1. Telepresence Interoperability is Here!
Bob Dixon, Ohio Academic Resources Network (OARnet)_
Internet2 Fall member Meeting
October 7, 2009
San Antonio, Texas

2. Schedule of Events Introduction of Speakers
Overview of Video Conferencing Interoperability
Description of Yesterday’s Live Demos
Playback of Recordings from the Demos
Presentations by the Speakers

3. Our Presenters Stefan Karapetkov - Polycom Bill Rippon - IBM Research
Jim Goodyear - LifeSize
Gabe Moulton - Ohio State University
Robbie Noble - Ohio State University

4. The Four Levels of Videoconferencing
Web Conferencing
PC and small camera
Collaboration tools such as Skype, Elluminate, WebX....
Fair quality
Standard H.323 Video Conferencing
Most common type today
Good quality
High-Definition H.323 Video Conferencing
Like HDTV
Excellent quality
Telepresence
HD, plus appearance of being in the same room
*Note there are a few other systems that do not fit into these categories

5. Telepresence Systems Generalities
Most telepresence systems are expensive.
Typically $250K and up, per room.
Some are proprietary or do not use the standard H.323 protocol, and hence are not interoperable with other telepresence systems.
HP, Cisco.
Some require special or vendor-managed networks.
Some are H.323 standards-based and can become fully interoperable with one another.
Polycom
Tandberg
LifeSize

6. Typical Telepresence Systems
For reasons of brevity, I will illustrate only one typical model of telepresence equipment from each vendor.
They all have other models also.
Photos are from the company web sites.

7. Tandberg Telepresence

8. Polycom Telepresence

9. LifeSize Telepresence

10. Who Uses Telepresence?
Typically corporate execs, for whom cost is less important.
So far little used in education. A recent poll shows <10 in USA.
Reasons for little education use:
High cost, including purchase, installation and operation.
Typically not suitable for more than a few people at once,
such as classrooms.
Incompatibility with each other, and existing video conf equipment.
Will not dedicate a room to something that is rarely used.
High bandwidth and network quality required.
Requires multiple rooms.
Standard high-definition video conferencing can do many of the things that telepresence does, with less cost and complexity.

11. Videoconferencing Interoperability by Level
Web Conferencing
Very little interoperability, with each other or with industry standard.
A few now provide interoperability with standard H.323. (Elluminate VCS, RADVision Scopia Desktop, Vidyo…)
Skype/H.323 gateway being evaluated by Internet2.
Standard H.323 Videoconferencing
Complete interoperability.
High-definition Standard H.323 Videoconferencing
Complete Interoperability.
Telepresence
Few vendors claim interoperability.
Tandberg and Polycom can interoperate thru their MCUs. 11

12. Desktop
Collaboration
Tools
Collaboration tools have traditionally had
stone walls between each other.

13. Standard Video Conferencing
Desktop
Collaboration
Tools
Standard Video Conferencing
High-Definition Standard Video Conferencing
Collaboration tools have traditionally had a stone wall between themselves and industry standard video conferencing.

14. Desktop Collaboration Tools
Standard Video Conferencing
High-Definition Standard Video Conferencing
Standard definition and high definition video conferencing
work well together.

15. Desktop Collaboration Tools Standard Video Conferencing
High-Definition Standard Video Conferencing
Some collaboration tools have now blasted a hole thru the wall
separating them from industry standard video conferencing.
And they have begun to penetrate the walls between themselves.

16. Desktop Collaboration Tools
Standard Video Conferencing
High-Definition Standard Video Conferencing
We are now seeing interoperability between some collaboration tools
and industry standard video conferencing

17. Telepresence systems have had
stone walls between each other.
Tele
Presence

18. Tele Presence Some telepresence systems have had gaps in the
wall between themselves and
industry standard video conferencing.
Standard Video Conferencing
High-Definition Standard Video Conferencing
Tele
Presence

19. Tele Presence Most telepresence systems now interoperate with
industry standard video conferencing.
And they have reluctantly begun to
penetrate the walls between themselves.
Standard Video Conferencing
High-Definition Standard Video Conferencing
Tele
Presence

20. UNIVERSAL INTEROPERABILITY !
Desktop
Collaboration
Tools
Standard Video Conferencing
High-Definition Standard Video Conferencing
Tele
Presence

21. Telepresence Interoperability Demo for Internet2 Conference
Oct 6, San Antonio, Texas (updated 2 Oct 09)
Tandberg T3
3-screen TP
Oporto,Portugal
Polycom TPX
3-screen TP
San Antonio, TX
Polycom RPX
2-screen TP
At Iformata
Dayton, OH
Tandberg T3
3-screen TP
Lisbon,Portugal
Either/Or
Polycom RSS
Recorder in
Berrein Springs, MI
Tandberg TP Server
(MCU) at IBM
Yorktown Heights, NY
Polycom RMX
MCU at OSU
Columbus, OH
Tandberg T3
3-screen TP at
Tandberg, via
IBM Research
Location TBD
LifeSize Room100
3-screen TP
At OARNet
Columbus, OH
Either/Or
Cisco CTS3000
3-screen TP at
IBM Research
Hawthorne, NY
Tandberg
Recorder at
IBM Research
Almaden, CF
Polycom RPX
4-screen TP
At IBM Research
Armonk, NY
Polycom
Simulated
3-screen TP
at IBM Rsrch
Yorktown, NY
Polycom TPX
3-screen TP
Andover, MA
Bob Dixon