Articles

Darrell Icenogle asked:




Pocket camcorders like the Flip, the Kodak Zi8, and the Creative Labs Vado are at the forefront of a new video revolution. Why is this so?

Pocket camcorders that take HD video are in the $200 range, and dropping, lowering the entry costs of an exciting new hobby, and a new form of visual communication.

Because it fits in your pocket, you can take it with you anywhere. You can be ready to shoot at a moment’s notice. It can lay on the baby’s changing table (2nd shelf, to remain safely out of range of contamination) to catch a precious moment. You can pull over to the side of the road to catch a blue heron in its nest, and the slow flap of its wings as it departs for food for its chicks. You can be an amateur on-the-scene reporter of an event.

The list of possibilities is endless when you don’t have to be prepared — when you can power up and record in seconds, and when the skill required to shoot video is so low. What once was the province of techno-geeks is now in reach of every child and his grandmother. Flip HD camcorders plug directly into your computer, and with their FlipShare software make it incredibly easy to offload the video onto your computer, organize it, trim out the cruft, and make a movie, complete with titles and credits, in minutes.

Pocket camcorders enable daily, personal, visual communication. Sharing video has never been more convenient, taken less time, or required less of those with whom you want to share. Pocket camcorders typically have facilities for instantaneous upload to YouTube, to Facebook, or through an email.

If you like the idea of blogging (web logging), you might love the idea of vlogging (video logging) of the events and nuances of your daily life. It is now far easier to show a video to a few family members than to send them a card. Call it a virtual visit.

And it’s all about to get better. Not only are prices going down, even as the video quality goes up, but “virtual telepresence” is on its way. You are going to be able to stream video directly from your computer to a set-top box that displays it on your TV, and to the TV’s of others who have a similar box. You can have your own TV channel and give the “key” to your channel to your friends and family. Look for soon-to-be-released technology from Flip/Cisco.

It won’t be long before your video channel can go live, from your camcorder to your channel. Rather than just video communication, you’ll have video telepresence.

You aren’t going to get this kind of quality with all of this convenience and capability from a cell phone any time soon. But, guess what? These gadgets have become small enough that I can carry my cell phone and my Flip in the same pocket!

Video Sharing Online

Tom Cruz asked:




Video conferencing systems have adapted and evolved tremendously. There are four types of video conferencing systems. One of these will fit your needs and your budget. Each of these systems are used by private corporations and government agencies.

1. Telepresense systems allows you to be in a conference meeting with other participants that are in different locations. Two types of telepresense systems: Portable and immersion (room based)

Telepresence systems use high definition (HD) codecs with HD audio and flat screens. These systems are very expensive and the prices range from $60,000-$300,000. The price usually depends on the size of the screen and its capabilities.

2. Integrated room conferencing systems are commonly used in schools and offices. There is a specific location for the hardware and the codec. It comes with displays, camera and peripheral video capabilities that include several features. Integrated room conferencing system is cheaper than the telepresence system. Integrated room conferencing systems prices range from $10.000-$100.000.

3. Set top video systems are small and can be moved around easily if you need to place it in another part of a room during a conference meeting. Set video top systems resemble a monitor. These systems are very affordable and they are sold for about $3,000-$20,000.

4. The final conferencing system is the most affordable system around. Desktop video conferencing system is mainly used by people who work at home. They are also used to keep in contact with family and friends. These systems are very affordable and they can be purchased for $240-$400. You will be able to use VoIP and video sharing software.

If you do not want to spend cash for this system, you can use applications like Yahoo! or Skype. You will need a webcam with a built-in microphone.

When you purchase one of these video conferencing systems, a skilled technician will install it for you. Once the installation is complete, it will be extremely easy to use. Operating the system you purchased will be user friendly and you do not have to stress over who to use it.

Video conferencing systems have many benefits for anyone who wishes to use them. The best benefit many people enjoy is the traveling costs are non-existent. Conferences can be done via video conference instead of a face-to-face meeting. This saves you time and money. You do not have to worry about gas money, airfare, bus fare etc. Traveling expenses are no longer a factor.

Which video conferencing system is right for you? Factors include room size, number of viewers, calling features you want and other things. When you choose a conferencing system, it will be used for a very long time. No one will ever use the older methods of communication. Too many benefits are associated with video conferencing systems.

Telepresence Meetings

Robert Levin asked:




Ever greater numbers of students and professionals alike are finding obtaining a Masters in Business Administration essential to reach the professional goals they seek. While there are numerous types of MBA Programs to choose from the predominant decision is between several types. Traditionally, the full time, two year Masters Program, the part time and the newer accelerated programs have been given in person at institutions of higher learning. More recently Online MBA Degrees have been offered raising several questions about both their quality in the learning experience as well as what they gain the degree holder in the workplace. Quite simply, is it worth getting an MBA online? The answer as with many things is…it depends.

While the top ten MBA Programs at Ivy League and select institutions remain the ‘gold standard’ that top Fortune 500 firms recruit from and expect to see on resumes for their executives, for many these institutions are not a realistic option. While there are numerous second and third tier school programs available, more recently the Online MBA has become a legitimate option to pursue the Masters Degree. These internet distance learning degrees provide much of the same curriculum and case study material one would find in a full or part time traditional program but enable the student to work at home and often proceed at their own pace. Homework and assignments are often emailed in and tests are taken with computerized tests.

But there are trade-offs. First, Online MBA’s don’t enable the student to take part in valuable real world networking opportunities nor take part in group and one on one interaction with other students. The skills learned during these types of engagements can be extremely valuable, especially to younger students who are just entering the workplace and don’t have much real world work experience. In addition, much of the value obtained from a traditional MBA program is in the intangible things you learn by from your fellow students.

Top MBA programs are renown for accepting stellar applicants from around the world bringing a wide variety of experience both professionally and culturally all contribute to the learning experience of the other students as well. Finally, Online MBA Programs don’t usually permit the meeting of real world professionals who they can speak with and learn from in addition to often create mentoring relationships with. With all the limitations of obtaining an MBA online however, there are situations in which it can be a viable option.

In situations where a student is already in the workplace and simply needs the credential, distance learning programs are an option. In addition, when costs are too exorbitant for traditional programs, online learning can provide an inexpensive and fairly thorough academic learning experience but without some of the personal benefits of university programs.

Finally, with recent improvements in technology, some of the more progressive schools have started trial programs where they offer MBA’s Online with some of the benefits of in-class participation. This enables lecturers and guest professionals to communicate with students via Telepresence or live video through the computer. In addition, students can communicate with each other via chat and message board systems, helping add another dimension to the online learning experience. In summary, while Online MBA programs don’t provide the panache or prestige of traditional top MBA programs, they do serve as an important alternative in certain situations.

One should not be misled that they will obtain all the benefits of the traditional MBA through a distance learning program, but with new technologies helping to flesh out the weaker elements, they are progressing quickly as a viable alternative. While this might change in the future, for now online programs should be looked upon as mostly an option for those already in the workforce who are more interested in obtaining the credential for advancement, or for those who are interested just in the learning process such as those running their own businesses. If you fall into one of those two categories then perhaps you should look into forgoing the expense and time commitment of an in-person program and consider a progressive Online MBA.  Read this and other great articles about Online MBAs at www.MBAonline.me

Online Video Broadcasting

Michael Lemm asked:




Designing the “perfect” delivery infrastucture for video conferencing and multi-media functions can seem complicated, labor intensive, time consuming, and costly. But what’s most important is the evaluation process you would use….what you would likely choose (e.g. T1, DS3, OC3, Ethernet)…and why. Have a plan for that….and all will fall into place.

First, you’ll need to ask and answer the following questions:

What type of content do you want to use for your Video Conference system. Is it going to be just video of talking heads, or do you need other video and audio sources as well? How many participants would you have? Do you need to speak to multiple locations at one time? Do you want a dedicated room or a mobile solution? What is your existing IT/Network infrastructure? Do you have other Video Conference systems? If so what types?

These are the types of questions that must be asked when you’re in the process of designing a Video Conference solution. The answersthen drive the selection of a Codec, it’s hardware/software options, and which manufacture best fits the needs.

If the correct front end product is selected it makes it easier to integrate into a new or existing IT/Network infrastructure.

Rather than focus on the underlying physical topology used, concern should be toward finding a network provider that can deliver the features needed to support the application. It really makes little difference what the physical or link layer is. The provider will likely manage the CPE anyway and will give you an Ethernet handoff for your network. What you are concerned about is the network layer and more specifically QoS (Quality of Service).

To support streaming media such as voice and video, there must be a QoS mechanism at the network layer that will guarantee low latency and jitter. Converged network products offered by carriers today have this, usually using MPLS (Multi Protocol Label Switching) technology. This allows the customer to designate which packets get certain preferential treatment as they are sent along the network path.

As an example, consider a network that would deliver voice or video, VPN, and Internet access. Perhaps the application running over the VPN provided a core business function. In this case, data would be classified on the edge of the network to provide the greatest functionality. Voice and video packets would be catagorized as latency and jitter sensitive, the VPN packets would be catagorized as drop sensitive, and the Internet traffic as best-effort. These attributes will be honored within the carrier’s network. The net effect of all this is that your VoIP phones and video will perform without noise or other problems and your Internet connection will just slow down a bit when you take the phone off the hook or put demand on the VPN.

Legacy networks have a hard time implementing QoS functionality due to the constraints of the older design and hardware (e.g. older broadband cable networks). Almost all networks built today can provide QoS but some designs work better than others. Always get references of other customers using a similar application to be sure you will be successful.

When projecting bandwidth requirements for the design, remember the human factor. If bandwidth is available, people will use it. The general trend I’ve seen is that usage doubles every year. Of course, adding additional networked applications can make it grow even faster.

In summary …. it all comes back to your requirements and setup backing up the deployment , such as :

How many concurrent users Available bandwidth Type of Service to be deployed Connectivity technology for each peer participating. Required bandwidth (with room for reasonable growth) to fill the gap.

If you are just looking at a couple of talking heads with little side data, you can get away with a few hundred Kbps per connection. However, if you are looking at medical consultation during a surgical procedure in hi-def, then 20-30 Mbps or more per connection may be required.

Next, what else is going on in your network? If this is a converged network (and that will ultimately be the way to go), then this video is competing with voice, other videos, data and who knows what else. What techniques are available to manage the data on the network? Even a gigabit Ethernet can get swamped if there are lots of HD video flows on the network.

Finally, what level of quality is being demanded by the users of the system? While you can do a “video” conference with 128kbps, the video is quite poor, and any packet loss or data errors at all cause serious problems. If you want telepresence (the feeling of being there) then you demand 1-way delays less than 250 MS, which limits compression (group of frames) options and increases bandwidth requirements.

The bottom line is that there will be a large tradeoff between capability, quality and bandwidth requirements. Once those tradeoffs have been decided, then you need to decide if your existing network infrastructure can support the trade-off decision or if you need to run a separate network to support the video. Considering that a separate network is very expensive, you then must decide what technology is required on your converged network to support this video application.

So, the question is not what is the best platform? Instead the question is what do you want to do? And the answer ….. is how to do what you want to do. Everything else -128K, 512K, 20 meg, SIP, H.263, H.264, JPEG-2000, MPEG-2, and on and on …. are all just tools that can be used to derive a solution. But they are not the solution, until you decide what you may need.

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