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Videoconferencing at UGA
closing the distance gap
Videoconferencing (VC) is a way for
students, faculty, and staff at the University of Georgia campuses to create
a same-place experience for people in different locations. Using interactive
telecommunication technologies, videoconferencing allows people at two
or more locations to interact via two-way video and audio transmissions
simultaneously.
This Web site provides information on Internet-based (or IP-based)
videoconferencing services.
Anyone interested in either installing or using a VC system should first
review the
advertised UGA Videoconferencing
Systems. The
list also includes the EITS Polycom VC system,
which can be used as a test point for departmental VC systems when it is not being used by EITS staff for videoconferencing sessions.
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Setup, Registration, and Quality of Service
The quality of the videoconferencing experience
depends on whether the VC systems involved are hardware- or
software-based. It also depends on the available end-to-end
network bandwidth and quality of service capabilities. The following resources
are designed to assist those interested in setting up a video conference system
to assure the best experience for their audiences.
Videoconferencing Cookbook
The Videoconferencing Cookbook was written
in response to the interest and demand
for balanced reference material on the implementation of IP
videoconferencing. This cookbook covers all aspects of videoconferencing,
including system selection guidelines, optimal room characteristics,
troubleshooting techniques, etc.
Network Concerns for Videoconferencing
This document provides a summary of the networking
issues surrounding videoconferencing. As stated above, the success of any
videoconferencing solution
depends on the end-to-end bandwidth available and
the quality of service (QoS) characteristics of all network components along the way. These components include the hardware and software of the sending device,
all of the communications devices between that device and the
building connection to the campus network,
the campus network itself, all of the wide-area connections (when applicable),
and all of the above components back to the receiving device.
Technical Recommendations, Instructions, and Registration
This document was developed by a UGA videoconferencing QoS task force
and contains valuable
information regarding how to set up videoconferencing for UGA enterprise
videoconferencing.
Included in these instructions is
a
section on required registration. The videoconferencing unit(s) must be
registered before a QoS evaluation can be performed.
Assistance and Support Process
EITS Network Operations and Infrastructure staff can assist departments in
assessing the suitability of their network infrastructure for
videoconferencing use. To request assistance,
contact the EITS Help Desk (706-542-3106 or
helpdesk@uga.edu) or
submit a request ticket via
the
EITS Request Assistance Form.
The
Videoconferencing Support Process provides a detailed flowchart for
troubleshooting and repairing a videoconferencing link.
If you would like to join the UGA Videoconferencing User's Group
discussion list, make
your request as follows:
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Go to:
http://listserv.uga.edu.
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Select "Browse, Subscribe, Post, Search ..."
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For "List name" type: VC-USER-GROUP and click on "Go!"
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Follow the instructions on the next screen to join the discussion
list.
Related Assistance Links:
Videoconferencing and Internet2
If all of the videoconferencing locations are on the Internet2 network,
the Internet2 Commons is a
service that can provide multi-location videoconferencing sessions for a
nominal fee. Individuals at Internet2 institutions who want to
test their videoconferencing systems for use on the Internet2
backbone can use
the OWAMP service.
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