Video Conferencing - The Impact On People And Businesses

Video conferencing is considered to be one of the most effective forms of communication using electronic means.

Video conferencing utilizes a camera, a microphone and a connection, which can be via phone lines or through the Internet to allow people to communicate both orally and visually. Today, video conferencing has become very effective, because of the deep penetration of the Internet. Add to this, the decreasing prices of video capture devices such as web cameras and you will easily find that video conferencing is now a household name.

When a large number of people want to communicate with each other, video conferencing makes it possible. When an

organization wants to have an internal meeting of all its members, in which all its attendees are in different areas and are not able to reach the location of the meeting or in case it is not possible to bring them all in one location at all, what does it do so that all thse members can effectively communicate with each other in real-time?

It schedules a meeting through the use of video conferencing. With video conferencing, it is now possible for people who are aurally or vocally challenged, to communicate among themselves using sign language. These people can make use of a video conferencing service, even if both the parties have such vocal and aural problems.

Video conferencing solutions have had considerable impact in the area of education. The major impact of video conferencing has been in the area of distance education as well as in courses which are obscure and thus it is difficult to arrange teachers for them. Video conferencing allows the deployment of a centralized course and makes it possible for students to interact with the best teachers without the need to go to the places they teach at.

A number of universities in the United States provide the general public with access to recordings of video conferencing. Video conferencing also allows researchers to collaborate with each other from anywhere in the world to carry out their projects. You can find out more about video conferencing and webcasts at http://www.whatisawebcast.com

Video conferencing has also significantly contributed to the field of health care. Video conferencing has made telemedicine and telenursing a reality. It has also made it possible to optimally use health care funds in rural areas. Through the use of video conferencing technologies it is now possible for doctors to communicate and discuss cases with each other.

Business however is the area which has been radically impacted by the video conferencing technologies. With the globalization of businesses and their top brass spread all over the world it has become more and more difficult to

synchronize the work flow in companies. Thanks to video conferencing, however, now these businesses are able to

function in a smooth manner and especially their sales departments, whose personnel are always on the go as they are now able to telecommute to work.

Video conferencing has made the process of communications both economical and effective for people and businesses around the world.

Article by Dean Forster of http://www.whatisawebcast.com You can find out more about webcasts and video conferencing technology at => Streaming Video

Is Your Company Ready For Video Conferencing?

As broadband speed increases leap and bound every year, video conferencing has gradually become a popular communication tool between companies and executives. Now, you can conduct meetings and conferences on the Internet easily, with just a few clicks of your mouse. So is your company ready for video conferencing?

Video conferencing technology has been adopted by large and small organizations around the world. With video conferencing, one person in Tokyo can communicate and see another person in New York easily. There will be no geographical obstacles anymore as individuals and groups can conduct meeting no matter where they are located.

Sales department is one of the earliest adopter of video conferencing technology. In the past, the cost of travelling to meet clients is high. Now, with video conferencing, sales presentations can be made to a large group of potential buyers easily and quickly, for little cost. With the Internet, you will not need to travel from one location to another to make the same presentations over and over again.

Organizations also use video conferencing for their business and sales meetings, as key management can invite input from those in attendance. With this technology, management will get to interact with staffs in other departments, as well as gather valuable feedbacks on any key strategy of the company. With PowerPoint, you can make a decent presentation to a large group of people who are present at your video conference.

Through the Internet, video conferencing allows you to do a lot of things from the convenience of your office or location. For example, if your company is in the construction industry, video conferencing devices can be set up at headquarter office and remote sites, so that you and your guys can discuss building and architecture while simultaneously viewing the related blueprints and sketch. While doing so, you do not need to travel to each of the remote site at all.

Although video conferencing is similar to audio conferencing, it has an extra advantage because you are able to see the other party's face which is so important during face-to-face meetings.

Do take note that you do not need to spend a large amount of money to set up video conference devices in your meeting rooms. The price of the camera will depend on the features it has. Not all features are important to you - so get one that suits your needs and budget.

Video conferencing definitely helps save you time and money, as well as to increase efficiency and sales. So give it a try!

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Information About Video Conferencing - What You Need To Know

Video conferencing is the technique of meeting in a group over a network employing video and audio transmission technology and equipment. Armed with information about video conferencing businessmen, technologists, scientists and government heads started to explore ways to bring the world closer together and enable meetings of many people located in different parts of the globe. Video conferencing is the process of being able to see and interact with a group of people located at any point of the world at the same time.

Increased information about video conferencing has enabled even small businesses and organizations to communicate virtually face to face and not being in the same room at the same time. Businesses find this the most convenient way to interact with partners across the globe. Medical service providers such as surgeons have been known to use their information about video conferencing to provide invaluable advise to doctors treating patients half way across the globe. Doctors can view the patients and advise their colleagues about the treatment that must be administered to the patient. Surgeons have been known to conduct operations in distant countries through video conferencing; they observe the operation being conducted by a surgeon and advise him through the conferencing. This would not have been possible in the early 1990's as the video quality was very low and the connectivity of the video conferencing was not too good either.

Today the general man-in-the-street can use video conferencing software like any professional. Desktop video conferencing has brought the world closer and bridged the divide of the oceans for many a family. Information about video conferencing has given expansion opportunities for education and communication like no one ever expected. Someone somewhere has availed of the benefits that information about video conferencing has provided to the world. This is a technology that has achieved a lot in a few years and still has a very long way to go. Video conferencing enables scientists on the earth to communicate with astronauts in space, Generals to observe the activities on the frontlines, Doctors to monitor the progress of patients from distant lands, scientists to take part in crucial experiments from different countries at the same time and the old grand parents to have a look at the newborn grandchild just a few minutes after birth.

The information about video conferencing that you need is available all over the Internet. You need to know what video conferencing is, what you can use it for, what is the technology available to you and what is the equipment you need to set up video conferencing. In the past there was just the ISDN line linking the Internet across the world. Then there was the limited video compressing technology that could enable video transmission across the Internet. Businesses and organizations were unable to put video conferencing to its greatest use as they were bound to the limited technology at the time. The more their information about video conferencing technology advanced the better equipped they became to put it to wider use.

Shakir A. is writer an independent writer on Internet marketing, Online Video Advertising, Video Conferencing and it's happenings in Internet industry. More Details for Video Conferencing at http://www.tandberg.com

Life Happens Online in Real-Time with Video Conferencing Equipment

Technology has come a long way in the past 20 years. People from opposite corners of the globe can now send and receive letters and documents in a matter of seconds. There are now a number of ways to carry out a conversation from thousands of miles away without paying thousands of dollars. And yes, face-to-face conversation across continents are now possible with video conferencing equipment.

Video conferencing equipment has made next-door neighbors of Europe and Asia. They allow people to interact as if they're in the same room through images, text, and sounds relayed real time. This technology is extremely beneficial for multinational businesses and companies with locations all over the globe, as well as for personal use.

Video conferencing can be either one of two types. Point to point, or P2P, allows live video and audio communication between two locations. Multi-point, on the other hand, allows links between three or more locations.

P2P and You

In the past, video conferencing equipment was relatively expensive and was only utilized by businesses. However, with the evolution of technology, it is now possible for anyone with a decently running Internet connection to operate a video conference.

Video conferencing equipment includes the common and easy-to-use webcam. With this video conferencing equipment, you can stay in touch with family and friends wherever they may be in the world. And because you can actually see each other, conversations or chat sessions can be more personal, bridging the distance and bringing you and your loved ones closer. This is a good example of a P2P video conference.

Multi-point and Your Business

Multi-point video conference lets you hold business meetings among several offices in different locations. This requires slightly more complex utilization of video conferencing equipment.

The H.323 standard demands the use of a video conferencing equipment called Multi-point Control Unit. This Multi-point Control Unit is the video bridge, and it functions by connecting to the Internet. Depending on its design capacity, a Multi-point Control Unit can handle a certain number of video conferences simultaneously. Each video conference handled by the Multi-point Control Unit is separate from the others, and has a specified number of users.

Other Multi-Point System Requirements

Another video conferencing equipment required by the H.323 standard is the Gatekeeper. This video conferencing equipment acts like a client terminal that connects to the Internet. IP addresses are stored in the Gatekeeper.

By simply dialing a service number and password combination, users can already join a video conference. The Gatekeeper checks to see if the service number and the password provided are registered by the Multi-point Control Unit. Once identity is established, the Gatekeeper then completes the call by connecting to the specified video conference.

It's all very easy and painless. Like all new technologies, however, video conferencing equipment has specific requirements in order for users to take full advantage of their functionality. Users are required to have the appropriate video conferencing client terminals and an Internet connection with sufficient bandwidth. As long as your system has these capabilities, you're well on your way to carrying on those face-to-face conversations to your heart's content.

Still looking for the definition of video conferencing? Make your way to video chat rooms or take your pick of video conferencing equipment when you visit our site today.

How Video Conferencing Works - Multimedia, Interactive Communication Across the Miles

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You may think you understand video conferencing pretty well until someone who isn't at all familiar with it approaches you for a simple definition. When they ask, "What exactly is video conferencing?" you could suddenly realize you're at a loss for words. The simplest definition of how video conferencing works is simply by the integration of video, audio and peripherals to enable two or more people to communicate simultaneously over some type of telecommunications lines. In other words, you are transmitting synchronized images and verbal communications between two or more locations in lieu of them being in the same room. How video conferencing works is a little bit harder to explain than answering the question, "What is video conferencing?" Millions of people use video conferencing every day around the globe, but very few people know just how the technical aspects of the process work. The main ingredients of successful video conferencing are video cameras, microphones, appropriate computer software and computer equipment and peripherals that will integrate with the transmission lines to relay the information. The analog information recorded by the microphones and cameras is broken down into discreet units, translating it to ones and zeros. A Codec encodes the information to a digital signal that can then be transmitted to a codec at the other end, which will retranslate these digital signals back into analog video images and audio sounds. The theory's the same, the transmission has changed In the earlier days of video conferencing, T1, ATM and ISDN lines were used almost exclusively but were really only practical for room-based video conferencing systems. These dedicated lines were expensive and only large corporations tended to have the facilities and money to invest in this type of set-up. As the Internet became more a part of the everyday lives of all businesses, however, it changed how video conferencing was conducted. The TCP/IP connections of the Internet are much less expensive and can carry large quantities of information, including video packets for conferencing, relatively easily. Because of this, video conferencing has become much more prevalent in small businesses and in desktop packages that can be set up with software for computer-to-computer networking. Compression makes video transmission practical The problem that arises when you convert analog to digital for transmission is the loss of clarity in an image. Analog signals are a continuous wave of amplitudes and frequencies showing shades and ranges of color as well as depth and brightness. When you convert to digital, which is strictly 0's and 1's, you then need to develop a grid to represent values, intensities and saturations of different color values so that the image can be interpreted and reformed at the receiving end. This vast amount of digital information requires huge bandwidth and means that the time it would take to transmit video images would be impractical for most applications. That's where compression is crucial. When determining how video conferencing works, one of the most important elements is the compression ratio. The higher the compression ratio, the more quickly the information is capable of being transmitted. In many cases, however, this also means some loss in clarity or audio/video quality. For instance, a compression ratio of 4:1 would be terribly slow but have a fantastic picture quality. But by the time it was transmitted, everyone at the other end would probably have left the room for a cup of coffee. Lossy compression discards unneeded or irrelevant sections of a signal in order to transmit only the essentials, speeding up the transmission time significantly but sometimes resulting in loss of quality. Compression can either be intra-frame or inter-frame for material that is repetitive or redundant, such as that wall behind the conference participant. Since the wall remains static and never changes, this image is redundant and can be eliminated from transmissions to an extent with proper compression. Intra-frame compression assumes the redundancy will be present in parts of a frame that are close to each other. Inter-frame compression assumes that there is redundancy over time (i.e., like that wall). Either of these can achieve a fairly high degree of accuracy and reduce the bandwidth needed for transmittal of signals. A newer version of compression/decompression is SightSpeed technology, developed by Cornell University. SightSpeed compresses only images considered essential and eliminating what is considered 'filler,' relying on the brain to fill in the decompression at the other end. Based on an artificial intelligence model, SightSpeed achieves compression of about 90:1, compared to the typical 15:1 for video conferencing. Any video conferencing session you use will provide compression of the transmission signal. The key is determining the balance between speed and video picture quality that is right for your needs. Point to point video conferencing Point to point video conferencing is just what it sounds like - a link between two different points on the planet, or two different video conferencing terminals. It could be between an office in New York City and a conference room in Munich. Point to point video conferencing can easily be initiated by someone on one end contacting the other end as though making a standard telephone call. There are no special arrangements to be made other than knowing that the participants will be there. Multipoint conferencing is more complex Multipoint conferencing is more complicated because it has to coordinate several different locations simultaneously. Since you can't be in direct contact with several places at once while they are all in contact with others, you need one source that will tie them all together. In video conferencing, this is called a multipoint bridge or multipoint conferencing unit (MCU). An MCU enables multi-location video conferencing by providing a sort of "central processing center" for all of the locations through which all the information flows. The MCU receives all information from the various locations and then sends it out to each location. In some cases the MCU is located on a particular PC, and in other cases it is located on a remote server (the most common structure, particularly for more powerful MCU networks). Audio is usually sent and received simultaneously in all locations with an MCU with no problem because of the relatively small bandwidth needed for transmittal. It is broadcast in what is called "full duplex" mode, meaning everyone can talk and hear at the same time with no cutting off when one person or another speaks. Video transmission, however, can be broadcast in a number of ways with an MCU depending upon the quality of the software and the complexity of the system. Some common types of video transmission for video conferencing include:

Continuous Presence video conferencing, which allows up to four conference sites to be seen simultaneously on split screens. This is usually used if you have a small group or individuals in separate locations and will primarily be seeing close-up shots.
Universal Control video conferencing is controlled by the initiating conference site. The primary site determines who sees what at all other sites.
Voice Activated video conferencing is by far the most common type used today. The image with these systems shifts to the site that is currently activating the microphone so that you can always see whoever is speaking. However, if there is a good deal of background noise participants should mute their microphones when they aren't talking in order to avoid the image jumping about needlessly. Overcoming the language barrier Obviously, communicating through video conferencing can't be achieved unless both ends of the conference are "speaking the same language." That is, whatever is being transmitted electronically will need to be reassembled properly and heard and seen clearly at the other end. The Codec system (Coder-Decoder) is useless if both ends aren't using the same virtual language to interpret the signals. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) developed a set of standards in 1996 dubbed H.323 to outline specific guidelines for Video Conferencing standards and protocols so that compliance and support across networks would be easier to achieve and maintain. Since then, many manufacturers and developers of video conferencing tools have adopted the H.323 guidelines as their own. Web conferencing solutions such as Click to Meet, Lotus's SameTime, and WebEx also offer corporate solutions that are based on Internet video conferencing. These systems have shared protocols that can be downloaded and used anywhere at any location for subscribers through the Internet. These are becoming more popular with companies who like the convenience and user-friendliness. They will no doubt become more and more refined over time, vying with and perhaps surpassing the H.323 standards. Overcoming firewall issues There are, of course, obstacles to overcome when you take a look at how video conferencing works. After all, you're sending vast amounts of translated data either directly or through a gatekeeper system (the MCU) that is switching and transferring information between a variety of computers. Just about any business these days has a firewall system to provide security and protect the system from potential viruses. Trouble is, many firewalls also block the transmission of data for video conferencing. Recent innovations have largely circumvented these problems by designing firewall solutions that recognize video conferencing signaling requests and allow the information packets to bypass the firewall or router without disabling the firewall protection for other traffic. Even with this, however, there may be occasions when packets are dropped because of heavy traffic on the system, so investing in a firewall system that can handle substantial traffic is essential to quality video conferencing performance. How video conferencing works will certainly evolve over time and improve in the coming years, but a basic understanding of what it is and how it works now will help you make the best choice for you when you're ready to begin using video conferencing yourself. This article on the "How Video Conferencing Works" reprinted with permission.

Copyright © 2004 Evaluseek Publishing.

About the Author

Lori Wilkerson is a full-time freelance writer who loves her job because it
gives her the opportunity to learn more about the world every day. Right now,
she knows a little bit about almost everything, and a lot about
video conferencing,

video teleconferencing, and

desktop video conferencing. She has two dogs who are spoiled
and one teenager who is not. She does her video conferencing in pink bunny
slippers.

Try Video Conferencing Services - Stay Ahead of Time

The world is changing and so are methods of communication available to businesses. To stay afloat in this ever-changing market, you need to keep your business up to date. By replacing your years-old communication process with video conferencing, you can benefit from these changes to technology whilst saving money.

What is Video Conferencing?

Video conferencing is an interface that lets users organise a conference using telecommunication technologies. Users located at different offices or companies can participate in a videoconference to get a real time conferencing experience without the travel.

By streaming video and audio files in real time, video conferencing equipment helps people in two or more locations to interact with each other; creating the right virtual environment for group communication and discussion.

Video conferencing consists of suitable hardware and software to transmit video and audio signal simultaneously.

Videoconference technology is distinguishably different from videophones though both are capable of audio and video transmission simultaneously. Videophone uses duplex transmission process where only two nodes can communicate with each other; whereas, video conferencing is designed for group or one on one communications.

Hence, individuals and groups in two or more places can easily interact with each other with a video conference solution, allowing world wide real time meetings to take place.

Advantages of Video Conference technology:

Video Conference solutions provide real financial benefits in the long run. Without video conferencing in your company when you need to hold conferences or meetings with staff in remote locations, customers or suppliers you need to arrange either a basic telephone conference or visit these locations physically. Both the processes are expensive and limiting. Using video conferencing services, you can meet remotely located people and have a group communication without incurring any additional cost.

Saving travelling time and costs will also reduce the carbon footprint of your company whilst saving lengthy delays caused by most travel methods - weather you are flying or travelling by car.

Finally, the interface is simple to use. Video conferencing equipment does not need highly skilled operators; users can control the hardware and software with just basic training.

Stephen Smith is freelance consultant of video conferencing system. While working on this he has gathered knowledge on video conferencing, using of video conferencing equipments Visit http://www.mvision.co.uk for more information and services.

Usage and Benefits of Video Conferencing Systems

With the reduction in the prices of video conferencing systems, this technology is gaining a faster popularity and a steep rise in demand. Earlier video conferencing technology was very expensive and could be afforded only by the big and some medium sized organizations. But the reduced prices have now brought this solution well within the reach of organizations of all sizes.

Video conferencing microphone and other equipments have now become so cheap that these equipments are being used as standard equipments in the conference rooms of almost all the organizations located in the different parts of the world. It facilitates the users to get connected to each other and communicate via audio and visuals. The distance between the different parties do not act as an obstacle in the video conferences.

Video conferencing solutions help organizations to cut down travel expenses. It also saves time and facilitates to take quick decisions and actions during times of emergency. Therefore, over a short period of time, the expenditure incurred on the video conferencing equipments and services are recovered from the many benefits which it offers.

There are wide varieties of units available for desktop video conferencing in the market. The first and the foremost thing which an organization needs to consider before purchasing any unit is the size of its conference room and the number of members expected to participate in a conference at a time. While choosing the best video conferencing unit, an organization should also consider its compatibility and near future expansion prospects. This will ensure that the organization does not have to spend unnecessarily on another unit within a year or two.

Video conferencing systems are being widely embraced by organizations of all sizes as they offer a number of benefits to businesses. This technology can be used in different environments to cater different requirements. Video conferencing is most commonly used for conducting business meetings, trainings, online seminars etc.

Video conferencing solutions are being widely used in the fields of telemedicine, telecommunication, education, surveillance, security, emergency response etc.

The organizations using video conferencing systems for improving their businesses are deriving many benefits from its use. Some of the advantages are mentioned below:

1) The basic advantage of using video conferencing is that it facilitates people located remotely to meet up without having to travel. Therefore, it enables efficient communication between people, while saving both time and money.

2) Another advantage of using video conferencing is that it facilitates to conduct business meetings, seminars, training sessions etc, while the participants are located in different places.

3)It fastens decision making processes and facilitates to take quicker actions during times of emergency.

4)It facilitates better sharing of data and knowledge. Business organizations can use this technology for making presentations to the important members of an organization even if they are separated by vast distances.

Video conferencing offers virtually endless potentials for business communications. But to make the most out of this technology, it is important that, good quality video conferencing systems and services are used by the organizations.

Zaibatt is an experienced Business Development Content writer and publisher for Telcom & Data Inc., a leading provider of VoIP phones, Businesses phone systems, Conference Phones, Equipments, and Phone Conferencing Bridge.