Frequently Asked Questions

Q   What is the Desktop Video Conferencing (DVC) application?

A    DVC is the premier PC-based video conferencing product on the market today.  DVC is cost-effective both in terms of license fees and bandwidth utilization.  DVC supports up to 8 parties in a video conference and is quick and easy to install and set up.

Q   What is the minimum bandwidth that can be used on a DVC conference?

A    The minimum bandwidth that can be used for video conferencing is 32 Kbps.  This can be achieved by setting the quality to “fair” and window size to “small.”  In this mode, dial up users with a 56 Kbps modem are able to participate in a video conference call.

Q   How much bandwidth does each conference participant use?

A    Bandwidth utilization is configurable by the administrator or by the individual conference participants.  The quality of the video image and size of viewing window determines the bandwidth utilized.  DVC supports three quality levels (fair, good and excellent) and four window sizes (small, medium, large and document view).  A video conference using “good” quality and “medium” window parameters will require approximately 128 Kbps per participant.  The video quality and window size parameters can be adjusted according to your specific needs and bandwidth availability.

Q   Does DVC work with other video conferencing products?

A    DVC is H.323 compliant.  This means that you will be able to use DVC with any video conferencing system that adheres to the IEEE H.323 standard.  This makes DVC a perfect companion to any existing video conferencing system since DVC enables people in remote sites to join a conference without having to travel to a conference facility.

Q   Are there any usage charges that apply when I use DVC?

A    DVC software may be purchased for a one-time charge or by paying a monthly subscription fee.  DVC operates over any IP network so given that you have broadband network access, there are no separate charges related to DVC usage.  DVC uses VoIP (Voice over IP) to transmit the audio portion of the conference so no long distance charges will be incurred.

Q   How long does it take to install the DVC application and prepare for my first video conference?

A    DVC software installation takes approximately 10 minutes.  Reading the DVC “Quick Start User Guide” takes approximately 15 minutes.  So, you should be ready to place your first video conference call in less than 30 minutes.

Q   Can I install the application on a laptop PC so I can participate in video conferences while I am away from my office?

A    Yes, DVC can be installed on a laptop and there are many webcams that are designed specifically for laptop usage.  All you need is a broadband connection via an Ethernet LAN or WiFi HotSpot.

Q   Is DVC capable of providing detailed information for billing purposes?

A    Sagaxis offers many options to help companies manage customer use and permission profiles.  Please contact us to discuss options for billing and software re-authorization on a daily, weekly, monthly or per use basis.

Q   Will DVC work with any webcam?

A    DVC will work with any standard USB webcam.  Note that the quality of the webcam will determine the quality of the DVC video capture.  Therefore, better quality webcams will result in better quality video conferences.

Q   Firewalls can be a problem with video conferencing solutions.  How does DVC address this issue?

A    For companies that employ firewalls, DVC can be used together with any standard VPN (virtual private network) or gatekeeper solution.  Sagaxis is also working to provide an integrated VPN feature in DVC.

Q   I can get NetMeeting for free, why should I invest in a video conferencing product?

A    NetMeeting was first introduced with Windows 95 and has not attracted any mainstream activity.  The product is not fully supported by Microsoft and there is limited documentation available.  The main advantage of DVC over NetMeeting is the superior quality of our wavelet compression, which produces higher quality video at lower bandwidth rates.  DVC also supports video conferences with up to 8 participants whereas NetMeeting is strictly for point-to-point use.

Q   What happens if two people start talking at the same time?

A    DVC is a full duplex solution (similar to telephone conference calls).  If two people talk at the same time, both will be heard.