Copyright: Copyright ©1996 Connectix Corporation


Contents

Starting up Connectix VideoPhone

Customizing the windows

Making a video call

Sending a broadcast

Adjusting your settings

Adjusting your settings for Modem videoconferencing


Making a video call

Finding other users on-line

Building your Address book

How to make a video call

Using the text chat feature

Adjusting the Bandwidth

Sending files during a conference

Finishing a conference


How to send a broadcast

Broadcasting

Receiving a broadcast


Adjusting your settings

Adjusting audio settings

Adjusting video settings


Adjusting your settings for Modem videoconferencing

Audio and video settings for modem conferencing

Setting up your computer for modem conferencing

Settings for modem videoconferencing

Setting up the communications port


Starting Connectix VideoPhone

To start Connectix VideoPhone, double-click on the Connectix VideoPhone icon in the Connectix VideoPhone Program Group in the Windows Program Manager.

The Connectix VideoPhone main window opens and displays the image being captured by your video input device.

If you received a QuickCam camera with your purchase of the Connectix VideoPhone Software, the Program Group also contains application icons for Connectix QuickMovie and QuickPict. You can open those applications to create movies or take snapshots with the camera or another video input device. See your QuickCam manual for instructions.

Connectix VideoPhone will start automatically if the Connectix VideoPhone Launcher is running.


The Main Window

The Connectix VideoPhone Software has two windows: the Main Window and the Self-View window.

The main window is always displayed when Connectix VideoPhone is active. During a video call it shows the image from the camera at the other end of the call. If a call is not in progress, the window shows the image from your camera.

Parts of the main window

The Speaker Light

The Status Bar

The Toolbar

Customizing the appearance of the main window

Displaying a frameless main window

Displaying the main window without bars

Using the Main Windows pop-up menu

Adjusting window magnification


The Self-View Window

Displaying the self-view window

The self-view window shows a view of what your camera sees. Typically, you use it to monitor the video images being sent to the other person.


The Status Bar

The status bar is displayed across the bottom of the main window.

The status bar will display the condition of your current connection, such as Disconnected, Calling, or Connected. It also displays other information, depending on whether you are connected or not.

•	If no call is in progress, the status bar displays the IP address of your machine.

•	If you are connected, the status bar displays the name of the person to whom you are connected.

The status bar also displays help information when you place the mouse cursor on parts of the window. For example, if you place the mouse cursor over the Call button, the status bar will display Make a VideoPhone Connection.

To toggle the status bar on and off, select Show Status Bar from the Window menu. The Status Bar will be visible when a checkmark appears by its name in the Window menu.


The Toolbar

The buttons on the toolbar are shortcuts for frequently used menu commands.

•	Phone button. Displays the Call dialog box where you can select the person to call for a conference. Same as choosing Call from the File menu. When the call is finished, click this button to hang up.

•	Audio Levels button. Displays the Audio Levels dialog box where you set your microphone volume and other sound settings. This is the same as choosing Audio from the Settings menu and then choosing Audio Levels.

•	Camera Adjustments button. Displays the Camera Adjustments dialog box where you select the camera’s settings such as brightness, contrast and white balance. This is the same as choosing Video from the Settings menu and then choosing Camera Adjustments.

•	Hold button. Puts the call on hold. This is the same as choosing Hold from the File menu.

•	Picture button. Takes a snapshot of the image in the Main window. This is the same as choosing Take Picture from the File menu.

•	Help button. Displays the on-line help system for helping you work with Connectix VideoPhone. This is the same as choosing Index from the Help menu.


The Speaker Light

The speaker light in the upper right corner of the main window’s title bar lets you know when you can talk:

If your sound board supports half-duplex audio, only one person will be able to speak at a time. In that case, the Speaker light will be one of the following colors during a conference:

•	Green  - you are talking

•	Red - the other party is talking

•	Yellow - neither party is talking and the speaker is idle

If your sound board supports full-duplex audio, you can both speak and listen at the same time. In that case, the Speaker light can also be one of the following colors:

•	Purple  - you are talking

•	Blue - you are listening


Customizing the windows

You can choose several options to display the windows the way you want them during a call.

When a call is not in progress, the main window displays the video image generated by your camera. During a call, the main window displays the image from the other person’s camera.

The self-view window lets you see the image being sent to the other person while a call is in progress.

When a call is not in progress, the main window and self-view window show the same image. If you’re using the Connectix QuickCam camera, the image quality in the two windows is the same. If you are not using the QuickCam camera, you may notice a slight delay and a difference in quality between the images in the two windows. The image in the self-view window is compressed until a call begins, then the image is sent directly to the self-view window uncompressed.


Displaying the self-view window

•	Choose Self-view from the Window menu.

•	The Self-view window appears and shows the image your camera sees.

•	To close the self-view window, choose self view again from the Window menu. You can also choose Close from the System menu in the upper left corner of the self-view window.


Displaying a frameless main window

The frame around the main window is for the tool bar, menus, and status bar. To see more of the computer screen during a conference, you can remove the frame from the main window. Here is an example of a frameless main window next to a self-view window.


Removing the main windows frame
Removing the main window’s frame

To remove the frame from the Main window, choose Frameless from the Window menu. The window immediately changes to a frameless main window.


Returning the frame to the main window

•	Put the pointer anywhere in the main window and click the right-hand mouse button.

•	Choose Frameless from the menu that appears.

•	You can also choose Frameless from the window’s system menu in the upper left corner of the window.


Displaying the main window without bars

You can remove the status bar and tool bar from the main window.

•	Choose Show Status Bar or Show Toolbar from the Window menu to remove the checkmark next to the command.

•	To restore either the Toolbar or Status Bar, reselect either Show Status Bar or Show Toolbar from the Window menu.

These menu items toggle the Toolbar and Status Bar on and off. When a checkmark appears next to either the Show Status Bar or Show Toolbar items, the Status bar or Toolbar will be displayed.


Adjusting window magnification

You can change the magnification of both the Main window and the Self-View Windows. This will take the image in the window and enlarge it.

Adjusting the magnification of the Main Window

To adjust the magnification of the Main window, select Magnify from the Window menu. This brings up a pull-right menu.

•	To display the Main Window at half size, select 0.5x.

•	To display at normal size, select 1x.

•	To display at twice normal size, select 2x.

•	To fit the window the size of your screen, select Stretch to Window. You can then resize the window by clicking and dragging on any corner. The video image will automatically fill the window you create, but you may experience slower frame rates.

•	To use the entire screen, select Full Screen. (You can also choose this option by selecting Magnify from the Window menu, then choosing Full Screen.)

Adjusting the magnification of the Self-view Window

To change the magnification of the Self-View window, click the right mouse button inside the window.

A magnify menu will appear, where you can choose 0.5x (half normal size), 1x (normal size), 2x (twice normal size), or Stretch to Window, where you can adjust the size by stretching the window.


Using the Main Windows pop-up menu
Using the Main Window’s pop-up menu

You can change many settings by using the pop-up menu in the Main window. To bring up this menu, click the right mouse button while the pointer is in the Main window.

•	Camera Adjustments brings up the Camera Adjustments dialog.

•	Audio Levels brings up the Audio levels dialog.

•	Frame Rate brings up the Adjust Frame Rate dialog.

•	Magnify brings up the magnification pull-right menu.

•	Frameless toggles between a frameless window and one with a frame.

•	Always on Top toggles between a window that is always on top and one that is not.

•	Hold Call is a toggle that puts the current videoconference call on hold.

This menu is especially useful if you are using a frameless Main window and wish to change other settings without first restoring the window frame.


How to make a video call

To begin a video call, you must know either the network address or telephone number of the person you will be calling. These addresses are stored in your personal address book. You can enter a name and address directly into your personal address book, or you can use Connectix VideoPhone’s new search facilities to look for other active users on-line.


Finding other users on-line

To find other Connectix VideoPhone users on-line, you can use a User Location Service (ULS). If you are using Windows 95, you can also access the 411 Internet White page directory via your Web browser.

Using a User Location Service (Windows 3.x)

Using a User Location Service (Windows 95)

Using the 411 Internet White Pages (Windows 95 only)


Using a User Location Service (Windows 3.x)

•	To search for a name using ULS click the Call button. In the Add Address dialog, click ULS Search.

•	Select a ULS server from the list at the top (several default ULS servers will appear). If you have registered with that server, your name will appear as well as the names of other users. You do not need to be registered with a ULS server in order to look up other users.

•	Enter one or more keywords and click Search to start a search, or click Search with no keywords to look for all users on-line. For example, to find all users from Connectix, enter Connectix in the box and click Search. To see all users, leave the form blank and click Search

•	To call someone, select their name and click Call to begin a conference.


Using a User Location Service (Windows 95)

To use a User Location Service (ULS) under Windows 95, click the Call button, then choose the ULS Name Query tab.

•	Select a ULS server from the drop-down list at the top of the dialog (several default ULS servers will appear).

•	Enter as much information in the Keyword Search field as you want, then click Search.

For example, to find all users from Connectix, enter Connectix in the box and click Search.

To find all users named Doug, enter Doug in the box and click Search.

To see all users, leave the form blank and click Search.

•	To add someone to your personal address book, select their name and click Add.

•	To call someone immediately, select their name and click Call.


Using the 411 Internet White Pages (Windows 95 only)

If you are connected to the Internet, you can use the 411 Internet White Page Directory to search for other Connectix VideoPhone users on-line. To use the 411 White Pages, select the Web Search tab in the Address Book dialog.

•	Click Search Connectix’s web server or Search Four11’s web server to see who is available for a conference.

•	NOTE: In order to use the 411 Web search facility, you must have a Web Browser such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Explorer installed on your system, and you must be able to connect to the World Wide Web.

•	Enter search information in the fields provided, then click Search E-Mail to search for the user’s e-mail address and other Internet contact information, or click Search Phone to look up their telephone number.


Building your Address book

Although you can add to your phone book each time you initiate a call, it’s usually more efficient to spend a few minutes simply entering all addresses or phone numbers of the parties with whom you expect to be conferencing in the future.

Connectix VideoPhone also supports ULS (User Location Service), which helps you find other users when you don’t know their address, or if their address changes each time they log on.

NOTE: To find your computer’s network addresses, look at the status bar at the bottom of the screen when you are not connected, or choose About this machine’s addresses from the Help menu. Give those addresses to your videoconferencing partners so they can call you. Have each of them do the same, so you can call them.

Adding addresses (Windows 3.x)

Adding addresses (Windows 95)


Adding addresses (Windows 3.x)

The steps for adding an address are the same for Windows 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups 3.11.

•	Choose Call from the File menu. The Address Book dialog box appears.

•	Type the person’s name in the text box. It can be any name. It does not have to be the person’s name registered on the network host computer.

•	Click Add.

The Add Address dialog appears. This is where you enter the person’s name and address (a network address or host address if you will be contacting the person over a network, a telephone number if you will be using a modem. You can enter either and Internet address or a telephone number

Internet (TCP/IP) — If you are making an Internet call (using the TCP/IP network communications protocol), enter either the IP address in dotted-decimal notation or the host computer’s name as known by your TCP/IP stack. Typically, the hostname for a given computer resides in its HOST table file or Domain Name Server.

Modem — If you want to call directly using your modem, enter the telephone number. Enter a comma for a pause, and enter 1 plus the area code if dialing outside your area code. For example, to dial 9 to get an outside line, then pause while the connection is completed, then dial a 1, the area code, and the rest of the number, you would enter a number like this: 9,14151234567.

•	Type the network address or telephone number and click OK.

•	To add the next person, type a new name in the text box and click  Add. Repeat the process for each person you may be calling to conference.

•	To delete someone from the phone book, select their name in the list, and click Delete.

•	To change the address or phone number, select the name of the person in the list and click Edit. The Add Address dialog box appears again for editing the numbers.

•	To edit a person’s name, delete their name from the list and start over. Enter a new name and address or phone number.


Adding addresses (Windows 95)

•	Click the Call button. The Personal Address Book tab appears.

•	To add an address, click New. The Add Address dialog appears.

•	In the General tab, enter the name and address of the person you wish to add.

Internet (TCP/IP) — If you are making an Internet call (using the TCP/IP network communications protocol), enter either the IP address in dotted-decimal notation or the host computer’s name as known by your TCP/IP stack. Typically, the hostname for a given computer resides in its HOST table file or Domain Name Server.

Modem — If you want to call directly using your modem, enter the telephone number. Enter a comma for a pause, and enter 1 plus the area code if dialing outside your area code. For example, to dial 9 to get an outside line, then pause while the connection is completed, then dial a 1, the area code, and the rest of the number, you would enter a number like this: 9,14151234567

•	Type the network address or telephone number and click OK.

•	To add the next person, type a new name in the Personal Address Book tab and click  Add. Repeat the process for each person you may be calling to conference.

•	To delete someone from the phone book, select their name in the Personal Address Book tab and click Delete.

•	To change the address or phone number, select the name of the person in the list and click Edit. The Add Address dialog box appears again for editing the numbers.

•	To edit a person’s name, delete their name from the list and start over. Enter a new name and address or phone number.

•	You can also add a picture by entering the path to a Windows bitmap (.bmp) file, or by clicking Browse to search for an image.

HINT: Use the Take Picture function during a video call to add the person’s picture to your Address Book after your first call.

•	Select the Notes tab to enter other information about this address.

•	To change any of the information associated with an address, click Edit.

•	To remove an address from the list, select the address and click Delete.

•	Click OK when you are finished.


Placing a call

Follow these steps to make a video call:

•	If your computer’s sound system has a separate on/off switch, turn on the sound and adjust the volume.

•	Click on the Phone button, or choose Call from the File menu. This opens the Address Book dialog. Select the name of the person to call and click the Call button.

•	If your personal address book already contains entries, select a name and click Call.

•	If you want to call someone who is not yet listed in your address book, click New to add their enter a name and address directly.

•	If you are using Windows 3.x, you can also search for users with a ULS (User Location Service).

•	If you are using Windows 95, you can use both a ULS and the 411 Internet White Pages to locate other users.

Using the information that you entered for the network address or telephone number, Connectix VideoPhone initiates a connection with the recipient’s computer. The message area of the status bar on your main window tracks the progress of the connection with messages such as “Calling,” “Connected,” “Busy,” “Disconnected,” and so on.

If the recipient has chosen the Confirm incoming calls option in the Connectix VideoPhone Launcher, they will be prompted for confirmation each time an incoming call arrives.

NOTE: To hold a point-to-point conference, both parties must have Connectix VideoPhone or the Connectix VideoPhone Launcher running. If the other person is not running the Connectix VideoPhone or VideoPhone Launcher, you will receive a message that the y are not available. To receive a broadcast, the receiving party must have either the Connectix VideoPhone Software or the Connectix VideoPhone Viewer.

If your conference request is accepted, an image generated by the remote camera appears in your computer’s main window.

•	You are now connected and can begin the conference.

•	To see your own image as well as the other person’s image, choose Show Self View from the Window menu.

The image generated by your camera (i.e. what the other person is seeing) appears in your self-view window.


Putting a conference on hold

To put a conference on hold, click the Hold button or choose Hold Call from the File menu.

Your computer suspends transmission of both the audio and video. Your video image in the other person’s window is frozen. If the other person puts you on hold, their image is frozen on your screen.


Finishing a conference

To finish a call, Choose End Call from the File menu, or click the Phone button. The computers are then disconnected.


Using the Text Chat Dialog

You can use the Text Chat dialog to send and receive brief text messages during your call.

•	To use the Text Chat dialog, choose Show Text Chat from the Window menu (this item will only be active during a call). The Text Chat dialog will appear.

•	Enter a short text message in the box and click Send to send it to the other user(s).

•	Click Clear to clear the dialog.


Sending Files (Windows only)

When both people in a video call are using the Windows version of Connectix VideoPhone, you can send any file by simply dragging it and dropping it onto the Connectix VideoPhone main window. The other person will see a Save dialog, where they can choose where to save the file.

NOTE: Sending files can drastically lower the quality of audio and video, especially if you are using a modem connection. As a rule, you should avoid sending large files in this way.


Taking snapshots

With Connectix VideoPhone you can take a snapshot of the image in the main window. Snapshots have many uses. For example, if the other person holds a flow chart diagram up to the camera, you can take a picture of it to study in more detail when the conference is over.

You don’t have to be conferencing to take pictures. You can take a picture at any time and save it in a file. This is useful when you want to capture video images and send them to others over the network.

The pictures are captured in 24-bit Windows .BMP file format, but you can save individual snapshots in a number of other file formats as well.

Make sure that the image you want to capture is visible in the main window.

NOTE: You can only capture images from the main window.

•	Click the Picture button on the toolbar, or choose Take Picture from the File menu.

Connectix VideoPhone takes a snapshot of the image in the main window. The Picture Roll dialog box appears, showing the last three snapshots you’ve taken. The snapshot you just took always appears at the right end.

The roll of film holds 36 pictures. Each time you take a new snapshot, the film advances, and the new snapshot is added to the right end. Once the roll is full (i.e. contains 36 snapshots), the oldest snapshot drops off the left end each time a new one is added.

•	To see the Picture Roll without taking a picture, choose Show Pictures from the Window menu. Use this command when the roll of film is full and you don’t want to lose any pictures. (If you use the Take Picture command to see the Picture Roll, the new picture replaces the oldest one on the roll.)

•	To see the other pictures on the roll, drag the scroll bar. You will always see three frames at a time as the new ones scroll into view.

•	To select a picture, click on it. The yellow frame around the picture indicates it is selected. Select pictures to copy, export, or delete them.

•	Click Save to save the entire film roll. All snapshots currently on the film roll will be saved as a series of Windows .BMP files named IMG1.BMP, IMG2.BMP, IMG3.BMP, and so on. The images are saved in the Connectix VideoPhone Software directory. If you want to choose a different file name for your picture, select it and choose Save As from the File menu. Enter a name and choose where to save the picture.

•	To delete a picture from the roll, select it and click the Delete button.

•	Click Close to close the dialog box. If you click Close without first clicking Save, a message reminds you that a new snapshot has been added to the roll and gives you a chance to save it.


Exporting a picture to another format

To save a picture in another format you use the Export button.

•	Select the picture to save in another format.

•	Click the Export button.

The Save As dialog box appears.

•	Choose the format for the picture from the drop-down menu of file types.

•	Type a new name for the file and click OK.


Making a video call to a Macintosh

When you are calling someone using the Macintosh version of Connectix VideoPhone, you need to adjust your audio and video settings in order to get the best connection.

•	Audio: choose Connectix VideoPhone Modem in the Audio Compression dialog (this will use GSM compression). To bring up the Audio compression  dialog, select Audio from the Settings menu, then choose Audio Compression.

•	Video: In the Installable Compressors dialog, choose NSVideo 2.1 compression (if they are using a 68k Mac) or NSVideo 3.1 compression (if they are using a Power Mac). To bring up the Installable Compressors dialog, choose Video from the Settings menu, then choose Compression..


Broadcasting

You can use the Connectix VideoPhone Software to broadcast over the network from your computer, as well as to receive broadcasts from other computers on the network. As its name implies, a broadcast is sent over a network, and anyone connected to the network with either the Connectix VideoPhone Software or the Connectix VideoPhone Viewer can hear and see the broadcast. This provides an effective means of delivering company-wide presentations, news broadcasts, or special announcements.

Sending a broadcast

Receiving a broadcast

NOTE: If you want to broadcast video from a VCR, TV Tuner, or any source other than a camera, make sure that the source is connected to a compatible video capture card in your computer and that you use configure Connectix VideoPhone to use that source by choosing Video from the Settings menu, then choosing Camera Selection.


Sending a broadcast

Before broadcasting, you should prepare the material that will be transmitted. For example, to send a broadcast of a videotaped speech, you may want to load the tape into the VCR, forward it to the starting place, and then press the Pause button so the speech won’t begin until the broadcasting has begun.

•	To send a broadcast, choose Begin Broadcast from the File menu.

The Begin Broadcast dialog box appears.

•	In the text box, enter the name for your broadcast. This is the name others will see when they choose to receive the broadcast.

The broadcast begins as soon as you choose Begin Broadcast from the File menu.

•	Click OK. The Connectix VideoPhone Software begins broadcasting over the network.

•	To stop sending a broadcast, choose End Call from the File menu.

NOTE: If you are connecting to the Internet via an Internet Service Provider (ISP), make sure that your ISP supports IP multicast, or you will not be able to broadcast.


Receiving a broadcast

•	Choose Watch Broadcast from the File menu.

The Watch Broadcast dialog box appears; select the broadcast to watch.

NOTE: Only computers that are broadcasting are displayed in this dialog. If your ISP (Internet Service Provider) or your internal network does not support the IP Multicast protocol, this dialog may have no entries.

•	Click OK. The broadcast appears on your screen in the main window.

•	To stop watching a broadcast, choose End Call from the File menu.


Adjusting the Bandwidth

Connectix VideoPhone automatically adjusts to the available bandwidth, up to a maximum of 512 KBits/Second on Ethernet-based networks or T1 lines. Connectix VideoPhone never uses more bandwidth than is available on the connection.

•	To adjust the bandwidth, choose Bandwidth from the Settings menu. The Bandwidth dialog will appear.

•	Enter a value and click OK, or choose Automatic Bandwidth Regulation to have Connectix VideoPhone set this value for you.

NOTE: If you are broadcasting, Connectix VideoPhone does not automatically adjust the bandwidth. After you have entered a name for your broadcast and clicked OK, select Bandwidth from the Settings menu and adjust the broadcast bandwidth to a level appropriate for your network.


About frame rates

During a conference, each party can request the rate at which the other computer transmits video. This lets each person control the amount of video arriving at their computer. Consequently each person may see the conference at different frame rates.

The frame rate that you should use depends on the capabilities of your computer and the degree of lifelike motion you require in conferences. At lower frame rates, the computer displays the image in “slow motion” and uses relatively little of the available network bandwidth for the video. At the high end of the range, the computer displays smoother motion, but uses considerably more of the available bandwidth, which may impact audio, text chat, or file-transfer speeds.

To find the best frame rate for your conferences, you will probably have to experiment with different settings on both of the computers. For modem-based calls, we recommend you try 4 fps at both ends as a starting point.

Adjusting the frame rate


Adjusting the frame rate

You can set the frame rate you are requesting from the other user, but the value you choose may be overridden by the other user’s bandwidth setting, if that setting yields a frame rate lower than the one you are requesting.

•	To set the frame rate you are requesting, choose Frame Rate from the Settings menu.

•	Drag the slider left or right, or enter a value directly in the text box.

•	Click OK, or click Reset to return to the previous value.


Adjusting audio settings

You will probably need to experiment with the audio levels to find the best ones for the sound board in your computer. You may also have to adjust the sound levels during a conference if the other person has a hard time hearing you.

To test the record and playback capabilities of your computer’s sound system, you can use the Sound Recorder program available in Windows. It is usually in the Accessories Program Group from the Windows Program Manager in Windows 3.1, or under Accessories, Multimedia in Windows 95.

Adjusting the volume

Setting the playback volume in Windows 95

Setting the recording volume in Windows 95

You can also disable sound  transmission during a conference

You should also make sure that you have the correct audio compression settings.

Adjusting audio compression

Suggested audio compression settings  Windows 3.1

Suggested audio compression settings  Windows 95

Suggested audio settings for PC-Mac calls


Adjusting the volume

•	Click the Audio Levels button, or choose Audio from the Settings menu and then choose Audio Levels.

•	The Audio Levels dialog box appears. To change a setting, drag a slider.

•	The Start Level is the level that the audio at your microphone must reach before sound will be transmitted. The lower the setting, the more sensitive the system to background noise around you. If your status bar always shows a green light or the Record light is always lit, your Start Level is too low. The Record light should be off when you are not talking, and on when you are talking. This and the type of audio compression are the most important indicator of satisfactory audio performance.

If you are connected to another person and the light is always red, the other person’s Start Level is too low. Since they cannot hear you, send them a text chat message asking them to raise their start level.

•	The Recording Format area displays your current audio settings. To change these settings, click the Audio Format button. This brings up the Sound Selection dialog.

•	The Stop Delay setting takes care of pauses during conversation. The setting is the amount of time that the audio transmission continues when the sound level falls below the start level. The transmission will continue during pauses in the conversation until the length of the pause exceeds the stop delay value. To change the Stop Delay, click the Advanced tab.

Depending on the sound system in your computer, you may also be able to control the volume using a volume knob or other control. For example, the InterActive Sound Xchange Audio Module has a volume control knob; other sound boards have Audio Mixer software.


If your computers sound card is full-duplex
If your computer’s sound card is full-duplex

Although most sound cards only support half-duplex audio, Connectix VideoPhone supports both half-duplex and full-duplex audio.

•	Half-duplex means that the audio is only sent in one direction at a time. Because most sound cards are not bi-directional, they cannot record and playback simultaneously. Consequently, only one person can talk at a time. Thus, if person A is talking, then A’s board is recording and transmitting, while person B’s board is receiving and playing back.

•	Full-duplex means that the audio can be sent in both directions at the same time.

The half-duplex/full-duplex feature is automatically detected by Connectix VideoPhone. In order for Connectix VideoPhone to support full-duplex, the sound board must also support full-duplex audio.


Setting the playback volume  Windows 95
Setting the playback volume — Windows 95

If you are using Windows 95, you can use the built-in Volume control dialog to adjust the playback volume. In the Start menu, select Programs, Accessories, Multimedia, Volume Control. The Volume Control Dialog appears. The appearance of this dialog may vary slightly depending on your system. You can view more options by selecting Properties from the Options menu.

•	Make sure that both the Playback and Wave Master sliders are set at about 75%.

•	Make sure that you select Mute under the Microphone, otherwise the you will generate annoying feedback.


Setting the recording volume  Windows 95
Setting the recording volume — Windows 95

To set the recording level, bring up the Playback control, then choose Properties from the Options menu and select Recording. Make sure that the Microphone level is set at about 75%, and that the Microphone is selected.


Disabling audio transmission during a conference

If you wish to suspend audio reception and transmission during a videoconference, select Audio from the Settings menu and uncheck Enable.

You may continue to participate in the conference, but you will no longer be sending or receiving sound.

To re-enable sound transmission, re-select Enable. When sound is not being broadcast, the other Audio options are not available.


Adjusting audio compression

To change the compression settings that Connectix VideoPhone will use when recording, select Audio from the Settings menu, then choose Audio Compression. This brings up the Sound Selection dialog.

You can choose a format from the drop-down list, or adjust the settings yourself and save them for future use.

•	If you are using a modem, choose Connectix VideoPhone Modem. This will select GSM compression.

•	If you are using ISDN or a network, choose Connectix VideoPhone Network. This will select Microsoft ADPCM compression.

•	If you are calling a Macintosh user, choose Connectix VideoPhone Modem, as you will need to use GSM compression.

To create your own sound selection, choose a sound format and sound attributes, enter a name, and click Save As to store the selection.

Suggested audio compression settings  Windows 3.1

Suggested audio compression settings  Windows 95

Suggested audio settings for PC-Mac calls

Other audio compression options


Other compression options

The format pull-down menu will have different choices available, depending on whether you are using Windows 3.x or Windows 95.

•	The following modules are available both in Windows 3.x and Windows 95:

GSM is a good quality compressor, and results in low bandwidth.

PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) converts an analog signal to digital. This is raw audio (no compression is used).

ADPCM (Adaptive Pulse Code Modulation) uses 2:1 audio compression. There are two versions: Microsoft and IMA (Intel).

•	The following are available in Windows 95 only:

CCITT A-Law uses companding (higher sampling at lower frequencies) to better represent voice signals. Used in telephony.

CCITT u-Law is similar to A-Law, above.

DSP Group TrueSpeechTM does not compress in real time, and is not recommended.

NOTE: All participants in the videoconference must be able to decompress the audio from the other sender(s), or they will not hear any audio. For example, if a Windows 95 user is sending audio compressed with GSM, a Windows 3.1 user will hear sound only if they can decompress GSM (other Windows 95 users will have GSM installed and will be able to hear sound). The Windows 3.1 user does not need to be able to send GSM, and can use PCM or ADPCM, both of which can be decompressed by a Windows 95 users.

If your processor is slower than a Pentium-100, it may not be fast enough to handle all the compression schemes, and you may experience slower performance. If all participants are using Windows 95, GSM is a good choice for compression.


Suggested audio compression settings  Windows 3.1
Suggested audio compression settings — Windows 3.1

Hardware: Pentium 100 or faster

Settings for modem connection: GSM 6.10 8 kHz, Mono

Settings for ISDN or Network connection: Microsoft ADPCM 8.0 kHz, 4 Bit, Mono


Suggested audio compression settings  Windows 95
Suggested audio compression settings — Windows 95

Hardware: Pentium 100 or faster

Settings for modem connection: GSM 6.10 8 kHz, Mono

Settings for ISDN or Network connection: GSM 6.10 8 kHz, Mono


Suggested audio settings for PC-Mac calls

If you are placing a call to someone who is using the Macintosh version of the Connectix VideoPhone software, use GSM audio compression.


Adjusting video settings

To get the best picture during a conference, you can adjust the camera, the image size and quality, and how the video is compressed.

Important: The dialog box and options for adjusting the camera and image quality depend on the type of video input device you have attached to your computer. The descriptions below are for the Color and Black and White Connectix QuickCams.

Adjusting the camera (Connectix QuickCam)

Setting the image size and quality

Setting the video compression level


Adjusting the camera (Connectix QuickCam)

Click the Camera Adjustments button, or choose Video from the Settings menu and then choose Camera Adjustments. The Camera Adjustments dialog box appears.  Use this dialog to adjust the following settings:

Setting the color depth

Adjusting the hue of the image (Color Only)

Adjusting the Sharpness (Grayscale, Color)

Adjusting the brightness of the image (Grayscale, Color)

Adjusting the Black Level and Saturation (Color Only)

Low-Light Image Correction (Color Only)


Adjusting the brightness of the image (Grayscale, Color)

To adjust the brightness of the image In the Camera Adjustments dialog, use the Brightness and White Level sliders. If you choose Auto Brightness, QuickCam will adjust both of these values automatically, and their respective sliders will be grayed out.

•	The Brightness slider determines the shutter speed.

If the picture you see looks washed out or entirely white, move the slider to the left to lower the amount of light reaching the camera.

If the picture you see looks dark or is almost entirely black, move the slider to the right to let more light into the camera.

You can also change the brightness in smaller increments by clicking the left or right arrow keys.

If you see lots of colored pixels, the picture is too dark. You need to increase the lighting level in the room and make sure the Low-Light Image Correction is turned on.

If you select Auto Brightness, you will not need to make any changes with the slider.

•	White Level. This sets the value of white in your picture. To adjust it manually, take a white item such as a piece of paper and hold it in front of the camera. Begin with the White Level slider all the way to the left, and move it to the right until the white item just begins to appear white.

TIP: If you have a slower processor (100 or 133 MHz), try turning Auto-Brightness and Auto-Hue off, as these use CPU cycles needed for audio and video compressors.

•	Select the options that you want and click OK.


Adjusting the hue of the image (Color Only)

To adjust the hue of the image In the Camera Adjustments dialog, use the Red Level and Blue Level sliders. If you choose Auto Hue, QuickCam will set both of these values automatically, and their sliders will be grayed out.

•	Red Level. This adjusts the level of red in your image. If there is too much red, move the slider to the left. If there is not enough red, move the slider to the right.

•	Blue Level. This sets the level of blue in your image. If there is too much blue, move the slider to the left. If there is not enough blue, move the slider to the right.

The amount of green is fixed, and can be increased by lowering the relative amounts of red and blue.


Adjusting the Black Level and Saturation (Color Only)

To adjust the black level and saturation of the image In the Camera Adjustments dialog:

•	Black Level. This sets the value of black in your picture. Take a black item and hold it in front of the camera. Begin with the Black Level slider all the way to the left, and move it to the right until the black item just begins to appear black.

•	Saturation. This determines how intense the color is. The further to the left, the more washed-out the colors will appear. If a light source in the picture shows a blurring or icicle effect, decrease the Saturation. and blurring have disappeared.


Low-Light Image Correction (Color Only)

In the Camera Adjustments dialog, check this box to prevent the random appearance of colored pixels at low light levels. In order to capture images at low light levels, your QuickCam, like any camera, requires longer exposures. One side-effect of this situation is known as dark current, where the CCD in the QuickCam picks up random charges during a long exposure. These charges build up and cause some pixels to display color (Holiday lights). The longer the exposure, the more this effect will be apparent.

IMPORTANT NOTE: You should usually turn this option off during video calls, since it uses processor resources that otherwise could be devoted to audio and video transmission.


Setting the image size and quality

To adjust the size and quality of the image, choose Video from the Settings menu, then choose Image Size and Quality.

You can set the image size, color depth, and choose special effects.


Setting the image size

•	Choose Video from the Settings menu, then choose Image Size and Quality.

•	Select the options for the image size. The smaller the image size, the more life-like the motion from the QuickCam camera. Image size is expressed as pixels; the example above shows that the image will be 120 by 90 pixels on your computer screen. You can set the image size by clicking one of the preset buttons, or by choosing another size from the drop-down menu. You will probably not be able to set the size to full; a full image size would require too much bandwidth and would slow transmission to an unacceptable rate for a conference.

•	Recommended settings for image size are:

–	120 by 90 pixels without video compression, or with NSVideo compression if you are using a modem.

–	160 by 120 pixels using the NSVideo compression over an ISDN line or network connection.

•	You can always use the Magnify setting to make the physical size of the window larger without increasing the work the video compressor must do.


Setting the color depth

In the Image size and quality dialog, use the Colors pull-down menu to choose the number of colors you are sending. If you are using a Color QuickCam, choose Thousands (VIDEC) if the recipient also has a Color QuickCam or has the VIDEC decompressor (available on the Connectix VideoPhone CD). If you want to use another compressor, choose Thousands (Uncompressed). You can then use any of the other installable compressors.


Adjusting the Sharpness (Grayscale, Color)

In the Image size and quality dialog, use the pull-down menu to choose a Sharpness level.

•	If you choose High sharpness, the picture will look crisp and edges will be well-defined, but frame rates will be lower. Choose this for the best quality images.

•	If you choose Medium sharpness, QuickCam uses a 2:1 decimation technique, which means that it will send every other pixel from the camera. The picture will not be as sharp, but frame rates will increase somewhat. This is a good setting for videoconferencing, but you will get better frame rates by choosing Low sharpness.

•	If you choose Low sharpness, QuickCam uses a 4:1 decimation technique, which means that it will send every other pixel and every other horizontal line from the camera. The picture will appear somewhat blurry or pixellated, but frame rates will be highest. This is probably the best setting if you are using your QuickCam for videoconferencing, especially if you are using a 28.8 modem.


Adding special effects (Grayscale, Color)

Use the Image size and quality dialog to select special effects.

•	To flip the image upside-down, click the Flip checkbox. The image at the right of the dialog will be flipped. This is useful if you want to turn your QuickCam upside down.

•	To create a mirror image, click Mirror.

•	To rotate the image 90 degrees (from Landscape to Portrait orientation), click Rotate 90 degrees. This change will only take effect after you quit and re-start Connectix VideoPhone and all other video applications.

•	Colors —These options let you set the number of  colors or shades of gray that the camera will capture.

•	Zoom—Zoom In shows a close-up of the image by magnifying the central portion of it. Zoom Out restores the image to its previous size.

•	If you need more help about the options on this dialog box, click the Help button.

•	Select the options that you want and click OK.


Setting the video compression level

Select Video from the Settings menu, then choose Compression. This brings up the Installable Compressor dialog.

•	If you’re using the QuickCam camera with an image size of 160 by 120 pixels and want to compress the video, use the NSVideo compressor.

•	If you’re using a video capture board, you may want to compress the video so it achieves more lifelike motion. The drop-down menu in this dialog box is used to select the type of video compressor. Any compressor which can compress video in real time should work with the Connectix VideoPhone software.

•	The slider bar changes the video compression quality. The higher value does less compression but results in better looking video, while a lesser value does more compression but results in more grainy video.

•	The key frame check box allows for temporal (or inter-frame) compression. Temporal compression increases the motion seen over low bandwidth links by sending only the differences in consecutive frames. This type of compression is essential to maintain an acceptable video quality over low bandwidth links. For modem conferencing, send fewer key frames.

Suggested video compression settings  Windows 3.1

Suggested video compression settings  Windows 95

Suggested video compression settings for PC-Macintosh calling


Suggested video compression settings  Windows 3.1
Suggested video compression settings — Windows 3.1

Find the suggested settings for your network connection (ISDN or Network).

ISDN:

•	Compressor: NSVideo 2.1

•	Compression Quality: 50

•	Key Frame every: 60

•	Image size: 120 x 90 pixel image

Network:

•	Compressor: NSVideo 2.1

•	Compression Quality: 50

•	Key Frame every: 60

•	Image size: 160 x 120 pixel image

•	(Use Indeo or hardware compression, if available)


Suggested video compression settings  Windows 95
Suggested video compression settings — Windows 95

Find the suggested settings for your network connection (Modem/ISDN or Network)

ISDN:

•	Compressor: NSVideo 2.1

•	Compression Quality: 50

•	Key Frame every: 60

•	Image size: 120 x 90 pixel image

Network:

•	Compressor: NSVideo 2.1

•	Compression Quality: 50

•	Key Frame every: 60

•	Image size: 160 x 120 pixel image

•	(Use Indeo or hardware compression, if available)


Suggested video compression settings for PC-Macintosh calling

If you are placing a call to someone using the Macintosh version of the Connectix VideoPhone software, use NSVideo 2.1 (if they are using a 68k Mac) or NSVideo 3.1 (if they are using a Power Mac).


Settings for modem videoconferencing

If you plan to use a POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) connection and a modem for video calls, the following are minimum system requirements:

•	Pentium 100 or faster processor.

•	Windows 95.

•	16 MB RAM.

•	28.8 Modem (usually referred to as V.34).

•	NSVideo Version 2.1 or 3.1 for video compression (included with Connectix VideoPhone).

•	GSM audio compression (included with Connectix VideoPhone).


Setting up your computer for modem conferencing

When you set up a modem conference, the computers at each end of the line should have:

•	A high-speed serial card based on the 16550 UART standard (most PCs do), and a v.34 (28,800 bps) modem.

•	If your computer is equipped with a DSVD (Digital Simultaneous Voice and Data) modem such as the Shark Multimedia BabyTiger, Connectix VideoPhone will be able to take advantage of the voice capabilities of the modem.

•	The Connectix VideoPhone Software and the QuickCam camera, or some other video input device.

•	Bring up the Connectix VideoPhone Launcher by choosing Connection from the Settings menu. Make sure that the Modem checkbox is selected.

Hints for improving modem videoconferencing

Anything you can do to reduce the amount of data being sent will improve videoconferencing with a modem. For example, you can

•	Reduce the image size. For the QuickCam camera, choose Video from the Settings menu and then choose Image Size and Quality. Reduce the picture dimensions to its smallest acceptable size.

•	Reduce the number of colors or gray shades. For the QuickCam camera, use the same dialog box for image reduction to set the gray levels at 16. For other video cameras, reduce the gray scales as much as possible.

•	Compress the video and audio. Although compression affects image quality, higher compression requires less of a data rate. A more grainy image may be preferable to out-of-synch sound and motion.

•	Send fewer key frames when you use video compression. Each key frame is a full frame. Frames sent after a key frame only send the portion of data that has changed from the previous frame, which reduces the amount of data that needs to be transmitted. You will probably need to try the key frame setting several times to find the best one for your computer and modem’s capabilities.

•	Adjust the frame rate. Set the number of frames per second to be as low as possible and still provide acceptable video conferencing. If you do not need to see motion, for example if the camera will be pointing at a white board in a conference room, set the frame rate very low.


Setting up the communications port

•	Choose Preferences from the Settings menu and then choose Communications Port Setup.

The Modem Configuration dialog appears. Select the COM Port you will be using with your modem, and select the maximum speed that your modem supports. If you will be using telephone lines to conference, the data rate must be at least 28.8 kbps.

NOTE: The maximum speed should be set to one setting above the actual maximum speed for your modem. For example, if you have a 28.8 kbps modem, choose 38.4 kbps.

•	For Advanced setup features, select the Advanced tab.

If you will be using telephone lines to conference, Flow Control should be set to Hardware.

If you are using Windows 3.1 for high-speed serial communications (> 28.8 kbps) such as ISDN, a VxD communications driver such as Pacific CommWare’s TurboComm or the standard communications driver that comes with Windows for Workgroups is required.

The Initialization string is a set of characters that control the behavior of your modem. Please see the documentation that you received with your modem for details.


Advanced Command-Line Options

You can start the Connectix VideoPhone software (CVPHONE.EXE) with several command-line options, and you can store command-line options in a file that can be used to start Connectix VideoPhone. If you are using Windows 3.1, you can select Run from the File menu and enter CVPHONE.EXE with the options described below. For more examples, see the file SAMPLE.TXT, installed in the Connectix VideoPhone directory.

•	To start the Connectix VideoPhone software using a particular network protocol, use the /p: option with one of these flags:

use the tcp flag to use TCP/IP

use the mdm flag to use a modem or ISDN in direct mode (i.e. not via the Internet)

For example, to start Connectix VideoPhone software and use a TCP/IP protocol, you might enter

c:\cvp\cvphone.exe /p: tcp

•	To start the Connectix VideoPhone software in Viewer Mode, use the /v option.

•	To automatically call a particular address when the Connectix VideoPhone software starts, use the /ac: <address> option.  This is used in conjunction with the /p option. The address can be an IP address or a telephone number

•	To begin a multicast broadcast at startup, use the /bb option. This is used in conjunction with the /p:tcp option and uses the IP multicast settings in the CVPHONE.INI file.

•	To quit Connectix VideoPhone when a you hang up a call, use the /xhu flag.

Storing command-line options in a file

Starting Connectix VideoPhone automatically with your Web browser


Storing command-line options in a file

You can store your command-line options in a simple text file whose name ends in .cvp. Files with the .cvp extension are associated with Connectix VideoPhone, so double-clicking on one automatically starts Connectix VideoPhone using the command-line options stored in the file.

•	If Connectix VideoPhone is not running when you double-click the file, it will start up and use the command-line parameters in the file.

•	If Connectix VideoPhone is already running when you double-click the file, it will execute the commands in the file. (If a conference is active, Connectix VideoPhone will hang up before executing the commands.)

Notes:

•	The file you create must be a simple text file, which you can create and edit with the Notepad application in both Windows 3.x and Windows 95. The file cannot be a Microsoft Word or other word-processor file. If you use a word processor to create the file, make sure you save it as text.

•	Connectix VideoPhone only reads the first line of the file.

•	The command-line options must start with a / (slash). For example, place the following commands in a file to start Connectix VideoPhone in TCP/IP mode and begin a broadcast when you double-click on the file.

/p:tcp /bb

For further examples of command-line options, see the file Samples.txt in the Connectix VideoPhone directory.


Starting Connectix VideoPhone automatically with your Web browser
Starting Connectix VideoPhone with your Web browser

If it supports it, you can configure your web browser to use Connectix VideoPhone as the viewer for files with a .cvp extension. When you click on a link to a .cvp file, your browser will open Connectix VideoPhone and use the commands stored in the file.

Consult the documentation for your browser to see how to configure it to use helper applications.