Preparing a Video Conference

General Information

• Our VC-equipment: Tandberg 6000
• We support both major videoconferencing standards:
  • H.320 (VC via ISDN-Network)
  • H.323 (VC via Internet)
• Our VC terminal supports point to point as well as multipoint calls for up to four participating sites (including our own). Mixed use of ISDN and the internet is possible. Then the connections to the external partners have to be of the same bandwidth.

ISDN Calls

• Bandwidth: up to 512 kbps (kilobit per second) for a point to point call (bonding of up to 8 B-channels). 384 kbps (6 B-channels) is said to be "Business-Quality"
• You can make a ISDN multipoint conference with
  • 2 external partners with 256 kbps (4 B-channels) each, or
  • 3 external partners with 128 kbps (2 B-channels) each
• Connection fee is cost of a telephone call multiplied with number of used B-channels (the caller has to pay)

Internet Calls

• Bandwidth: up to 3 Mbps (megabit per second) for a point to point call
• You can make a internet multipoint conference with up to 3 external partners with 768 kbps each.

Information needed for scheduling

For a conference we need the event specific as well as the site specific information from all participants.

Event specific

• Date and time of conference start (in Ulm local time and UTC; see also how to convert time zones)
• Time of connection set up  (at least 10 minutes before)
• Scheduled end of conference
• VC standard to be used (H.320 (ISDN) or H.323 (Internet))
• Bandwidth to be used
• Who will call whom? (in case of using ISDN: the caller pays the connection fee)
• Is a second camera i.e. for documents, showing models necessary?
• Is there also a demand for data conferencing, i.e. a PowerPoint presentation, application sharing? Collaborative working on a project paper?
  • There are several means to do that, so we have to agree on that. Our suggestion: Use the application sharing part of Microsoft Netmeeting or (especially in case of firewall problems) tightvnc
  • Who will make a presentation to whom?
  • How to show the presentation at the receiving site (PC monitor or beamer)
  • IP adress of PC for data conferencing at each site
• If you have not made a conference with this partners before: Date and time of test conference (in local time and UTC). The videoconferencing standards are quite stable but implementations may differ. Therefore it is strongly recommended to perform a test conference!
• For a multipoint conference: MCU (multipoint conferencing unit) to be used?
• If necessary: Gatekeeper or dialing sceme to be used

Site specific for Ulm University

• Location of videoconference room: Central Library, Albert-Einstein-Allee 37, room 1.101
• Adress of videoconference system
  
  • ISDN: +49 (0)731/50-32222
  • Internet:  134.60.39.50
• PC's IP adress for presentations: 134.60.39.x
• Phone in conference room:  +49 (0)731/50-31470
• Technical Contact
  • Medientechnik
  • Phone:  +49 (0)731/50-31421
  • Alternatively you can always contact our Central Helpdesk.
• Organisational contact (one per site) arranging date and time