Videoconferencing

Videoconferencing is a rapidly growing field that allows people at two or more sites to see and talk to each other. This page is intended to familiarize you with videoconferencing technology and introduce you to the facilities available at UIC to UIC colleges and departments.

Videoconferencing supports two-way video and audio communication. This means that two or more people at different sites can see and hear each other at the same time.

Videoconferencing has many applications. It eliminates the need to travel for a meeting, a seminar, or a conference. While reducing travel time and costs, it still offers an interactive audio-visual way to communicate effectively between different locations. These locations can be situated hundreds or even thousands of miles away.

The applications of videoconferencing can be divided in two main categories:

Distance Education:

The University of Illinois is involved in videoconference classes between different locations in Chicago, Springfield, Urbana, Rockford, and Peoria. This technology allows for students at one of these sites to attend classes held on a different campus.

Some of the advantages of distance learning:

• Students can take classes not offered at their own campus.
  
• Professors do not have to travel to distant sites and can communicate interactively with students in more than one location at the same time.
  
• Classes can utilize the latest multi-media and computer technologies in combination with Videoconferencing.
  
• Students can share the experience of guest speakers in a different city.

Business or administrative meetings:

These meetings are very common in the University of Illinois due to the cooperation between the different campuses situated in Illinois.

Other applications may include:

• Community events
  
• Remote guest speakers
  
• Employee interviewing and training
  
• Vendor presentations
  
• Intercampus committee meetings
  
• Medical symposia and demonstrations

Videoconferencing uses compressed video. The idea is to convert the analog video signals into a digital signal and to compress it in a packet that can be transmitted in real time. The equipment can be divided into four categories:

1. Audio-visual equipment - Consists of microphones, speakers, and video monitors. The microphones are usually distributed in different places of the conference room in order to capture the voice equally from any part of the room. The video monitors offer a real time picture of the local and remote sites.
   
2. CODEC - The CODEC is responsible for the compression and decompression of the video and audio signals. It can operate at transmission speed multiples of 56 K bps or 64 K bps. Most CODEC's offer video, audio, and optional graphics, data, and computer capabilities such as PC file transfer and storage.
   
3. MCU or Bridge - The Multi-Point Control Unit (MCU), often referred to as Bridge, connects all the multiple sites together. Through access to switched, dedicated, and direct networks, the UofI MCU becomes the gateway between UIC video sites and the world.
   
4. Transmission - The transmission is done over ISDN or IP networks.The rates are based either on 56 kbps or 64 kbps.
   UIC supports H320 and H323 protocols.

Instructions on how to setup and use videoconferences are at the ITL's IP Videoconferencing@UIC.

The ACCC-Telecommunications department for this site; please contact us for details.

West Side:

Paulina Street Building
1140 South Paulina Street
Room: B8
Room Capacity: 1 - 25 people

Charges are: $46 per hour + line charges if applicable.

Times and dates must be confirmed at least two university working days before the actual event, but we prefer two weeks in advance.

When experiencing video conferencing problems,

call: (312) 996-3282

 

In an EMERGENCY, please page the person who is

on-call: (877) 305-0637

Ernie Duran
Video Conference
Telecommunications Department (M/C500)
Phone: (312) 996-7958
Fax: (312) 996-6896
E-Mail: video@uic.edu