Looking for some info on video conferencing.

[mtktech]

I have a client that wants to setup video conferencing between 3 different offices. We currently have DSL lines for internet access at each location, aprox 400k up and down. Each location has a board room. We would like each board room to have access to the two other boards rooms. I've just started doing some research, this will be my first teleconferencing setup. I'm mainly looking for good sites to read up on video teleconferencing and vendors that offer some good software or packages.

Thanks!

 

[Guest_imported]

I have a client that wants to setup video conferencing between 3 different offices. We currently have lease lines for internet access at each location, aprox 400k up and down. Each location has a board room. We would like each board room to have access to the two other boards rooms. I've just started doing some research, this will be my first teleconferencing setup. I'm mainly looking for good sites to read up on video teleconferencing and vendors that offer some good software or packages.

Thanks!

 

[bobbyl]

One simply solution for video conferencing would be to use Netmeeting. Netmeeting is included with all of Microsoft OSes. You can also use MSN Messenger in XP to do video conferencing. Microsoft all puts out a conferencing server that integrates Netmeeting.

 

[ValW]

I have been using MSN messenger V5 with XP Pro for videoconferencing with a friend for the past week. He has the same version but on XP Home. All worked well until the session hung and now when we connect there is no video from his end. I get a camera icon with a red cross through it but he gets normal video. Audio is fine.
We have tried to check all configuration areas but cannot resolve it. Any ideas anyone?
Thanks..

 

[darinhamilton]

For business-grade videoconferencing, talk to Polycom (

http://www.polycom.com),

and forget about using the Internet for transport (use a private network: frame relay or MPLS).

Internet-based videoconferencing, and MSN Messenger (which actually uses MS Netmeeting) is fine for chatting with your buddies, but is nowhere near good enough for meetings.

Cheers!

Darin
Infonet Canada

http://www.infonet.com

 

[kcbell]

My experience is VideoOIP does work!

I don’t have much experience with NetMeeting. We use Polycom H.323(384K) and Polycom ViaVideo(384K). They both are running great over the Internet from US to Asia. My observation is it is better than (3) ISDN Bri. Frame Relay was a great thing at one time. It is just too costly to justify it if the two sites are between US and Asia. We save thousands dollars of usage a month by going VideoOIP with better quality conference.

We just use (1) full T1 Internet Service to carry the conference. My only suggestion is try not to load more than 60% of the available bandwidth for conference because you may start seeing jitterly pictures and make sure the latency is less than 200ms.

Hope this help!

 

[Videohans]

for boardroom videoconferencing equipment and connections are one thing-

the room setup (lighting, room acoustics, monitor size and placement) is another!

talk to a professional as early as possible, you won't regret it

hs

 

[roper]

I have the Polycom Fx machine and a 50 in plamsa screen t-1 bri.Holding a meeting using anything less you will run into major problems.

 

[NERIC]

I agree. Polycom is the wayy to go for business appliances. Also, look out for QOS! You need to find a method of providing a clear path between the endpoints. One that is free of delay, errors, and bottlenecks. This sometimes means a dedicated curcuit. Cisco routers provide a great deal of customization capabilities and media quality control. A nice big dedicated pipe is always nice and always expensive!

 

[danclark]

MULTIPLE HOPS is a big killer on Frame Relay based WAN systems. We use 4 x Polycom units each set to 384K and boy do they chew all of it, if there are any hops in the way (routers) then you will run into problems, latency is a killer for video. Again I would also suggest

http://www.polycom.com/

supported worldwide.

Regards
Dan Clark
Network Manager
Wickliffe Ltd