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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Video Conferencing?
- What is Rich Media Conferencing?
- What components are required for a video meeting?
- What is the difference between video conferencing and video teleconferencing?
- What is a Codec?
- What is a Gatekeeper?
- What is an MCU?
- What is H.320 videoconferencing?
- What is H.323 video conferencing?
What is Video Conferencing?
Video conferencing is a live connection between people in separate locations for the purpose of communication, usually involving audio and often text as well as video. At its simplest, video conferencing provides transmission of static images and text between two locations. At its most sophisticated, it provides transmission of full-motion video images and high-quality audio between multiple locations.
What is Rich Media Conferencing?
RMC takes advantage of the Internet's reach, interactivity and ability to integrate multiple forms of media to add the extra dimension of context and personalisation that takes you one step closer to a true 'virtual' meeting environment.
What components are required for a video meeting?
The minimum required components at each endpoint of a video meeting are a microphone, a camera, a codec, a monitor and a speaker. The camera and microphone capture the image and sound, the codec converts the video and audio into a digital signal, encodes it and sends it out. The codec at the other end decodes the signal and distributes the video and audio to the monitor and speaker.
What is the difference between video conferencing and video teleconferencing?
Video conferencing is the same as video teleconferencing. The phrases are both used to describe a meeting between parties in different locations wherein the meeting participants use communications equipment to both see and hear one another as they interact.
There is similar usage for phrases associated with teleconferencing. Teleconferences are called both audio conferences and teleconferences. In each, three or more telephone callers are linked together in a telephone call with all parties hearing one another and some or all parties interactively speaking.
What is a Codec?
Codec stands for "Coder/Decoder". It is a piece of equipment or software that both encodes an audio/video signal from an analog source (like a camera or microphone) and decodes the digital signal for replay as an analog signal (to a monitor or speakers).
What is a Gatekeeper?
In the H.323 world, the gatekeeper provides several important functions. First, it controls access to the network, allowing or denying calls and controlling the bandwidth of a call. Second, it helps with address resolution, making possible email type names for end users, and converting those into the appropriate network addresses.
What is an MCU?
A mulitpoint control unit is a device that bridges together multiple inputs so three or more parties can participate in a videoconference and can simultaneously pass data, voice, or video. The MCU uses fast switching techniques to patch the presenters to speaker's input to the output ports representing the other participants.
What is H.320 videoconferencing?
A commonly used video compression standard for videoconferencing over networks that provide fixed communication paths (such as the ISDN phone network).
What is H.323 video conferencing?
H.323 is the name of the standard for video conferencing using an IP network as the communications link. H.323 videoconference communication uses the Real-Time Protocol (RTP/RTCP) and it enables the use of video conferencing over IP networks, LANs and the Internet. Each system connects to others by dialling an IP Address rather than by using a telephone number.
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