Designing Web Success

The Dark Knight, which is part of Christopher Nolan’s Batman picture series is followup to the action-hit Batman Begins (2005). Christian Bale recapitulates the persona of the caped crusader - Batman in this action movie.The moving picture centers on Batman’s campaign against a young villain, a crazy delinquent called Joker (Heath Ledger), who is the engineer of many organized offenses in Gotham City.

Rambo (2008) is the fourth installment of the popular franchise of the identical title leading Sylvester Stallone as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo. After 20 years since the last moving picture of the famed action film series, Vietnam war veteran John Rambo has withdrawn to northern Thailand, and become a waterman at Salween River in Myanmar. He went with a group of soldiers of fortune for a resue mission to assist the individuals of a damaged hamlet. The mission begins well until the Burmese regular army assaults the settlement, killing innocent villagers and several members of missionaries. When the missionaries neglect to come back after ten days, their pastor comes to Rambo, tells him what has transpired, and asks for his assistance in guiding hired soldiers of fortune to the settlement to save other survivors who had been kidnaped by the Burmese. Despite the fact that he already sworn off all forms of force, he had no choice but to aid the abducted soldiers of fortune from the enemies. He recognises what he must do and this is his well-nigh dangerous mission to yet.

Aliens (1986) is a continuation of the action/sci-fi/horror motion picture extraterrestrial being (1979 - directed by Ridley Scott). The moving picture is set 57 years afterwards Ellen Ripley’s trial by ordeal with the deadly alien animal. With the combat-oriented structure of the flick, Aliens promoted the tagline: “This Time It’s War.” After more such than half-century later the consequences of ‘alien’, Ellen Ripley, the only survivor of a salvaged outer space freighter Nostromo, was seen and rescued at LV-426, a planetoid where they encountered the alien eggs. Then a unit of space marines in concert with Ripley were built-up to a mission to investigate LV-426’s activities and to search for their contact. As they returned to the minor planet, they discovered a large extraterrestrial being nest and they’re unprepared as they found a developed extraterrestrial being, killing almost all fellow members of the unit. The remaining survivors including Ellen were confined in the alien overrun territory, leaving them with no other option but to campaign the alien queen in order to survive.

A busy lifestyle often makes it difficult to fit in all the books you want to enjoy reading. Often we don’t notice that long journeys and many different tasks may take up sizable portions of our precious time. Making a living, taking care of children or housework all cut down the free time you have for your interests. If you love learning and are finding it difficult to fit it in, journeys to work may provide the perfect opportunity to enjoy listening to an audiobook. With user-friendly downloads, you can enjoy In Pursuit Of Peace by Joyce Meyer available from Download Audio Book Online, or audiobooks brought to life by Francesca Simon without ever flipping a single page. Multi-tasking is fast becoming a way of life in the modern world. Audiobooks such as Pimsleur English for Cantonese Speakers I Part 2 by Dr. Paul Pimsleur for sale from Download Audio Book Online fill the dead hours in our daily routine, it could be waiting at the dentist’s surgery or taking the family to music lessons. Numerous audio-books are available for download in mp3 format these include Enemy At Green Knowe, An by L.M. Boston, and if you have an iPod or other mp3 player and headphones and use the opportunity to check out the latest biography, such as audio books penned by Wallace D. Wattles without carting heavy books around.

Another advantage of audio books is the chance to rent or buy many titles and listen to them at your leisure. Interested in learning a different language? Try audio-books! It’s easy to catch up on the latest business practises, or you can enjoy studying current thoughts about religion or spirituality. A huge selection of genres and titles are obtainable. It doesn’t matter if you’re a history devotee, crazy about science fiction and fantasy even if your interested in self help, it’s easy to access many titles immediately. Choices are wide open; you can simply take a subscription to a rental service or purchase what appeals to you.

Enthusiastic readers can invariably seek out a way to read, even so audiobooks offer a great option for active individuals. A author or actor can enhance the experience of most books. Simply reading a title isn’t the same as listening to audio titles performed by Kyril Bonfiglioli, including niceties of an real performance. Hearing audio-books performed by Jim Cymbala can give more depth to your reading experience and often can mean a great deal more than the written words.

So think about audio-books when you next want to buy books, they are a fantastic means to fit all the learning you would like to do into your busy life.

Pimsleur Farsi (Persian) I Part 3 by Dr. Paul Pimsleur is surely great reading, however today’s busy lives could make some time hard to achieve. Sometimes we don’t realize how lengthy commutes and other chores may take up massive chunks of our time. Earning a living, taking care of children or housework all reduce the free time available to persue your interests. It’s easy to simply use the time spent driving to catch up on novels you can’t get around to reading. Thanks to media files, it’s simple to relish Lifeguard by James Patterson and Andrew Cross by Download Audio Book Online, or audio-books told beautifully by Glenn Harrold when you are excercising.

Multitasking is becoming a way of life these days. Audible books like Pimsleur Spanish I Part 3 by Dr. Paul Pimsleur available from Download Audio Book Online fill the squandered moments in life, it could be waiting time in a physician’s office or possibly taking the children to soccer practise. Audio-books are now available to download as mp3 data files for instance Pimsleur Ingles - English for Spanish Speakers III Complete Course by Dr. Paul Pimsleur, and if you have an iPod or other mp3 player and get ready to discover the current thriller, for instance audio books written by Jeffrey Rogers Hummel without dragging heavy books around. Audible books offer various advantages such as the ability to rent or purchase many titles and enjoy them at your leisure. Want to learn Polish? Try audio books! It’s easy to review the very latest business trends, or you can enjoy mulling over modern views in religious thought. A vast selection of literary genres and titles exist. It really doesn’t matter if you love travel writing, mad about science fiction and fantasy even interested in self help, you can access many audio books straightaway. Several options are available; it’s simple to take a subscription to a rental service or buy what interests you. Ardent readers will always seek out a time to enjoy a book, however audio-books offer a wonderful option for active individuals. A narrator can deepen the experience of most novels. Just reading a title isn’t quite the same as listening to an audio book performed by Joesph Lidster, with the additional subtleties established during a rendidtion. The depth of your experience can be increased by listening to an audio book such as Jewels of the 11th Generation by Jerry Stearns & Brian Price and in many cases will mean more to you than the written word. The next time in future when you consider purchasing a volume you will probably never find time to read, do not forget audio-books as a better choice.

Every once in a while a new communications technology comes along that changes everything. I was able to see and experience this technology. So excited about its unlimited potential was I that I decided to place it on my blog and write about it as well.

Hearing someone’s voice over the phone shortens the distance between callers. Video chatting closes the gap because now you can see each other as well! This new wave of communications technology brings people into each other’s offices, living rooms, and their lives. Remember the old slogan, “Reach out and touch someone?” Now video chatting has taken it to the next level making it as close to reaching out and touching someone as you can get without actually being in the same room!

Catch the wave: Almost everyone has 3-way calling on their home telephone. Now the technology is available to have a video 3-way call! Today’s technology features a multiparty robust live streaming audio and video web chatting platform that does not require any downloads. This breakthrough communications technology permits member-to-member communication via multiple, resizable video windows.

Users can make video windows as large as desired while sustaining exceptional audio and video quality. Incorporating easy-to-use features for a multi-party video web chat session, this technology includes multi-room and multi-user text, audio and/or video chatting.

Put yourself in the picture with streaming video email whether at work or at play.

Streaming video email: Record, save, and send is all it takes to “put yourself” in the home or office of the people in distant locations with whom you want to communicate. Now you can do so on a regular basis. Fully customizable video screens allow for branding and personalization.

Streaming video on demand: IT has been proven that visitors stay at a website 50% longer when it contains video, yet only 1% of the 50 million websites online are utilizing video! With today’s technology you can create your own videos or use commercially produced videos on your website for pennies on the dollar. Enhance your website and ensure that visitors see and hear what you have to say! See and be seen in real time.

“Video email will replace text messages as the online communications mechanism. Text-based email will seem as archaic as black and white TV.” - Forrester Research

Today’s communications technology has such versatility that offers the latest and most extensive high-end features for the corporate-user, but is so user-friendly that the personal-user may send greetings to friends and family members with ease. Whether you are a small business owner exploring a cost-effective form of advertising or a corporate executive looking to streamline training and company communications, it time to move up to today’s latest in communications technology: video chatting.

Here are some features to keep in mind:

* Add video to your website with ease. There’s no need to wait on a webmaster or content upload service to update your website. Within minutes you can add video to any website. Streaming video on demand is a simple, cost effective approach to a more effective website.

* Not only see your prospect’s phone number, but actually introduce yourself live and in person. When a visitor to your site has questions, they may click the connect button and you will be notified. You may then start a live video feed to them so that they may see and hear you while they ask questions over their microphone or text. What a powerful way to answer questions, share your story and above all, build that relationship. This technology extends the customer relationship marketing that is essential in business.

* If you’re juggling schedules, travel, and other commitments that are making it harder for you to coordinate an upcoming meeting? Take advantage of group collaboration without the expense and hassle of travel. Conduct face-to-face interaction with a web conferencing system. Invite an unlimited number of participants to join. All participants have text chat capabilities while six participants may be visualized on the screen for audio and video participation. From all corners of the globe you may join together in one central meeting location. Share presentations, documents, desktops and other applications as if you are sitting around the same table.

* Today’s communications technology is more than just one-way broadcast communication. It is true interactive communication. The web-based system eliminates the need for messy downloads or software installations. No additional hardware is required. Its meeting-quality and reasonable pricing make it a feasible solution for anyone needing to assemble a group for an interactive meeting.

* With an exclusive web meeting room available to members 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year, you have a special room set up as a place where your representatives may check in, share stories, exchange strategies, bounce ideas off each other while in the comfortable atmosphere of your home or office. Talk about tele-commuting to the max! Enjoy the advantage of having a training room full of friends available whenever you need them!

* Today’s communications technology: The Ultimate marketing tool! This is the first ever internet marketing system that integrates streaming video into every page. This tool is essential in enhancing customer and employee relationships that are so important in keeping a business or organization afloat. Using a combination of recorded and live video, you have the ability to get personal with your prospect. The lead capture system notifies you when you have an interested prospect.

Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, Customer Relationship Marketing Consultant, known as The Master Blog Builder, conducts parenting management, and customer relationship training that helps small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and individuals improve their CRM. For more information, visit http://www.MasterBlogBuilder.com.

Online collaboration has begun to evolve from just being the Wow factor to something core that every business has to invest and have a plan for. Internet has changed the way we work and live, it has made virtual offices and work from homes possible. Web conferencing is one big tool that increases the productivity of the employees and the company as such. There are multiple products in this web collaboration segment out there from companies starting with Cisco, Microsoft to PresentPlus.com. These online conferencing products enable live meetings to happen in a virtual conference room. This is a Sci-Fi dream just a few decades ago, now it is a reality in high resolution video beamed across continents. The advent of high speed Internet and fantastic QoS (Quality of Service) implementations in the backbone networks has enabled these highly productive multimedia conferences. Typical conferences has always included a dull one way non-interactive lecture style over the phone meetings, remember Charlie’s Angels. Now it has evolved into something highly feature rich and highly productive.

Web conferences “NOW” enable online sharing of your presentation material and additional documentation that is needed for the meeting. Additionally it provides the collaboration aspects like shared white boards and live synchronized presentations. The other main core components are the audio, video and text collaboration. The traditional PBX audio has been replaced with the reach VOIP audio features and video has evolved from dull one ways to active speaker- grid solutions. Video has evolved so well that now you can have custom views for each person in the conference, each person can choose the endpoints or cameras they want to watch in addition to the capabilities like automatically getting the video from the active speaker in the conference. One of the much used features is the integrated text chats with emoticons. What a fantastic feature this is, along with the public chat modules the users get to have their own private chats. While you are in the online meeting you can chat with your co-worker on specific questions and get something cleared without interrupting the overall meeting. This is one thing that is uniquely possible in online conferences which is really an annoyance in real face to face meetings. How many times have you really wanted the mute button for the private conversation between 2 guys in a group meeting in parallel to the main speaker? This text capability has found really some interesting and useful twists like real time polling and online question submissions. Think about it, you can keep sending the questions you want to be answered in the final Q/A as and when it strikes you. These are typically added to a queue which can feed as the source for the Q/A session that typically follows the preso or meeting. This is very useful in lecture style meetings. Enough said about the features and let’s take a quick look at the business side of things.

Web conferencing products allow the businesses to setup virtual global office ready to meet with business prospects and clients at any time anywhere. When I say anywhere I mean contact any one through these online collaboration products having a rich experience like the face to face meeting without the costly Flight and Hotel expenses. These also present a great opportunity to telecommute without distancing yourself from your colleagues. More so often it happens that folks who telecommute are forgotten by most colleagues, these video and other real time capabilities gets these telecommuters closer to the rest of the team. One of the killer uses is webcasting which is organizing live events and broadcasting these events to employees and customers who are not able to attend the event. This is added with the capability to record these meetings with unlimited playbacks. Without much investment in terms of capital equipment you can get them as online services on a need basis from some of the good companies. One such company with many web conferencing offerings is presented to you below.

Author suggests PresentPlus.com as one of the key enablers for your company to get web conferencing products and web conferencing services. This web conferencing superstore sports many great offerings like the ultimate visual teleconference which you need to take a look to see how these would make your company more productive. Author does freelancing for many great companies and can be reached at “indyan @ gmail .com” for all your content needs.

What is a IP Network Camera?

In simplest terms, an IP Camera is a stand-alone device that transmits audio and video through a standard CAT5 Network Cable. It has a built-in web server which allows the camera to run individually without a PC having to be connected. It also allows you to view the audio and video by connecting directly to the camera with your internet browser without any software being installed. This allows you access the camera from any location, even over the Internet.

IP cameras have many advantages over tradition CCTV security cameras. Some of these features include wireless connectivity, the ability to view video remotely over the Internet, the ability to record to a remote location and lower cost.

Advanced features of Network Cameras can offer added security for certain applications. These features include, Motion Detection, Pan/Tilt/Zoom, Infrared, Analog Output and Two-way Audio.

Lets discuss these features in greater detail.

Motion Detection

Some Network Cameras come with a feature called Motion Detection. Hot-Spots can be setup within the video frame to detect motion. Once motion is detected, the camera will begin recording or generate a snapshot which can be Emailed or sent to a web server via FTP of the detected motion. Snapshots can also be sent of images prior to the motion and after the motion.

Pan/Tilt/Zoom

Having the ability to Pan and Tilt adds greater security if you have a large viewing area. Once logged into a Network Camera with Pan and Tilt capabilities, controls appear next to your video allowing you to move the camera left, right, up and down. The controls can be used even over the Internet.

Along with the Pan and Tilt feature, some cameras come with Zoom. Zooming is also handy when a greater detail of video is needed. Network Cameras can come with two methods of Zooming: Optical and Digital. One is called Digital Zoom.

Digital Zoom discards pixels around the edge of the video fitting the remaining pixels into the same space to give the appearance of Zooming in. This comes with the expense of resolution and causes the Zoomed image to look very pixilated.

A post was made on the NetworkCameraReviews.com forums that addresses the differences between digital zoom and optical zoom. Click here to view the post.

Infrared

When needing to view video in the dark, Infrared is the way to go. Cameras can come with a built-in IR (Infrared) lens or the ability for an add-on IR lens to be equipped. Infrared is a wave of light that is outside of the visible part of the color spectrum. Infrared illuminators shine this wave of light which the lens picks up.

Analog Output

Some cameras come with an Analog Output to configure your camera to be notified of opened doors, alarms, or other events. Once notified of these events, the camera will start taking snapshots or video.

Two-way Audio

A Majority of cameras have audio built-in to the camera. This allows you to hear audio along with the video the camera displays. Some cameras come with Two-Way Audio.

There are two types of Two-Way Audio. One is a Full-Duplex Two-Way Audio that allows the user at the PC to hear audio from the camera and also speak back to the camera and have audio come out of the camera itself. Some cameras have a speaker port on the back to plug in external speakers which will give off the audio. The second type is a Two-Way Audio within the camera itself. The camera will pickup audio and send the audio to the speakers hookedup to the camera.

In the next article we will be addressing how IP cameras work.

Wes Fernley runs a website called NetworkCameraReviews.com, a free online resource for users to learn about IP Network Cameras. He provides free consultation and advice. His roles include tech support, web design and sales. He can be reach via email at wes@networkcamerareviews.com

With new technology comes new opportunity. This statement is
particularly true in the case of digital cameras, and more
importantly, as the title of this article suggests, in the case
of digital camera lenses.

There are so many different lenses with varying specifications
available that it can be quite overwhelming to find exactly what
it is that you require from a lens, but that is where we step in
to help.

This article acts as a guide to explain the jargon and to allow
you make a better-informed purchase the next time you are
shopping for a new digital camera lens.

Choosing a Suitable Focal Length
Focal length is
probably the most important factor that should be considered
when choosing a lens, and for good reason: focal lengths
determine the field-of-view of the photos you will be able to
take successfully with your camera.

The two main types of focal length are telephoto and wide-angle,
and while telephoto lenses have a narrow field-of-view and are
best suited for close-up shots and portraits, wide-angle lenses
have a wider field-of-view which is perfect for indoor
photography and landscapes.

Keep in mind that the performance of lenses can differ from
camera to camera, with the magnification power behind a lens
generally being greater on a digital camera than on a 35mm
film-based camera.

The Need For Speed
When you hear about fast and
slow lenses, reference is being made to a lens’s maximum
aperture, which is the maximum amount of light that a lens can
let in. A simple rule of thumb is that a fast lens lets in a lot
of light, while a slow lens lets in less light, which defines
how your photos will look.

Maximum apertures are measured in f/stop numbers, which are
actually a ratio of the size of the lens aperture and focal
length. The smaller the f/number, the more light is let in. An
increment in the f/stop number doubles the amount of light let
in, so f/2.0 lets in twice as much light as f/1.4.

This may seem quite confusing at first, so the easiest way to
make sense of it is to remember the following: fast lenses are
best suited towards successful photography in darker lighting
conditions, and slow lenses are targeted towards photography in
lighter conditions.

The Ins and Outs of a Zoom Lens
Unlike a
fixed-focal-length lens, a zoom lens often gives you the
diversity of a range of focal lengths all rolled into a single
adjustable lens. This can be great if you often have to switch
between various lenses for different shots, but it is important
to remember that not all zoom lenses have a constant maximum
aperture, and those that do are often larger and more expensive.

Although the maximum aperture may be reduced as you zoom in
using a lens with a variable maximum aperture, this may not be
as important to some photographers as the reduced cost and size
of such lenses. Keep this in mind when purchasing a zoom lens.

Add-on Lenses
Add-on or accessory lenses are
targeted towards compact digital cameras, and allow owners of
such models to significantly lengthen or reduce the camera’s
built-in focal length while at the same time being able to
automate camera functions including f/stop settings and focusing.

These lenses can be an excellent low-cost add-on to your digital
camera, with telephoto add-on lenses being able to increase
focal lengths by up to 300%, and wide-angle versions allowing
for reduction in focal lengths of up to 30%.

Final Considerations
There are several other
terms to take into consideration when buying a digital camera
lens to make sure you are making the best purchase. If your lens
utilizes aspheric lens elements, then you can rest happily with
the knowledge that your lens will help produce sharper
photographs and help keep lens weight to a minimum.

Lenses using internal and automatic focusing also keep lens
weight down thanks to less moving parts, and of course allow for
faster focusing. Low-dispersion glass leaves photos looking less
hazy or fuzzy, while stabilization systems help to keep images
sharp when taken using slow shutter speeds.

Conclusion
Hopefully this article has helped you
to better understand what to look for in a digital camera lens.
There are a lot of terms to remember here - so before shopping
for your new lens it may be a good idea to take the time to make
a list of what you want to do with your camera. Then you can
double check your requirements against the features of different
lenses. If you are still unsure if a lens will cater for your
needs then by all means try to test it so that you can see some
results before you buy!

No new technology develops smoothly, and video conferencing had more than its
share of bumps along the way before becoming the widely used communications
staple it is today. The history of video conferencing in its earliest form goes
back to the 1960’s, when AT&T introduced the Picturephone at the World’s Fair in
New York. While viewed as a fascinating curiosity, it never became popular and
was too expensive to be practical for most consumers when it was offered for
$160 a month in 1970.

Commercial use of real video conferencing was first realized with Ericsson’s
demonstration of the first trans-Atlantic LME video telephone call. Soon other
companies began refining video conferencing technologies, including such
advancements as network video protocol (NVP) in 1976 and packet video protocol (PVP)
in 1981. None of these were put into commercial use, however, and stayed in the
laboratory or private company use.

In 1976, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone established video conferencing (VC)
between Tokyo and Osaka for company use. IBM Japan followed suit in 1982 by
establishing VC running at 48000bps to link up with already established internal
IBM video conferencing links in the United States so that they could have weekly
meetings.

The 1980’s introduce commercial video conferencing

In 1982, Compression Labs introduces their VC system to the world for
$250,000 with lines for $1,000 an hour. The system was huge and used enormous
resources capable of tripping 15 amp circuit breakers. It was, however, the only
working VC system available until PictureTel’s VC hit the market in 1986 with
their substantially cheaper $80,000 system with $100 per hour lines.

In the time in between these two commercially offered systems, there were
other video conferencing systems developed that were never offered commercially.
The history of video conferencing isn’t complete without mentioning these
systems that were either prototypes or systems developed specifically for
in-house use by a variety of corporations or organizations, including the
military. Around 1984, Datapoint was using the Datapoint MINX system on their
Texas campus, and had provided the system to the military.

In the late 1980’s, Mitsubishi began selling a still-picture phone that was
basically a flop in the market place. They dropped the line two years after
introducing it. In 1991, the first PC based video conferencing system was
introduced by IBM – PicTel. It was a black and white system using what was at
the time an incredibly inexpensive $30 per hour for the lines, while the system
itself was $20,000. In June of the same year, DARTnet had successfully connected
a transcontinental IP network of over a dozen research sites in the United
States and Great Britain using T1 trunks. Today, DARTnet has evolved into the
CAIRN system, which connects dozens of institutions.

CU-SeeMe revolutionizes video conferencing

One of the most famous systems in the history of video conferencing was the
CU-SeeMe developed for the MacIntosh system in 1992. Although the first version
didn’t have audio, it was the best video system developed to that point. By
1993, the MAC program had multipoint capability, and in 1994, CU-SeeMe MAC was
true video conferencing with audio. Recognizing the limitations of MAC
compatibility in a Windows world, developers worked diligently to roll out the
April 1994 CU-SeeME for Windows (no audio), followed closely by the audio
version, CU-SeeMe v0.66b1 for Windows in August of 1995.

In 1992, AT&T rolled out their own $1,500 video phone for the home market. It
was a borderline success. That same year, the world’s first MBone audio/video
broadcast took place and in July INRIA’s video conferencing system was
introduced. This is the year that saw the first real explosion in video
conferencing for businesses around the globe and eventually led to the standards
developed by the ITU.

International Telecommunications Union develops coding standards

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) began developing standards
for video conferencing coding in 1996, when they established Standard H.263 to
reduce bandwidth for transmission for low bit rate communication. Other
standards were developed, including H.323 for packet-based multi-media
communications. These are a variety of other telecommunications standards were
revised and updated in 1998. In 1999, Standard MPEG-4 was developed by the
Moving Picture Experts Group as an ISO standard for multimedia content.

In 1993, VocalChat Novell IPX networks introduced their video conferencing
system, but it was doomed from the start and didn’t last. Microsoft finally came
on board the video conferencing bandwagon with NetMeeting, a descendent of
PictureTel’s Liveshare Plus, in August of 1996 (although it didn’t have video in
this release). By December of the same year, Microsoft NetMeeting v2.0b2 with
video had been released. That same month, VocalTec’s Internet Phone v4.0 for
Windows was introduced.

VRVS links global research centers

The Virtual Room Videoconferencing System (VRVS) project at Caltech-CERN
kicked off in July of 1997. They developed the VRVS specifically to provide
video conferencing to researchers on the Large Hadron Collider Project and
scientists in the High Energy and Nuclear Physics Community in the U.S. and
Europe. It has been so successful that seed money has been allotted for phase
two, CalREN-2, to improve and expand on the already in-place VRVS system in
order to expand it to encompass geneticists, doctors, and a host of other
scientists in the video conferencing network around the world.

Cornell University’s development team released CU-SeeMe v1.0 in 1998. This
color video version was compatible with both Windows and MacIntosh, and huge
step forward in pc video conferencing. By May of that year, the team has moved
on to other projects.

In February of 1999, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) was launched by MMUSIC.
The platform showed some advantages over H.323 that user appreciated and soon
made it almost as popular. 1999 was a very busy year, with NetMeeting v3.0b
coming out, followed quickly by version three of the ITU standard H.323. Then
came the release of iVisit v2.3b5 for both Windows and Mac, followed by Media
Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP), version 1. In December, Microsoft released a
service pack for NetMeeting v3.01 (4.4.3388) and an ISO standard MPEG-4 version
two was released. Finally, PSInet was the first company to launch H.323
automated multipoint services. Like we said, 1999 was a very busy year.

SIP entered version 1.30 in November of 2000, the same year that standard
H.323 hit version 4, and Samsung released their MPEG-4 streaming 3G video cell
phone, the first of its kind. It was a hit, particularly in Japan. Rather
predictably, Microsoft NetMeeting had to release another service pack for
version 3.01.

In 2001, Windows XP messenger announced that it would now support Session
Initiation Protocol. This was the same year the world’s first transatlantic tele-surgery
took place utilizing video conferencing. In this instance, video conferencing
was instrumental in allowing a surgeon in the U.S. to use a robot overseas to
perform gall bladder surgery on a patient. It was one of the most compelling
non-business uses in the history of video conferencing, and brought the
technology to the attention of the medical profession and the general public.

In October of 2001, television reporters began using a portable satellite and
a videophone to broadcast live from Afghanistan during the war. It was the first
use of video conferencing technology to converse live with video with someone in
a war zone, again bringing video conferencing to the forefront of people’s
imaginations.

Founded in December of 2001, the Joint Video Team completed basic research
leading to ITU-T H.264 by December of 2002. This protocol standardized video
compression technology for both MPEG-4 and ITU-T over a broad range of
application areas, making it more versatile than its predecessors. In March of
2003, the new technology was ready for launch to the industry.

New uses for video conferencing technologies

2003 also saw the rise in use of video conferencing for off-campus
classrooms. Interactive classrooms became more popular as the quality of
streaming video increased and the delay decreased. Companies such as VBrick
provided various MPEG-4 systems to colleges across the country. Desktop video
conferencing is also on the rise and gaining popularity.

Companies newer to the market are now refining the details of performance in
addition to the nuts and bolts of transmission. In April of 2004, Applied Global
Technologies developed a voice-activated camera for use in video conferencing
that tracks the voice of various speakers in order to focus on whoever is
speaking during a conference call. In March 2004, Linux announced the release of
GnomeMeeting, an H.323 compliant, free video conferencing platform that is
NetMeeting compatible.

With the constant advances in video conferencing systems, it seems obvious
that the technology will continue to evolve and become an integral part of
business and personal life. As new advances are made and systems become more
reasonably priced, keep in mind that choices are still determined by network
type, system requirements and what your particular conferencing needs are.

This article on the “The History of Video Conferencing” reprinted with
permission.
Copyright © 2004 Evaluseek Publishing.

About the Author
Lori Wilkerson is a full-time freelance writer who loves her job because it
gives her the opportunity to learn more about the world every day. Right now,
she knows a little bit about almost everything, and a lot about
video conferencing,
renting a

video conference facility, and which

videoconferencing conferencing solution is best for small groups. She has two dogs who are spoiled
and one teenager who is not. She does her video conferencing in pink bunny
slippers.

In the wake of the tragic shootings that took place in an Atlanta courthouse in 2005, it is unequivocally clear that there is now a widespread effort by numerous counties to significantly enhance courtroom security. Most counties are addressing the security issue through technology, and the type that appears to be implemented the most is video conferencing. Already in use by legal systems throughout the world, video conferencing is revolutionizing the way cases are tried in America today. By simply installing one video conferencing system at the courthouse and another at the jail, incarcerated defendants can participate in all legal procedures without the municipality enduring the costs and dangers associated with jail-to-courthouse prisoner transport.

The monetary savings to a county become clear when one considers that costly resources need to be allocated, such as: several policemen, a vehicle, courthouse security, gasoline and tolls, among others. Depending on several factors, among them the distance of the courthouse to the jail and geographic location, these costs can sometimes reach into the thousands, even for just one trip. Over the course of a year, the result is a hefty bill that video conferencing aims to eliminate. In October of 2003, the Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance, at the request of the Badger State Sheriff’s Association, which represents sheriff departments in various Wisconsin counties, initiated a study into the possible time and cost-saving benefits of video conferencing. The study revealed a savings of about $2.7 million if all counties used the technology. That data, along with the obvious security benefits, was enough for Wisconsin’s Green County to move ‘full speed ahead’ with video conferencing.

Like many courthouses, Green County’s proposed video conferencing system had been in the planning stages for quite some time and the incident in Atlanta proved to be the spark needed to move the project forward. In an interview featured in an article by Brian Gray of the Monroe Times, Green County Circuit Court Judge James Beer said, “video conferencing is the wave of future. It shows the court is moving into the 21st century.” The equipment will enable doctors to appear at mental health proceedings and people who are serving time in prison to appear remotely. “The benefits are limitless. It saves the county a great deal of money and also increases security here at the courthouse.”

Video conferencing in the court room also has other uses. In Pennsylvania’s Montgomery County, large police departments such as Abington (92 officers) use the technology not only to handle on-camera arraignments for smaller departments in the county but also to digitally process and transmit photographs and fingerprints into criminal databases. In minutes, police can have fingerprints and photographs matched with a defendant’s criminal record. In an interview featured in an article by Harry Yanoshak of the Bucks County Courier Times, Montgomery Deputy Chief John Livingood said, “Because it has such technology, Abington and other large departments serve as a central booking center for defendants. Video arraignments are time savers because defendants never have to leave the police station to see the judge. If we had to take a person to see the judge in person, it would effectively take two officers out of service for at least a couple of hours,” he said, noting the length of time could be longer if the on-call judge is located across the county.

In Montgomery County, police and deputy sheriffs, rarely constables, shuttle defendants to the county prison, said District Judge Paul Leo, whose court in Hatboro has used video conferencing for about two years. While the technology enables a judge to do work from home, that’s not how it’s being used in his courtroom, he said, noting how the courts should remain open to the public, regardless if the proceeding is captured on a computer screen.

Video conferencing equipment manufacturers, for their part, have responded to the demand by introducing a series of products aimed at this sector. TANDBERG, a leading manufacturer of video conferencing products, recently introduced the TANDBERG Justice Package, which is an integrated video solution designed specifically for the courtroom environment. As a component of the Justice Package, the ‘Judicator’ conferencing system allows for simple video and audio control directly from the judge’s bench. The Judicator enables: arraignments, remote visitations, parole and mental-health hearings, depositions, medical appointments, sensitive witness and expert testimonies, attorney consultations, among others.

While manufacturers are providing the product, solution providers such as IVCi are providing the education and support. From courthouses to jails, and prisons to law firms, solution providers, who have been preaching the many benefits of video conferencing, are finally being heard. “Now is the time to introduce video conferencing into your department,” said Robert Swing, president and founder of IVCi, LLC. “It’s the best way to increase your productivity and reduce or eliminate transportation costs while ensuring top-notch communication between all parties involved in the legal process.” Due to recent happenings, it’s becoming clear that this technology has become much easier to justify.

For many years, Harold German has been recognized as a knowledgeable source for information on corporate branding methodologies. A director at IVCi, LLC, whose divisions include IVCi Audio Visual and HomeVision, Mr. German is a renowned author and contributor, with appearances in noted international publications such as The Economist, and on news stations such as CNN. Mr. German covers IP networks and the future of conferencing technologies.

Several years ago I was in a computer store and a salesman was trying to sell me something, in fact, he was trying to sell me anything that he could. I said that I had the latest computer and really didn’t need anything more. Then he showed me a web camera and I thought for a few seconds, but I really couldn’t figure out why I would need that gadget.

Now things have changed and that salesman could get the sale from me, because the time is right to start conducting online web and video conferences. Here are a few reasons why the age of web conferencing has truly arrived:

1. Transportation costs are rising and web conferencing is one way to conduct meetings without getting into a car or plane.

Imagine how much money you could save if you were able to hold a staff meeting with your distant branches without paying for fuel, hotels and all the other costs associated with outside meetings?

2. The cost of conducting a meeting outside a main office is much higher than you can calculate by only adding up the material costs.

When you leave your office or home, you have to put everything aside and subject yourself to delays in traffic, airports, trains and taxis. Sure, you can take your laptop with you, but are you really as productive using a laptop in a busy airport as you are while you are in your own office? Web conferencing allows you to get back to your other work as soon as the online conference ends.

3. Web conferencing allows you to meet face-to-face with your colleagues no matter where they are.

Globalization is not just a slogan. Business, educational and social organizations are now working in increasingly wider networks which are spread throughout the world. If you have clients, employees, representatives or students in another country or in a distant location, think how convenient it would be to be able to turn on your computer and hold a meeting with them. Well, this is not a distant dream, it is possible right now using existing web and video conferencing technology

4. Online conferencing allows you to give support and help to clients without sending out a technician or a representative.

If you are selling a product or service that must be supported, then think of the improvement in customer relations and reduction in costs that you could achieve if you could effectively meet online with your client. Today’s conferencing technology even allows your staff to “take over” the computer of a client and demonstrate how an application works.

5. Video and web conferencing is now extremely affordable, easy to use and very functional.

Gone are the days of proprietary systems and cameras. Today you can use standard PCs and inexpensive web cameras to conduct your meetings. The online meetings do not require equipment or software that is not already found in most offices. In addition, several companies now offer conferencing services at a price that even individuals and small organizations can afford.

If you need to hold meetings, or meet with staff and colleagues who work in far-flung locations then you should consider online conferencing. The spread of online meetings could change the way we all work, just as the widespread adoption of email did fifteen years ago.

Dan Richmond is CEO & Co-founder of MegaMeeting.com. MegaMeeting provides Web Conferencing & Video Conferencing services for individuals, businesses and educational institutions. For more information, or for a free live demonstration, please visit www.MegaMeeting.com/ or call (818) 783-4311.