What Is a Video Call?
This book provides the information you need to understand what a video call is, the solu-
tions that are available, the hardware and software required, and what high-speed Internet
connection will work best for you so that you can set up a videoconferencing system easily
and quickly and start using it with your children, family, and friends.
Video call technology can have many names: video calls, personal videoconferencing,
videoconferencing, video messaging, instant messaging, video phone, video telephone, and
video chat.The name any one technology goes by might be due to a vendor's product and
its marketing, but it should be understood that all the technologies are basically the same
and essentially interchangeable; only the features vary.A video call is the total experience
6
Chapter 1 ? Introduction to Video Calls
that two people can have while communicating with one another using audio and a
moving video image, and possibly additional features.
Understanding the Basics…
What Is a Video Call?
A video call is a call between two people that includes both audio and a moving
video image; it can take place between two computers or dedicated video telephone
equipment.
Most of us have used e-mail and even IM solutions such as Skype, iChat AV, MSN,AIM,
YIM, or others.These IM solutions let you chat between two or more people, voice chat or
talk between two or more people, and now even do a video call between two people. Some
solutions are better than others, however; this book will help you select a solution that will
allow you to have a good video call experience the very ?rst time you use it.
A video call can utilize one or more of the following devices:
■
A personal computer (PC), either Windows or Apple
■
A Webcam
■
A video telephone
■
A dedicated videoconferencing device
■
A Pocket PC, Palmtop, or other handheld device
■
Cell phones with picture and/or video capability
■
Digital cameras
■
Video recording devices
Imagine the ability to talk to someone far away and actually see the person you are
talking with using live video. Picture yourself being able to play an Internet game while
participating in a video call that lets you not only see the individual you're playing with but
also send funny comments via IM while waiting for your turn. Or imagine being able to
send family members photos or, even better, video clips of the latest family outing.
The experience of communicating with family and friends when you are busy or living
in a different city is becoming a more robust experience with the technologies and solu-
Introduction to Video Calls ? Chapter 1
7
tions available today. As young as the Internet is, imagine the improvements that await us in
the future!
The most important component of a video call is the video. Video is the main improve-
ment over a conventional telephone call. With the addition of video, seeing the person you
are speaking to enhances the experience and expands the possibilities.You can actually show
the person on the other end what you can only verbalize during a telephone call.
According to www.whatis.com, the term videoconferencing is de?ned as,"A live connec-
tion between people in separate locations for the purpose of communication, usually
involving audio and often text as well as video.At its simplest, videoconferencing provides
transmission of static images and text between two locations.At its most sophisticated, it
provides transmission of full-motion video images and high-quality audio between multiple
locations."
This book not only covers solutions that you can use on your computer but also dis-
cusses solutions that are stand-alone video telephones and solutions that use your television
set as a part of the video call. We also cover forthcoming solutions, such as the ability to
perform a video call on your cell phone.
With the Internet today, along with inexpensive high-speed or broadband Internet, as it
is called for home use, video calls are no longer something reserved for the business or cor-
porate world.The ?rst successful videoconferencing solution for a personal computer was
Microsoft NetMeeting. IM solutions such as those from Skype,Apple, Microsoft,Yahoo, and
AOL added improvements including video, making video calls more mainstream then ever
before. In fact, Microsoft and Logitech report they have already had over 3 billion Webcam
session chats with MSN Messenger (www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/mar05/03-
09logitechpr.mspx). Remember, MSN Messenger is only one of over40 video call solutions.
To make a video call, you need a broadband Internet connection (high-speed Internet).
The technical details of how to choose a high-speed Internet connection are discussed in
Chapter 3, but it should be understood that in a video call, the speed of the Internet con-
nection becomes very important. Dialup access will not provide you a very good solution,
so do not even bother trying.Although there is one solution that relies on a regular tele-
phone line, video needs more bandwidth than dialup can provide.
Do you think video calls are too complicated? While reading this, are you thinking that
you or your child, friends, or family do not know how to use a computer very well, let
alone make a video call? For the less computer savvy user there are video call solutions that
do not use a computer, such as dedicated video telephone devices; some devices use only
your television, a device set on top of your television connected to your broadband Internet
connection, and a remote to control the video call. We delve into dedicated video telephone
devices in Chapter 5.
8
Chapter 1 ? Introduction to Video Calls
If you are already computer literate or willing to use a computer, there are many more
things you can do with a Windows or Apple computer equipped for video calls.You can do
IM, send photos, help your children with their homework, talk to your parents, play games,
send video and pictures to your children, friends, or family—and more important, they can
send these things to you!
Imagine coming home from a day at work and having your son send you a video clip
from his football practice, or your daughter from her gymnastics class. Imagine being a busi-
ness traveler and while in your hotel room, be able to see and speak to family and friends
while you are traveling. Imagine if you are a divorced parent the potential bene?ts of a
video call with your children who live in another city or state. Using video call technology,
I read my daughter bedtime stories when she was four years old, and she was 1400 miles
away! Now she is seven and reads stories to me. Even though we are not home together, we
can participate in our children's lives or communicate with family and friends more than
ever before, thanks to video calls.
A recent study by HarrisInteractive.com found that roughly a third (30 percent) of U.S.
adults live in a different state than their mothers.Although 66 percent of these adults speak
to their mothers at least once a week on the phone, 84 percent would prefer to talk face-to-
face with their family and friends rather than use the phone. Unfortunately, 87 percent of
these adults also report that they see their moms only once a month or less
(www.motorola.com/mediacenter/news/detail/0,,6088_6049_23,00.html). With your com-
puter and a Webcam, video telephone, cell phone, and other upcoming technologies, a
video call with your children, family, and friends will improve your communication experi-
ence more then can be achieved with a telephone call alone.
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