iPhone Life - May/June 2014

echnology has come a long way since I installed
my first personal video conferencing system in
the mid-’90s with the Intel ProShare. The heavy,
low-resolution system required a lot of extra
hardware to get up and running, and it produced
video of roughly 15 frames per second (fps)
through a 176 x 144 resolution image. It was
enough for the leaders of a NASA contract to negotiate de-
tails, but would be pretty unimpressive by today’s standards.

Thanks to 720p HD video available on your iDevices, you can now create a high-quality video conferencing system built around your iPhone or iPad. Image size and streaming shouldn’t be an issue. You will need sufficient bandwidth to push the video bits between clients and servers and back again, but most cable modems and Wi-Fi routers easily accommodate streaming video. If you can watch Netflix, you can probably use video conferencing effectively.

Now if you think about it, you might wonder, “Why do I need all of this to create a great video conferencing experience? Can’t I just hold my iPhone or iPad and talk to someone?” Of course you can, but you would find it difficult to take notes or talk over an extended period of time. The value in creating a system is larger video, easier camera movements, and improved audio.

What you’re going to need: • An iPad or iPhone • Apple TV • A television with an HDMI port and audio-out jack or connectors • A swivel stand (if your TV doesn’t have one)