home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
The CICA Windows Explosion!
/
The CICA Windows Explosion! - Disc 1.iso
/
desktop
/
cuseemez.exe
/
CUSEEME.TXT
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1994-05-04
|
12KB
|
236 lines
CU-SeeMe (General Information)
Desktop Videoconferencing Software
from Cornell University
A videoconferencing program, CU-SeeMe, is available free from Cornell
University under copyright of Cornell and its collaborators. CU-SeeMe
provides a one-to-one connection, or by use of a reflector, a one-to-many,
a several-to-several, or a several-to-many conference depending on user
needs and hardware capabilities. It displays 4-bit grayscale video windows
at 160x120 pixels or at double that diameter. The PC version does not (yet)
include audio. So as far as we know, CU-SeeMe was the first and may still
be the only software available for personal computers which supports
real-time multiparty videoconferencing on the Internet.
CU-SeeMe is intended to provide useful conferencing at minimal cost.
Receiving requires only a personal computer with a screen capable of
displaying 256 colors and a connection to the Internet. Sending requires the
same plus a camera and video capture capability such as a VideoSpigot
for Windows or Creative Labs Video Blaster board.
At this time, CU-SeeMe runs in an early prototype under Windows and in a
more mature version on the Macintosh using an IP network connection. With
CU-SeeMe each participant can decide to be a sender, a receiver, or both.
Warning: Although being improved with each version, CU-SeeMe is not mature
production software--USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. And also, PLEASE TREAT THE
INTERNET KINDLY--keep b/w limits set down under 100kbps, or less if you
share limited bandwidth with others. Many folks connected to the Internet
can use CU-SeeMe with default settings and cause no problem to anyone else;
but unfortunately, not everyone. If you don't know whether using CU-SeeMe
will mess up the network for someone else, check it out first, please.
CU-SeeMe initially was written for the Macintosh by Tim Dorcey with design
assistance and sponsorship by Richard Cogger of the Advanced Technology
Group in the Network Resources division of Cornell University's Information
Technologies (CIT). Important early contributions came from: Cornell
University Medical Colleges (CUMC), Scott Brim, and John Lynn. Steve Edgar
and Rich Kennerly have done the main work in developing the Windows
version.
Since October 1, 1993, the CU-SeeMe Project receives funding from the
National Science Foundation. NYSERNet (New York State Educational Research
Network) provides valuable support for CU-SeeMe spreading the word
throughout the Internet community as well as creating one of the first
public reflector sites for user testing. And a very significant
collaborative effort at Cornell University Medical Colleges (CUMC)
contributes to substantial expertise and code.
This material is partially based on work sponsored by the National Science
Foundation under Cooperative Agreement No. NCR-9318337. The Government has
certain rights in this material. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions
or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author
and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science
Foundation.
Other documents, CU-SeeMe Project: Plans, Goals, & Rationale, and
Information on Public Reflectors will also be available (soon) on our ftp
server for those interested in more detail about how to get and use the
program. Subscription to a cu-seeme-l maillist is also available for
communication among CU-SeeMe users.
Please send comments, suggestions and bug reports to r.cogger@cornell.edu.
You can be a great help in making CU-SeeMe a good, stable application.
Be Seeing You!
********************************************************
Copyright C1993, 1994, Cornell University
Cornell hereby grants permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute the
CU-SeeMe version 0.60 program for any purpose and without fee, provided
that these copyright and permission notices appear on all copies and
supporting documentation, the name of Cornell not be used in advertising or
publicity pertaining to distribution of the program without specific prior
permission, notice be given in supporting documentation that copying and
distribution is by permission of Cornell. CORNELL MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS
OR WARRANTEES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. By way of example, but not limitation,
CORNELL MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTEES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR
FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR THAT THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE OR
DOCUMENTATION WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS, TRADEMARKS, OR
OTHER RIGHTS. Cornell shall not be held liable for any liability with
respect to any claim by the user or any other party arising from use of the
program.
********************************************************
HOW TO OBTAIN CU-SeeME SOFTWARE
Use ftp (File Transfer Protocol) to:
Server: gated.cornell.edu
UserID: anonymous
Password: <none>
directory: /pub/video
PC Windows versions have a 'W' in the version number which distinguishes
them from Macintosh versions.
Download the latest README file, if there is one later than the date at the
top of this file you are reading. Then get the application and other files
you need.
*****************************************************************************
HOW TO TEST CU-SeeMe
To connect for a CU-SeeMe video conference, you must have the IP address of
another CU-SeeMe user or the address of a CU-SeeMe reflector. If calling
another user, the user must have CU-SeeMe running in *WAITING* status on
their desktop. Use Connect or Connect to > in the Connections menu. We
suggest that you begin by using two PCs, one connecting to the other,
for a first test of CU-SeeMe.
You will need to use a reflector to have a multiparty conference on the
Internet. The CU-SeeMe reflector program is a Unix program which we have
tested so far only on Sun Sparc workstations. If you are not familiar with
IP networks, reflectors and/or your particular network set-up, ask your
system administrator for help in operating a CU-SeeMe reflector.
Instructions on how to operate a reflector follow.
********************************************************
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE CU-SeeMe MAIL LIST
For anyone interested in following developments in CU-SeeMe or its use, or
in contacting other CU-SeeMe users, an automated maillist has been
established. The list is provided for unrestricted discussion of the
CU-SeeMe packet video software. Developers and project management all read
the list. To date there has been little traffic, but we expect more as new
versions are released over the next few months. We, and other users, would
also like to hear about and discuss innovative uses of CU-SeeMe. Please
write and tell us your story.
To join the list, send a message with the following line as the entire
message body to listserv@cornell.edu:
subscribe cu-seeme-l <first name> <last name>
(Substitute your actual name, please; it's amazing how many don't.)
You should receive a confirming message with extensive instructions on
use of the list.
You can send mail to be distributed to the list to: cu-seeme-l@cornell.edu.
Please be sure to send to this address ONLY when you want your message
redistributed.
********************************************************
HOW TO OPERATE A CU-SeeMe REFLECTOR:
1. Obtain software -- a tar file may be obtained via anonymous ftp from
gated.cornell.edu in directory /pub/video as reflect.v9.tar. Untar and
install in the usual way on a Sun Sparc with a good Internet connection.
2. Issue the unix command: "reflect" and then open connections to the Sun
from Mac's running CU-SeeMe0.42 or CU-SeeMe0.60.
3. On the version 9 reflector, if you issure "reflect -s" each Mac will
receive a copy of its own video stream as well as any other streams.
4. The tar file for v9 includes the sources for the reflector so folks can
try porting to other platforms. Anything with Berkeley networking should
be OK, but we did find an incompatibility with the sockets implementation
in AIX for the RS-6000.
5. We have carried up to 6 participants on a reflector. But give some
thought to how reflectors are linked together and how many streams are
flowing on which paths. Currently, CU-SeeMe limits open windows to 8, but
trying to have 8 folks each send one stream and receive 7 thru the same
reflector, assuming it has just one ethernet interface, would mean 8
streams in and 56 out. If each tries to get 100Kbps through at some point
in time, you would be trying to get 6.4 Mbit/sec thru the ethernet. That
would probablybe deep into the collision realm. With the -g and -r
parameters, you can set up a reflector net which could give a fairly large
conference; PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE LOAD YOU PUT ON THE INTERNET.
The reflector (version .09) accepts the following parameters:
-s self-reflect mode
-d debug mode
-t tracefile specifiy the name of a tracefile
-c ipaddress normal client
-r ipaddress "respond" as a server to a BCC client
-g ipaddress "go get" video from specified BCC server
-m ttl ipaddress multicast to ipaddress with TTL set to ttl
-s is debugging option that sends the clients video stream back to himself
-d prints out debugging and packet trace information
-t traces "events" to the specified log file. Right now the reflector
always logs "events" to a log file, if the file name is not specified
the file reflect.log is used
-c is used to construct an admit list for the reflector. If you want
to restrict access to the reflector, use a series of -c options. Only
those users with the listed IP addresses will be permitted to use the
reflector. If no -c options are specified, the reflector will
accept any and all clients.
-r tells the reflector to "respond" to a second reflector, at the specified
IP address, providing a "blind carbon copy" of all video streams coming
to this reflector. Note that nothing is accepted from this second
reflector, it is a one way pipe, intended to impact the conference
minimally.
-g tells the reflector to "go get" video from the primary reflector at the
specified IP address, thus providing a watch only service for Mac
clients who connect to this reflector to observe the conference on the
primary reflector. Ordinarily, such clients should open connections
unchoosing the "I will send" option, to conserve bandwidth.
Alternatively, a reflector could use this option with the -m option to
function as a relay to the mbone. Caution: you might think that setting
up complementary -g -r pairs on two reflectors would give you a general
inter-reflector link, allowing you to distribute reflector load. In fact
it will produce a loop and a lot of collisions.
-m multicast all video streams to the specified IP multicast group address
(it *must* be a multicast group address) with the specified TTL. This
option is currently only useful in conjunction with nv 3.1 used to
receive the video streams. If compiling the sources, use -DMULTI to
enable this option. To use -m, you must run the reflector on a unix
system with multicast kernal.
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
f.jill charboneau Advanced Technologies and Planning Group
Cornell Information Technologies
cu-seeme information designer Cornell University
Ithaca N.Y. 14853
jfc1@cornell.edu 607/255-5993
"Never mistake a clear view for a short distance."
-Paul Saffo
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=