High def in previous experinece; lightweight? w/ friends, family
James: screen sharing current project. Intent real time educations "goto meeting" with PowerPoint presentations w/ fixed camera for room interaction
Adobe Connect: Dave Sidel on video display w/ Video Chat, fuzzy audio reply; Sound is always a battle
Three General Areas of IP-based Video Technology:
- IP-based Video conferencing
- Rich Media Format web conferencing
- Web-based broadcasting

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General Theme: How to w/o spending a lot of money

Expensive solution: "Wharton Direct" $100,000/session via satelite feed; too much!
Shawn (sas): s/w vs h/w echo cancelation; Hardware not cheap, complicated. Managing audio is a general issue -not just IP video, web conferencing issue
- Cheap easy to use solutions: mbox small speaker -USP w/ h/w echo cancellation. Clear-one acqu-mikes another, can be chained together
(med) What's real cheap? successfully?
Phil: formerly lots of desktop sharing. video cameras collect dust.
Ed, SAS; currently interviewing for positions (diff countries) via Video conferences; how to use technology for students w/ language learning, interacting
Darco (Wharton), need ease of use..., compatible, quick to set up, remote.

--PennLive account; w/Windows messenger

Rich media format

Adobe Connect, server based, not bare bones, s/w license $10,000, flash based, no plugin. Allows compose multiple screens for: feed, desktop (local), remote questions, conference. Four classes together with WebX to bridge classes. capture data for later presentations.

Marco (Wharton) WebX: audio is critical w/ time sensitive. Not necessary to see each other. Video most complex.
Problem: Video conferences w/telephone, thought technical users, not able to master mute button. Lecture mode to cancel live feed. Skills not there yet. interject: Operator needs to shield users from technical details. Test runs, cruses. Hide technical details for conference content delivery. Setting up user expectations.
Bridge phone into video field.
Skype: class room to class room, mikes and video feeds. Interviews, video conferencing,
preparation: expectations for technology. Demo important to set expectations.

--Q; Record sessions to archive? Not Skype, yes iChat. XMeeting yes, PVX no, Yes for Audio w/ Skype with 3rd party application

Adobe Connect: Always On Meeting- Typed or spoken always available. Able to continue.

--ProWiki topics w/ video conferences

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Audio topics

Echo, volume per/user, microphone. More mikes more problems. Best environment: Push to talk- wired mike activation needs to hold button down. eliminates problems, cancelation issues; Self policing.
ClearOne: Rack to one small box on tower.
Chase; Law school; seating microphones; individual lines out and balancing. Algorthm for sorting mike volume.
ClearOne takes care of gates, echo cancelation, other details; Standard check sheet: easy planning, management

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Ease of use

Logitec headsets= USB
Horror: heard guests speakers...Principals were in 80s. Planning should have included hand holding; would improve sound. All different situations.

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Cheaper

Nokea w/web cam, linux based. Send unit to remote location. Quality not as good. W/Skype may improve

Quicktime: wirecast will switch
MS MeetingSpace: Companies Polycom, Tamberg: making integrated products. MS multiple products

in parallel.

Anywhere else on campus for info on conferencing; collaboration services onsite.
University at point of recommended systems w/ camera, video.
Free application require lots of details, open ports, multiple testings.

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Success Stories

Wharton: With Adobe Connect: had living case study blood diamonds problems w/ jewelry and back story ugly. Very expensive. Saved and can be used for teaching purposes later.
Demo not rolled out yet. Goal for one-way teaching remotely. GoTo meeting via Citrix PowerPoint presentation w/ microscopic slides. Resolution, refresh rate great. See demo on line: URL online. Client liked it and is moving foward. one-way video directional: phone for audio, PowerPoint presentation via browser. Got momentum w/ faculty/client. Phone audio good enough w/o IP.
Bunch of people via WebX but able to add users via cell phone.

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