Latest & Future Developments

 

Strategic Review

JANET(UK) has completed its strategic review of their Video Services; for more information on this review see the JANET Videoconferencing Strategic Review page which includes information about the three key project areas (SIP, Data and Application Sharing, Gatekeepers and Addressing) currently under review.

JVCS Desktop Videoconference - Now LIVE!

A new desktop videoconferencing feature called JVCS Desktop has been integrated into the Booking Service and is now available to the JANET community. Please note that this is a pilot feature.

What is JVCS Desktop?

JVCS Desktop is a pilot application which is available to registered users of the JANET Videoconferencing Service (JVCS). It allows users to participate in a booked videoconference (containing as least one registered Booking Service venue) without having to use special hardware or software endpoints to connect to the conference. All a user needs is a desktop or laptop (Windows only), a webcam and headset with microphone to join in.

Bringing in a user with JVCS Desktop is as easy as bringing in any other guest.  The conference booker needs the following information about their JVCS Desktop participants: name, organisation and email address.  JVCS Desktop attendees then receive an email with a link to a small piece of software they need to download to use the feature and a link to join the conference itself. 

Note: attendees need to have administrative access on their desktop/laptop to install the software.

For details on how to use this feature see the user guide: Videoconferencing with JVCS Desktop Endpoints.

Subject to the success of this new feature, availability may be extended in 2010 to allow JANET users to hold desktop only sessions through the service.

New Booking Service User Interface - Now LIVE!

The New Booking Service look and feel has now been rolled out with an aim to improve the user experience by:

• Ensuring that often-used functions are more obvious making it more efficient to use;
• providing better search functionality;
• enhancing the visual appeal;
• improving accessibility.

Streaming Live Videoconferences - Now LIVE!

This new feature allows users of the JVCS Booking Service to stream a live videoconference via a web browser to remote participants whilst it is in progress.

The benefits of streaming include:

• organisations wishing to see how videoconferencing works can do so before they purchase equipment;
• attendees are able to view the session without the need for dedicated videoconferencing equipment;
• lectures and tutorial sessions may be viewed without having to join the videoconference;
• live videoconferencing events can be accessed by a large number of people with internet access;
• lectures may be streamed to pupils at home or off site;
• participants unable to attend the session in person will still be able to see and hear the session.

The user guide for this feature can be found at: http://www.ja.net/documents/services/video/livevcstreaming.pdf.