Campus
Video Conferencing Services:
Videoconferencing services are available
to the campus community to facilitate the instructional and
research missions of the university. Videoconferencing allows
participants in each remote location to see and hear each
other as if they were in the same meeting room. Participants
may collaborate using electronic whiteboards to share notes
and may share printouts and diagrams using document cameras.
Presentations can even be delivered to other locations in
PowerPoint format.
Based on prior experience, some example
uses of videoconferencing services include
- Collaboration with research groups from
other institutions
- Faculty candidate interviews
- Student job interviews
- Delivery of course content
Technical Information
The types of conference and the connection
method needed are both important technical details to consider
when using videoconferencing services.
Two modes of videoconferencing are possible:
Two-way and Multi-site.
- Two-way conferencing: Simple conference
connection between two locations (one location is our campus),
allowing two-way collaboration. A student job interview
is an example of a point-to-point conference (also known
as a point-to-point connection).
- Multi-site conferencing: Conference connection
in which our campus participates as one remote site among
many. This mode is useful when a person or group on campus
will participate as part of a larger group, analogous to
several parties meeting together in a conference room. Multi-site
conferencing is useful when collaborating with several parties
that are in different locations throughout the world or
when delivering a lecture to several off-campus sites.
Our videoconferencing services allow
two methods to connect to remote locations, ISDN and IP. Each
connection method has advantages and disadvantages, depending
on the call being placed:
ISDN: traditional
connection method used for videoconferencing. ISDN has been
preferred as a connection method for many years because it
is as reliable as making a simple phone call once you are
connected to a remote location. Our capabilities allow for
two ISDN phone lines to be used simultaneously, resulting
in data rates up to 256 kilobytes per second.
- Advantages: Reliable performance –
the videoconference is the only application using the bandwidth
available on the communication line.
- Disadvantages: Because ISDN uses digital
phone lines, per-minute toll charges accrue for long distance
calls. Also, data rates can go no higher than 256 Kb/sec
at current capacity, placing a cap on audio and video quality.
IP: Internet-based
videoconferencing. Though still an emerging technology, IP
conferencing appears promising as a future communications
medium between remote locations. Conferences are held using
the available Internet connection bandwidth at each remote
location. Our capabilities allow for connections at 256, 384,
512, 768, and 1024 kilobytes per second.
- Advantages: Potentially exceptional audio
and video quality. With high enough connection speeds, a
videoconference call can achieve television quality. Also,
no per-minute charges accrue because the existing Internet
infrastructure is used as the communications medium.
Disadvantages: Each remote location
must have reliable, high-performance Internet connectivity.
Also, due to the inherent structure of the Internet, problems
at junction points anywhere between Florida Tech and the remote
location may affect conferencing quality.
Using Florida Tech’s Videoconferencing
Services
Florida Tech’s Videoconferencing
Center is located in the Information Technology office in
Crawford Room 328. The Center must be reserved prior to use;
reservations may be placed through the Information Technology
office at telephone extension 7999.
