[AG-TECH] broadcast quality video

[Bob Riddle]

Bart Kerver & I have used a RtpTV modified AG for testing between 
Surfnet and the Internet2 office in Ann Arbor.  The video was dandy.

Christoph Willing wrote:

>Just supporting Chris Osland's assertion about the H261 being more of an
>issue than the cameras themselves. We have 2 BetacamSP cameras available
>but, after passing through vic, they look no better than $200 security
>cameras.
>
>What does work is RPTtv, described at the AG retreat earlier this year
>(http://bmrc.berkeley.edu/~delco/rtptv/). We have 2 labs (each with an
>AG node) separated by about 5km but connected with gigabit ethernet. We
>have full PAL video streaming from one AG node to the other and the
>quality is just astonishing compared with normal vic streams. Quite a
>bit more bandwidth as well of course.
>
>chris
>
>
>On Fri, 2002-11-01 at 21:00, Osland, CD (Chris) wrote:
>  
>
>>There shouldn't be any real problem as long as the cameras have
>>composite or S-Video (Y-C) connections for video out.  I wouldn't
>>expect any visible improvement in image quality compared with
>>less expensive cameras (say down to the Sony xxx30/31/100 type)
>>because the H.261 QCIF encoding itself reduces quality so much that
>>the original quality is basically lost.  Once mangled by H.261, I
>>can't say I can tell the difference between a composite feed from
>>camera to capture card, or a Y-C feed from the same camera.
>>
>>There is a different question which is how to get broadcast quality
>>video across the AG, and that has been discussed elsewhere.  From
>>cameras, that implies having capture cards that will take component
>>(YUV or YIQ) input and encoding schemes that preserve a decent
>>fraction of the original quality - composite, Y-C and component
>>feeds have roughly 5 MHz, 8 MHz and 15 MHz bandwidth respectively.
>>
>>Of course, the alternative is to use digital cameras and (for instance)
>>FireWire, and so stay digital all the way ...
>>
>>Cheers
>>
>>Chris
>>
>>____________________________________________________________________
>>Chris Osland                         Office tel: +44 (0) 1235 446565
>>Digital Media and Access Grid      Medialab tel: +44 (0) 1235 446459
>>BIT Department             Access Grid room tel: +44 (0) 1235 445666
>>e-mail:   C.D.Osland at rl.ac.uk               Fax: +44 (0) 1235 445597
>>
>>    
>>
>[]
>  
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Eric Hepburn [mailto:eric at mail.aces.utexas.edu]
>>Sent: 31 October 2002 16:45
>>To: Jonathan C. Humfrey
>>Cc: ag-tech at mcs.anl.gov
>>Subject: RE: [AG-TECH] broadcast quality video
>>
>>
>>We are using the following broadcast quality cameras in our facility:
>>CCU: Panasonic WVE590
>>Camera: Panasonic AWE 300
>>We are in the process of setting up an AG-PIG machine using these cameras
>>(by feeding an S-Video feed from the cameras to the Osprey Capture cards
>>through a video switcher).  We should have the installation completed within
>>the next week.  I'll let you know how it turns out.  If you'd like to get a
>>feel for our facility in general you can check out our website at
>>http://www.aces.utexas.edu
>>The cameras and video switching gear was originally installed for
>>videoconferencing, we are basically adding the AG-PIG system as an
>>alternative CODEC into our existing AV infrastructure, giving us AG access
>>in our 5 videoconference capable rooms.
>>
>>Eric
>>
>>PS  We are also using Microsoft's experimental ConferenceXP software on the
>>same system with the Osprey capture cards, so far so good...
>>
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>Eric Hepburn
>>Coordinator, Network Services
>>A.C.E.S. IT Group		
>>Applied Computational Engineering & Sciences Bldg.
>>The University of Texas at Austin
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>Office: ACES 4.142
>>Ph: (512) 232-9089		Fax: (512) 232-9084
>>Mobile: (512) 413-9380
>>Email: eric at mail.aces.utexas.edu 
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Jonathan C. Humfrey [mailto:jch at cs.ucsb.edu]
>>Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2002 3:58 PM
>>To: ag-tech at mcs.anl.gov
>>Subject: [AG-TECH] broadcast quality video
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Does anyone have experience using broadcast quality cameras rather then 
>>the Sony DVIs?  We have a multi-use room and are looking to be able to 
>>produce a broadcast quality video from presentations in the room as well 
>>as participating in AG.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Jonathan Humfrey
>>    
>>
>
>  
>