Video conferencing, a definition – ZDNet

Video conferencing, or video conferencing (old synonym), is a secure long distance communication solution over the Internet, allowing you to exchange views between two individuals, or several tens, hundreds or thousands of people, depending on preferences and licenses. Thanks to a mini camera “webcam” integrated into external autofocus or computer or smartphone, in addition to visualizing the face or bust of people, this type of communication helps to work on documents that can be shared in full screen or not. Often, instant message windows can be opened (“chat” function). Many more features are included.

Thanks to some solution-based web-seminars, or distance training or distance education (e.g. “MOOC”, mass open online study) many activities, multiple choice questionnaires, polls or surveys. They can benefit from production in a multimedia studio (multiple cameras, large HD touchscreens, etc.). We will also refer to the “video” or telecusset terminals that trigger the notion of “videophone” or “video telephony”, which is almost abandoned as Internet access is generalized.

In the absence of consensus between telecommunications operators and Internet service providers, from 2005 to 2010, it was the Internet and Internet players – Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe, etc. – Minimizes intermediate video conferencing privileges over TCP / IP (IETF’s SIP protocol over H323 supported by IUIT-T, SG16). This is the origin of solutions using VoIP (Voice over IP) launched by start-up companies like Skype, Yahoo Messenger, Jamie, Snapshot. These solutions have the advantage of working on PCs, but also on tablets and smartphones with cameras, 3G (UMTS) then connected to the Internet via 4G.

The new generation of codecs (encoders / decoders) integrated high-power audio and image compression algorithms, also known as H264 video protocol MPEG-4 / AVC, and audio, G722 and later, for example, 8, 16, 24 or 32 KHz. Similarly, it is necessary to achieve standardization of video formats or resolutions such as CIF (704 x 576 pixels), VGA (640 x 480) or HD, XGA (1024 x 768 points), and then 4K on the big screen. LCD, etc.

Hardware and software environment

In the spring of 2020, due to severe imprisonment, video conferencing became widespread in a few days due to the use of laptops or MacBook Air “webcam”. Another accelerating factor is the possibility – provided by Zoom or Freemium, GoToMeeting, Google Meat, Microsoft Teams, etc. – Can I download online video conferencing solutions, in the cloud, for free (with certain limitations) and use them from a simple web browser? Using large amounts of disk space usually without loading heavy software. Other publishers now occupy this space.

Priority of investments 2020 and 2021. Source: The Future of Video Conferencing, ITC, Kodo Meeting Lockmeen, November 2020.