Vcon and Streaming Field Notes

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These are field notes by the DILC-Tau Rho Xi Vcon and Streaming Group. The group is currently testing for cheap but high-quality one-to-one vcon setup involving computers and commodity cameras (see DVTS and Midfield below). By far success has been limited to DVTS setup.

I. Digital Video Transport System

  • DVTS 1.0.0.1 download for Windows XP • The Unathorized DVTS Guide • more DVTS notes from USF
  • compatible with Sony DV Cam (firewire interface); perhaps NOT compatible with iSight?
  • highly recommended: publicly accessible IPs for both sending and receiving machines
  • Temporary DILC point: 202.92.128.131/Subnet:255.255.255.0/Gateway:202.92.128.254/DNS:202.92.128.248/9
  • Temporary UPLB point: 202.92.144.52 (c/o Nilo - UPLB ILC aka uplbilc2005 on gTalk)
  • Temporary ASTI point: 202.90.158.198

Testing Two-way DVTS on two Computers

  • Setup two computers that are connected in a netowrk (network capacity shoulb be > 60Mbps)
  • Each computer should have the DVTS sofware and a Video Camera connected via firewire cable.
  • Each computer should have passed a looback test.
  • Run DVTS. go Menu > Send > Start Sending. Set UDP destination to the second computer's IP address and set port to 8000, frame discard 1, press OK. The Destination IP should show on the Status Bar below. Go Menu > Send > Preview to see a copy of the stream.
  • Open the task manager by pressing (ctrl+alt+del). On the networking tab, it should indicate that there is an estimated 30Mbps of traffic on your network.
  • Run DVTS on the second computer and receive the stream. Go Menu > Receive > Start Receiving. The window should go black. Set the UDP port to 8000, go Menu > Receive > set UDP Port.
  • Open the task manager by pressing (ctrl+alt+del). On the networking tab, it should also show a 30Mbps network load. A stream should show on the second computer's screen, showing the first computer's camera.
  • Open a second DVTS. Go Menu > Send > Start Sending. Set UDP destination to the IP of the first computer, port 8080, frame discard 1, press OK. The Destination IP should show on the Status Bar below. Go Menu > Send > Preview to see a copy of the stream, this is a stream from the second computer and not the signal coming from the first computer.
  • On the task manager (press ctrl+alt+del), the network should now show about 60Mbps worth of load.
  • This should also be the case back at the first computer.
  • Open a second window of DVTS on the first computer and start receiving this stream. Go > Receive > Start Receiving. The window should go black. The first (out going) stream should not be disconnected or stopped. Set the UDP port to 8080, go Menu > Receive > set UDP Port.

ECHO and FEEDBACK: Once the two streams are running, echo and feedback can occur. Make sure that the video camera microphones and all the speakers are well spaced to avoid these from happening.

Computers used for testing

Desktop Computer DVTS alpha (DILC-DVTSa)

  • Operating System: Windows XP Professional 5.1 Build 2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090206-1234 (Service Pack 3)
  • Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) Processor ~1.3GHz
  • Memory (RAM): 768 MB
  • Direct X: version 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
  • Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 128MB (approx.)

Laptop Computrer DVTS experimental (DILC-DVTSx)

  • Computer Model: Lenovo SL 400
  • Operating System: Windows XP Professional 5.1 Build 2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090206-1234 (Service Pack 3)
  • Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo P8400 @2.26GHz (2 CPU)
  • Memory (RAM): 3038MB (4096MB actual, but will not register on 32-bit OS)
  • Direct X: version 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
  • Video Card: Intel(R) 4 Series Express Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD 256MB (approx.)

Special Notes for installing Windows XP: Lenovo SL 400 is packaged with Windows Vista. The laptop will not readily accept a Windows XP installation. To do so, enter the bios setup at the start of boot by pressing F1. Go to config tab and enter Serial ATA. Under SATA Controller Mode Option, use Compatibility mode.

Laptop Computrer DVTS modern (DILC-DVTSm)

  • Computer Model: Lenovo T 400
  • Operating System: Windows XP Professional (Service Pack 3)
  • Processor: (to be posted)
  • Memory (RAM): (to be posted)
  • Direct X: (to be posted)
  • Video Card: ATI Mobility Radeon (to be updated)

DVTS Tests on UPDILC-DVTSx

  • Video Camera: Sony DRC-TRV33
  • Network: Loopback only (local IP to 127.0.0.1)

IP adresses

  • DILC: 202.92.128.131
  • UPLB: 202.92.144.52
  • ASTI: 202.90.158.198

How to run a loopback test using DVTS and Sandboxie

  • Sandboxie
  • Plug a VCR into the computer into a firewire port. The Windows XP should recognize the device.
  • Run DVTS
  • spawn a second DVTS window in a sandbox (using sandboxie).
  • On the first window, go Menu > Send > Start Sending. Set UDP destination to 127.0.0.1, port 8000, frame discard 1, press OK. The Destination IP should show on the Status Bar below. Go Menu > Send > Preview to see a copy of the stream. WARNING: Set the computer speaker to "MUTE" or use a headset. Otherwise, the signal will escalate into a feedback if the camera's microphone will pick-up audio from the speakers.
  • On the sandboxed window go Menu > Receive > Start Receiving. The window should go black. Set the UDP port to 8000, go Menu > Receive > Set UDP Port.

iSight on WinXP

"I just got my iSight working with Windows XP AND fixed the image quality problem many are having.

To install the iSight, just plug it in, and cancel out of the "New Hardware Wizard." The camera will show up in My Computer, but will be VERY overexposed.

Next, download some program that will allow you to fiddle with the incoming video properties. I googled and found:

http://www.1394imaging.com/products/software/iccapture/ But I'm sure there's more out there. Use this program to turn down the brightness, and voila, your iSight will remember the new settings and you get great video even with AIM. Now if only the microphone worked..."

II. MidField System

III. XMeeting

XMeeting is the first H.323 compatible video conferencing client for Mac OS X. It allows us to dial our Polycom.

IV. Other Systems to Try Out

V. Further Readings

See Also

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