Selecting Videoconferencing Equipment for HEP Applications

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Selecting Videoconferencing EquipmentforHEP
Applications

• Geoff. Fayers
• G.J.Fayers_at_ic.ac.uk

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Current NarrowbandVC Standards
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Standards VRVS

• VRVS uses Hybrid (MBONE) standards
• Experimental - not IETF or ITU
• Need gt 1GMip for 30fps
• Limited use of MMX
• Insufficient parallelisation
• Common s/ware components are vic, rat, wbd, (sdr)
• Beginning to support H.323
• For quality, need hardware DSPs

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Recommendation 1

• Limit investment in A/V Capture cards for old
  VRVS and MBONE
• Decide how scalable you want H.323
• Decide whether ISDN important
• Decide whether investment incremental or
  strategic

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The ITU Standards H.320

• H.320 - lt 2MBits/sec, ISDN
• Each ISDN channel is 64KBits/sec
• ISDN-2 128 KBits/sec
• ISDN-6 384 Kbits/sec
• Can also use ISDN-4 _at_ 256 KBits/sec
• Minimum is one channel _at_64KBits/sec
• (a good test of standards compliance)
• For channels beyond 2, need BONDING
• Mode 1 prevails for this application

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The ITU Standards H.323

• Packet-based
• Up to 2 Mbits/sec, adaptive
• Transmission technology undefined
• FR sometimes used
• Consider only IP networks here

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Other Standards

• Mbone IETF tools sdr, vic, rat, wbd,..
• H.310 H.321 for B-ISDN (ATM)
• H.324 for low bit rate videotelephones
• .others
• T.120 - T.140 - data sharing
• MS NetMeeting commonest implementation
• Others platform-specific
• SIP (RFC2543, Mar. 99)

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T.120

• The missing component of VC systems
• Includes whiteboarding, ftp and application
  sharing
• DataBeams FarSite most successful interim
  product .. But now swallowed up (Lotus)
• Intels ProShare Premier a strong alternative
• PictureTel had LiveShare Plus.but no more

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More T.120

• Also-rans are MediaRing (Mediacom), TALKShow
  (FutureLabs)
• Most DTVC suppliers have moved to MS NetMeeting
• NetMeeting dominates at present
• DC-Share (DataConnection)
• Netopia Virtual Office (Farallon Comms.)
• Timbuktu Pro (Farallon Comms.)
• PictureTel (Q4/97), VCON, VTEL, Sony, Zydacron,
  Vis à Vis, GPT and MMT all offer NetMeeting
  BUT.

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What about MS NetMeeting?

• Implements modified T.120 stack for data sharing
• Designed to prevent interoperability with strict
  T.120 implementations
• Security risk

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More about MS NetMeeting..

• Also implements H.323.
• Example of a software-based codec
• Intel ProShare is another
• Suggestion Do NOT use for a/v
• Users will ignore one-to-one restrictions
• Problems in UK VIP and Megaconf.
• Probably banned next this year
• Development??

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MBONE Answers to T.120

• wb
• Shared whiteboard, text and postscript drawings
• nt
• Shared text editing tool for ASCII
• qb
• 20 increase in remote audience participation
• More tools under development.

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SIP vs H.323

• SIP is IP exclusively
• SIP less complex - cheaper to implement
• SIP easier debug - text messages/commands
• SIP Client/Server arch. - security, mgmnt
• SIP easier Firewall handling
• SIP more scalable

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Future of H.323

• Originally intended for LAN
• Has come a long way for Internet use
• Despite slow take-up..
• H.323 will persist for 5 years or more
• Will bridge with ISDN, ATM and PSTN
• Will integrate e/mail, voice mail, fax, call
  centres, VC
• GSM integration underway.
• Too much investment to abandon
• Still developing...

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More on Future of H.323

• 2 Revisions of standard
• More may be expected..
• Several Annexes
• Annexe D important for HEP..
• Limited implementations

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H.320, H.323 and T.12Implementations

• H.320 in hardware, firmware and software -
• Desktop hosts include Win98, Win2000, WinNT
• No linux hosts
• H.323 in hardware, firmware and software -
• Desktop hosts include Win98, Win2000, WinNT
• No linux yet
• Some Mac - fast changing
• T.12 in software
• MS NetMeeting prevails, but others exist for UNIX
  and esp. for WinXX

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Range of VC Systems
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Conclusion for Desktops.

• For data sharing, use NetMeeting
• gt Win98, WinNT, maybe Win2000
• But there are problems even then.

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H.323 and Firewalls

• Must have Rev. 2 compliance
• Ston have tested two
• Axents Raptor looks good
• CheckPoints Firewall-1 appears to be OK now
• Edu prices comparable, tho Raptor not in CHEST
• Cisco PIX may now be alright..
• No linux recommendations
• Problems with NetMeeting V2.

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Conclusions for Firewalls

• If you are behind one on campus, check its H.323
  rev. 2 capability

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MCU Facilities

• At UCL (Pete Clarke)
• At Edinburgh
• G.J.Fayers_at_ic.ac.uk or
• R.Hughes-Jones_at_man.ac.uk
• Both Experimental
• No Direct Booking!

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Entry Level Recommendations 2

• Use a PC with Win98 or WinNT
• Zydacron Z353 at 995.0 VAT
• Augment with Polyspan SoundPoint PC at about 80
  VAT
• Get additional headset from supplier of Z353
• Make supplier responsible for integrating the
  extras
• Use NetMeeting V3.1
• Recognise the limitations

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A Cheaper Entry Level Option

• For laptops, Win98 Polyspan ViaVideo at about
  400 VAT
• but.
• Changing IP address.
• Multiple IP addresses..
• Win2000 X-Active NetMeeting ViaVideo
• Camera

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Polyspan ViaVideo
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An Alternative - VCON ViGO
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Z353 vs ViaVideo

• ViaVideo
• External USB connection
• IP only
• No auxiliary inputs
• Built-in mic only
• Uses audio out in PC
• No WinNT support
• Portable to e.g. plane
• 400 VAT

• Z353
• Single PCI half-length board
• ISDN-2 and IP
• S-Video aux input
• Headset, camera mics
• Aux. Line out
• Win98, WinNT, Win2000
• Suitable for rollabout PC
• 995 VAT

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A Scalable Alternative

• Zydacron Z360 costs 1,500
• Single full length PCI board
• For ISDN, also need ZC206 _at_ 1,750
• Buy together for 2,995 VAT
• Capable of TV output, SVideo aux. Input
• So two cameras or document camera
• Auxiliary mic. Input too
• Aux. Line output too
• Built-in echo cancellation

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Echo Cancellation - A Superb Multiway Solution?
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Queries?

• Next edition of Recommendations late Spring
• Will include mid-range and some high-end
  recommendations
• Information on cameras, doc. Cameras, other
  add-ons
• Queries to G.J.Fayers_at_ic.ac.uk

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