[:en]How often have your attempts to set up a video conference been marred by locked conference rooms, double bookings, faulty equipment, incompatible systems and limited support? Even when it’s up and running, both video and audio quality are so poor, it’s practically useless.
TENET, the Tertiary Education Research Network of South Africa, has introduced a new video conferencing service, aimed at fulfilling the conferencing needs of the South African Higher Education and Research communities. Their chosen delivery platform for this service is Vidyo.
Vidyo is a video conferencing platform developed to address the problems of traditional video conferencing by integrating with existing video conferencing systems. This means that no upgrades for existing room systems are required, i.e. no expensive video conferencing hardware is needed.
Desktops and laptops can be used as video conferencing tools, as well as any tablet or smartphone. You can display conference participants and shared content simultaneously on a laptop or desktop screen. Vidyo automatically adapts to the hardware to deliver the best possible experience.
The Vidyo client software is Windows, Mac OS and Linux compatible and VidyoMobile™ supports both Android and iOS devices. This means that you can participate in a conference from your smartphone or tablet on-the-go. Access is possible from anywhere, anytime – all you need is a webcam and internet enabled device.
Vidyo was used at the recently held National Telecommunication User Group (NTUG) Conference in Bloemfontein, allowing delegates from all over the country, who were unable to attend in person, the opportunity to participate online.
While Vidyo works well in normal and high bandwidth environments, it is also designed to operate when very little bandwidth is available. This makes it ideal if you’re on a slow connection. No more unintelligible conversations and blurry images.
Telephone bridging allows others to join your conference by phone and a recording and replay appliance allows recording of meetings. A large number of participants can be hosted, even if they use different brands of video conferencing equipment.
When it comes to video conferencing, the buzzword on everyone’s lips is collaboration. You can use this service to meet and consult instantly, share documents and images, exchange ideas and mentor and teach students.
The Vidyo service is available free of charge to all eligible academic and research institutions. We have created 46 Vidyo accounts of which 10 are used with existing video conferencing equipment on campus.
To use Vidyo, send an e-mail to telecom@sun.ac.za requesting a Vidyo account.
- You will receive an e-mail containing a link to the Vidyo client, as well as a username and password to access the service.
- Download and install the Vidyo client.
- Log in with the following details:
VidyoPortal: http://sun-vc.tenet.ac.za
Username: as specified by IT
Password: as specified by IT
Useful links
TENET Vidyo Blog
Vidyo Knowledge Center (Videos)
Getting Started with Vidyo
[ARTICLE BY ANDRé ELMS]
[:af]Om `n videokonferensie te organiseer is nie kinderspeletjies nie. As die konferensielokaal nie gesluit is of dubbel geboek nie, is toerusting foutief, stelsels nie versoenbaar nie of ondersteuning beperk. Selfs al kry jy alles aan die gang, is video- en oudiokwaliteit dikwels swak en onbruikbaar.
TENET, die Tertiary Education Research Network of South Africa, het onlangs sy nuwe videokonferensie-diens vir Suid-Afrikaanse Hoëronderwys en Navorsingsgemeenskappe aangekondig en die gekose platform vir die diens is Vidyo.
Vidyo is ʼn videokonferensie-platform, ontwikkel om die probleme wat tradisionele videokonferensielokaal-stelsels ondervind, uit te skakel en met bestaande videokonferensie-stelsels te integreer. Dit beteken ook dat opgradering van bestaande lokale nie vereis word nie en duur videokonferensie hardeware gevolglik ook nie nodig is nie.
Tafel- en skootrekenaars kan ingespan word, sowel as enige tablet of slimfoon. Konferensiedeelnemers kan gemeenskaplike inhoud intyds deel op ʼn rekenaarskerm. Vidyo pas outomaties die hardeware aan om die beste moontlike diens te lewer. Dit bevat ook ʼn opsionele opneem- en herspeelfunksie.
Die Vidyo-kliënt is beskikbaar op die Windows, Mac OS en Linux platforms en VidyoMobile™ ondersteun beide Android en iOS-toestelle. Dit beteken dat jy onmiddellik kan deelneem aan ʼn konferensie op jou slimfoon of tablet sonder enige verdere opstellings.
Deur middel van telephone bridging, kan deelnemers telefonies soomloos by jou konferensie aansluit. ʼn Groot groep deelnemers kan fasiliteer word, selfs al gebruik hulle verskillende tipes videokonferensie toerusting.
Toegang is moontlik van enige plek – al wat jy nodig het, is ʼn webkamera en toestel met internet.
Vidyo is onlangs gebruik by die Nasionale Telekommunikasie Gebruikersgroep (NTUG) in Bloemfontein. Afgevaardigdes van regoor die land, wat nie die konferensie fisies kon bywoon nie, kon wel aanlyn deelneem aan verrigtinge.
Hoewel Vidyo goed werk in normale en hoë bandwydte omgewings, is dit spesifiek ontwerp om te funksioneer wanneer min bandwydte beskikbaar is. Daarom is dit ideaal as jy ʼn stadige verbinding het. Geen onverstaanbare gesprekke en vae beelde meer nie.
Die gonswoord wanneer videokonferensies ter sprake is, is “collaboration”. Vidyo kan gebruik word om intyds kollegas te ontmoet, te konsulteer, dokumente, grafika en idees uit te ruil en ook, binne die akademiese omgewing, om studente te onderrig en mentor.
Die Vidyo-diens is gratis beskikbaar aan akademiese en navorsingsinstellings wat in aanmerking kom. Ons het 46 Vidyo-rekeninge, waarvan 10 reeds op kampus gebruik word saam met bestaande videokonferensie fasiliteite.
Om Vidyo te gebruik, stuur ʼn e-pos aan telecom@sun.ac.za en versoek ʼn Vidyo-rekening.
- Jy sal ʼn e-pos ontvang met ʼn skakel na die Vidyo-kliënt, sowel as ʼn gebruikersnaam en wagwoord om toegang tot die diens te verkry.
- Laai die Vidyo-kliënt af en installeer dit.
- Teken aan met die volgende details:
VidyoPortal: http://sun-vc.tenet.ac.za
Username: soos verskaf deur IT
Password: soos verskaf deur IT
Handige skakels
TENET Vidyo Blog
Vidyo Knowledge Center (Videos)
Getting Started with Vidyo
[ARTIKEL DEUR ANDRé ELMS]
