NoodleTrip Video Conferencing Resources

• What is Video Conferencing?
• Video Conferencing Glossary
• Troubleshooting
• Video Conferencing Tips

Videoconferencing is an interactive tool that combines the use of video, computing, and communications technologies to allow people in different locations to meet face-to-face in real-time. All sites participating in the videoconference can see, hear and contribute to the dialogues.

Videoconferencing uses traditional television technology and transmits the signal live to single or multiple sites. Videoconferencing utilizes "compressed video" technology. Compressed video technology is video images that have been processed to remove redundant information, thereby decreasing the amount of bandwidth required to send them over a telecommunications channel. Instead of transmitting full motion video frames, only the changes in moving frames are captured and transmitted.

The videoconference connection is typically made using ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) or IP (Internet Protocol). The standard for these connection types are H.320 and H.323 respectively.

There are two types of videoconferences:

Point-to-Point Videoconference

Calls take place between two or three locations (or sites).

Multi-Point Videoconference

Calls take place among several (three or more) locations (or sites) and all participate in the same videoconference (similar to a telephone conference call). A Multi-Point Videoconference requires the use of a video bridge.