Overview of

Videoconferencing
 "Facing the Challenge of a New Age"

“This new world of geographical togetherness has

been brought about, to a great extent, by man's
scientific and technological genius. Man has been
able to dwarf distance, place time in chains and
carve highways through the stratosphere. Through
our scientific genius, we have made the world a
neighborhood…”

Martin Luther King, Jr., December, 1956

Overview of Videoconferencing - Slide #2

Videoconferencing – What Is It?

“Video conferencing in its most basic form is

the transmission of image (video) and
speech (audio) back and forth between two
or more physically separate locations.”

Video Conferencing Cookbook.

http://www.vide.gatech.edu/cookbook2.0/

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 Videoconferencing Components

 Cameras (to capture and send video from

your local endpoint)
 Video displays (to display video received
from remote endpoints)
 Microphones (to capture and send audio
from your local endpoint)
 Speakers (to play audio received from
remote endpoints)

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 Various Uses:
 Presentations
 Virtual meetings
 Videoconference-based learning
 JIT (just in time) events
 Recruitment/search committees
 General meetings

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 Additional Uses:
 Project coordination
 Informal work sessions
 Alumni relations
 Question and answer sessions

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 Videoconferencing Is Passé
Terminology
 Traditional videoconferencing was about
audio-video communications to facilitate
meetings without the burden of travel.
 Visual collaboration is much more; it is the
combination of audio and video and data in
both real-time and store-and-forward
applications.
 It’s not just about meetings anymore.

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 Visual Collaboration

Meetings Meetings, presentations,

training
Work alone Teaming, local and remote
On-site training Distance learning, online
training
Save Money Be more productive
Reliable connections Managed network services
Videoconferencing Visual collaboration
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 Benefits of Videoconferencing
 Can improve work quality
 Increase productivity
 Reduce costs
 Improves communication
 Groups can meet more frequently
 Critical meetings can be convened in less time
 More faculty and staff can be involved

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Benefits of Videoconference-based
Learning
 Closely resembles traditional classroom-based
education; permits learners to be active
participants in the process
 Faculty and staff needs can be met more quickly
through just-in-time training
 More faculty and staff can be trained faster
without increasing training resources
 Guest lecturers can be easily integrated into the
course

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Benefits of Videoconference-based
Learning
 Enables any site to be the provider of the learning
activities.
 Videoconferencing is cost-effective, when you
consider the traveling costs for traditional training.
 Videoconference-based learning exploits the
already acquired videoconferencing technologies
and network infrastructure.
 H.323 standards provide for learners in any H.323
compliant site to be active participants.

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Limitations of Videoconferencing
 The initial cost of the equipment and leasing the
lines to transmit conferences may be prohibitive.
 Unless a strong effort is made by the instructor,
students not located with the instructor may
remain uninvolved in the course.
 If visuals, like handwritten or copied materials, are
not properly prepared, students may have a
difficult time reading them.

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Limitations of Videoconferencing
 If the “pipe” that carries the transmission among
sites is not large enough, the students may observe
“ghost images” when rapid movement occurs in
“real time”
 If the system is not properly configured, class
members may observe an audio “echo” effect.
The result is audio interference that detracts from
the learning environment.

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Limitations of Videoconferencing
 The absence of QOS (Quality of Service) provides
virtually no guarantee of a satisfying and
successful experience
 Though the technology is improving, a successful
videoconference is dependent upon the
connections and technologies at all of the
participating sites, AND the network infrastructure
 Security issues

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 Tricks Of The Trade
 At the beginning of a videoconference make sure
that participants introduce themselves. It is often
helpful to have a sign in the background that gives
your location.
 Look directly at the camera as often as possible
when speaking.
 Wear neutral, solid colors. Avoid checks and
stripes. Avoid white and shades of red. Red is not
codec-friendly. Bright fluorescent objects also
cause halo effects and other distracting artifacts.

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 Tricks Of The Trade
 Be natural, but try to minimize motion.
 Try to arrange a simple, uncluttered, static
background in neutral or darker solid
colors. Do not sit in front of windows. Tilt
pictures, framed degrees, awards or any
other glass-covered wall hanging downward
to eliminate reflection and glare.

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 Tricks Of The Trade
 Try to have direct light on the face of the person
speaking. Too much light from behind causes
silhouetting, too much from above causes shadows
under the eyes.
 Avoid placing videoconferencing equipment in
rooms prone to echo effects or exposed to outside
noise. Eliminate in-room sources of extraneous
noise. On multipoint video conferences mute your
location when not speaking.

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 Tricks Of The Trade
 Be aware of the transmission delay ... pause
for others to comment.
 When asking questions in a group
conference, direct the question to a specific
individual if possible.
 Use a real or even a fake plant to humanize
the setting.
Visual Collaboration
Andrew W. Davis
Wainhouse Research
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 Video Conferencing Etiquette
 This is new and we are learning.
 Those who come from a television
(production, not watching) as opposed to a
computer background tend to be more
effective.

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Prepare for the Worst Case Scenario
 Share telephone numbers with your remote
facilitator and troubleshooters.
 Make sure you (and your troubleshooters) are
familiar with the equipment.
 Establish your connection 15-30 minutes prior to
the meeting time. Most technical problems are
observable when establishing a connection.
 If you have never connected with your remote site
plan a "dry run" a week or so ahead of time.

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 Video Conferencing Etiquette
 Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3,…
– Connect and test PRIOR to the scheduled time
– Utilize the picture-in-picture to get a sense of
what the remote sites are seeing
 Leaving well enough alone…
– If the videoconference is satisfactory make as
few adjustments as possible
– Unnecessary "twiddling" of audio or video can
have very distracting results.

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 Video Conferencing Etiquette
 Are you still with me?
– Videoconferencing is much more like an in
person exchange than a telephone call — body
language and facial expression count!
– Avoid "multi-tasking" with other work, looking
at other applications on the computer screen,
talking to other local participants.

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 Video Conferencing Etiquette
 Talking out of turn…
– Stray noises and side conversations within a
video conference distract from the primary
conversation.
– Side conversations at remote sites seem to
spring up more readily than they would if
everyone were in the same actual room, which
causes problems to voice-activated switching.

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