Desktop Videoconferencing is changing. New products are coming out that span the casual user using a web cam at home to the most expensive Telepresence Rooms. This presentation puts some of my thoughts on "paper". Just so you know... I have been involved in Desktop Videoconferencing since the beginning...

1. Ruminations on Desktop Videoconferencing AARNET Presentation March 30 / 31, 2009

2. My Story…and I’m sticking to it “Telepresence” is great Rooms are great But the ability to meet anywhere, anytime, with anyone with whatever capability you have…..can change the world. Voice, video, and data collaboration Anytime, Anywhere, Anyone

3. History-The Beginning Starting in 1992 with the Cameo from CLI and VISIT from Northern Telecom ISDN Not Standard One Color (Cameo), one B&W (Visit) Guess which one people liked the most? Both Mac based

4. History-Middle As time went by the Cameo sent video only out the Ethernet port YouTube Video shows this configuration on the Discovery Channel “Answer Guys” Creative Labs made a DVC for POTS Mac Based Cu-SeeMe Internet VC introduced H.320 ISDN standards appear IP standards in the making

5. History-Late Internet popular, web cams came around High Speed BW more prevalent IPVC standards finalized (H.323 most notably) Computing power increased, laptops proliferated Infrastructure matured (Gatekeeper, MCU, Gateway, H.350, etc) People started to notice (finally!) Wireless Hot Spots appear

6. History-In the Making Free services appear ooVoo, Skype, SightSpeed, Google….more New DVC products are appearing at a rapid pace Scopia, CMA, Movi, VidyoDesktop (central) Mirial, PVX (loner) iocom, AG, Open Source “Personal Telepresence” Desktop video with marketing spin applied to it  Laptops / monitors integrate web cams Wireless Hot Spots everywhere / BW galore

7. Perfect Storm Technologies are in place Time is almost right (15 to 20 years after introduction = mass adoption) We need the people to accept it wholeheartedly World economy may or may not help No money Great need

8. Old Classifications Desktop (computer-based) Roll-About Room

9. New Classifications (?) Casual / Telecommuter Standards—Huh? HD: No Telecommuter / Office Standards—You bet! HD: Sometimes Office / Conference / Class Room Standards—Definitely! HD: Yes! Telepresence Room Standards—If they suit me HD: Definitely!

10. Casual / Telecommuter Computer-based free or low cost Web cam HD: No DSL or cable Internet connectivity 256 kbps to 768 kbps + upstream The “standard” is the Internet Services / Applications ooVoo, Skype, Sightspeed, Vsee, WebEx (?) More…

11. Telecommuter / Office Telecommuter has resources from company Desktop stand-alone or computer-based HD: more and more Standards (H.323, H.320 (?), SIP, etc.) Desktop for us loners: Polycom PVX and Mirial Softphone (others) Desktop for those with company network: Vidyo, Scopia, CMA, Movi, iocom, AG, other…. Maybe Set-top or Room…if space available Cisco, Lifesize, Polycom, Tandberg…more

12. Office / Conference / Class Room Company or School provides space Room based, Set-top, Desktop HD: is a given Standards (H.323, H.320, SIP, etc.) “Gateways” connect non-standard to standard Cisco, iocom, Lifesize, Mirial, Polycom, Tandberg, Vidyo…others

14. Summary Desktop Videoconferencing has come a long way. The ability to meet from anywhere, to anyone, at any time is here….to a large extent. Mobile videoconferencing is in our future HDTV videoconferencing is in our future Ultimate ease-of-use still in our future People still need to get used to the idea of being seen, but, the 15 to 20 year cycle is almost upon us..