Desktop Video 1

CLASS: INSS 690 Research Paper

PROFESSOR: John Meinke

DATE: August 1, 1999

TOPIC: Video Desktop Tools & Business

PRESENTED BY: Brian Smith

Desktop Video 2

Abstract

In today's global market, business relies heavily on all forms of communication.

Effective communication is a very powerful business tool. Video Teleconference

Communication (VTC) systems provide major businesses with the virtual tools

necessary for building a new era in conferencing. Each business will need to evaluate

long term goals and strategic decisions before entering the VTC market. Areas such

as hardware and software, network infrastructure and other issues must be addressed

with each business. There have been several case studies completed in both large and

small communities that support the validity of investing in a VTC system. In the near

future, with Distance Education taking an active part in linking classrooms around the

world, for example, VTC systems will grow. A business with a solid VTC system is a

powerful business.

Desktop Video 3

1. Introduction

a. scope of video conference for business

2. Four eras of video conferencing

a. custom room

b. roll-about

c. desktop initiative

d. set-top

3. Hardware and software

a. DSP chips

b. H.323

4. Etiquette

-nine rules

5. Problems with VTC

a. complicated systems

b. expensive

c. standardization

d. incompatibility

6. Positive attributes

a. sense of presence

b. social impact

-schools, students, faculty, community

7. Evaluation

- business needs

Desktop Video 4

8. VTC systems

a. unicast

b. broadcast

c. multicast

9. Quality gauges

a. frames per second

b. return on investment

c. storage

10. Uses

a. entertainment industry

b. advertising

c. medical field

d. corporate training

e. distance education

11. Conclusion

12. References

13. Diagrams

Thesis Statement: Video Telephone Conferencing (VTC) is gaining a market as a

business communication tool. Organizations that use Video Conferencing as a

communication tool, in today's market, will gain competitive advantage over

businesses that do not.

Desktop Video 5

Video conferencing is a rapidly developing area in the realm of information

technology. This is a viable topic because many businesses are moving toward

desktop video conferencing as a form of communication. Current technologies in

business consist of phone, fax, e-mail, web, post mail and in-person conferences.

Computer based video conferencing is a new format made from a combination of

several current technologies. The new video conference format is virtual, in-person

contact which takes place in real time.

There are several technological issues that have helped to significantly open

the video conferencing market to businesses. The associated costs of the

infrastructure have decreased. Computer networks that can handle the high

bandwidth of video conferencing have dropped in price. Computers are growing in

processing speed while decreasing in price. Huge costs to businesses, such as large

in-person conferences, can be reduced with video conferencing. Costs related to

finding meeting space, transportation to conferences, and lodging can be replaced by

using video telephone conferencing.

Although video conferencing is a growing area of interest that will become a

major factor in many business decisions, the future growth of desktop video has not

yet been fully realized. It includes areas such as: distance education, training,

delivery of information, and entertainment. These are areas of large growth which

should develop into viable business needs in the years to come.

In the last few years, computers and businesses have blended even further.

Businesses have come to rely heavily on computers. To gain a leading edge over

other competitors, businesses strive for the competitive advantage. Nearly all types

Desktop Video 6

and sizes of companies depend on computer technology to gain the advantage. From

small family run stores to conglomerate corporations, they both need computer

technology to assist with strategic business decisions. Many businesses today use

the internet for communication. From on-line advertisement to corporate

communication, internet tools for business communication are gaining in popularity.

Not too long ago, businesses communicated primarily through personal meetings or

paper mail. These forms of communication are still widely used today; however,

communication through new technology is gaining popularity.

This paper will discuss emerging communication tools used with large

organizations and universities. Both businesses have a substantial interest in video

conferencing as well as the time and money needed to invest in the system. In order to

gain a strong reference point for the improvements in VTC hardware, a background of

previous VTC processes are needed.

Hinman (1999) describes the four eras in VTC: In the Custom Room Era,

Codec boards were installed and used in a coder/decoder machine, which was

installed in a custom built conference room. The size of these Codecs were relatively

large and bulky. Each system costs about $100,00.00. For the system to work,

businesses needed to outfit two different offices with identical systems. Also, special

technical employees were needed to maintain the equipment.

In the Roll-about Era, in the late 1980’s, Codecs were made to be smaller and

more portable, hence the name Roll-about. Users could roll the equipment into a room

and set it up in a small area. This type of equipment cost half the price of custom

room era machines.

Desktop Video 7

In the Desktop Initiative era, these systems were built for the desktop

computer. The computer monitor is used for the display with a small camera and

microphone attached nearby. Today, these systems are mainly used in the home

consumer market, because processing power from outfitted desktops still produces a

low end picture. This version, however, is available at a low cost, which has much

appeal for the average home computer owner. Typical hardware counted in this

category include the $99 Quick Cam Camera and related software. The device is a

simple video camera designed to work over existing telephone lines and through a

standard computer modem. Although video quality greatly varies depending on

network traffic, it is acceptable for personal entertainment use.

In the one of the current eras, the Set-Top era, the trend is VTC equipment. In

this hardware category, the typical desktop computer is taken out of the equipment.

The products are designed for portable use. The normal desktop functions are taken

out of the system, which frees system resources for digital processing of the video.

Since the hardware is specifically used for video transmission, this solution is more

clean and it provides a much higher quality picture. This category is designed for

professional business systems, . One type is the Viewstation MP (Multi-Point) from

Ahern Communications.

All four types of VTCs are still in use today. Most businesses have upgraded

the equipment and are now following the current trend with hardware independent

systems. Since the VTC market has improved in size and cost, more businesses are

entering the market.

Desktop Video 8

To allow VTC devices to communicate properly, the existing hardware

infrastructure must be examined. Today, fiber optic lines are being used with most

businesses. Major businesses and universities have invested in fiber lines. Fiber

optics allow huge amounts of voice, data and video imagery to be transmitted

instantaneously. This sets the stage for the use of interactive video conferencing

Today’s high end VTC equipment is based mainly on hardware: Digital Signal

Processing (DSP) chips and integrated Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC)

chips are used. Software for higher end systems, such as Viewstation, are integrated

into the system. The current trend of VTC systems is to use set top devices.

Software for these are minimal in situations where the desktop computer has been

eliminated. This is a major advantage, because it allows system resources to be used

more effectively for compressing video. The Viewstation, however, does provide an

embedded web server and Ethernet hub for remote system management. There is an

easy connection port which allows the user to add a desktop PC for multi-media

presentations through such applications as Microsoft’s PowerPoint (ViewStation MP).

The largest software issue is the International Telecommunications Union

(ITU) standard for packet switched conferencing, H.323. This standard brings

together users from all types of VTC hardware and software (Weil, 1997). H.323 is a

communication standard, completed in 1996, which defines Video Teleconferencing

terminal operations over packet networks such as Ethernet LANs and the internet

(Hinmann, 1999).

The H.323 standard provides a means of transmitting audio, video, and data

signals over the existing, and evolving, communication networks. In general,

Desktop Video 9

the data component is transmitted by means of the T.120. The T.120 specifies

how computer data, such as white boards and spreadsheets, can be

collaboratively shared between VTC users (Schaphorst, 1999).

The ITU committee has worked hard to ensure that all types of VTC will work

together. From packet switching (internet) to circuit-switched networks (ISDN) all

systems are coming together for easy integration.

Since users will not only listen to but also watch their business partner on the

screen, several etiquette rules have been developed to ensure effective video

conferences. These guidelines stated by Andres, will help end users maintain a

professional attitude and ensure high quality video.

1. Lighting – The better the lighting, the better the viewing experience. If the video

is dark and murky, the end user will have trouble concentrating.

2. Eye Contact – As with any form of personal communication, eye contact is often

very important. The speaker and listener must maintain a level of eye contact.

3. Audio – In using VTC, audio is half the experience. The speaker must talk loud

and distinct. If the conference involves more than two people, each person must

be patient and careful not to overlap conversations. This may feel a bit awkward

in a conference setting, however, clear audio is essential. The distinct sounds of a

conference give social cues and have been shown to elicit perceptions that one

computer is made up of multiple distinct entities.

4. Props – Various visual aids will help with the video presentation. The designers

of VTC systems have worked hard to incorporate visual aids, such as whiteboards.

Desktop Video 10

5. Interaction – The main reason for using live video is to allow viewers to interact

with each other. VTC’s are not recommended for one-way broadcasts.

6. Appearance – It is important for participants to remember that they are on camera

at all times. Because they communicating with a virtual image, they may forget

their actions are also being transmitted .

7. Moderator – A well planned conference requires a moderator to lead discussions

and keep the discussion flowing. When props are used, only the moderator should

handle them. If more than one person attempts to manipulate data on the

whiteboard, confusion can occur.

8. Rehearsals – This is a good idea to help new members feel conformable in front of

the camera. It also serves to test the system so that problems can be worked out

before transmission begins.

9. Show Must Go On – As with any live video performance, the show must always

go on. When technical difficulties occur, such as one of the participant’s server

crashes, everyone must fill in. VTC systems, like other equipment, breakdown at

times.

With any new form of communication, there are always many issues that

surround its use. Since this is an emerging form, there are some negative aspects of

VTC. Intel has carefully studied business practices that use video teleconferencing.

Four important negative aspects were discovered. The first is that older systems

required Codecs, which were complicated devices. Each Codec board had to be

properly configured for the system to work correctly. (Weil, 1998). This type of

problem was inherent from first generation “Custom Room Era” systems. (Hinmann,

Desktop Video 11

1999). To correct this, technology has moved away from bulky Codec boards toward

Plug & Play devices. Now users have one device that holds the camera and the

microphone can be easily moved.

The second problem was that the VTC systems were too expensive. As with

any developing technology, the price for an early system is generally high. As time

passes, more people buy the product and the next generation of technology is

introduced. At this time, the price of the system usually lowers.

The third problem involved a concern about standards. In the early stage of

VTCs, the equipment was not standardized. Each company used a different protocol

for sending and receiving data. This did not help the industry grow because

businesses did not want to purchase equipment that may be incompatible with other

systems. For example, a business buys a VTC system that uses ISDN for its

communication lines. Another business buys VTC and their system uses LAN

standards. These two businesses would not be able to communicate together because

of their incompatible equipment. Today, VTC equipment is more flexible and can

now handle both types of connections. Compatibility issues have always been a weak

point for computer systems.

The last major problem Intel found was the interoperability between desktop

VTC systems and conference room systems. As mentioned earlier , the desktop

system includes a desktop computer that is fitted with a camera and software. The

conference room system is a dedicated room with special hardware for the camera.

Both systems hold different software and hardware specifications and could not

communicate with one another.

Desktop Video 12

According to Rob Fenty, director of Marketing for Intel’s Business

Communication Products, only about two percent of companies have a video

conference room. Of those who have one, they utilize the room about 15 percent of

the day (Needle, 1999), These numbers do not seem to reflect a positive image for

VTCs, but Fenty states, “There are now five million conference rooms worldwide.

There is a lot of money being spent to make them productive.” There are, however,

other areas that must be worked out in order for this technology to thrive. Most home

end users employ the POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) (Needle, 1999). For

companies, working around a slower infrastructure to bring VTC to the masses has

proved difficult.

Lombard (1997) states, "Video Teleconferencing evokes a level of mediated

experience, which creates for the user a strong sense of presence”(p.2). The level of

realism that video conferencing provides is changing many of the ways users work,

play, and live. In the business world, video conferencing has already begun to replace

physical travel. Lombard shows that…..:

A form of presence as transportation is found in literature concerning

video conferencing as well as virtual reality. For example in a study of video

conferencing…defined “teleprense in video communications” as “the degree to

which participants of a telemeeting get the impression of sharing space with

interlocutors who are at a remote physical site” This was measured by asking

participants to report the degree to which they agreed or disagreed with

statements such as “It felt as if were all in the same room” and It felt like a real

face-to-face meeting” Some of the pioneers of virtual reality have suggested

Desktop Video 13

that its greatest potential is as a virtual gathering place in which people from

around the block or around the world will be able to gather in a shared virtual

space that is different from any of the individuals “real” environments…

Precursors of these distributed environments include the popular “chat rooms”

of today's Internet.

This form of communication has brought us closer to traditional, in-person

meetings. This is VTCs greatest advantage over other traditional forms of

communication: it brings people from around the world closer. There are situations

when a person to person conference is impossible. For example, it is not plausible for

a scientific crew in the remote Arctic circle to physically meet with other scientists

around the globe. Although their situation prohibits meetings, they can meet with

others via VTC.

As a case study on the benefits of video conferencing, several schools in the

St. Louis area have tested video conferencing. After careful monitoring of the new

technology, they found it to benefit not only the school, but also the students, faculty

and community. The table below lists some of the benefits found in that particular

case study (Hamilton, 1997).

1. School – Increased use of video conferencing can assist a teacher in

reaching out to many more students than would otherwise be possible. This

has the added benefit of also helping to increase enrollments. It also shows

that the school is on the leading edge of technology.

Desktop Video 14

2. Students – They have had an opportunity to gain hands-on experience

using real life situations geared toward business-oriented jobs in today’s

market.

3. Faculty – They have been provided with access to other staff members.

This allows for an easy exchange of ideas and techniques.

4. Community – Using this medium has better educated the graduating

students. This is especially helpful for those students looking for jobs on

the local market. It promotes a healthy unity between the school and the

city.

In this study, the benefits of video conferencing are cumulative. Another

benefit deals with saving money by reducing business trips. Savings can include:

airfare, food, lodging, automotive and labor costs. In the above example, the St.

Louis study found that they saved money on travel expenses by using VTC.

With this new technology making it easier for large corporations to

communicate, an important question must be asked: Will every business need VTC?

Each company will need to determine the answer that suits them, however, there are a

few things that must first be considered. The scope of their business must be defined.

A small roofing business, employing ten people in one office site, probably does not

need VTC. A large business such as Robert Bosch, headquartered in Germany with

regional offices around the world, may benefit from VTC.

Several factors must be evaluated in order to determine whether VTC will be

needed. Corporate spending, employee size, goods and services produced, long term

business goals, and available local resources in the area should be considered. All of

Desktop Video 15

these factors should be considered when choosing to use VTC as a business tool.

Each business will rate these variables differently according to their needs. Below are

various determinates for a business to use as a cost beneficial analysis.

Digital video communication can take a lot of bandwidth. There are a lot of

factors that determine bandwidth use: computer and cable speeds, the number of users

sending and receiving video on a network, and the quality of video being captured.

Designers of network systems have worked out various ways to eliminate the

bandwidth crunch with desktop video. The three common systems include: Unicast,

Broadcast and Multicast.

The Unicast system, which is also called point-to-point is the heaviest user of

bandwidth. The network can only support a limited amount of computers running

VTC. It is limited by the bandwidth available on the network. Every computer is

connected to and talking with every other computer on the system (see Diagram 1).

Each arrow indicates a channel that is active on that machine. In the third diagram,

every computer has three channels leaving and three channels entering. As each

network gains a user, the bandwidth increases dramatically.

Broadcasting over a network is a similar application, but it does not require the

amount of bandwidth that Unicast needs. Broadcasting is a one-way transmission.

An example is one computer sending out a message to every computer. Since these

transmissions are only one-way (from sender to receiver), this cuts the bandwidth

requirements by half of what Unicast requires. The decreased amount of bandwidth

still has one major drawback. Each machine receives the data packets over the

network even when the computer does not need it. The diagram below shows user A

Desktop Video 16

sending a message over the network to user B through user F (see Diagram 2). The

video signal is passing through computer F even if user F is not interested in the video

message.

Multicast is the recommended system, because it is based on a computer that

signs up to receive or send data. In this system, the end user signs onto a host address

which sends the data. This is similar to Broadcasting, however, the video data is sent

only to those users requesting it. This eliminates the possibility of overloading the

network with data sent to users who do not want it. One unique property of Multicast

is that it only sends one copy of the data at a time. The only time it duplicates the

data packet is at a router or where the network path splits. The Multicast diagram

shows two network segments and the data path of a video signal (see Diagram 3).

User A-1 on Network # 1 is sending a video signal to the special IP address. This

message is sent once to both users C-1 and F-1. Users B-1, D-1 and E-1 are not

requesting the video signal, so there is no message being sent to them. On Network #

2, only three users are requesting the video signal from user A-1. The message is

copied at the router and sent to the special IP address on Network # 2. This

eliminates waste in bandwidth resources which provides a healthier network.

Multicast does require equipment that supports multicasting on a network. For

example, network cards, routers, firewalls, TCP/IP software and the receiving

computer must be multicast compatible (IVC, doc. 16). Today, most equipment

purchased for the network environment is multicast compatible.

Desktop Video 17

One of the factors that determine the smoothness of the video signal is the

frame rate. Frames Per Second (FPS) are the amount of frames displayed in one

second. A simple comparison shows some common FPS:

1 - 35mm Theater Projector runs at 24 FPS

2 - NTSC Television signal runs at 30 FPS

3 - VTC signal can vary from 1 FPS to 30 FPS, depending on available

bandwidth

In order for the human brain to perceive a smooth moving picture, the frame rate must

be higher than 16 FPS. The theater projector and TV signal run at a constant speed.

The VTC signal can fluctuate according to the frame relay. This is a method of

compressing data into variable sizes according to which bandwidth is available on the

network (IVC, doc. 3). This provides the software and hardware a way to compensate

for heavy network traffic.

Depending on business needs, there are three VTC systems from which to

choose. There are some major factors to consider when deciding which system is best

for business. These considerations include the budget for the equipment, video

quality needed, and available hardware and software resources.

The desktop video camera has gained popularity in households across the

country. Two products in this category are: the Quick Cam Pro from Logitech and

Internet Video Email from Cvideo-Mail. Of the three VTC systems, the desktop

video costs the least. Current prices for the Quick Cam Pro camera and software are

close to $100. Setup for these systems is easiest for the end users. The camera plugs

into an available Universal Serial Bus (USB) and the user installs the software.

Desktop Video 18

Picture quality is affected by the speed of the computer, the size of the active screen

and the user’s available bandwidth. Since the majority of end users are at home using

a modem, quality is usually considered poor for business use. The active picture may

be rather small, with a resolution of 320 x 240 and the motion jerky with 10 FPS.

This system would be ideal for a small startup business that needs a quick solution to

VTC.

Still built around the computer desktop, Intelect Visual Communication's

(IVC) LANscape is an add-on for the networked PC. This system from IVC is

designed for a LAN based networked desktop computer. A CODEC board is installed

on a empty port on the PC. This board handles the coding/decoding of the video data

signal which frees other computer resources. The camera plugs directly into the

CODEC board. IVC has targeted medium to large size business with the LAN or

WAN based VTC. Because this system runs on the LAN, it potentially can carry

higher quality video. This is dependant on the available bandwidth over the network,

but a LAN system could support 100 megabits per second (MPS) (IVC doc. 3). Since

this system requires more hardware and software, it is more expensive. The price for

one computer station costs $3,999. The target audience for a system of this quality

would be larger businesses that have an existing network. Schools, for example,

could outfit departments with IVC devices to monitor labs or classes.

The last system is marketed for the business professional. Polycom

corporation makes the ViewStation MP system which currently cost $11,999.00 per

unit. This level of technology produces a rather simple device, belonging to the Set-

Top Era. The system includes an integrated camera unit, microphone and embedded

Desktop Video 19

web server for remote system management. In this price category, only large

businesses needing high quality video on a secure system would purchase this type of

hardware. The ViewStation is designed to run on a 56K modem to a 512K line. At

these speeds, the ViewStation can deliver a full 30 FPS to provide smooth video.

This device can easily be connected to a PC to provide shared software and

presentation tools. The price range for the ViewStation will exclude many businesses

from purchasing, but a large business that needs a professional communication tool

would likely use this.

Each of these systems has positive and negative attributes. A business looking

for a VTC system to expand its communication lines will need to look at the types of

services offered. Three major determinates are: price of system, quality of video, and

hardware and software resources.

Consider, for example, the Robert Bosch corporation. Headquartered in

Germany, the company has regional offices throughout Western Europe. It has a

corporate headquarters in Chicago and in Tokyo, with divisions throughout each

country. The Bosch corporation makes, produces and sells a range of products from

car parts to coffee makers. With so many offices spread around the world, they would

find potential uses for VTC. The headquarters from each area would surely need to

establish a communication link between worldwide offices. Video conferencing can

be implemented in several ways. For example, the headquarters building in Chicago

has a LAN system already installed for their current network. Various departments

within that headquarters can be outfitted for VTC. If the business needs the various

regional offices to communicate together through VTC, a dedicated T-1 line would

Desktop Video 20

carry the video to them. The underlying question remains: Will the overhead cost of

VTC benefit the business in the long run? If a business can justify the total cost of a

VTC system compared to current means of communication, then VTC is a viable

solution.

A benefit of video teleconferencing is that the video and audio can be

recorded. JAD sessions, status reports and training sessions are captured with VTC

equipment and can be easily saved in digital form. These sessions can be placed on a

media server, recorded onto a CD-ROM or saved to the hard drive for later use. The

IVC corporation states in 1998 a simple a comparison of various video rates and their

required digital storage space:

Type of video Compression Type Rate (Mbps) Storage (30 min)

Desktop video AVI .55 122 MB

VCR MPEG-1 1.5 350 MB

Broadcast video MPEG-2 4 to 10 .9 to 2.25 GB

Standard TV NTSC 177 40 GB

As the chart indicates, desktop video saved in the .AVI file format only takes

122MB for 30 minutes of recorded video. With the prices of today's hard drives

falling drastically, an organization can save hours of video on one hard drive. These

meetings can be archived to CD-ROM, which could hold over 3 hours worth of digital

video. If even more space on a drive is needed, these files can be recorded to the

Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) which can hold 8GB per side (Taylor, 1998). Several

hours can be recorded on one side of a DVD drive to provide an exceptional archive

for VTC. Businesses can pull up prior sessions on demand, with the capability to

Desktop Video 21

stop, play, fast forward and rewind certain areas. This is a convenient way to archive

sessions for later use.

VTC can be extremely useful for many different types of applications. This

paper has focused mainly on the business side of VTC, however, there are many other

uses. The entertainment industry can benefit from the use of VTC. Major

broadcasting stations in the United States can use this technology to provide a faster

news gathering service. Some examples include: remote video editing, collaboration

on projects done in the field and at headquarters, and review of future stories. Cable

News Network (CNN), for example, is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. With local

affiliates across the United States, CNN has a diverse networked system. It is

possible for CNN affiliates to gather news stories and send them to the headquarters

for review. This would provide the managers with up-to-date information from field

offices.

Another use for VTC comes in the form of advertising. Businesses rely

heavily on advertising to help gain consumers. Users that have a VTC system

installed can see "commercials" over video. One possible placement for this would be

in a library. A large corporation, such as Oracle, could install VTC systems into

public libraries. The libraries would not be charged for the equipment as long as

Oracle could provide server business commercials at the beginning of every video

call.

This could be both a benefit and a detriment. There are ethical issues parents

or community members might have with digital advertising in this manner. Parents

and community members might also appreciate the benefits of the system. In this

Desktop Video 22

scenario, everyone is considered a winner. The library gains free equipment for

public use, which draws more people in. The public gains access to free video

telephone conferencing equipment that otherwise might not be attainable. Oracle

stands to gain advertising dollars and name recognition by placing the equipment into

the library. Corporate sponsorship of new technology benefits many people. The

advertising produced is a necessary by-product.

The medical field could also benefit greatly from videoconferencing. Doctors

can make remote observations of high risk patients with VTC cameras installed in the

room. In this case, a VTC camera is installed to monitor a patient’s behavior. The

video can be monitored from a doctor’s desktop computer connected to a network. A

doctor may have several rooms that he or she works daily. The patient can be

monitored from any desktop computer on the network in these rooms. It is also

possible for doctors to take a quick emergency call at home using this type of

communication system.

Corporate training is gaining popularity in large businesses. This system is

designed to educate many employees at the desktop. For example, a business might

hire 20 employees at one time. These employees would probably all need training at

the same time. A business that uses high speed networks could train new employees

by installing VTC equipment on each user’s desktop. Each employee would be

lectured at the desktop with the other employees training at the same time. This

would establish employees at their workstation with their new working environment.

Training via computers is a form of Distance Education (DE). This is one

field that shows the greatest potential for expansion. One of the greatest advantages

Desktop Video 23

that DE has is that it can tie schools and students together without physical

boundaries. For example, the community of North Slope and the school district in

Alaska has a sparse population. The school districts are many miles apart and the

schools have a very small student body. A problem for the community was that there

was not enough specialized teachers for every school. The district decided to link 8

schools together to bring a vast area into one classroom. Through VTC, students

across Alaska now have access to special classes not previously available. Harrison

states that:

One way to think of distance education is a way of providing equal access to

the highest level of interactive education possible. According to this

definition, more and more opportunities are arising for distance education in

situations that have never before been considered (1999).

Current business communication tools have included phone, fax and e-mail.

Computer and computer accessory prices have fallen sharply. This has provided an

increase in new communication devices, one of which is a virtual, in-person

communication link through the desktop computer. Competitive advantage is a major

driving force for leading businesses. Finding faster and cheaper ways to

communicate is the main push for VTC technology. Since the internet has gained in

popularity, communication systems via computer have dramatically increased.

The early stages of VTC can be broken down into four distinct eras. Each new

era has brought a decrease in price with an increase in functionality. The hardware

and software for VTC systems has greatly improved. Prices have fallen for

businesses to build networked infrastructures. From fiber optic lines to portable

Desktop Video 24

camera systems, VTC is expanding in business. Since this is a new form of

communication, several etiquette guidelines have been established. These are

important in creating uniformity in video conferencing. From proper lighting to

rehearsals conferences, many areas have been reviewed.

As with any new technology, there are positive and negative attributes. Some

of the problems that VTC had to overcome were high prices, complicated equipment

and standardization. Today, most of these problems have been addressed. In most

cases, computers and networks in an organization are now integrating into one

system.

Not only are businesses benefiting from lower transaction costs with VTC, but

many other users are also affected. Schools, students and the community can all

benefit from access to a public VTC system. A case study from the St. Louis area has

shown that everyone can benefit. Every business must review their strategic goals

and decide whether VTC will become part of their business system.

Several factors for businesses to consider include: the existing communication

infrastructure, quality of presentation needed, return on investment and budgeting.

Information technology managers need to look at the networked infrastructure and

decide which broadcasting system to use. Is the Unicast system the right system for a

large business? What will be the acceptable quality of video? Will 10 to 20 FPS

work or will 30 FPS be needed? Will this VTC system need to be portable for use on

the road? Is a $11,999 system in the budget for a communication device? All of

these questions need to be address before businesses commit to buy and install a VTC

system.

Desktop Video 25

Many businesses are now using VTC and are proving that it is effective. From

the entertainment industry to the medical field, VTC systems are used everyday in

real world applications. Distance Education is an area that is ready for expansion.

On-line schools connect students from around the world and allow them to

communicate and learn from their local computer.

Video Telephone Conferencing (VTC) tools are gaining a market as a business

communication tool. Organizations that use video conferencing as a communication

tool in today's market will gain a competitive advantage over businesses that do not.

Desktop Video 26

Reference

Hinman, B. (1998). Reductions in processing cost brings videoconferencing to

the masses. Teleconference Magazine [On-Line]. Available:

http://teleconferencemagazine.com/magazine/17foureditorial.htm

ViewStation MP (Multi-Point). (n.d.) Polycom ViewStation MP [On-Line,

Brochure]. Available: http://aherncorp.com/polycom/vsmp.shtml

Weil, N. (1997). New videoconferencing software eases connections [On-

Line], Available: http://www2.computerworld.com/home/online9797.nsf

Schaphorst, R. (1998). Networking standards. Teleconference Magazine [On-

Line]. Available: http://teleconferencemagazine.com/magazine/17foureditorial.htm

Andres, Y. M. (n.d.) Elements of an Effective CU-SeeMe Video Conference

[On-Line], Available: http://www.gsn.org/teach/articles/videoconf.html

Weil, N. (1998). Intel debuts modestly priced desktop video system . [On-

Line], Availble: http://cnn.com/tech/computing/9809/03

Needle, D. (1999). What's wrong with videoconferencing? [On-Line],

Available: http://cnn.com/tech/computing/9903/15

Lombard, M. & Ditton, T. (1997) At the Heart of It All: The Concept of

Telepresence . [On-Line], Available: http://jcmc.huji.ac.il/vol3/issue2/lombard.html

Hamilton, L. (1997). What are the benefits to Video Conferencing? [On-

Line], Available: http://coe.cedu.niu.edu/lc/vcp/benefits.htm

Intelect Visual Communications (1997). Understanding IP Multicast: How IP

Multicast Benefits Videoconferencing Applications. [On-Line], Available:

http://www.videoconferencing.com in Adobe Acrobat format (doc # 16).

Desktop Video 27

Intelect Visual Communications (1997). IVC Videoconferencing Glossary of

Terms Related to Networking [On-Line], Available:

http://www.videoconferencing.com in Adobe Acrobat format (doc # 3).

Intelect Visual Communications (1997). IVC's LANscape MediaServer: A

First Glance [On-Line], Available: http://www.videoconferencing.com in Adobe

Acrobat format.

Harrison, D. & Butler-Pearson, M. (1999). Emerging solutions: distance

learning in urban school districts. [On-Line], Available:

http://teleconferencemagazine.com/magazine/17foureditorial.htm

Taylor, J. (1998). DVD demystified. McGraw-Hill. p. 324.

Desktop Video 28

Diagram 1 (IVC, 1997 doc. 16)

Diagram 2 (IVC, 1997 doc. 16)

Diagram 3 (IVC, 1997 doc. 16)