Videoconferencing &

Virtual Classroom services over

NICNET/NKN

By

Dayanand Saha

Technical Director VC Division, NIC, New Delhi

• Undoubtedly Videoconferencing has becomes an integral part of business and personal life. With the

advancement of technology, it has become more affordable and universally available.

Why Videoconferencing ?

• Increase productivity and reduce travel time and cost

• Application are wide-ranging and include meetings, telemedicine, distance learning, technical design

review, events and other collaborative activities

• An excellent way to connect students and professional from across the world. Students have the

opportunity to interact with the experts in a particular field of study

Important Developments :

• Relatively low cost

• High Capacity broadband telecommunication services at low cost

• Powerful computing processor

• Powerful video Compression techniques

1. Dedicated Systems :

There are Generally 3 types of dedicated videoconferencing devices :

• Large group videoconferencing are non-portable, large, more expensive devices used for large rooms and auditoriums.

• Small group videoconferencing are non-portable or portable, smaller, less expensive devices used for small meeting rooms.

• Individual videoconferencing are usually portable devices, meant for single user, have fixed integrated cameras, microphones and loudspeakers.

Note : Hardware Codec comes with bundle of required components like : PTZ Camera, Omnidirectional Microphones, Remote Control,

Connecting cables

2. Cloud Based Desktop VC :

• With add-on hardware like Webcam and Microphone cum speaker transform normal PC into a videoconferencing device

• Server & Client based Technology

• WebRTC Platforms are video conferencing solutions that are not resident by using a software application but is available through the standard web browser.

Video Client

Video Server

• H.320 (1992-2008)

– ISDN/V.35

• H.323 (1996 - 2015)

– IP

H.323 contains several protocols like :

– H.225.0 : Call Signaling between two H.323 endpoints

– Registration, Admission, and Status (RAS). RAS is used between an endpoint and a Gatekeeper.

– H.245 :control protocol for opening and closing logical channels for audio, video and data, capability exchange, control and indications.

– H.450 : for various supplementary services

– H.235 : for security within H.323, including both signaling and media security

– H.239 : describes dual stream use (usually for live video, the other for presentation.)

– H.460 : optional extensions that might be implemented by an endpoint or a Gatekeeper. CODEC :

– The core technology used in a videoconferencing system is digital compression of audio and video streams in real time. The hardware that performs compression is called CODEC ( Coder/Decoder).

– Video codecs: H.261, H.263, H.264 or proprietary protocol – Audio codecs: G.711, G.729, G.729a, G.723.1, G.726 or proprietary protocols

• SIP (Session Initiation Protocol)

– Used by most Voice Over IP (VOIP) solutions

• Quality of Video Depends on the following factors:-

1. Frame Rate: This parameters define how many frames are

displayed in one second (15F/30F/60F)PS

2. Frame Resolution: Dimensions of each frame.

3. Frame Quality: Compression of each frame.

4. Bandwidth : Higher the Video Quality we prefer, higher

bandwidth is required. Video Quality has to be compromise to

meet the current BW available.

• Quality of images in the video depend on Frame Resolution.

• Smoothness of Video depends on Frame Rate.

Camera

Display Devices

Codec

Microphone

Interactive Panel

Document Camera

Presentation

GateKeeper

H.323/SIP

Endpoint

IP Recorder

H.323

Gateway

POTS line

Telephone

H.320

ISDN Endpoint MCU

Cloud based desktop VC Setup at NIC over NKN

1.Dedicated Studio based ( H.323 ) Videoconferencing

2. Cloud based Desktop Videoconferencing

• Special hardware required (Codec/Consol)

• Dedicated Network BW of minimum 4-6 Mbps is required

• Provide very good quality

• Omnidirectional Microphone is powerful & has good pickup

• Echo cancellation is perfect

• Have powerful PTZ Camera

• Camera position can be stored and recalled

• Can connect multiple display ( 1 or 2 or3)

• Meet the requirement of Group Videoconferencing (15-20 Participants)

• Drawbacks :- Costly & need dedicated network

• Easy to use and can connect from office desktop or home or from anywhere , even

using mobile devices

• Desktop with Webcam & Speaker cum microphone required

• Provide HD video quality Videoconferencing (1080p/30fps)

• Existing Internet connections can be used ( Office network/WIFI/Broadband or 3G/4G

Wireless Networks)

• Quality depends on the processing power of PC, BW, Camera & Mic cum Speaker

• Use Scalable video coding (SVC) and adaptive

• Full layout control, with choice of Dynamic Continuous Presence or Active Speaker

switching

• Pop out shared data to a separate window or second monitor

• Can be used for point to point or host multiple participants meetings with more than

100 users together and another 300 users can participate in receiving mode as

webcast.

• Every user has a facility to record the multipoint conference in HD/SD resolution and

easy to share recoding for reference.

• Join as guest from anywhere by click of a link send through mail and makes it perfect

for inviting international users or lecturer.

• Display up to 8 participants in continuous presence and makes it perfect for team

discussions and bring students, teachers and outside experts, researcher/scientists

together for richly collaborative educational experiences.

• You can convert your meeting room to lecture room or meeting rooms.

• Web based Desktop can be seamlessly connected with Hardware based (H.323)

systems/Virtual Classroom.

• Scalable solution & Ease of large scale-deployments.

• Drawbacks :- BW often deteriorates quality of video & proxy limitations

• Offering Videoconferencing services since 1995

• High Quality and High Definition Videoconferencing at speeds upto 4-6 Mbps

• Largest Videoconferencing network in India consisting more than 1300 dedicated Videoconferencing Studios

over NICNET covering all State Capitals & UTs, all districts, Raj Bhawnas, Ministries, Judiciary office, DGP,

Cabinet Secretary, Secretaries to GOI, CS offices etc.

• Total 66 High end Virtual Classrooms were established over NKN (IITs, NITs, IISc, IISERs etc.)

• Average utilization of 30000 Video meetings, over 3 Lakhs Studio hours of VC usage/year.

• VC services have been used extensively for meeting, Projects monitoring & reviewing, RTI hearings, Courts &

Jails, Disaster Management, Distance learning, VVIP Conference, events etc.

• This is used by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India every month for review of national project under PRAGATI. All

CS, Secretaries to the GOI, other stakeholders & International sites connected in PRAGATI

• Hon’ble President of India used this facility 2 times in year for addressing to students and faculty of CUs, IITs,

NITs &all Institutions of higher studies and 1 time to address to Governors of India.

• Multipoint Videoconferencing capabilities upto 500 sites with continuous presence (CP) and voice activated

capabilities(VA). Videoconferencing Services integrated with NICNET Video streaming/webcast services

• Anywhere to Anywhere ... using Cloud based HD Videoconferencing

• Cloud based desktop can be seamlessly connected with dedicated and ensure inter-operability.

• With NKN and NOFN Connectivity, Applications of Videoconferencing are now reaching to grass room levels

(Gram Panchayat and Villages across India)

President’s VC with Governors on 8th Jan, 2016

Address by President to Institutions of higher studies on 19th Jan, 2016

PM address to Raipur from PM Residence on 12th Jan, 2016

Startup India on 16th Jan, 2016

PM at IIT Guwahati on 19th Jan, 2019

PRAGATI VC by PM with SECY and CS Every Month

Typical High End Virtual Classroom layout & features

• This type of Virtual Classroom setup is suitable typically for 80-100 students.

• Minimum 4 Mbps or more assured dedicated bandwidth is required

• Need to create controlled environment like acoustically treated interiors etc.

• A technical assistant may be required to operate the classroom

• More expensive setup

Typical items required to create High End Virtual Classroom

• Hardware base Codec with high resolution video up to 1080p/30F

• Three HD LCD Display Units (Typically 55 inch),

• Projector (Typically 120 inch screen),

• Two PTZ HD Camera

• Annotation panel, Document Camera

• DSP based AV system with amplifier, speaker, audio mixer etc

• Ceiling microphones, cordless microphone etc

• Control system with touch panels

• UPS (Typically 5 KVA) , Rack etc.

Estimated cost per Classroom is around 25-30 Lakhs

Typical Low End ( Web based ) Virtual Classroom layout & features

• This type of Virtual Classroom setup is suitable typically for 40-50 students

• Minimum of 2 Mbps kbps bandwidth is required

• It can operate on any type of public network including broadband, Wireless, WIFI etc.

• This type of Classroom setup can be created in any classroom with minimum up gradation like blocking of natural light entering the classroom, proper interior lighting etc.

• It is very cost effective

• Easily scalable to multiple locations

• Easy to monitor and management

Typical items required to create Low End Virtual Classroom

• Desktop PC with One slim Monitor & dual display output card

• One USB PTZ Camera for capturing the students view

• One USB Web Camera and fixed USB table microphone

• One LCD Display Unit (Typically 46 inch or above)

• One Projector (Typically 100 inch screen)

• Cordless Microphone with base unit

• Amplifier with Speaker (optional )

• Annotation Panel ( Optional- for teaching )

• UPS (Typically 1 KVA) etc.

Estimated cost per Classrooms is about – 3.0 to 3.5 Lakhs

Virtual Classroom setup at Madhya Pradesh

• To improve the quality of school education.

• To overcome the shortage of teachers in rural areas through Distance

education.

• Providing all the benefits of expert teachers.

• To make the difficult topics simple through technique.

• To support the students belonging to rural areas by providing Special

education so as to help them to be selected for competitive exams

• Interactive approach Virtual

Classroom setup has been created at selected school/college of 413 blocks.

• Teacher will deliver lecture from a dedicated teaching room at Bhopal.

Facilities for NKN Users :

• User of NKN Institution can registered to create an account in http://nknvc.nic.in ( Cloud based WebVC Portal )

• You can visit http://virtualclassroom.nic.in or http://vcr.nic.in and registered for user accounts. Institutions can apply for multiple accounts through NKN Nodal officer.

• With the registration, you are empowered :

To call point to point call

Host a multipoint conference of 30 users in your Virtual Meeting room

Invite users through mail to join in your virtual room as guest

You can only record or record & webcast the conference

• Create Software based Virtual Classroom with the add on of some accessories/equipment in your classroom.

• Equipment/accessories required to create Virtual Classrooms will be available soon in website.

Search the user. Click on it.

If you want to join conference in muted state, click on camera, microphone or speaker icon to mute your video, microphone or speaker respectively (Here, camera & speaker are on and microphone is muted.

Click on Connect with User Directly.

Making Point to Point Call

To share your screen as soon as you join the VC, select Share screen upon Connection. This will share your Display (but mutes your audio-video). To enable your video, click on camera icon as shown below.) Similarly, unmute for microphone & speaker.

Joining a Conference in Own Room

Click on your room and Connect to your Room.

Or

Right Click on Vidyo icon in taskbar. Click on Start My Meeting. You will be connected directly in your room.

Making Multipoint Calls

Controlling the Meeting

Join your room. Now Click on Show

Participants.

• Click on Launch Control Meeting Panel • It will open in another window.

• Now Click on Add Participants

d. Search name of user and click on Invite.

Email – dayanand@nic.in Phone No- 011-24305790

Thank you