Electronic Conferencing (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE ICT)

Revision Note

Author

Robert Hampton

Expertise

Computer Science Content Creator

Video-Conferencing

What is video-conferencing?

Video-conferencing is a way of enabling real-time audio and visual communication between geographically separated parties
Video-conferencing is ideal for small groups of users to create an engaging meeting experience
Video-conferencing is typically used for:
- Staff meetings
- Presentations
To successfully host a video-conference, the following hardware is required:
- Webcam
- Large output display (projector, screen, TV etc.)
- Microphone
- Speakers
Specialist software is also required, such as:
- Drivers to control the output of the webcam
- A codec to encode (compress) and decode (decompress) data being transmitted

Advantages and disadvantages of video-conferencing

Advantages	Disadvantages
Convenience Cost saving Better for the environment Attendees do not have to travel to the event Anyone within the company can attend regardless of location Events can be held at short notice as travel is not required Allows other members outside of the organisation to attend easily without having to visit on premises Some video conferencing software allows record and playback to allow members to review the meeting	The initial purchase of equipment can be costly Possible issues amongst employees when working across different time zones Those using the system may need to be trained to use it effectively which can: Take time Be costly Video-conferencing systems require a strong and stable network connection Poor picture/sound quality caused by the speed of connection/quality of the hardware Delays (audio & visual) can disrupt the flow of the meeting

Audio-Conferencing

What is audio-conferencing?

4-1-communication-communication-media-02

Audio-conferencing is a way of enabling real-time audio only communication between geographically separated parties
Audio-conferencing uses standard phone lines
To host an audio-conference, the host must be given a personal PIN and a participant PIN by the phone company
The host starts the conference using their personal PIN and participants dial in and join using their participant PIN
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) can be used on computers to hold audio-conferences

Advantages and disadvantages of audio-conferencing

Advantages	Disadvantages
Cheaper than video-conferencing as less hardware is required More accessible as less training is needed for participants Gives participants the ability to focus only on voice and not get distracted by video	participants can lose focus due to lack of visual interaction A lack of visual clues may lead to miscommunication Audio quality can be poor Does not suit collaboration

Web-Conferencing

What is web-conferencing?

4-1-communication-communication-media-03

Web-conferencing is a way of enabling real-time audio and visual communication between geographically separated parties on the internet
Web-conferencing is ideal for large groups of users to create an engaging meeting experience
Web-conferencing is typically used for:
- Webinars
- Lectures
- Presentations
To host a web-conference the emphasis is placed on a high-speed, stable internet connection

Advantages	Disadvantages
Pre-shared/downloadable presentation notes/slides Participants can use instant messaging within conference to ask questions Collaboration via virtual 'whiteboards' Screen sharing/annotations	Technical issues usually relating to participant internet connections Security concerns, risk of data interception Distractions Some users may feel overloaded with information which can lead to a lack of focus

Exam Tip

Web-conferencing and video-conferencing are very similar however, the key differences are:

Video conferencing has a focus on face to face communication
Web conferencing has a focus on interaction and collaboration such as document sharing, whiteboards etc

Worked Example

A motor car company has some designers based in London and some in Beijing.

The cost of travel between the two cities is very high, so when they wish to meet to discuss new products they use video-conferencing.

The designers all have PCs with a keyboard and a mouse in order to take part in video-conferencing.

a. Name three other devices used to input or output data which would be needed to take part in the video-conference.

[3]

b. Describe three potential problems of the designers using video-conferencing systems rather than meeting in either London or Beijing.

[3]

Answers

a. Three of:

Webcam / video camera [1]
Speakers / headset / headphones [1]
Large monitor / television / data projector [1]
Microphone [1]

b. Three from:

Time lag / lip sync caused by the image not being synchronised with the sound [1]
Poor picture quality caused by the speed of connection / quality of the hardware [1]
More likely to have poorer sound quality caused by the quality of the hardware / connection [1]
Confidential material about the new cars may have to be signed / viewed in person [1]
The new car may have to be viewed in person [1]
Hardware breakdown stops the conference taking place [1]
Communication breakdown stops the conference taking place [1]
Different time zones will mean the conference has to take place at inconvenient times [1]

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