The History of Video Conferencing - Moving Ahead at the Speed of Video

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No new technology develops smoothly, and video conferencing had more than its share of bumps along the way before becoming the widely used communications staple it is today. The history of video conferencing in its earliest form goes back to the 1960's, when AT&T introduced the Picturephone at the World's Fair in New York. While viewed as a fascinating curiosity, it never became popular and was too expensive to be practical for most consumers when it was offered for $160 a month in 1970. Commercial use of real video conferencing was first realized with Ericsson's demonstration of the first trans-Atlantic LME video telephone call. Soon other companies began refining video conferencing technologies, including such advancements as network video protocol (NVP) in 1976 and packet video protocol (PVP) in 1981. None of these were put into commercial use, however, and stayed in the laboratory or private company use. In 1976, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone established video conferencing (VC) between Tokyo and Osaka for company use. IBM Japan followed suit in 1982 by establishing VC running at 48000bps to link up with already established internal IBM video conferencing links in the United States so that they could have weekly meetings. The 1980's introduce commercial video conferencing In 1982, Compression Labs introduces their VC system to the world for $250,000 with lines for $1,000 an hour. The system was huge and used enormous resources capable of tripping 15 amp circuit breakers. It was, however, the only working VC system available until PictureTel's VC hit the market in 1986 with their substantially cheaper $80,000 system with $100 per hour lines. In the time in between these two commercially offered systems, there were other video conferencing systems developed that were never offered commercially. The history of video conferencing isn't complete without mentioning these systems that were either prototypes or systems developed specifically for in-house use by a variety of corporations or organizations, including the military. Around 1984, Datapoint was using the Datapoint MINX system on their Texas campus, and had provided the system to the military. In the late 1980's, Mitsubishi began selling a still-picture phone that was basically a flop in the market place. They dropped the line two years after introducing it. In 1991, the first PC based video conferencing system was introduced by IBM - PicTel. It was a black and white system using what was at the time an incredibly inexpensive $30 per hour for the lines, while the system itself was $20,000. In June of the same year, DARTnet had successfully connected a transcontinental IP network of over a dozen research sites in the United States and Great Britain using T1 trunks. Today, DARTnet has evolved into the CAIRN system, which connects dozens of institutions. CU-SeeMe revolutionizes video conferencing One of the most famous systems in the history of video conferencing was the CU-SeeMe developed for the MacIntosh system in 1992. Although the first version didn't have audio, it was the best video system developed to that point. By 1993, the MAC program had multipoint capability, and in 1994, CU-SeeMe MAC was true video conferencing with audio. Recognizing the limitations of MAC compatibility in a Windows world, developers worked diligently to roll out the April 1994 CU-SeeME for Windows (no audio), followed closely by the audio version, CU-SeeMe v0.66b1 for Windows in August of 1995. In 1992, AT&T rolled out their own $1,500 video phone for the home market. It was a borderline success. That same year, the world's first MBone audio/video broadcast took place and in July INRIA's video conferencing system was introduced. This is the year that saw the first real explosion in video conferencing for businesses around the globe and eventually led to the standards developed by the ITU. International Telecommunications Union develops coding standards The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) began developing standards for video conferencing coding in 1996, when they established Standard H.263 to reduce bandwidth for transmission for low bit rate communication. Other standards were developed, including H.323 for packet-based multi-media communications. These are a variety of other telecommunications standards were revised and updated in 1998. In 1999, Standard MPEG-4 was developed by the Moving Picture Experts Group as an ISO standard for multimedia content. In 1993, VocalChat Novell IPX networks introduced their video conferencing system, but it was doomed from the start and didn't last. Microsoft finally came on board the video conferencing bandwagon with NetMeeting, a descendent of PictureTel's Liveshare Plus, in August of 1996 (although it didn't have video in this release). By December of the same year, Microsoft NetMeeting v2.0b2 with video had been released. That same month, VocalTec's Internet Phone v4.0 for Windows was introduced. VRVS links global research centers The Virtual Room Videoconferencing System (VRVS) project at Caltech-CERN kicked off in July of 1997. They developed the VRVS specifically to provide video conferencing to researchers on the Large Hadron Collider Project and scientists in the High Energy and Nuclear Physics Community in the U.S. and Europe. It has been so successful that seed money has been allotted for phase two, CalREN-2, to improve and expand on the already in-place VRVS system in order to expand it to encompass geneticists, doctors, and a host of other scientists in the video conferencing network around the world. Cornell University's development team released CU-SeeMe v1.0 in 1998. This color video version was compatible with both Windows and MacIntosh, and huge step forward in pc video conferencing. By May of that year, the team has moved on to other projects. In February of 1999, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) was launched by MMUSIC. The platform showed some advantages over H.323 that user appreciated and soon made it almost as popular. 1999 was a very busy year, with NetMeeting v3.0b coming out, followed quickly by version three of the ITU standard H.323. Then came the release of iVisit v2.3b5 for both Windows and Mac, followed by Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP), version 1. In December, Microsoft released a service pack for NetMeeting v3.01 (4.4.3388) and an ISO standard MPEG-4 version two was released. Finally, PSInet was the first company to launch H.323 automated multipoint services. Like we said, 1999 was a very busy year. SIP entered version 1.30 in November of 2000, the same year that standard H.323 hit version 4, and Samsung released their MPEG-4 streaming 3G video cell phone, the first of its kind. It was a hit, particularly in Japan. Rather predictably, Microsoft NetMeeting had to release another service pack for version 3.01. In 2001, Windows XP messenger announced that it would now support Session Initiation Protocol. This was the same year the world's first transatlantic tele-surgery took place utilizing video conferencing. In this instance, video conferencing was instrumental in allowing a surgeon in the U.S. to use a robot overseas to perform gall bladder surgery on a patient. It was one of the most compelling non-business uses in the history of video conferencing, and brought the technology to the attention of the medical profession and the general public. In October of 2001, television reporters began using a portable satellite and a videophone to broadcast live from Afghanistan during the war. It was the first use of video conferencing technology to converse live with video with someone in a war zone, again bringing video conferencing to the forefront of people's imaginations. Founded in December of 2001, the Joint Video Team completed basic research leading to ITU-T H.264 by December of 2002. This protocol standardized video compression technology for both MPEG-4 and ITU-T over a broad range of application areas, making it more versatile than its predecessors. In March of 2003, the new technology was ready for launch to the industry. New uses for video conferencing technologies 2003 also saw the rise in use of video conferencing for off-campus classrooms. Interactive classrooms became more popular as the quality of streaming video increased and the delay decreased. Companies such as VBrick provided various MPEG-4 systems to colleges across the country. Desktop video conferencing is also on the rise and gaining popularity. Companies newer to the market are now refining the details of performance in addition to the nuts and bolts of transmission. In April of 2004, Applied Global Technologies developed a voice-activated camera for use in video conferencing that tracks the voice of various speakers in order to focus on whoever is speaking during a conference call. In March 2004, Linux announced the release of GnomeMeeting, an H.323 compliant, free video conferencing platform that is NetMeeting compatible. With the constant advances in video conferencing systems, it seems obvious that the technology will continue to evolve and become an integral part of business and personal life. As new advances are made and systems become more reasonably priced, keep in mind that choices are still determined by network type, system requirements and what your particular conferencing needs are. This article on the "The History of Video Conferencing" reprinted with permission.

Copyright © 2004 Evaluseek Publishing.

About the Author

Lori Wilkerson is a full-time freelance writer who loves her job because it
gives her the opportunity to learn more about the world every day. Right now,
she knows a little bit about almost everything, and a lot about
video conferencing,
renting a

video conference facility, and which

videoconferencing conferencing solution is best for small groups. She has two dogs who are spoiled
and one teenager who is not. She does her video conferencing in pink bunny
slippers.

Live Video Conferencing - The Best Way To Communicate

Live video conferencing is a technique that is fast replacing the need to commute miles every time the need for a conference arises. Businesses, organizations and even government and military heads need to travel days in a year to meet up with their counterparts and partners in order to have crucial meetings to discuss matters of prime worldly importance. This traveling takes up a lot of their time and costs the exchequer a large sum in travel related expenditure. Live video conferencing does away with a lot of this expenditure. Live video conferencing requires a one time investment that is just a fraction of the cost of traveling between countries. The connection link is established via the Internet and the running cost is negligible.

Companies such as Tandberg and Cisco have the very latest state-of-the-art technology incorporated into their wide range of live video conferencing equipment. The equipment from Tandberg range from a simple desktop live video conferencing unit to large LCD screens that link up the participants of the live video conference to any part of the globe provided of course, that that part of the globe has access to the internet. Broadband internet connectivity is a necessity for live video conferencing because the video compression technology is not as yet that advanced that slower internet connection can transmit and receive the video signal without pausing between frames. The technique of streaming video has made live video conferencing a large success though there is still a lot of development in order. Live video conferencing saves on time and travel expenses and pays of the system in just a few sessions of live video conferencing when compared to the cost that would have been incurred if the participants had to travel to convene at a particular location.

Live video conferencing adds up to a lot more saving when it is used for government heads to confer with their counterparts in other countries. It is a boon when the security of these government heads is paramount. By cutting out the travel and hotel stay for the representatives of the conference a lot of security risks are covered. Because with live video conferencing none of the participants need to leave their offices to take part in the conference, they just need to have their own live video conferencing hardware, which is available from vendors such as Tandberg. This is a simple video cameras, microphone and video screen connected to the Internet through broadband connectivity. There are no restrictions on the number of people that can take part in a video conference.

Technology is changing fast and with it the live video conferencing equipment. Tandberg has a number of live video conferencing equipment to choose from. They have the permanent studio setup that is advanced live video conferencing equipment setup in a conference room. This takes care of wide camera fittings and lighting that is appropriate for live video conferencing. The large LCD screens make the other participants look as if they are in the same room even though they are thousands of miles away. Live video conferencing is definitely the best way for groups of people to meet at the most economical of cost.

Shakir A. is writer an independent writer on Internet marketing, Online Video Advertising, Video Conferencing and it's happenings in Internet industry. More Details for Video Conferencing at http://www.tandberg.com

What is Video Conferencing?

Video conferencing isn't necessarily a new technology, but it has come a long way since it was first introduced and for the most part makes good use of the new technologies that have been introduced in recent years. By allowing people to communicate either with video and audio or video and text, video conferencing serves a number of purposes in business, as well as for personal use and even use by groups as diverse as the court system and NASA.

In order to understand how video conferencing works, however, it's important to take a moment to learn how the technology first came about and how it has been adapted over time to meet the needs of businesses and consumers.

Origins of Video Conferencing

Early forms of video conferencing originated with the advent of television, using a pair of closed-circuit televisions which were connected by cable to allow the users at either end to communicate. Later advances on this theme were used by news reporters on location, who transmitted a signal back to the station from a truck filled with equipment, and also by NASA who used high-powered radio waves to transmit signals to and from space missions. Attempts were made by AT&T and other companies during the 60's and 70's to make video conferencing more accessible, but poor picture quality plagued these early systems and even when more powerful devices were made they still did not become popular.

Modern Video Conferencing

In the 80's, new technologies such as ISDN networks made it possible to guarantee a minimum transfer rate and compression rate for video and audio which in turn made video conferencing much more feasible. Dedicated networks for video conferencing began to develop, and ISDN was soon accessible from most parts of the world. Video conferencing was originally prohibitively expensive for most, but as new advances in technology continued to be created the prices of video conferencing equipment soon dropped and it became much more common.

The advent of the internet did much to bring video conferencing where it is today; once the technology was developed to transmit live video and audio over internet protocols, much of the equipment previously needed to create video conferencing connections was no longer required. Many free programs and services soon began to include webcam video conferencing in their chat features, allowing computer users to communicate as never before.

Uses of Video Conferencing

Video conferencing has a number of uses, both at home and in business. When using a webcam or other form of video conferencing from home, you can use it to stay in touch with friends and family across the city or around the world. It can add a bit more of a "human touch" to conversations or chat sessions, as you can actually see the person that you're talking to instead of them simply being words on a screen or a voice on the phone. In business, the applications are even more useful; business meetings can occur among several different offices or individuals in different parts of the world. Not only can this add a great deal of convenience, but it can also save money that would have to be spent on transportation and time that would have to be spent on organizing the meetings and getting all of the parties in the same place at the same time. Video conferencing can also be of great use to educators, science professionals, and a variety of other individuals who can see the advantage of being able to speak face-to-face with others without the need for actually meeting each other in a specific location.

Ricardo Trinidad, President of Telcom & Data, is a telecommunications professional. Established in 1997, he has molded his company into a top-notch telecommunications provider. Telcom-Data offers telecommunications solutions to those business professionals in search of quality products and superior services. To view his whole line of products you can visit [http://www.polycom-products.com]

Hotels with Video Conferencing

Video conferencing allows people to communicate over the Internet. It enables two or more persons in different places to engage in face-to-face audio or video interaction. Hotels with video conferencing facilities benefit people who spend considerable time traveling and meeting customers, suppliers or business partners. Hiring a hall in a hotel with a video conferencing facility can help to save time and expense. The main advantage of video conferencing is that it can reduce the need for travel.

Many hotels provide meeting rooms with facilities for video conferencing. These hotels offer video conferencing equipment on rent from their audio/visual provider.

You can hold a business conference or invite key people to speak to your audience no matter where they are located. People who are far away can be seen and heard clearly, in live video format. Video conferencing can be used for holding meetings, conducting interviews and giving lectures. Hotels with video conferencing facilities hire leading companies for technical support.

Video conferencing can be classified into point-to-point conferencing and multipoint conferencing. Point to point conferencing is basically a communication link between two locations. Multipoint conferencing is a communication link between more than two locations. Multipoint conferencing can be further classified into, LAN and Multi Control Unit (MCU). LAN provides a link between different groups or locations. In the MCU environment, audio and video signals can be connected to one or more conferences simultaneously.

Video conferencing facilities in hotels are usually available round-the-clock. These hotels also engage conference and meeting organizers. Hotels with video conferencing facilities serve to bring delegates and speakers together from anywhere in the world, conduct PR events or press conferences and can deliver HR presentations to employees. Video conferencing used to be an expensive procedure. But now, anyone with a fast Internet connection, a camera and a headset can conduct a videoconference at a minimal cost.

Conferencing provides detailed information on Conferencing, Web Conferencing, Audio Conferencing, Video Conferencing and more. Conferencing is affiliated with Online Conference Centers.

How Video Conferencing Works - Multimedia, Interactive Communication Across the Miles

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You may think you understand video conferencing pretty well until someone who isn't at all familiar with it approaches you for a simple definition. When they ask, "What exactly is video conferencing?" you could suddenly realize you're at a loss for words. The simplest definition of how video conferencing works is simply by the integration of video, audio and peripherals to enable two or more people to communicate simultaneously over some type of telecommunications lines. In other words, you are transmitting synchronized images and verbal communications between two or more locations in lieu of them being in the same room. How video conferencing works is a little bit harder to explain than answering the question, "What is video conferencing?" Millions of people use video conferencing every day around the globe, but very few people know just how the technical aspects of the process work. The main ingredients of successful video conferencing are video cameras, microphones, appropriate computer software and computer equipment and peripherals that will integrate with the transmission lines to relay the information. The analog information recorded by the microphones and cameras is broken down into discreet units, translating it to ones and zeros. A Codec encodes the information to a digital signal that can then be transmitted to a codec at the other end, which will retranslate these digital signals back into analog video images and audio sounds. The theory's the same, the transmission has changed In the earlier days of video conferencing, T1, ATM and ISDN lines were used almost exclusively but were really only practical for room-based video conferencing systems. These dedicated lines were expensive and only large corporations tended to have the facilities and money to invest in this type of set-up. As the Internet became more a part of the everyday lives of all businesses, however, it changed how video conferencing was conducted. The TCP/IP connections of the Internet are much less expensive and can carry large quantities of information, including video packets for conferencing, relatively easily. Because of this, video conferencing has become much more prevalent in small businesses and in desktop packages that can be set up with software for computer-to-computer networking. Compression makes video transmission practical The problem that arises when you convert analog to digital for transmission is the loss of clarity in an image. Analog signals are a continuous wave of amplitudes and frequencies showing shades and ranges of color as well as depth and brightness. When you convert to digital, which is strictly 0's and 1's, you then need to develop a grid to represent values, intensities and saturations of different color values so that the image can be interpreted and reformed at the receiving end. This vast amount of digital information requires huge bandwidth and means that the time it would take to transmit video images would be impractical for most applications. That's where compression is crucial. When determining how video conferencing works, one of the most important elements is the compression ratio. The higher the compression ratio, the more quickly the information is capable of being transmitted. In many cases, however, this also means some loss in clarity or audio/video quality. For instance, a compression ratio of 4:1 would be terribly slow but have a fantastic picture quality. But by the time it was transmitted, everyone at the other end would probably have left the room for a cup of coffee. Lossy compression discards unneeded or irrelevant sections of a signal in order to transmit only the essentials, speeding up the transmission time significantly but sometimes resulting in loss of quality. Compression can either be intra-frame or inter-frame for material that is repetitive or redundant, such as that wall behind the conference participant. Since the wall remains static and never changes, this image is redundant and can be eliminated from transmissions to an extent with proper compression. Intra-frame compression assumes the redundancy will be present in parts of a frame that are close to each other. Inter-frame compression assumes that there is redundancy over time (i.e., like that wall). Either of these can achieve a fairly high degree of accuracy and reduce the bandwidth needed for transmittal of signals. A newer version of compression/decompression is SightSpeed technology, developed by Cornell University. SightSpeed compresses only images considered essential and eliminating what is considered 'filler,' relying on the brain to fill in the decompression at the other end. Based on an artificial intelligence model, SightSpeed achieves compression of about 90:1, compared to the typical 15:1 for video conferencing. Any video conferencing session you use will provide compression of the transmission signal. The key is determining the balance between speed and video picture quality that is right for your needs. Point to point video conferencing Point to point video conferencing is just what it sounds like - a link between two different points on the planet, or two different video conferencing terminals. It could be between an office in New York City and a conference room in Munich. Point to point video conferencing can easily be initiated by someone on one end contacting the other end as though making a standard telephone call. There are no special arrangements to be made other than knowing that the participants will be there. Multipoint conferencing is more complex Multipoint conferencing is more complicated because it has to coordinate several different locations simultaneously. Since you can't be in direct contact with several places at once while they are all in contact with others, you need one source that will tie them all together. In video conferencing, this is called a multipoint bridge or multipoint conferencing unit (MCU). An MCU enables multi-location video conferencing by providing a sort of "central processing center" for all of the locations through which all the information flows. The MCU receives all information from the various locations and then sends it out to each location. In some cases the MCU is located on a particular PC, and in other cases it is located on a remote server (the most common structure, particularly for more powerful MCU networks). Audio is usually sent and received simultaneously in all locations with an MCU with no problem because of the relatively small bandwidth needed for transmittal. It is broadcast in what is called "full duplex" mode, meaning everyone can talk and hear at the same time with no cutting off when one person or another speaks. Video transmission, however, can be broadcast in a number of ways with an MCU depending upon the quality of the software and the complexity of the system. Some common types of video transmission for video conferencing include:

Continuous Presence video conferencing, which allows up to four conference sites to be seen simultaneously on split screens. This is usually used if you have a small group or individuals in separate locations and will primarily be seeing close-up shots.
Universal Control video conferencing is controlled by the initiating conference site. The primary site determines who sees what at all other sites.
Voice Activated video conferencing is by far the most common type used today. The image with these systems shifts to the site that is currently activating the microphone so that you can always see whoever is speaking. However, if there is a good deal of background noise participants should mute their microphones when they aren't talking in order to avoid the image jumping about needlessly. Overcoming the language barrier Obviously, communicating through video conferencing can't be achieved unless both ends of the conference are "speaking the same language." That is, whatever is being transmitted electronically will need to be reassembled properly and heard and seen clearly at the other end. The Codec system (Coder-Decoder) is useless if both ends aren't using the same virtual language to interpret the signals. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) developed a set of standards in 1996 dubbed H.323 to outline specific guidelines for Video Conferencing standards and protocols so that compliance and support across networks would be easier to achieve and maintain. Since then, many manufacturers and developers of video conferencing tools have adopted the H.323 guidelines as their own. Web conferencing solutions such as Click to Meet, Lotus's SameTime, and WebEx also offer corporate solutions that are based on Internet video conferencing. These systems have shared protocols that can be downloaded and used anywhere at any location for subscribers through the Internet. These are becoming more popular with companies who like the convenience and user-friendliness. They will no doubt become more and more refined over time, vying with and perhaps surpassing the H.323 standards. Overcoming firewall issues There are, of course, obstacles to overcome when you take a look at how video conferencing works. After all, you're sending vast amounts of translated data either directly or through a gatekeeper system (the MCU) that is switching and transferring information between a variety of computers. Just about any business these days has a firewall system to provide security and protect the system from potential viruses. Trouble is, many firewalls also block the transmission of data for video conferencing. Recent innovations have largely circumvented these problems by designing firewall solutions that recognize video conferencing signaling requests and allow the information packets to bypass the firewall or router without disabling the firewall protection for other traffic. Even with this, however, there may be occasions when packets are dropped because of heavy traffic on the system, so investing in a firewall system that can handle substantial traffic is essential to quality video conferencing performance. How video conferencing works will certainly evolve over time and improve in the coming years, but a basic understanding of what it is and how it works now will help you make the best choice for you when you're ready to begin using video conferencing yourself. This article on the "How Video Conferencing Works" reprinted with permission.

Copyright © 2004 Evaluseek Publishing.

About the Author

Lori Wilkerson is a full-time freelance writer who loves her job because it
gives her the opportunity to learn more about the world every day. Right now,
she knows a little bit about almost everything, and a lot about
video conferencing,

video teleconferencing, and

desktop video conferencing. She has two dogs who are spoiled
and one teenager who is not. She does her video conferencing in pink bunny
slippers.

The Basics of Video Conferencing

Modern business operations all share the same rapidly depleting commodity: Time. When time is leveraged, productivity and output invariably increases within a business organization. Technology continues to provide workers and businesses with new tools to help leverage time. Video conferencing could prove to be one of the most important time leveraging business tools of the 21st century.

Once a luxury for only the largest companies, video conferencing is beginning to change the landscape of how businesses communicate with both employees and clients. In its simplest form, video conferencing allows two individuals to be thousands of miles apart yet still effectively communicate as if they were in the same room. Systems in use today can now connect multiple parties across multiple continents - in real time with excellent and high quality video and audio.

The Origins of Video Conferencing

Video conferencing capabilities originated in the 1970s. Similar to every other technology in use today, video conferencing has changed dramatically since first being developed. Early proponents of video conferencing technology had no standards or protocols to rely on. This fact made a teleconference via video an expensive proposition - one that only huge companies and government agencies could afford. In a time where cell phones were still a decade away for most consumers and businesses, video teleconferences were few and far between.

Today, affordable networks and systems are widely available across the globe. Interoperability of video teleconferencing systems is virtually guaranteed now that standards and protocols have been clearly established.

Specific Standards and Protocols for Video Conferencing

To make any technology usable for the masses, standards and protocols are required to insure systems, software and hardware are ubiquitous across the board.

To help guarantee video teleconferencing compatibility between manufacturers, the International Telecommunications Union developed and defined a series of video conferencing standards. In place since the mid-1990s, current standards are defined in terms of H.3xx.

H.3xx are "umbrella" recommendations for video conferencing. They include the protocols for coding video/audio, multiplexing, signaling, and control.

The core H.3xx recommendations are as follows:

H.320 - Narrow-band video conferencing over circuit-switched networks (N-ISDN, SW56, dedicated networks) H.321 - Narrow-band video conferencing over ATM and B-ISDN H.323 - Narrow-band video conferencing over non-guaranteed quality-of-service packet networks (LAN, Internet, etc.) H.324 - Very narrow-band video conferencing over the general (dial-up) telephone network H.310 - Wide-band (MPEG-2) video conferencing over ATM and B-ISDN H.323 is a standard for audio, video, and data communication over IP-based (Internet Protocol) networks.

All major video conferencing manufacturers produce ITU compliant equipment. When choosing video conference equipment, be sure that you select a system that does not offer only proprietary methods of operation.

How Video Conferencing Works

The success of a video teleconference depends entirely on the equipment and network capabilities behind that equipment.

Since real-time video contains a tremendous amount of data, it is imperative that the system being used can handle a high amount of bandwidth at any given time. Fortunately, video conferencing systems are designed to "sample" and "compress" a certain portion of data (such as the unchanging "background' of the room) to help conserve bandwidth. This compression is accomplished through what is commonly known as a "codec". A video codec is the device or software that enables video compression and or decompression for digital video.

It is the job of the codec to "sample" data at specific time intervals (fractions of a second) and then compress this data so that it can be delivered across the network. The codec on the receiving end then reassembles audio and video for transmission onto a television or computer screen. To conserve bandwidth, the codec focuses on the most important data - i.e. moving objects such as people, props, etc. Moving objects take a considerable amount of processing power, so the better the codec, the higher quality your video conference will appear.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Choosing a Video Conferencing Solution

A wide variety of video conferencing systems are available in the marketplace. Before purchasing equipment or services from vendors, consider the following as a starting point to narrow down the requirements of a system that fits with your business needs:

How will you be using video conferencing? A simple video conference between employees in the same town, building or area will require a more basic solution than video conferencing multiple parties across the vast distances. Determine the maximum video conference scenario you will be utilizing to narrow down bandwidth and equipment requirements.

How large is the meeting room where you plan to conduct video conferences? Camera capabilities will depend on the size of the room and number of people involved. Conducting a video conference in a small auditorium with dozens of participants will require a quite different solution than 1-2 individuals transmitting from a small office.

On what type of network will your video conference be hosted? The network you choose to host your videoconference will play a key role in overall reliability and performance. Most video conferencing systems sold today include an IP interface with ISDN as an option. Determine the capabilities of your network before deciding on any one specific video conferencing solution.

The Future of Video Conferencing

Increasing productivity while reducing costs will always be an important part of any business. The popularity of video conferencing will undoubtedly increase in the coming years. Virtually all industries will eventually utilize video conferencing in some form to help bring people together - at considerably less cost than physical travel for face-to-face meetings. As more corporations, health care providers and governments experience the value in video conferencing as a time and money-saving tool, the technology will become more necessity than luxury. The age of the video conference has just begun!

Karen Thatcher is President and CEO of TelCon Associates, Inc., a 35 year old telecom consulting and bill management firm. For a variety of free tools to help manage and reduce your corporate telecom expenses, visit http://www.telconassociates.com

Video Conferencing Guide - Learn About Video Conferencing

Video conferencing allows people at two or more locations to interact through two-way transmission at the same time. Video conferencing is also known as video teleconferencing or visual collaboration. Users require a computer, web cam, microphone, and a broadband connection to participate in videoconference. They can generate natural conversations by seeing and hearing each other. Videoconference of two persons is known as point-to-point while the conference of more than two people is called multipoint conference.

Videoconferencing is very useful way of communication because it saves money as well as time. People can do several business activities or meetings with two or more persons while sitting at office table. They don't need to go anywhere to meet someone. Basic requirements for video conferencing are guaranteed latency, synchronization and broadcast. It enables people to have face-to-face meetings from a wide distance. Prices of teleconferencing are generally less than costs of travel. It's an easy way to hold meetings, conduct interviews, give lectures and address employees.

Video conferencing is the best way of communication in medical, legal and educational fields. Normally there are three ways such as computer-based system, desktop system and studio-based system to set up a videoconference. There is a limited field of vision in Computer-based system that is why it is the cheapest way of video conferencing. Desktop system improves the quality of audio and video transmission due to dedicated hardware installed on the computer. Most expensive method of video conferencing is studio-based system that offers best quality conferencing. It is mostly used in large-scale companies and universities. Studio-based system is just like a room that is fully equipped with control systems, document viewers, overhead cameras, vision switchers and slide viewers.

An organization, company, educational facility or individual requires some basic components to take complete advantages of video conferencing. Necessary equipment for videoconferencing is camera that lets user to capture video information at his or her site and transmit to someone on the other site. Video display is used to display video at their site and a microphone to hear the audio material.

Videoconferencing terminals require a compressor/decompressor interface that helps in compressing the information while passing from audio to video to make transmission of materials sufficient over net. It is useful in sending the large files from one computer to another. Codec machine also works for decoding and encoding the useful information. A computer and high-speed Internet connection are essential for a successful video conferencing. High-speed Internet connection makes your video conferencing effective and interesting.

Video conferencing is reliable and an excellent method of communication. Videoconference can easily connect you with other companies. You can generate your business from one place and give instructions to your subordinates. It makes bright future for your business and institution. This pioneering technology keeps your company up to date.

Video conferencing is currently an affordable way of communication. A large range of videoconference units is available in the market. Buyers should check company expansion and system compatibility while choosing the best video conferencing unit.

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