Video Conferencing/IPTV

CTELT offers high quality video conferences that consist of full-motion, full-screen video and whisper quality audio. Additionally our video conferences are equally effective whether they are used by one person or a room full of people. FHSU uses standards based IP (Internet Protocol) via reliable Polycom equipment for high compatibility with practically any other room or location, including single user webcams. CTELT provides video conferences to many groups including FHSU students, faculty, and staff; state agencies; high schools; federal, state and local governments; and the U.S. military to name a few.

Additionally, the versatility of our new system allows CTELT to bring the video conference to the user. We can now conduct high quality video conferences from any FHSU room that is wired to our Computing and Telecommunication Center's Local Area Network (LAN). That literally means you or your group can hold a video conference from any departmental conference room, classroom, lab or office. If you choose to hold a video conference from a presentation room, we can set you up there too.

The video conference is viewed on a standard television and transmitted via our computer network. We simply connect the VCR size Polycom whole room camera unit to your own television or projector, or if needed we can provide a display device and optional document camera. We then connect the Polycom to FHSU's Ethernet giving it access to the world.

Be careful what you say because we lay a Polycom microphone pod in the room and its 25ft radius, 360deg pick-up pattern clearly sends even the faintest voices. What you'll hear is echo free full-duplex audio that makes communicating easy. The pictures are equally spectacular since we typically connect at speeds ranging from 384kbps to 768kbps. At those high speeds the Polycom whole room system provides a full motion picture (30 frames per second) similar in quality to VHS. The other location’s picture fills the entire screen of the television in the same manner a broadcast station does.

The video conference is limited by the equipment used by all participants, so in an ideal situation the other endpoints would also use Polycom devices (the most common whole room system) because then we're assured of having the highest quality. If they don't it is ok as many different video conference rooms and personal webcams now offer a decent quality.

The IP we use for videoconferencing is the same protocol used when data moves over a computer network. Like data sharing the benefit to using IP for video conferences is that there are no per-minute line charges. We have 24/7 video conference access and can talk for hours over long distances for no charge. As a result CTELT also has no room or technical charges for campus users. Off campus groups have a small charge.

So as you can imagine there are many pleasing advantages to viewing a video conference rather than using even a plain old telephone call. If you have questions, would like to view a demonstration, need help deciding if a videoconference is right for you, or would simply like to schedule a videoconference please call Ron Hart at 785-628-4482.