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Glossary of Terms

128kbs, 256kbs, 384kbs, 512kbs, 768kbs

Kbs or kbps means kilobyte per second. The numbers indicate the connection speed or bandwidth that a facility's equipment is capable of supporting. To increase the quality of the video conference, you need to increase the bandwidth.

Codec

This is the unit that processes the audio and video signals. The term comes from the words coder/decoder which has to do with conversion of digital and analogue signals. It could also relate to the compression/ decompression of the data.

Compression

Compression is the reduction of a file size by eliminating redundancies in data. The codec will compress the data (audio and video) that is being sent to the far end, and decompress the data that is being received.

ISDN - Integrated Services Digital Network

This is digital telephone lines. Most video conferences are connected using ISDN connection. The cost for ISDN is generally higher than for IP, but the quality of the connection is generally more stable for ISDN than for IP.

IP - Internet Protocol

IP is usually a high quality broadband connection that is used to connect the video conference. The quality of the connection may vary.

Scan Converter

This is a device used to connect a PC or laptop to the video conference. It enables the image shown on the PC to be viewed by the far end during the conference.

Multipoint (MP)

Multipoint is where you are able to connect more than two sites in one video conference. This normally requires a bridge, although some video conference units are also able to connect multiple sites.

Point-to-Point

Point-to-point is the direct connection of two sites in a video conference. This only works if both sites use the same type of connection (either IP or ISDN).

Transcoding

This is when a bridge enables different video conference systems to connect when they are not directly compatible. E.g. converting IP to ISDN, (also known as a gateway) or connecting two systems that don't work directly.

Standards in video conferencing

H320 is a protocol for video conferencing via circuit switched networks such as ISDN
H323 is a protocol for video conferencing via IP networks
T120 is a set of standards for real time data conferencingH239 is a standard for the simultaneous display of people and data (utilising 2 screens)
H264 is a standard for video compression

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