IP-networked multimedia conferencing

This article looks at video conferencing, specifically the VideoTalks system developed by AT&T Labs. This system was designed to alleviate some of the problems of both user experience and audiovisual signal quality. It allows talks and presentations generated in one auditorium or conference room to be received in other conference rooms, multicast to desktop computers, and received at home or on the road. VideoTalks is a prototypical system that can be retrofitted to provide for a variety of Internet services, such as remote learning, narrowcasting to niche audiences, video telephone, video conferencing, low cost video-on-demand, etc. An effort was also made to make the system function without a full-time operator.