Video Conferencing at UniSA
Introduction
Video conferencing uses audio and video telecommunications to bring people from different sites together for a meeting. This can be a simple one-to-one discussion between people in their own offices (Point to Point) or involve several sites (multi-point) with multiple participants in meeting rooms at each site. You can also use Video Conferencing to share documents, whiteboards and presentations.
UniSA Video Conferencing Solutions
Polycom
The University uses a variety of Polycom solutions including software, fixed and mobile equipment for Point to Point video. The software is versatile in that it allows for multipoint access via a Multipoint Conferencing Unit such as the AARNet MCU.
Polycom also provide software which is desgined for desktop PC's called PVX. Polycom PVX is available as a single licence or can be purchased bundled with a desktop web camera. For information regarding Polycom PVX please visit the Video Conference Desktop Solution website.
To use one of our Polycom fixed or mobile solutions please visit the UniSA Video Conferencing Facilities website.
Access Grid
Access Grid is Video Conferencing that focuses group-to-group collaboration rather than desktop based one-to-one conferencing . It allows audio and video based collaboration between groups of people in different locations, but usually has a range of built in resources available including large format, interactive multimedia displays, multiple simultaneous camera feeds at each site and built in microphones.
The University has several dedicated Access Grid rooms on all campuses. For a list of available rooms please visit the Access grid room website. Alternatively you can install the Access Grid software on your desktop PC if you wish via the Access Grid website.
For more information regarding Access Grid, including booking Access Grid rooms, please visit the Video Conferencing AskIT website.
EVO
EVO (Enabling Virtual Organisations) is a free online research collaboration tool that allows you to participate in (or host) a Video Conference from your desktop PC. EVO is an adaptable, scalable, fault tolerant collaboration environment that is under development by Caltech as a service for the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) and other High Energy Physics communities. EVO incorporates video collaboration (video capture / display), a white board tool and a meeting recorder.
To access EVO while ON campus the University has created the UniSA EVO Video Conferencing Package. Details on how to install and run the package can be found on the UniSA EVO Video Conferencing Package website. Accessing EVO OFF campus can be done directly from the EVO website.
Skype
Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice and video calls over the Internet. Original calls were only voice over IP (VoIP) but now have the ability for webcams to provide video calls. Skype provides one-to-one collaboration only and is free to use when connecting to other Skype users. For more information regarding Skype on the University network please visit the UniSA AskIT page: What is VoIP and Skype? Further information can be found on the Skype website.
Video Conferencing Peripherals
Information on webcams, echo-cancelling microphones and audio headsets is available at Video Conference Desktop Solutions
Quick Links
Key links to important Video Conferencing information at UniSA:
- Polycom
- Polycom hardware based units: UniSA Video Conferencing Facilities.
- Polycom PVX software Video Conference Desktop Solution.
- Access Grid - Locations and information: Video Conferencing AskIT .
- EVO - UniSA EVO Video Conferencing Package website.
- Skype - Skype at UniSA: What is VoIP and Skype?
For IT support staff please visit the IT Support Staff Wiki.