Using Videoconferencing....

The Vision through Video project will improve communication in education.  Using Internet-based live video and audio we are able to connect pre-service teachers, faculty, content experts, and other teachers on-demand.  This effort is not to replace in-person communication, but improve on the number and quality of interactions between educators in order to better prepare our future teachers and help beginning teacher to succeed.

How does it work?  We have installed a computer called a Multi-Conferencing Unit (MCU) to connect people via live video over the Internet.  You can communicate with multiple people at the same time through live video.  At this time the MCU does not support dial-up connections.

What will I need to connect with other people? 

• A camera connected to your computer.

  • We recommend the Polycom ViaVideo Camera (est. $420).  Our extensive testing have shown it to be very easy to use and to have the best quality.  The polycom camera comes with a software interface to connect you to the MCU for videoconferencing.  No other software or hardware is needed.   OR

  •  If you already own a digital or analog camera you can connect it to your computer.  You must purchase a video capture card such as the one made by Hauppauge.  Order a card (est. $50) that has the analog or digital connections as required for the type of camera you have, install the card in your computer, connect the camera to the back of the card and then you can install Microsoft Netmeeting 3.x.  You will use Netmeeting to connect to others for video conferencing using the MCU.  OR

  • You can purchase an inexpensive USB camera, use the software that comes with the camera to connect, or use the MS Netmeeting product.  The more inexpensive the camera and software the poorer results you will experience.

• A computer (Pentium III 233, 64mb RAM, or better).  The more RAM and the faster the computer the higher the quality video you will experience.

• An Internet connection.  Dial-up is not supported at this time.

Do you have a firewall?

Firewalls stop video from being transmitted into your network.  Ask your technology coordinator/network adminstrator if a firewall or NAT is installed.  If neither is installed you do not have to request anything more of them!  If you do have a firewall...then you must request that the network administrator open ports 1520, 1718, 1719, and 1720 on the firewall.  Contact us if you need assistance or explanations regarding these procedures.

I have a Polycom ViaVideo Camera, now what?

Install the software and camera according to the instructions (if you have not do so already).  You must then complete a very simple configuration of the ViaVideo software in order to connect to the MCU for videconferencing.  The configurations must be completed BEFORE you can connect to other people.  We created a few screen captures of critical pages.

I have a camera and MS Netmeeting, now what?  You must configure Netmeeting to connect you through our MCU.  Don't worry this is much easier that it sounds.  Please follow these step-by-step procedures and you will be able to connect to the server immediately.  Of course you will need another person connected to the server at the same time in order to talk to someone through your camera.

Directions for connecting to the MCU with MS Netmeeting:

• Start Netmeeting 3.x
  click on tools
  click on options (at the bottom)
  click on advanced calling
  click the checkbox next to "use a gatekeeper to place calls"
  enter 168.18.158.77 for the address
  click the checkbox next to "log on using my phone number"
  enter your phone number (for example: 2293335927)
  click ok and return to the main netmeeting window
  click on call
  click on new
  enter 6612417
  click "ok" on the prompt "do you want to join ...."
  and you should connect to the MCU!

Have questions? please contact Art Recesso.