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Frequently Asked Questions
- How can I use Pitt's videoconferencing
services? If
you need to schedule a one time videoconferencing event,
please contact Kerry Harrity at 624-6918, or kth5@pitt.edu.
Or, if you need to schedule a course to be transmitted
via Interactive Television for a full or partial term, please
contact Michael Arenth at 648-7236, or arenth@pitt.edu.
If you haven’t already, and if you need training
and advice concerning teaching methods and techniques
over ITV, please contact Dr. Joanne Nicoll at 624-7372,
or nicoll@pitt.edu.
- Our department wants to teach a course via distance learning.
Where do I start to find out about doing this? The
first place to start to teach a course via distance learning
is with a call to Dr. Joanne Nicoll at 624-7372, or nicoll@pitt.edu .
who will get you on the right track concerning technologies
and teaching methods.
- What are the costs involved in videoconferencing
or teaching a course over Interactive Television? There
are two basic charges associated with Interactive Television
activity: Room & Operator fee, and Network
fee. The Room & Operator fee is a charge per hour of
use for the ITV service covering the use of the ITV room
and the operator who must be present during the event.
If you plan to use ITV for a one-time teaching enhancement
event, such as a guest lecture, you may request waiver
of this fee by the Office of the Provost. A form for this
request is available at CIDDE through Dr. Joanne M. Nicoll.
The network fee is a per hour charge determined by our
network carrier (AT&T) and is similar to a long distance
telephone charge, the amount of which depends upon time
of day, distance to the site and data rate of transmission.
Generally this does not exceed $40/hr to sites in the continental
U.S. It may run as high as $ 250/hr to sites in Europe
and Asia. Other related fees that might be applicable include
Room & Operator
fees at the regional campuses and a student registration
fee also at the regional campuses. Click here.
- I'm not sure whether I need satellite
downlinking or videoconferencing services for my conference/workshop.
What's the difference? The
University of Pittsburgh offers two types of electronic distance
learning connective services- satellite downlinking & videoconferencing
. Both are distinctly different and yet resultantly similar.
It’s very important to distinguish one from the other
when you ask for service.Satellite
downlinking --The
program/workshop/conference originates from a distant
site and is transmitted (both sound and picture) via standard
television signal to a satellite. The satellite "downlinks" or
transmits your program and many others simultaneously
over many frequencies back to earth. The program is received
via a satellite dish which is tuned to the specific channel
carrying your program (You will obtain the specific frequency
of transmission or channel number from the presenters
when you register for the event). On the Oakland campus,
the dish is located on the roof of Posvar Hall. The signal
is then distributed to assigned classrooms, lecture halls,
conference rooms, etc. on the Oakland campus. You, the
audience, view the presentation as you would normally
watch any other video program. Often times you can interact
with the presenters of the program by calling an 800
number they provide and submitting your questions or
comments. Sometimes you can talk in real-time with the
presenters this way and while audiences may be able to
hear you, neither the presenters nor the other audiences
can see you (One-way video, two-way audio). The quality
of the image and sound is usually very high- as good
as broadcast television. Videoconferencing,
or Interactive Television, on the other hand, is a fully
interactive video/audio experience. You can hear and see
the far site and they can hear and see you –simultaneously.
We use specially equipped classrooms on the Oakland campus
as send/receive sites. The far sites – really
anywhere in the world- must be comparably equipped. The
technology utilizes audio/video signal compression techniques
which permit the transmission of the signal over standard
telephone service lines keeping operation costs manageable
and within range of most institutions. Pitt uses this technology
for two purposes: teaching courses to our regional campus
sites and beyond, and videoconferencing, connecting faculty
and staff with meetings, conferences, workshops, etc. around
the world. If interested in further information or to utilize
this technology for conferencing or courses please visit
our web sites or contact Michael Arenth at 648-7236, arenth@pitt.edu or
Dr. Joanne Nicoll, 624-7372, nicoll@pitt.edu.
- I would like to make an international
picture phone call for an interview with a potential employer.
Can ITV provide this service for a faculty or student? Although
the university does not provide "Picture Phone" service
as yet, our Interactive Television service can provide
the same results for you- although probably more expensive.
From one of our ITV classrooms you can communicate with another
party with the same technology with full video and sound.
For more information, please contact Kerry Harrity at 624-6918,
or kth5@pitt.edu.
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