Introduction

[cyclist]

Since 2000 I have been in the industry as an engineer in the video field, mainly dealing with the look, feel and usage of the room and end products. I am very much a purist that puts telepresence on a much higher level than video conferencing. I am the owner of a small company where one if it's specialties is video system design and development. So small that I am it's only employee.

Feel free to ask any questions regarding systems, architecture or anything else related.

[weblord]

Hi there
welcome to telepresence forum

[kingcobra]

oh It is always nice to have an such an experience guy in a nascent filed like telepresence!! New budding technologies take people like you!! All the best for your success

[Lumpy]

Since 2000 I have been in the industry as an engineer in the video field, mainly dealing with the look, feel and usage of the room and end products. I am very much a purist that puts telepresence on a much higher level than video conferencing. I am the owner of a small company where one if it's specialties is video system design and development. So small that I am it's only employee.

Feel free to ask any questions regarding systems, architecture or anything else related.
Cyclist, you still around?

Lumpy

[cyclist]

Cyclist, you still around?

Lumpy


Yeah, barely. Been busy with work and not enough time for play.

[kalesh]

8 years of experience is TP is great!

Great to have you here sir!

[iznan]

Similar to cyclist, I started as programmer in y2k in R&D dept of a company involved in developing a s/w based vid conf system (from scratch). I was doing the UI and (software) component integration on the client side. The original research groundwork of the system started way back in 1993 in a university lab. The research at that time was focused on VC over IP network when ISDN was the main choice at that time. Other aspect that was ahead of the time was the research on floor control (someone later got a pHd on that) when most, if not all, system at that time was p2p and if multipoint - has no concept of floor control - the order of the day for multiparty conf is simply call in an MCU and you will be automatically join in a conference and everyone will be transmitting.. Don't even want to start with distributed server architecture where you can 'daisy-chain' the distribution server and keep your server-to-server bandwidth utilization constant. When hub was common, we were utilizing multicast fully for our system, but ever since the hub days were over - and taken over by switches, the benefits of using m-cast over unicast simply fades.. We still keep the m-cast support for rare occasion like when needed in unidirectional link network (i.e satellite). I had been doing less and less programming nowadays, and more focused on researching on newer technology for vc; and in the process looking to get an Masters degree as well.. Uff.. sorry it turns out to be length..

[Lumpy]

Similar to cyclist, I started as programmer in y2k in R&D dept of a company involved in developing a s/w based vid conf system (from scratch). I was doing the UI and (software) component integration on the client side. The original research groundwork of the system started way back in 1993 in a university lab. The research at that time was focused on VC over IP network when ISDN was the main choice at that time. Other aspect that was ahead of the time was the research on floor control (someone later got a pHd on that) when most, if not all, system at that time was p2p and if multipoint - has no concept of floor control - the order of the day for multiparty conf is simply call in an MCU and you will be automatically join in a conference and everyone will be transmitting.. Don't even want to start with distributed server architecture where you can 'daisy-chain' the distribution server and keep your server-to-server bandwidth utilization constant. When hub was common, we were utilizing multicast fully for our system, but ever since the hub days were over - and taken over by switches, the benefits of using m-cast over unicast simply fades.. We still keep the m-cast support for rare occasion like when needed in unidirectional link network (i.e satellite). I had been doing less and less programming nowadays, and more focused on researching on newer technology for vc; and in the process looking to get an Masters degree as well.. Uff.. sorry it turns out to be length..
We're glad to have you and your knowledge aboard Iznan!

Good luck on the MBA!

You've been in this biz for quite awhile.... When do you think adoption of Telepresence will hit Main Street?

Lumpy

[iznan]

We're glad to have you and your knowledge aboard Iznan!

Good luck on the MBA!

You've been in this biz for quite awhile.... When do you think adoption of Telepresence will hit Main Street?

Lumpy

I am not in the States (anymore). Actually currently I am on the other side of the globe. To be here physically, at the moment, you have to take a 24hrs+ non-stop plane ride first. Until each of us got our hand on a TP unit for a 'teleportation' to 'be here'.. hehe :-). So your reference of 'Main Street' will be different than mine :-P. One of the basic underlying requirment to make TP work, namely the highspeed internetworking support and adoption, is still quite behind in most country outside US and some EU countries (and maybe Japan and Australia). Even if it is already available, the cost will not be attractive. So this will slow down a bit the adoption of TP tech outside those region. Nevertheless, the time will eventually come when those requirement is fulfilled. As for the question of when? I myself is hard-pressed for answer. But eagerly waiting for it. Frankly, I am fairly new to the TP realm myself. (Well, who isn't? :-). Haven't even seen a real one in action (saw many videos and pictures, but that doesn't count). This forum is a great place for TP related info. Learn a lot from it. Hoping to share something in near future from my research.. Not yet decided.. but it might be something that could potentially and significantly reduce the cost of a TP system.. That's why I am interested to know the cheapest TP system you can get nowadays.. the bigger the saving, the bigger the contribution value of the research..

[Lumpy]

I am not in the States (anymore). Actually currently I am on the other side of the globe. To be here physically, at the moment, you have to take a 24hrs+ non-stop plane ride first. Until each of us got our hand on a TP unit for a 'teleportation' to 'be here'.. hehe :-). So your reference of 'Main Street' will be different than mine :-P. One of the basic underlying requirment to make TP work, namely the highspeed internetworking support and adoption, is still quite behind in most country outside US and some EU countries (and maybe Japan and Australia). Even if it is already available, the cost will not be attractive. So this will slow down a bit the adoption of TP tech outside those region. Nevertheless, the time will eventually come when those requirement is fulfilled. As for the question of when? I myself is hard-pressed for answer. But eagerly waiting for it. Frankly, I am fairly new to the TP realm myself. (Well, who isn't? :-). Haven't even seen a real one in action (saw many videos and pictures, but that doesn't count). This forum is a great place for TP related info. Learn a lot from it. Hoping to share something in near future from my research.. Not yet decided.. but it might be something that could potentially and significantly reduce the cost of a TP system.. That's why I am interested to know the cheapest TP system you can get nowadays.. the bigger the saving, the bigger the contribution value of the research..
I went to Telepresence Day in Las Vegas a few months ago (Infocomm08) and I'm here to say - Telepresence stole the show.

You couldn't even get in front or through the isles at any of the telepresence vendors and rooms because they were so packed with people standing there with their mouths open in shock.

DVE and their frameless units, Teliris with their multi-touch worktable, Telepresence Tech with their full size telepresence room and many, many more I haven't mentioned.

Nothing was cheap that's for sure but as with almost all things electronic, the prices will come down in a short time (hopefully).

Lumpy