The History and Current Application of Video Conferencing Solutions

Video conferencing solutions may be thought of as the whole gamut of technological and proceduralprocesses used to facilitate a video conference. A video conference is any conference, meeting or conversation that is facilitated by video and audio technology, and which allows persons not all physically present at the same location to confer with each other.

Video conferencing has been around in various forms since the invention of the television, which was initially demonstrated by sending an image through a solid (coaxial) cable to another room. In its modern form it was used by the Third Reich to communicate between post offices in major German cities.

Clearly the march of audio visual technology has been swift and constant: and the modern video conferencing solution bears little resemblance to the small crackly sets used in the 1930s. Modern video conferencing solutions may use large, high definition plasma or LCD screens and superb audio transmission software to create the impression that participants are actually in the room with their confederates. In the early part of the 21st century, video conferencing rooms were set up in which life size images of conference attendees were displayed on huge monitors arrayed down a boardroom table: the effect given was as though the other half of the room was "inside" a television screen.

Essentially, modern video conferencing solutions rely on a core software technology able to stream audio and video together in real time. The real time element is important in conferencing because delays can result in confusion. One person may answer a question posed by someone in another country while that person is still talking, and the resulting stilted conversation rapidly loses sense and flow.

In order for the visual and audio information to be collected, the system requires cameras and microphones. The camera collects the visual and the microphone collects the audio. A high level design component of the system, then, is its ability to match the video and audio streams properly so that the lips of the person speaking are synchronised with the sounds coming out of his or her mouth.

To play back the transmitted data, the system must also have a screen of some kind. The display device must further be linked to speakers outputting the audio information. The design and placement of speakers in relation to the screen can be important: the human ear is a sensitive device itself, and can identify if a voice is coming from somewhere other than the image that looks as though it is doing the "talking".

The video conferencing system is tied together by a computer which is essentially any processing unit capable of taking the disparate signals, decoding them from their streamed packets and running them through the required outputs. The same processing unit must simultaneously be sending its own coded data packets to the other part of the video conferencing solution.

This is a concept inherent in all video conferencing solutions that there be a minimum of two units in different locations.

About Author:
Mary is a freelance systems analyst. He is currently writing a thesis on the design of video conferencing solutions.

Home Theatre - Enjoy the magic of movies at your home!!

The dimensions of a room are one of the most overlooked features when one decides to get a quality Home Theater. The Size and shape of your room can affect the quality of your Home Theater system. The dimensions of your room will determine how the sound will interact with your walls especially low frequency sound waves.

The ideal shape of a room would be rectangular. However it's better to stay away from rooms where the length and width are double of the height. Let's take for example if the height of your home theater system is about 8', the length and width should not be 16' x 24' both which are multiples of 8, try altering about one dimension by a foot and it should be fine. A square shaped room would be the least acoustic friendly shaped that you can have.

If one has invested quite a bit of buying their AV system, the weakest link in the home theater system would be the acoustic properties of the room. Any room for that matter requires some sort of acoustical enhancements, most of the cases you would be sitting more than 3' away from your primary speakers. When doing this, the major part of the sound would come to you indirectly bounced from the walls in your room rather than directly from the primary speakers. Hence your room will amplify some sounds and tones down other sounds.

In order to make the best of your home theater investment you need to be able to control how the sound waves bounce around your room. This can be solved by hanging acoustic panels in your theater. The majority of time you need to use absorptive acoustic panels, these panels help to absorb sound waves which stop the bouncing of sound on several walls before they reach your ears. When your Home Theater design demands a large portion of your room to be covered in panels, then you should consider installing Diffusive acoustic panels. These panels contain uneven surfaces (hidden by acoustic fabrics) which help distribute the sound wave such that they don't bounce all over the room, yet they keep the room sounding alive and vivid.

In the upscale neighborhoods of New York home theater systems incorporate the dedication of an entire room to the viewing of high definition entertainment. In addition to professionally installed screens and custom designed sound systems these movie rooms often incorporate theater style seating with large oversized chairs, individually arranged and sometimes staggered in two rows with plenty of leg and elbow room, for viewers to enjoy. These elaborate viewing rooms bring all of the sights and sounds of spectacular movie productions from the big screen right into the home.

With the advances in digital television and high definition products saturating the market almost everyone can recreate the movie going experience in their own home. The adaptations of surround sound speaker systems that deliver crisp tones and basses in concert with a big screen television have led to a home theatre revolution. Any Tom, Dick or Harry can affordably recreate the experience of going to a movie in their living room, but it takes a true professional to design and create a custom installation of home theater system that transforms ordinary television watching into a feast for the senses.

James Vasanth writes a blog on eInterativeHomes, about Home Theater, Lighting Control and connecting the dots between online and offline.