Video Conferencing

We have been plugging away at this problem for a few weeks now. There has been some progress in that outbound calls out of KCN do now work via IP. You need to prefix any IP address that you are provided with the '@' symbol to make the call work.

Unfortunately inbound calls are still a problem. This means that standard JVCS video conferences stil dont work. However you will find that most of the locations that you want to deal with have either an IP address or an ISDN number that they can provide you with. Instead of scheduling the conference via JVCS, arrange to call the location directly yourself and the session should then be able to proceed.

 In summary:

Dial
'@IP_Address' to connect to an IP Address location
OR
'82ISDN_Number' to connect to an ISDN2 location
OR
'86ISDN_Number' to connect to an ISDN6 location

We are hopefully narrowing down the cause of this problem and hope to get normal service resumed ASAP. The only silver lining in this cloud is that we have re-established communication with many schools in Kent and are pleasantly suprised to find that schools are making good use of VC and making contacts with several International institutions as well as the more expected Nelson Thorne and JVCS suppliers.

 I will post a further update to this problem when it has been resolved.

Steve James.

The National Archives would like to announce the launch of five new special videoconferences for Key Stage 2 and 3 students, focusing on the human stories behind history.

The addition of these new videoconference sessions brings the total number of opportunities offered by the National Archives to sixteen! All the opportunities, available for Key Stage 1 to AS Level and including INSET opportunities, are listed at the end of the National Archives article.

To read more about the new videoconference opportunities from the National Archives please visit the news story on JANET Collaborate via the link below.

News Story:

http://www.janetcollaborate.ac.uk/news/new-videoconferences-with-the-national-archives-bring-history-alive

The National Archives profile:

http://www.janetcollaborate.ac.uk/portal_profiles/4cc8b54169dce3ae6e2fa37675fd2135

Regards,
 
Tim Boundy, JANET Collaborate Project Manager,

collaborate@ja.net

t: 01235 822370

The Tenth Anniversary Megaconference will be held on Nov 6, 2008, all day, everywhere.

Because this is the 10th Megaconference, some very special things will happen then that have not occurred in previous Megaconferences.

The Megaconference is the largest video conference in the world, with many hundreds of participants from all over the world.

http://www.megaconference.org.    Keep checking there for updates.

There is no cost, and everyone in the world with H.323 capabilities is invited to participate.

Registration closes on Oct 15, so you have only a short time to join this event.

http://digitalunion.osu.edu/megaconference/registration.html

There are many interesting presentations and events on the program, as you can see here:

http://digitalunion.osu.edu/megaconference/program.html

Door prizes (video conferencing related) will be given away by random drawing during the Roll Call events. So far we have 44 prizes donated by 8 vendors.  The Roll Calls also give everyone a chance to say hello to the world, in whatever creative way they wish.  See http://digitalunion.osu.edu/megaconference/prizes.html

A number of people who participated in the first Megaconference 10 years ago will be giving brief "Then and Now" presentations about how video conferencing has evolved and how they predict it will evolve in the future.

Special awards will be presented to those people and institutions who have participated in all 10 Megaconferences.

The event is fully interactive, and you can ask questions of the presenters, etc.

Both High Definition and Standard Definition video conferencing is available. People using HD will see SD participants in enhanced resolution, provided by a Codian MCU.

The Megaconference will  appear in Second Life, on a big screen in an outdoor amphitheater, provided by the Technology Enhanced Learning and Research group at Ohio State University (TELRPort in Second Life).

The Megaconference is available to people using the new Vidyo technology.

http://www.vidyo.com

Still under discussion are availability to people using Elluminate, and a guest appearance by the President of Ohio State University.

The Internet2 Commons, OARnet, Ohio State University and many other organizations throughout the world provide support to make this event possible.

Future announcements will be sent only to the Megaconference mailing list.

See you there!!

Bob

--

Robert S. Dixon, Ph D, PE

Chief Research Engineer

Ohio Supercomputer Center Network (OSCNet) and Ohio State University, Office of the CIO

Office Telephone: 614-292-1638

Fax:              614-292-7081

Quickly following the week where the BridgIT server suffered downtime, we now have a major problem with IP based VC traffic in and out of the KCN. Currently schools are unable to conduct normal JVCS calls. We are unable to recieve inbound IP calls from any external address it seems. Outbound IP calls are succesful with organisations other than JVCS.

We are working with ALL our support partners to get this issue identified and resolved as soon as we can !

 In the meantime, all JVCS calls will need to be made via outbound ISDN calls. To place an ISDN call and participate in your JVCS conference, prefix the ISDN number you are provided with, with '82'

 Apologies for the inconvenience that this is bound to cause - I will blog again when it's all resolved. Internal calls between schools seem unaffected by this problem.

 Steve James.

(It never rains but it pours !)

Curriculum Consultant
London Grid for Learning Trust
CI Tower, St Georges Square, New Malden, KT3 4HG
t: 020 8408 4455   m: 07875028131  f: 020 8408 6014