csc - scientific computing ltd. funet-tv harri k. salminen

CSC - Scientific Computing Ltd.

FUNET-TV

Harri K. Salminen


Goals

• Easy broadcast and recording of lectures• Multipoint videoconferencing• Multimedialaboratory for live transmission, post-

processing and research needs• A versatile mediaserver:

– H.261, MPEG-1, MPEG-2 …– Windows, Unix, MacOS…

• Experimenting with tomorrows “TV”


Operating environment

• Supercomputer center’s resources

• Universities have multimegabit access to the high speed FUNET network

• Modems and ISDN play only a minor role

• Realtime content: Audio, video, VR…

• Lectures, seminars, meetings, visualizations, documentaries…

• Collaboration with shared applications


Mediaserver

• Time shifting, multimedia on the web, media archive, technology experiments

• SGI Webforce Mediabase– MPEG-1, MPEG-2, H.263, RealVideo, RTSP– Origin 200, 512MB, 300+GB, ATM, Ethernets– Management via web or unix shell– Scales up to terabytes and thousands of users

• WrtpVoD prototype for RTP recordings


FUNET-TV laboratory• Realtime conversion, editing, research and

testing facilities for audio and video• 270Mbit/s SDI digital video connections• Converters, TBCs etc. for analog video• Digital audio mixer combines and processes

all audio signals• Realtime codecs from Realvideo and

RTP/H.261 up to MPEG-2 at 50Mbit/s


Sample projects• Web University: Distance education pilot

– Mainly finnish students and researchers– MBONE tools, WrtpVod, VRVS, web

• A synthetic compression test video • A virtual Studia Generalia seminar series• Live conference transmissions• Archiving of art and culture• History of the Internet


Conclusions: Audio• G.7xx is still a safe choice for speech• For modem users: GSM or RealAudio• MPEG or AC-2 are best suited for multichannel

high quality audio needs• Professional use of microphones• Good echo cancellation for two way audio• Sound check, monitoring and processing• Audio may be partly synthetic in the future


Conclusions: Video

• Television quality MPEG– MPEG-1 is good enough for many uses– MPEG-2 is the basis of digital television– MPEG-4 is emerging for future virtual worlds

• H.26x videoconferencing– H.261 has worked well but H.263 is the future

• RealVideo is very common but proprietary• High quality video material pays off


About the future• Differentiated services should appear to

support real-time QoS needs in the Internet• Anyone can be a real-time content producer• MPEG-2 will spread to every home• HDTV may take much more time and money• MPEG-4, VRML and computer games will make

realtime virtual worlds more common• 2-D mediawall or 3-D VR helmet? Good

question. Next question please!


For more information:

http://tv.funet.fi/

Harri.Salminen @ funet.fi

GSM: +358 400 502 352

csc - scientific computing ltd. funet-tv harri k. salminen

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