Visual telephony / Edward A. Daly, Kathleen J. Hansell.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Daly, Edward A.

Contributor:

Hansell, Kathleen Jane.

Series:

Artech House telecommunications library

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Video telephone industry.

Physical Description:

xvii, 278 pages: illustrations ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Boston, Mass. : Artech House, 1999.

Summary:

Learn how to successfully install and manage a visual telephony system in corporate, medical, legal, sales, educational, and other environments with this practical resource. Easy to follow discussions on the applications and benefits of videoconferencing, distance education, and telemedicine help project managers, consultants, and sales and marketing professionals to justify a system and explain the issues associated with audio/visual components, digital video compression equipment, and international standards.

Contents:

Part 1 Getting Started With Visual Telephony 1

1 Visual Telephony: Applications and Benefits 3

1.1 Applications 4

1.1.1 Videoconferencing 4

1.1.2 Distance education 4

1.1.3 Telemedicine 4

1.1.4 Judicial applications 5

1.1.5 Sales and marketing applications 5

1.1.6 Other applications 6

1.2 Why visual telephony? 6

1.2.1 Functional areas that can benefit from visual telephony 8

2 Sources of Expertise 11

2.1 Main elements 11

2.1.1 Environment 11

2.1.2 System components 12

2.1.3 Codec 12

2.1.4 Network 12

2.2 Potential providers 12

2.2.1 System integrators 13

2.2.2 Audio/visual dealers 13

2.2.3 Codec manufacturers 14

2.2.4 Telephone companies 14

2.3 Industry associations 15

2.4 Standards development 17

Part 2 Applications and Typical Installations 19

3 Videoconferencing 21

3.1 Basic equipment 21

3.2 Installations for a wide range of applications 22

3.2.1 Custom-built rooms 23

3.2.2 Rollabout group systems 24

3.2.3 Desktop video systems 26

3.2.4 Computer-based videoconferencing systems 26

3.3 Selection criteria 31

3.3.1 What takes place during an in-person meeting? 32

3.3.2 Avoiding the pitfalls 33

4 Distance Education 37

4.1 Configurations 38

4.1.1 Origination only 38

4.1.2 Receive only 40

4.1.3 Originate/receive 41

4.2 Distance education installations 41

4.2.1 Custom-designed classrooms 41

4.2.2 Rollabout systems 42

4.2.3 Desktop systems and computer-based systems 43

5 Telemedicine 47

5.1 Teleradiology 48

5.2 Remote diagnostics 50

5.2.1 Expert opinion 50

5.2.2 Equipment 50

5.3 Remote case management 53

5.3.1 Medical monitoring 53

5.3.2 Typical installations 55

5.4 Practical uses of telemedicine 56

6 Law and Criminal Justice 57

6.1 Typical applications 57

6.1.1 Video arraignments 57

6.1.2 Depositions 58

6.1.3 Victim and witness reports 58

6.1.4 Testimony 59

6.1.5 Parole hearings 59

6.2 Typical installations 59

6.2.1 Desktop systems 59

6.2.2 Small and large group rollabout systems 59

6.2.3 Enhancements to courtroom systems 60

6.2.4 Equipment modifications for prisons and detention centers 62

7 Sales and Marketing 63

7.1 Applications and installations 63

7.1.1 Market research 63

7.1.2 The virtual branch office 64

Part 3 Equipment and Environment 67

8 Cameras 69

8.1 Camera features 70

8.1.1 Autofocus and auto iris 70

8.1.2 Automatic white balancing 71

8.1.3 Single-chip versus three-chip cameras 71

8.1.4 Chip sizes 71

8.1.5 Lenses 72

8.1.6 Resolution 72

8.2 Placement of participant cameras 72

8.3 Imaging one or two participants 73

8.4 Imaging three or four participants 74

8.5 Imaging more than four participants 76

8.5.1 Single movable camera 76

8.5.2 Split screen 77

8.5.3 Optimal solution 79

8.6 Additional participant cameras 80

8.6.1 Presentation cameras 80

8.6.2 Student cameras 80

8.6.3 Patient cameras 81

8.7 Other cameras 81

8.7.1 Document cameras 81

8.7.2 Diagnostic cameras 83

8.7.3 Slide-to-video converter 83

8.7.4 Specialized cameras 84

9 Display Systems 85

9.1 Display devices 85

9.1.1 Monitors 85

9.1.2 Video projectors 86

9.1.3 Flat-screen technology 88

9.1.4 Computer monitors 88

9.2 Video formats 89

9.3 Monitor location 90

9.3.1 Videoconferencing 90

9.3.2 Distance education 91

9.3.3 Health care 92

9.4 Typical monitor configurations 92

9.4.1 Large group rollabout systems and custom rooms 92

9.4.2 Summary of monitor configurations 94

9.4.3 Small group rollabout systems 94

9.4.4 Desktop systems 96

9.4.5 Computer-based systems 97

9.5 Size of video displays 97

10 Audio 99

10.1 Speakers 99

10.2 Microphones 100

10.2.1 Frequency response 100

10.2.2 Pick-up area 101

10.2.3 Aesthetics and practicality 101

10.3 Number of microphones 103

10.3.1 Conferencing facilities 103

10.3.2 Electronic classrooms 103

10.3.3 Telemedicine systems 104

10.4 Ambient noise 105

10.5 Echo cancellation 105

10.6 Telephone add-on 107

10.7 Improving the audio environment 107

11 Control Systems 109

11.1 Design objectives 109

11.2 Types of systems 110

11.2.1 Infrared handsets 110

11.2.2 Tabletop systems 111

11.2.3 Mouse and keyboard 112

11.3 How much control? Who controls? 112

11.3.1 Videoconferencing 112

11.3.2 Distance education 112

11.3.3 Telemedicine 114

11.3.4 Judicial applications 114

11.4 Selecting the right controller 114

12 Ancillary Equipment 117

12.1 Electronic annotation 118

12.2 Scanners 118

12.3 Computer-generated graphics 119

12.3.1 Traditional hardcopy via document stand 119

12.3.2 Computer images via document stand 119

12.3.3 Scan conversion 120

12.3.4 Serial port connections 120

12.4 Network access 121

12.5 Polling systems 122

12.6 CD player 122

12.7 Video printer 123

12.8 Videocassette player/recorder 123

12.9 Facsimile machine 124

12.10 Other equipment 124

13 Site Selection and Preparation 127

13.1 Facility size 127

13.1.1 Width of room 128

13.1.2 Length of room 128

13.1.3 Additional space requirements 132

13.1.4 Typical conference room dimensions 133

13.2 Access 134

13.3 Location 134

13.4 Engineering considerations 135

13.4.1 Acoustic treatment 135

13.4.2 Lighting 136

13.4.3 Air flow 136

13.4.4 Power 137

13.4.5 Telephone service 137

13.4.6 Cabling 137

13.5 Decoration 138

13.5.1 Color considerations 138

13.5.2 Wall decor 138

13.5.3 Carpeting 138

13.6 Furniture 139

13.6.1 Conference table 139

13.6.2 Other tables 139

13.6.3 Chairs 139

13.6.4 Clock 140

13.6.5 Sign 140

13.7 Security 140

13.8 Applicability of design principles 140

Part 4 Networking 141

14 North American Telephone Network Architecture 143

14.1 Local calling 143

14.2 Beyond the local network 144

14.2.1 Trunking 144

14.2.2 Switching hierarchy 145

14.2.3 Inter-LATA calling 146

14.2.4 Bypass 148

15 Transmission 151

15.1 Analog and digital transmission 151

15.2 Digital structure 152

15.2.1 From analog to digital 152

15.2.2 Time-division multiplexing 153

15.3 Digital services designations 154

15.3.1 T1 service 155

15.3.2 El service 155

15.4 Benefits of digital telephony 155

15.5 ISDN 156

16 Video Codecs 157

16.1 Digital video compression 157

16.2 International codec standards 159

16.3 ITU video standards 160

16.3.1 Picture quality and data rate 161

16.3.2 Video resolution 162

16.3.3 Frame rate 164

16.3.4 Codec performance 164

16.4 ITU audio standards 165

16.5 ITU standards for still-image graphics 167

16.5.1 File transfers 167

16.5.2 Screen sharing 168

16.5.3 JPEG 168

16.5.4 Earlier still-image methods 169

16.5.5 NTSC versus SVGA 170

16.5.6 Data ports 171

16.6 ITU standard for far-end camera control 171

16.7 Encryption 172

16.8 Other ITU standards 173

16.9 Selecting a codec 173

17 Video Network Options 175

17.1 Analog video 175

17.2 Digital video 176

17.3 T1 services 177

17.3.1 Private networks 177

17.3.2 Virtual private networks 178

17.4 Switched services 178

17.4.1 T1 access 178

17.4.2 ISDN primary rate interface 179

17.4.3 Switched 56-kbps service 179

17.4.4 ISDN basic rate interface 180

17.4.5 Rate adaption 180

17.4.6 H channels 181

17.4.7 Channel aggregation 183

17.4.8 Bonding 184

17.5 Economics and availability 186

17.5.1 T1 versus PRI 187

17.5.2 SW56 versus BRI 187

17.5.3 LEC access versus IXC access 188

17.6 International networks 190

18 Multipoint 193

18.1 Multipoint control

unit 194

18.2 MCU protocols 195

18.2.1 Voice-activated switching 195

18.2.2 Chairman control 196

18.2.3 Self-selection 197

18.2.4 Continuous view 197

18.3 Cascading MCUs 198

18.4 Dissimilar data rates 198

18.5 Audio standards 199

18.6 Interchannel synchronization 199

18.7 Data transmissions 200

18.8 Audio noise 200

18.9 User MCU versus public multipoint service 201

18.10 Network controller 201

Part 5 Financial Analysis 203

19 Cost Justification: Theory 205

19.1 Budgetary analysis 205

19.2 Cost

benefit analysis 207

19.2.1 Tangible versus intangible 207

19.3 Financial analysis concepts 208

19.3.1 Time value of money 208

19.3.2 Cash flow 209

19.3.3 Net present value 210

19.3.4 Taxes 210

19.3.5 Tax depreciation 212

19.3.6 Cost of capital 214

19.3.7 Other discount rates 215

19.4 Sample net present value analysis 215

19.4.1 Calculation of net present value 216

19.4.2 Payback 219

19.4.3 Internal rate of return 220

19.5 Models 223

20 Financial Analysis of Visual Telephony 225

20.1 Accounting for costs 225

20.2 A simple study of distance education 227

20.2.1 Cost worksheet for implementing distance education 227

20.2.2 Benefits worksheet for implementing distance education 230

20.2.3 Cash flow analysis for implementing distance education 230

20.3 A complex study of corporate videoconferencing 233

20.3.1 Cost worksheet for implementing videoconferencing 233

20.3.2 Benefits that can be derived from videoconferencing 237

20.3.3 Travel cost worksheet for implementing videoconferencing 238

20.3.4 Accounting for other benefits 244

A Discount Factors 251

B Depreciation Factors for Tax Purposes 253

C Calculating Monitor Size and Viewing Distance 255.

Notes:

Includes index.

ISBN:

1580530230

OCLC:

40668088