Video Conferencing FAQs

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 Telepresence?

Telepresence is an advanced form of video conferencing in which the technologies unite to allow the participants, regardless of distance, to feel as if they were present together. Telepresence is considered the most natural form of virtual communication.

What is Unified Communications?

Unified communications is a concept where multiple modes of business communications can be seamlessly integrated. Telephony, video conferencing, instant messaging and collaboration tools work together to provide a solution where individuals can locate colleagues, select the most appropriate method of communication, access real time information and expert advice and collaborate on a document together.

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 is Virtual Collaboration?

Virtual collaboration is where two or more people work together to accomplish a task without being in the same location. Virtual collaboration is made possible through video conferencing and other technologies.

What is High-Definition?

High-definition refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1280x720 pixels (720p) or 1920x1080 pixels (1080i/1080p).

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.

What is SIP?

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a signalling protocol, used to set up and tear-down multimedia communication sessions, such as voice and video calls over IP (Internet Protocol). The text-based protocol incorporates many elements of HTTP and SMTP allowing for easy inspection by administrators and can be used for creating, modifying and terminating two-party or multiparty sessions consisting of one or several media streams. The modification can involve changing addresses or ports, inviting more participants, adding or deleting media streams, etc.

What is VoIP?

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a term for a group of transmission technologies for delivery of voice communications over IP networks such as the Internet. The basic steps involved in originating an Internet telephone call are conversion of the analog voice signal to digital format and compression/translation of the signal into Internet IP packets for transmission over the Internet; the process is reversed at the receiving end.

What is Teleworking?

Teleworking is a term which refers to substituting telecommunications technology for any form of work-related travel. Teleworking is facilitated with tools such as virtual private networks, conference calling, videoconferencing and voice over IP.

What contributes to the quality of a video call?

The main factors contributing to the quality of the image you will see during a video call are the quality of the codec and the amount of bandwidth.

How much bandwidth is required?

Essentially, the bandwidth required will vary depending on the application and exactly what is being shared. Some videoconferencing IP software adjusts the system's bandwidth automatically to accommodate the need for more or less bandwidth.

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.