Eric Talman, Technical Support Manager, Whenever Communications, Inc. www.SatellitePhoneStore.com testing ChaserView software loaded in a PPC-6700 PDA attached to a TT-700 BGAN terminal via WiFi . After turning the TT-700 WiFi on, he set the bandwidth to only 56k using ChaserView™ PipeManager™. Eric can also choose a different bandwidth such as 256k, 128k, 32, 28.8,14.4, 9600 or 4800 baud!.
Facing with such as wide range of choices to control the Inmarsat BAGN bandwidth, one would question the utility and practical application of video conferencing given such as diverse range of bandwidth selections. Inmarsat BGAN or Cellular users may also question the quality of a video conferencing session if selecting 28.8 or 14.4 range which would remind any computer user the modem hardware we all used back in 80's. How can one maintain an acceptable video conferencing experience operating at 28.8 modem speed while connected to another computing device?
Our codec is not of the usual garden variety video and audio compression such as MPEG, Quick Time, H.264, H.263 or any variations. We are using a next generation codec designed with micro management of bandwidth while offering precision granularity of bandwidth. For example if the user selection is capped at 28.8 - by using the built in bandwidth manager - then Sculpture™ codec will only operate in this range if sensing any wireless fluctuations, therefore shifting its layered codec from Sculpture™ video format to Gray Scale - adding primary colors - and then to color while presenting an acceptable quality of video conferencing. The audio management is also automatically adapting to the bandwidth and no noticeable audio quality is experienced while operating from 128k to 9600 baud range. As for the latency, Eric can testify to the ultra low latency nature of ChaserView™ over Inmarsat BGAN, CDMA cellular networks.
Eric tested a beta copy of ChaserView™ designed for a hand held Pocket PC loaded with Microsoft Mobile, the PPC-6700. This legacy device originally designed for Sprint CDMA network offering WiFi capabilities, built in camera and audio device. He test the software loaded in the device, activating the WiFi option and attached to a TT-700 via wireless router. He switched between bandwidth options, video sizes on-the-fly while in video conferencing session. Eric also duplicated the test results using different BGAN terminals ranging from maritime TT-150 to TT-700, reporting a great video conferencing experience.
"ChaserView is going to be a great tool for our Inmarsat BGAN and Fleet Broadband satellite customers that are looking for a cost effective Video conferencing solution that is easy to deploy. Chaserview will work over any BGAN of FBB Inmarsat satellite terminal as the user on both sides of the Video Conference are able to control the Resolution of the Video, the Frame Rate Per Second, and most importantly the Target Bit rate (Bandwidth) (ie. 64K,128K, 256K etc). Chaserview is able to do all this without compromising the quality of the video feed and our customers budgets."
KOTV Ch 6, Tulsa, Oklahoma using VideoMoverPlus custom software for fast action news gathering.
I have used VideoMoverPlus for the last
five years. I have found it to be
dependable, and a great asset when
it comes to getting video from the
field onto the air. Its templates
make for an easy switch from BGAN
to aircard. I think VideoMover is
an important tool for any video needs.
Description of our solution for Inmarsat BGAN and Cellular networks
December 2009
Omnipresent and Ubiquitous video/audio communication, visually and verbally calling anyone at anywhere anytime on any device might be the ultimate goal of Software by iPixCel . As MPEG and H.263, H.264 based full-color videos and audio fabrics are unable to cover low bandwidth and highly fluctuating network conditions, we offer a Sculpture™/Black&White/full color video combination compression and decompression scheme, encapsulated within a modern multi layered codec to realize video communication in the whole range of bandwidth conditions.
Based on our solution, Sculpture™ video works at below 56 Kbps bandwidth range and full-color video works at over 33.6 Kbps bandwidth range if used with any wiresless networks such as BGAN, CDMA, GSM or Wifi. The overlapped bandwidth range 33.6-56 Kbps is used to smoothly switch between Sculpture, Black & white and full-color videos .
A bandwidth estimation/probing of wireless state's algorithm is applied to normal Sculpture™ or full color video status for rate control, therefore offering a superior wireless bandwidth manager for Inmarsat BGAN, Sprint and Verizon CDMA or HSPDA and GSM networks. A special bandwidth capability probing algorithm also is designed to determine the switch of Sculpture™ and full-color videos. Field test and numerous experiments proves that this scheme worked well on video communication systems that ran on PCs, handheld PCs and palm-size PCs.
Currently no other known video audio communications solution can operate in low bandwidth range and deliver a solution.
Peter Bruce, Pertec International 