Landmarks
* 1995 First public videoconference and peacecast between continent of North America and Africa. Demonstration of telepresence, audience interaction, virtual dancing, etc. Linked a technofair in San Francisco with a techno-rave and cyberdeli in Cape Town.
References
1. ^ Jim Van Meggelen 2005, The problem with video conferencing.
2. ^ Vertegaal, "Explaining Effects of Eye Gaze on Mediated Group Conversations: Amount or Synchronization?" ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, 2002.).
3. ^ Computer vision approaches to achieving eye contact appeared in the 1990s, such as Teleconferencing Eye Contact Using a Virtual Camera, ACM CHI 1993. More recently gaze correction systems using only a single camera have been shown, such as. Microsoft's GazeMaster system.
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Impact on business
Videoconferencing can enable individuals in faraway places to have meetings on short notice. Time and money that used to be spent in traveling can be used to have short meetings. Technology such as VOIP can be used in conjunction with desktop videoconferencing to enable face-to-face business meetings without leaving the desktop, especially for businesses with wide-spread offices. The technology is also used for telecommuting, in which employees work from home.
Telepresence videoconferencing, where participants are able to see each other in reasonable life-like sizes and little delay in video transmissions, has started to make an impact on business meetings. Some good business cases have been built on substitution of international travel with telepresence conferencing.
Videoconferencing is now being introduced to online networking websites, in order to help businesses form profitable relationships quickly and efficiently without leaving their place of work.
Telepresence videoconferencing, where participants are able to see each other in reasonable life-like sizes and little delay in video transmissions, has started to make an impact on business meetings. Some good business cases have been built on substitution of international travel with telepresence conferencing.
Videoconferencing is now being introduced to online networking websites, in order to help businesses form profitable relationships quickly and efficiently without leaving their place of work.
Impact on medicine and health
Videoconferencing is a very useful technology for telemedicine and telenursing applications, such as diagnosis, consulting, transmission of medical images, etc., in real time. Using VTC, patients may contact nurses and physicians in emergency or routine situations, physicians and other paramedical professionals can discuss cases across large distances. Rural areas can use this technology for diagnostic purposes, thus saving lives and making more efficient use of health care money.
Special peripherals such as microscopes fitted with digital cameras, videoendoscopes, medical ultrasound imaging devices, otoscopes, etc., can be used in conjunction with VTC equipment to transmit data about a patient.
Special peripherals such as microscopes fitted with digital cameras, videoendoscopes, medical ultrasound imaging devices, otoscopes, etc., can be used in conjunction with VTC equipment to transmit data about a patient.
Impact on education
Videoconferencing provides students with the opportunity to learn by participating in a 2-way communication platform. Furthermore, teachers and lecturers from all over the world can be brought to classes in remote or otherwise isolated places. Students from diverse communities and backgrounds can come together to learn about one another. Students are able to explore, communicate, analyze and share information and ideas with one another. Through video conferencing students can visit another part of the world to speak with others, visit a zoo, a museum and so on, to learn. These "virtual field trips" can bring opportunities to children, especially those in geographically isolated or the economically disadvantaged. Small schools can use this technology to pool resources and teach courses (such as foreign languages) which otherwise couldn't be offered. Teachers can use this technology to acquire additional college credits for recertification without driving to classes.
Impact on the general public
High speed Internet connectivity has become more widely available at a reasonable cost and the cost of video capture and display technology has decreased. Consequently personal video teleconference systems based on a webcam, personal computer system, software compression and broadband Internet connectivity have become affordable for the general public. Also, the hardware used for this technology has continued to improve in quality, and prices have dropped dramatically. The availability of free software (often as part of chat programs such as Windows Live Messenger) has made software based videoconferencing accessible to many.
For many years, futurists have envisioned a future where telephone conversations will take place as actual face-to-face encounters with video as well as audio. Desktop PC videoconferencing promises to make this a reality, although it remains to be seen whether there is widespread enthusiasm for video calling.
For many years, futurists have envisioned a future where telephone conversations will take place as actual face-to-face encounters with video as well as audio. Desktop PC videoconferencing promises to make this a reality, although it remains to be seen whether there is widespread enthusiasm for video calling.
Standards
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) (formerly: Consultative Committee on International Telegraphy and Telephony (CCITT)) has three umbrellas of standards for VTC.
1. ITU H.320 is known as the standard for public switched telephone networks (PSTN) or VTC over integrated services digital networks (ISDN) basic rate interface (BRI) or primary rate interface (PRI). H.320 is also used on dedicated networks such as T1 and satellite-based networks;
2. ITU H.323 is known as the standard for video over Internet Protocol (IP). This same standard also applies to voice over IP VoIP);
3. ITU H.324 is the standard for transmission over POTS, or audio telephony networks.
In recent years, IP based videoconferencing has emerged as a common communications interface and standard provided by VTC manufacturers in their traditional ISDN-based systems. Business, government and military organizations still predominantly use H.320 and ISDN VTC. Though, due to the price point and proliferation of the Internet, and broadband in particular, there has been a strong spurt of growth and use of H.323, IP VTC. H.323 has the advantage that it is accessible to anyone with a high speed Internet connection, such as DSL.
In addition, an attractive factor for IP VTC is that it is easier to set-up for use with a live VTC call along with web conferencing for use in data collaboration. These combined technologies enable users to have a much richer multimedia environment for live meetings, collaboration and presentations.
1. ITU H.320 is known as the standard for public switched telephone networks (PSTN) or VTC over integrated services digital networks (ISDN) basic rate interface (BRI) or primary rate interface (PRI). H.320 is also used on dedicated networks such as T1 and satellite-based networks;
2. ITU H.323 is known as the standard for video over Internet Protocol (IP). This same standard also applies to voice over IP VoIP);
3. ITU H.324 is the standard for transmission over POTS, or audio telephony networks.
In recent years, IP based videoconferencing has emerged as a common communications interface and standard provided by VTC manufacturers in their traditional ISDN-based systems. Business, government and military organizations still predominantly use H.320 and ISDN VTC. Though, due to the price point and proliferation of the Internet, and broadband in particular, there has been a strong spurt of growth and use of H.323, IP VTC. H.323 has the advantage that it is accessible to anyone with a high speed Internet connection, such as DSL.
In addition, an attractive factor for IP VTC is that it is easier to set-up for use with a live VTC call along with web conferencing for use in data collaboration. These combined technologies enable users to have a much richer multimedia environment for live meetings, collaboration and presentations.
Technology
The core technology used in a videoteleconference (VTC) system is digital compression of audio and video streams in real time. The hardware or software that performs compression is called a codec (coder/decoder). Compression rates of up to 1:500 can be achieved. The resulting digital stream of 1's and 0's is subdivided into labelled packets, which are then transmitted through a digital network of some kind (usually ISDN or IP). The use of audio modems in the transmission line allow for the use of POTS, or the Plain Old Telephone System, in some low-speed applications, such as videotelephony, because they convert the digital pulses to/from analog waves in the audio spectrum range.
The other components required for a VTC system include:
* Video input : video camera or webcam
* Video output: computer monitor , television or projector
* Audio input: microphones
* Audio output: usually loudspeakers associated with the display device or telephone
* Data transfer: analog or digital telephone network, LAN or Internet
There are basically two kinds of VTC systems:
1. Dedicated systems have all required components packaged into a single piece of equipment, usually a console with a high quality remote controlled video camera. These cameras can be controlled at a distance to pan left and right, tilt up and down, and zoom. They became known as PTZ cameras. The console contains all electrical interfaces, the control computer, and the software or hardware-based codec. Omnidirectional microphones are connected to the console, as well as a TV monitor with loudspeakers and/or a video projector. There are several types of dedicated VTC devices:
1. Large group VTC are non-portable, large, more expensive devices used for large rooms and auditoriums.
2. Small group VTC are non-portable or portable, smaller, less expensive devices used for small meeting rooms.
3. Individual VTC are usually portable devices, meant for single users, have fixed cameras, microphones and loudspeakers integrated into the console.
2. Desktop systems are add-ons (hardware boards, usually) to normal PC's, transforming them into VTC devices. A range of different cameras and microphones can be used with the board, which contains the necessary codec and transmission interfaces. Most of the desktops systems work with the H.323 standard. Video conferences carried out via dispersed PCs are also known as e-meetings.
[edit] Echo cancellation
A fundamental feature of professional VTC systems is acoustic echo cancellation (AEC). AEC is an algorithm which is able to detect when sounds or utterences reenter the audio input of the VTC codec, which came from the audio output of the same system, after some time delay. If unchecked, this can lead to several problems including 1) the remote party hearing their own voice coming back at them (usually significantly delayed) 2) strong reverberation, rendering the voice channel useless as it becomes hard to understand and 3) howling created by feedback. Echo cancellation is a processor-intensive task that usually works over a narrow range of sound delays.
[edit] Multipoint videoconferencing
Simultaneous videoconferencing among three or more remote points is possible by means of a Multipoint Control Unit (MCU). This is a bridge that interconnects calls from several sources (in a similar way to the audio conference call). All parties call the MCU unit, or the MCU unit can also call the parties which are going to participate, in sequence. There are MCU bridges for IP and ISDN-based videoconferencing. There are MCUs which are pure software, and others which are a combination of hardware and software. An MCU is characterised according to the number of simultaneous calls it can handle, its ability to conduct transposing of data rates and protocols, and features such as Continuous Presence, in which multiple parties can be seen onscreen at once.
MCUs can be stand-alone hardware devices, or they can be embedded into dedicated VTC units.
Some systems are capable of multipoint conferencing with no MCU, stand-alone, embedded or otherwise. These use a standards-based H.323 technique known as "decentralized multipoint", where each station in a multipoint call exchanges video and audio directly with the other stations with no central "manager" or other bottleneck. The advantages of this technique are that the video and audio will generally be of higher quality because they don't have to be relayed through a central point. Also, users can make ad-hoc multipoint calls without any concern for the availability or control of an MCU. This added convenience and quality comes at the expense of some increased network bandwidth, because every station must transmit to every other station directly.
[edit] Issues
Some observers [1] argue that two outstanding issues are preventing videoconferencing from becoming a standard form of communication, despite the ubiquity of videoconferencing-capable systems. These issues are:
1. Eye Contact: It is known that eye contact plays a large role in conversational turn-taking, perceived attention and intent, and other aspects of group communication [2]. While traditional telephone conversations give no eye contact cues, videoconferencing systems are arguably worse in that they provide an incorrect impression that the remote interlocutor is avoiding eye contact. This issue is being addressed though research that generates a synthetic image with eye contact using stereo reconstruction [3] .
2. Appearance Consciousness: A second problem with videoconferencing is that one is literally on camera, with the video stream possibly even being recorded. The burden of presenting an acceptable on-screen appearance is not present in audio-only communication. Early studies by Alphonse Chapanis found that the addition of video actually impaired communication, possibly because of the consciousness of being on camera.
The issue of eye-contact may be solved with advancing technology, and presumably the issue of appearance consciousness will fade as people become accustomed to videoconferencing.
The other components required for a VTC system include:
* Video input : video camera or webcam
* Video output: computer monitor , television or projector
* Audio input: microphones
* Audio output: usually loudspeakers associated with the display device or telephone
* Data transfer: analog or digital telephone network, LAN or Internet
There are basically two kinds of VTC systems:
1. Dedicated systems have all required components packaged into a single piece of equipment, usually a console with a high quality remote controlled video camera. These cameras can be controlled at a distance to pan left and right, tilt up and down, and zoom. They became known as PTZ cameras. The console contains all electrical interfaces, the control computer, and the software or hardware-based codec. Omnidirectional microphones are connected to the console, as well as a TV monitor with loudspeakers and/or a video projector. There are several types of dedicated VTC devices:
1. Large group VTC are non-portable, large, more expensive devices used for large rooms and auditoriums.
2. Small group VTC are non-portable or portable, smaller, less expensive devices used for small meeting rooms.
3. Individual VTC are usually portable devices, meant for single users, have fixed cameras, microphones and loudspeakers integrated into the console.
2. Desktop systems are add-ons (hardware boards, usually) to normal PC's, transforming them into VTC devices. A range of different cameras and microphones can be used with the board, which contains the necessary codec and transmission interfaces. Most of the desktops systems work with the H.323 standard. Video conferences carried out via dispersed PCs are also known as e-meetings.
[edit] Echo cancellation
A fundamental feature of professional VTC systems is acoustic echo cancellation (AEC). AEC is an algorithm which is able to detect when sounds or utterences reenter the audio input of the VTC codec, which came from the audio output of the same system, after some time delay. If unchecked, this can lead to several problems including 1) the remote party hearing their own voice coming back at them (usually significantly delayed) 2) strong reverberation, rendering the voice channel useless as it becomes hard to understand and 3) howling created by feedback. Echo cancellation is a processor-intensive task that usually works over a narrow range of sound delays.
[edit] Multipoint videoconferencing
Simultaneous videoconferencing among three or more remote points is possible by means of a Multipoint Control Unit (MCU). This is a bridge that interconnects calls from several sources (in a similar way to the audio conference call). All parties call the MCU unit, or the MCU unit can also call the parties which are going to participate, in sequence. There are MCU bridges for IP and ISDN-based videoconferencing. There are MCUs which are pure software, and others which are a combination of hardware and software. An MCU is characterised according to the number of simultaneous calls it can handle, its ability to conduct transposing of data rates and protocols, and features such as Continuous Presence, in which multiple parties can be seen onscreen at once.
MCUs can be stand-alone hardware devices, or they can be embedded into dedicated VTC units.
Some systems are capable of multipoint conferencing with no MCU, stand-alone, embedded or otherwise. These use a standards-based H.323 technique known as "decentralized multipoint", where each station in a multipoint call exchanges video and audio directly with the other stations with no central "manager" or other bottleneck. The advantages of this technique are that the video and audio will generally be of higher quality because they don't have to be relayed through a central point. Also, users can make ad-hoc multipoint calls without any concern for the availability or control of an MCU. This added convenience and quality comes at the expense of some increased network bandwidth, because every station must transmit to every other station directly.
[edit] Issues
Some observers [1] argue that two outstanding issues are preventing videoconferencing from becoming a standard form of communication, despite the ubiquity of videoconferencing-capable systems. These issues are:
1. Eye Contact: It is known that eye contact plays a large role in conversational turn-taking, perceived attention and intent, and other aspects of group communication [2]. While traditional telephone conversations give no eye contact cues, videoconferencing systems are arguably worse in that they provide an incorrect impression that the remote interlocutor is avoiding eye contact. This issue is being addressed though research that generates a synthetic image with eye contact using stereo reconstruction [3] .
2. Appearance Consciousness: A second problem with videoconferencing is that one is literally on camera, with the video stream possibly even being recorded. The burden of presenting an acceptable on-screen appearance is not present in audio-only communication. Early studies by Alphonse Chapanis found that the addition of video actually impaired communication, possibly because of the consciousness of being on camera.
The issue of eye-contact may be solved with advancing technology, and presumably the issue of appearance consciousness will fade as people become accustomed to videoconferencing.
History
Simple analog videoconferences could be established as early as the invention of the television. Such videoconferencing systems consisted of two closed-circuit television systems connected via cable. During the first manned space flights, NASA used two radiofrequency (UHF or VHF) links, one in each direction. TV channels routinely use this kind of videoconferencing when reporting from distant locations, for instance. Then mobile links to satellites using special trucks became rather common.
This technique was very expensive, though, and could not be used for more mundane applications, such as telemedicine, distance education, business meetings, and so on, particularly in long-distance applications. Attempts at using normal telephony networks to transmit slow-scan video, such as the first systems developed by AT&T, failed mostly due to the poor picture quality and the lack of efficient video compression techniques. The greater 1 MHz bandwidth and 6 MBPS bit rate of Picturephone in the 1970s also did not cause the service to prosper.
It was only in the 1980s that digital telephony transmission networks became possible, such as ISDN, assuring a minimum bit rate (usually 128 kilobits/sec) for compressed video and audio transmission. The first dedicated systems, such as those manufactured by pioneering VTC firms, like PictureTel, started to appear in the market as ISDN networks were expanding throughout the world. Video teleconference systems throughout the 1990's rapidly evolved from highly expensive proprietary equipment, software and network requirements to standards based technology that is readily available to the general public at a reasonable cost. Finally, in the 1990s, IP (Internet Protocol) based videoconferencing became possible, and more efficient video compression technologies were developed, permitting desktop, or personal computer (PC)-based videoconferencing. In 1992 CU-SeeMe was developed at Cornell by Tim Dorcey et al. VTC arrived to the masses and free services, web plugins and software, such as NetMeeting, MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, Skype and others brought cheap, albeit low-quality, VTC.
This technique was very expensive, though, and could not be used for more mundane applications, such as telemedicine, distance education, business meetings, and so on, particularly in long-distance applications. Attempts at using normal telephony networks to transmit slow-scan video, such as the first systems developed by AT&T, failed mostly due to the poor picture quality and the lack of efficient video compression techniques. The greater 1 MHz bandwidth and 6 MBPS bit rate of Picturephone in the 1970s also did not cause the service to prosper.
It was only in the 1980s that digital telephony transmission networks became possible, such as ISDN, assuring a minimum bit rate (usually 128 kilobits/sec) for compressed video and audio transmission. The first dedicated systems, such as those manufactured by pioneering VTC firms, like PictureTel, started to appear in the market as ISDN networks were expanding throughout the world. Video teleconference systems throughout the 1990's rapidly evolved from highly expensive proprietary equipment, software and network requirements to standards based technology that is readily available to the general public at a reasonable cost. Finally, in the 1990s, IP (Internet Protocol) based videoconferencing became possible, and more efficient video compression technologies were developed, permitting desktop, or personal computer (PC)-based videoconferencing. In 1992 CU-SeeMe was developed at Cornell by Tim Dorcey et al. VTC arrived to the masses and free services, web plugins and software, such as NetMeeting, MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, Skype and others brought cheap, albeit low-quality, VTC.
Videoconferencing
A videoconference (also known as a videoteleconference) is a set of interactive telecommunication technologies which allow two or more locations to interact via two-way video and audio transmissions simultaneously. It has also been called visual collaboration and is a type of groupware. It differs from videophone in that it is designed to serve a conference rather than individuals.
SightSpeed 3.0 Review by PC Magazine
By Cade Metz
The inaugural version of SightSpeed Video Messenger impressed us a year ago, proving to be one of most effective desktop videoconferencing tools on the Internet. Its latest incarnation, known simply as SightSpeed 3.0, is even more impressive. The new version handles multiparty conferences in addition to one-to-one calls. It sends video voicemail messages to almost anyone with an e-mail address—whether they're SightSpeed users or not. And it's easier to use than previous versions.
The first version of the product worked very much like an instant-messaging client. You weren't able to connect with someone unless both of you were online and both of you had the app running. Now SightSpeed works more like a telephone. If you try to ping someone and, for whatever reason, they can't take the call, you can always leave them a message.
The SightSpeed client is available for free from the company's Web site. But before you sign up, make sure you have the proper hardware. Naturally, you can't use the product without speakers, a microphone, and a webcam (it supports over 100 USB, FireWire, and DV models). And you'll probably need a PC that's on the newer side. We used the client on a 266-MHz desktop with only 128MB of RAM, but video and audio quality was spotty at best. The company recommends an 800-MHz processor and 256MB of RAM, and we had very good results on a 2-GHz system with 512MB of RAM.
To sign up for the service and install the client, you simply supply your name, an e-mail address, and a password. Installation may take several minutes as the client checks your network configuration. And there's always a chance you'll have to make changes to your firewall or router settings. But once the app is installed, you'll need no more than a few seconds to make a video call or leave a video voicemail message.
If you know other SightSpeed users, you can key their e-mail addresses into the client app's Contact list, and from then on, you can call any one of them simply by clicking on their name. Once a connection is made, their image will show up in a modestly sized desktop window, and your image will shrink to a small box in the window's bottom right-hand corner. If you like—and if you have the bandwidth—you can expand the window to full-screen. Even on faster systems, you'll see some motion artifacts—especially when you switch to full-screen—but considering that this is a software app operating over the Internet, performance is quite impressive.
If your contact is offline or unavailable when you call, the app immediately gives you the option of launching a separate window where you can record and send a video voicemail message. The message is stored on SightSpeed's servers for 30 days, and the recipient can view it at his or her leisure right in the SightSpeed client.
Alternatively, you can send video voicemails to any ordinary e-mail inbox. Such a message will show up as a URL inside the body of the e-mail message, and when the recipient clicks on the link, the video pops up in their Web browser. This works well enough, but we do have a quibble with the setup. The e-mail message will say it's from you, but your address is listed as sightspeed@sightspeed.com. Considering the Internet's virus and spam problems, more than a few recipients may be wary of opening the link. The "From" address should be yours instead. That said, if someone replies to the message, the reply will show up in your in-box.
You can just as easily make a multiparty call with up to three other SightSpeed users. Once all four of you are connected, each will occupy a corner of the client window, and here too, you can blow things up to full-screen. In our testing, video and audio quality on multiperson calls was passable, but performance decreased significantly compared with one-to-one calls. And even on a fast system, performance slowed to a crawl when we switched video to full-screen.
Unless you purchase a subscription, you'll be limited to 15 minutes worth of video calls and one video voicemail message a day, and you won't be able to make multiparty calls. For $4.95 a month (or $49.50 a year), you get unlimited one-to-one video calls, 15 minutes of multiparty video calls a day, and 100 video-mail messages a month. Need more than that? Other plans give you unlimited multiparty calls and up to 1,000 video-mail messages a month. And if you purchase a subscription plan, your minutes can be applied to any video call—whether you call someone else or they call you. Thus, you can easily purchase one subscription to talk with your entire extended family.
SightSpeed is marketed as a consumer video phone, but there's no reason it couldn't be used for business as well. Naturally, it can't match a high-end, hardware-based videoconferencing system. But it's just as good as, if not better than, most low-cost software clients—and trying it out is free.
The inaugural version of SightSpeed Video Messenger impressed us a year ago, proving to be one of most effective desktop videoconferencing tools on the Internet. Its latest incarnation, known simply as SightSpeed 3.0, is even more impressive. The new version handles multiparty conferences in addition to one-to-one calls. It sends video voicemail messages to almost anyone with an e-mail address—whether they're SightSpeed users or not. And it's easier to use than previous versions.
The first version of the product worked very much like an instant-messaging client. You weren't able to connect with someone unless both of you were online and both of you had the app running. Now SightSpeed works more like a telephone. If you try to ping someone and, for whatever reason, they can't take the call, you can always leave them a message.
The SightSpeed client is available for free from the company's Web site. But before you sign up, make sure you have the proper hardware. Naturally, you can't use the product without speakers, a microphone, and a webcam (it supports over 100 USB, FireWire, and DV models). And you'll probably need a PC that's on the newer side. We used the client on a 266-MHz desktop with only 128MB of RAM, but video and audio quality was spotty at best. The company recommends an 800-MHz processor and 256MB of RAM, and we had very good results on a 2-GHz system with 512MB of RAM.
To sign up for the service and install the client, you simply supply your name, an e-mail address, and a password. Installation may take several minutes as the client checks your network configuration. And there's always a chance you'll have to make changes to your firewall or router settings. But once the app is installed, you'll need no more than a few seconds to make a video call or leave a video voicemail message.
If you know other SightSpeed users, you can key their e-mail addresses into the client app's Contact list, and from then on, you can call any one of them simply by clicking on their name. Once a connection is made, their image will show up in a modestly sized desktop window, and your image will shrink to a small box in the window's bottom right-hand corner. If you like—and if you have the bandwidth—you can expand the window to full-screen. Even on faster systems, you'll see some motion artifacts—especially when you switch to full-screen—but considering that this is a software app operating over the Internet, performance is quite impressive.
If your contact is offline or unavailable when you call, the app immediately gives you the option of launching a separate window where you can record and send a video voicemail message. The message is stored on SightSpeed's servers for 30 days, and the recipient can view it at his or her leisure right in the SightSpeed client.
Alternatively, you can send video voicemails to any ordinary e-mail inbox. Such a message will show up as a URL inside the body of the e-mail message, and when the recipient clicks on the link, the video pops up in their Web browser. This works well enough, but we do have a quibble with the setup. The e-mail message will say it's from you, but your address is listed as sightspeed@sightspeed.com. Considering the Internet's virus and spam problems, more than a few recipients may be wary of opening the link. The "From" address should be yours instead. That said, if someone replies to the message, the reply will show up in your in-box.
You can just as easily make a multiparty call with up to three other SightSpeed users. Once all four of you are connected, each will occupy a corner of the client window, and here too, you can blow things up to full-screen. In our testing, video and audio quality on multiperson calls was passable, but performance decreased significantly compared with one-to-one calls. And even on a fast system, performance slowed to a crawl when we switched video to full-screen.
Unless you purchase a subscription, you'll be limited to 15 minutes worth of video calls and one video voicemail message a day, and you won't be able to make multiparty calls. For $4.95 a month (or $49.50 a year), you get unlimited one-to-one video calls, 15 minutes of multiparty video calls a day, and 100 video-mail messages a month. Need more than that? Other plans give you unlimited multiparty calls and up to 1,000 video-mail messages a month. And if you purchase a subscription plan, your minutes can be applied to any video call—whether you call someone else or they call you. Thus, you can easily purchase one subscription to talk with your entire extended family.
SightSpeed is marketed as a consumer video phone, but there's no reason it couldn't be used for business as well. Naturally, it can't match a high-end, hardware-based videoconferencing system. But it's just as good as, if not better than, most low-cost software clients—and trying it out is free.
SightSpeed 6.0 Review by PC Magazine
By Davis D. Janowski
Version 6.0 further cements SightSpeed position as the top provider of free Internet video calling. This release features some subtle but noticeable changes to video quality, Windows and Mac compatibility, and a new, streamlined interface. Under the hood, it boasts totally revised code, which is now fully SIP-based. These improvements to SightSpeed already excellent service are more than enough to garner the app an Editors' Choice
SightSpeed is available in both Basic (free) and Pro (paid) versions. Basic users get unlimited computer-to-computer video and voice calls, free access to the SightSpeed community (where you can find other users), unlimited chat sessions, and unlimited 30-second video e-mails to other service members. In order to take advantage of the app's brilliantly clear free video calls, all you'll need is a broadband connection (at least 128 Kbps of available bandwidth) and a webcam.
Setup is simple. After downloading the client, new users complete a short registration process (name, e-mail address, and password). If you already have a webcam, make sure it's plugged in and installed. SightSpeed has tested dozens for compatibility, so any reasonably new big-name manufacturers' models should work fine. Do make sure that your webcam supports 30 frames per second, however; otherwise you can't take advantage of SightSpeed main claim to fame: full-motion video. A frame rate of less than 30 fps will look jittery and jumpy. All that's left is to log in and go through the six-step wizard that helps you test your webcam, speakers, and microphone and optimize your video. Once you're finished, the client makes contact with the SightSpeed service, and you'll see either your list of contacts (if you're already a SightSpeed user) or a button giving you the option of adding some. You can always call the Fish Tank demo or SightSpeed technical support if you're lonely.
An even greater portion of the app's QoS monitoring and control has been moved away from the server side and is now handled by the downloaded client, which means less dependence on remote central servers. Another key improvement to SightSpeed video quality is the app's ability to recognize when backgrounds don't change. When backgrounds remain constant, the video is required to do less refreshing and less bandwidth is consumed, resulting in a smoother stream.
Long-time SightSpeed users will notice tweaks to the service's text-chat feature. Text chatting takes a more prominent place in this version of the app, boasting an improved look and feel similar to that offered by Skype. The most welcome improvement is the ability to open multiple chat windows at once, a glaring omission from earlier versions. The instant-messaging function is nowhere near as powerful, however, as that of dedicated IM services such as those offered by AOL and Yahoo!. Still, it's reasonably good, and users will appreciate being able to run as many types of communication as possible through one app.
Another minor but noteworthy improvement is the ability to watch video-mail playback from the comfort of the SightSpeed video window, instead of the added pop-up required to view mail in past versions. Recording and viewing video e-mails is simple and requires no more than a couple of mouse clicks. You'll also receive e-mail notification (at the e-mail address you used to register for the service) when you have video mail waiting. Users of the free version should note that, for them, video mail is retained on SightSpeed servers for just 30 days.
Version 6.0 also introduces SightSpeed TV, a feature similar to the popular Slingbox device and Orb online service. Users with a TV tuner card in their PC can log into their SightSpeed account and stream television content to other Internet-connected devices. The video isn't HD-quality, but it can, under optimum circumstances (a connection with more than 128 Kbps bandwidth, the minimum required) look as good as standard-definition TV.—Next: Going Premium
Version 6.0 further cements SightSpeed position as the top provider of free Internet video calling. This release features some subtle but noticeable changes to video quality, Windows and Mac compatibility, and a new, streamlined interface. Under the hood, it boasts totally revised code, which is now fully SIP-based. These improvements to SightSpeed already excellent service are more than enough to garner the app an Editors' Choice
SightSpeed is available in both Basic (free) and Pro (paid) versions. Basic users get unlimited computer-to-computer video and voice calls, free access to the SightSpeed community (where you can find other users), unlimited chat sessions, and unlimited 30-second video e-mails to other service members. In order to take advantage of the app's brilliantly clear free video calls, all you'll need is a broadband connection (at least 128 Kbps of available bandwidth) and a webcam.
Setup is simple. After downloading the client, new users complete a short registration process (name, e-mail address, and password). If you already have a webcam, make sure it's plugged in and installed. SightSpeed has tested dozens for compatibility, so any reasonably new big-name manufacturers' models should work fine. Do make sure that your webcam supports 30 frames per second, however; otherwise you can't take advantage of SightSpeed main claim to fame: full-motion video. A frame rate of less than 30 fps will look jittery and jumpy. All that's left is to log in and go through the six-step wizard that helps you test your webcam, speakers, and microphone and optimize your video. Once you're finished, the client makes contact with the SightSpeed service, and you'll see either your list of contacts (if you're already a SightSpeed user) or a button giving you the option of adding some. You can always call the Fish Tank demo or SightSpeed technical support if you're lonely.
An even greater portion of the app's QoS monitoring and control has been moved away from the server side and is now handled by the downloaded client, which means less dependence on remote central servers. Another key improvement to SightSpeed video quality is the app's ability to recognize when backgrounds don't change. When backgrounds remain constant, the video is required to do less refreshing and less bandwidth is consumed, resulting in a smoother stream.
Long-time SightSpeed users will notice tweaks to the service's text-chat feature. Text chatting takes a more prominent place in this version of the app, boasting an improved look and feel similar to that offered by Skype. The most welcome improvement is the ability to open multiple chat windows at once, a glaring omission from earlier versions. The instant-messaging function is nowhere near as powerful, however, as that of dedicated IM services such as those offered by AOL and Yahoo!. Still, it's reasonably good, and users will appreciate being able to run as many types of communication as possible through one app.
Another minor but noteworthy improvement is the ability to watch video-mail playback from the comfort of the SightSpeed video window, instead of the added pop-up required to view mail in past versions. Recording and viewing video e-mails is simple and requires no more than a couple of mouse clicks. You'll also receive e-mail notification (at the e-mail address you used to register for the service) when you have video mail waiting. Users of the free version should note that, for them, video mail is retained on SightSpeed servers for just 30 days.
Version 6.0 also introduces SightSpeed TV, a feature similar to the popular Slingbox device and Orb online service. Users with a TV tuner card in their PC can log into their SightSpeed account and stream television content to other Internet-connected devices. The video isn't HD-quality, but it can, under optimum circumstances (a connection with more than 128 Kbps bandwidth, the minimum required) look as good as standard-definition TV.—Next: Going Premium
SightSpeed 5.0 Review by PC Magazine
By Davis D. Janowski
Want brilliantly clear video calls? SightSpeed 5.0, the part peer-to-peer, part server-client communications application, can provide them. Just meld it with your broadband connection and any of dozens of webcams on the market, call another SightSpeed user, and you'll soon be making cross-country family video conference calls part of your daily routine. That's exactly what I've been able to do with my in-laws in California and parents in Florida; it's allowed them to visit easily with their granddaughter and has (somewhat) curtailed the complaints about the infrequency of our visits.
I'm awarding it an Editors' Choice as the best free video calling service, based on its unrivaled ability to produce real-time, fully synchronized calls. That quality is due in large measure to the real-time network and quality-of-service (QoS) monitoring performed by the application and SightSpeed servers during calls. At its core, SightSpeed's video service is based on the H.263 codec with a great many added proprietary enhancements, mainly in the area of identifying where and in which direction the media stream is being hindered (the technical term is constrained).
* Skype Offers Free Outbound Calls
* Skype 2.5 (beta)
* Introduction
* Talk Is Cheaper
* VoIP Glossary
I continue to believe that Skype is the most well-rounded overall communications client, but its video quality is still considerably behind that of SightSpeed. That goes for the other free messaging communications client services from the big guys (AOL, Microsoft, Skype, and Yahoo!, among others) as well. Of course, your friends are more likely to be on the much better-known Skype already, but I think it's worth the effort to talk them into at least trying SightSpeed. If they're interested in video, I think one demonstration might be enough to seal the deal.
There aren't many entirely new features in this finalized 5.0 version. One change is that the advanced video codec that was an optional setting in the beta release of 5.0 has been fully integrated into this version. One very interesting feature that's available now is SightSpeedTV, which can be likened to the popular Slingbox device and the Orb online service. Once you've installed a TV tuner card in your PC at home and installed SightSpeedTV, you should be able to watch TV remotely at no cost from anywhere by logging into your SightSpeed account.
The only other change users might notice to the beta interface will be the ability to sign up for SightSpeed In, whereby users can, for a monthly fee, receive incoming calls to their SightSpeed account.—Other Newish Features >
Want brilliantly clear video calls? SightSpeed 5.0, the part peer-to-peer, part server-client communications application, can provide them. Just meld it with your broadband connection and any of dozens of webcams on the market, call another SightSpeed user, and you'll soon be making cross-country family video conference calls part of your daily routine. That's exactly what I've been able to do with my in-laws in California and parents in Florida; it's allowed them to visit easily with their granddaughter and has (somewhat) curtailed the complaints about the infrequency of our visits.
I'm awarding it an Editors' Choice as the best free video calling service, based on its unrivaled ability to produce real-time, fully synchronized calls. That quality is due in large measure to the real-time network and quality-of-service (QoS) monitoring performed by the application and SightSpeed servers during calls. At its core, SightSpeed's video service is based on the H.263 codec with a great many added proprietary enhancements, mainly in the area of identifying where and in which direction the media stream is being hindered (the technical term is constrained).
* Skype Offers Free Outbound Calls
* Skype 2.5 (beta)
* Introduction
* Talk Is Cheaper
* VoIP Glossary
I continue to believe that Skype is the most well-rounded overall communications client, but its video quality is still considerably behind that of SightSpeed. That goes for the other free messaging communications client services from the big guys (AOL, Microsoft, Skype, and Yahoo!, among others) as well. Of course, your friends are more likely to be on the much better-known Skype already, but I think it's worth the effort to talk them into at least trying SightSpeed. If they're interested in video, I think one demonstration might be enough to seal the deal.
There aren't many entirely new features in this finalized 5.0 version. One change is that the advanced video codec that was an optional setting in the beta release of 5.0 has been fully integrated into this version. One very interesting feature that's available now is SightSpeedTV, which can be likened to the popular Slingbox device and the Orb online service. Once you've installed a TV tuner card in your PC at home and installed SightSpeedTV, you should be able to watch TV remotely at no cost from anywhere by logging into your SightSpeed account.
The only other change users might notice to the beta interface will be the ability to sign up for SightSpeed In, whereby users can, for a monthly fee, receive incoming calls to their SightSpeed account.—Other Newish Features >
Technology
SightSpeed uses a proprietary artificial intelligence algorithm to remove unimportant information from images. It claims to be able to transmit 30 frame/s live video over a typical ADSL connection with little time lag. When this algorithim is combined with a standards based H263 codec, the result is fluid 30 fps video with little to no latency or lag.
SightSpeed video codec was originally developed at Cornell University's Discover Lab and is based on H263.
SightSpeed network technology is SIP based.
SightSpeed video codec was originally developed at Cornell University's Discover Lab and is based on H263.
SightSpeed network technology is SIP based.
Features
* SightSpeed users are able to have free video calls with each other, often with no lag and high video clarity on a high speed Internet connection.
* Video Mail messages can be sent to any e-mail address.
* The SightSpeed software is able to host video conferences with up to four participants.
* "Phone Out" is the name of the service that allows users to make phone calls to landlines and mobile phones, paying with pre-paid credit. "Phone In" allows SightSpeed users to receive phone calls from regular telephones.
* Video Mail messages can be sent to any e-mail address.
* The SightSpeed software is able to host video conferences with up to four participants.
* "Phone Out" is the name of the service that allows users to make phone calls to landlines and mobile phones, paying with pre-paid credit. "Phone In" allows SightSpeed users to receive phone calls from regular telephones.
SightSpeed Intro
SightSpeed is a freeware videotelephony and instant messaging client for Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh operating systems. The service allows people to make free video calls, free computer-to-computer voice calls, and calls to regular telephones.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
