Description of videoconference-webcast process
 

This will be an ISDN-line videoconference between Penn and San Francisco City College (SFCC).

At Penn, we will receive an incoming ISDN-line picture from SFCC.

At Penn we will use a video mixer to create a split-screen configuration, with the incoming SFCC picture on the left, and the local Penn picture on the right.  This split-screen, combined picture will be simultaneously sent to four places:

1) to a VHS video-recorder in the Penn room.
2) to a video-projector in the Penn room (so we can see the
       picture on a large screen).
3) to our Cal. videoconferencing partner via ISDN-line.
4) to a Realplayer address on the Penn server, which 65 computers
      can log onto at once.

I believe I have invented this technique of relaying ISDN-line material live onto the Internet.  No, I will not be applying for a patent!     :) 

The principle of relaying is used all the time on TV -- for example, when a Ted Koppel or Larry King converses with a distant party and that conversation is presented to the TV audience.

Actually, I wish everyone could relay ISDN-line material live onto the Internet!  The problem is, it takes a very special (expensive) televideo room to do this: so far, only a small number of large corporations/universities/etc. have such facilities (ISDN-line videoconferencing, and webcasting, built into the same system).

Also, the audio is tricky -- the level must be controlled separately for each of the four outputs.  If you take a look-listen to the recordings of the two events we did this fall (links to them can be found on the website address below), you will note that the audio quality leaves much to be desired.  We are working on this.

Thanks,

- Eric
  215-417-4134
  emiller@sas.upenn.edu

  Penn Folklore Ph.D. student
  studying storytelling and videoconferencing
  http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~emiller

  Graduate Student Videoconference Series, 2000-1
  http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/videoconference/series