Video conferencing

[Lucy]

can some-one please help b4 i make an idiot of myself. i have been asked to help out with a test on video conferencing at work next week but i have never done such a thing. i haven't even seen the equipment as it is based in a separate department. any pointers on what i should know or do would be helpful. i do know quite a bit about computers but not this.

[blueivy]

can some-one please help b4 i make an idiot of myself. i have been asked to help out with a test on video conferencing at work next week but i have never done such a thing. i haven't even seen the equipment as it is based in a separate department. any pointers on what i should know or do would be helpful. i do know quite a bit about computers but not this.

Hi Lucy,

Your video conferencing should be quite straightforward. Bear in mind it's designed for anybody to use. Every video conferencing room I've seen always has a laminated sheet of instructions on how to use or it's pinned to the wall.

You'll either be given a phone number or a location. When you get he vide oconferencing equipment turned on you have a menu on the TV. If you've been given a phone number then you will type that into the correct place (maybe unde the menu option of Dial or Connect), if it's a location then the number will be stored in the equipment and you will need to select it from the list. Once you've done that it will connect to the other end.

Depending on how the equipment at the other end is setup it may automatically answer (which is sometimes not a good idea - when testing equipment before the machine at the other end automatically answered and lo and behold there was a disciplinary meeting going on!) or it will be manually answered. Either way you should be able to see them and off you go.

That should be it! All equipment is different, however that's pretty much how it usually all works. Hope it helps.

[Lucy]

Thanks for the info bueivy. i have been given a time and a phone number. i will print off your reply and take it with me on monday. its sounds like it should be straight forward so here's hoping. this one is a test for getting linked up to a meeting later on in the week. I will let you know how i get on. many thanks.

[blueivy]

Thanks for the info bueivy. i have been given a time and a phone number. i will print off your reply and take it with me on monday. its sounds like it should be straight forward so here's hoping. this one is a test for getting linked up to a meeting later on in the week. I will let you know how i get on. many thanks.

Hi Lucy,

Glad I could help. Every video conferencing system is different but they all work on roughly the same principles I said above. You should be okay but let us know how you get on.

[jimbews]

You'll either be given a phone number or a location. When you get he vide oconferencing equipment turned on you have a menu on the TV. If you've been given a phone number then you will type that into the correct place (maybe unde the menu option of Dial or Connect), if it's a location then the number will be stored in the equipment and you will need to select it from the list. Once you've done that it will connect to the other end.

Depending on how the equipment at the other end is setup it may automatically answer (which is sometimes not a good idea - when testing equipment before the machine at the other end automatically answered and lo and behold there was a disciplinary meeting going on!) or it will be manually answered. Either way you should be able to see them and off you go.

Or you may just use an IP address, if its a system directly connected to the network (rather than via ISDN).

Our kit is set to auto-answer with the sound muted.

I test our system using a PC (even one with no camera) with NetMeeting, which (although hidden) is a standard component of Windows.

Jim

[blueivy]

Hi jimbews,

Netmeeting hasn't been a standard component of Windows since Windows 2000 and Microsoft retired it in 2003. The Microsoft Netmeeting page hasn't been updated since April 2004 (I assume to add the security patches).

If it's hidden in XP, please let me know where .... as I'm intrigued! :-)

[jimbews]

If it's hidden in XP, please let me know where .... as I'm intrigued! :-)

Start: Run: conf.exe

Will start it running and install an icon on the desktop for future use.

It is still the recommended method of whiteboarding between V/C venues connected via the Janet (Joint Academic NETwork) Videoconferencing Service (JVCS).

So our videoconferences are interconnected via the JVCS in Edinburgh, designed to guarantee QoS for the video/audio.

The data (for example a powerpoint presentation) which does not justify QoS then gets sent via our standard network routes. I believe they are looking for a NetMeeting replacement because, as you say, support has been dropped.

The V/C codec (in our case a Tandberg) is theoretically capable of handling the data stream as well (if we paid the extra to unlock that facility) but as far as JVCS is concerned that is not recommended.

Cheers

Jim

[blueivy]

Start: Run: conf.exe

Will start it running and install an icon on the desktop for future use.

Learn something new every day! Thanks for letting me know.

Using Netmeeting was always considered bad practice wherever I've worked due to the number of security vulnerabilities in it. Using internally I suppose wouldn't be such a big problem.

[blueivy]

I believe they are looking for a NetMeeting replacement because, as you say, support has been dropped.

Was looking for something else and came across Unyte. Didn't look into it too much, but it claims to offer video conferencing, whieboard and sharing which may be what you're looking for.

[blueivy]

It is still the recommended method of whiteboarding between V/C venues connected via the Janet (Joint Academic NETwork) Videoconferencing Service (JVCS).

The data (for example a powerpoint presentation) which does not justify QoS then gets sent via our standard network routes. I believe they are looking for a NetMeeting replacement because, as you say, support has been dropped.

Microsoft have produced a similar products called Live Meeting - I think this may be the replacement for NetMeeting and may just be what you';re looking for.

You can find out more about it at the Microsoft website.