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CUSEEMEW.TXT
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Readme.txt for CU-SeeMe For Windows.
5/2/94
The version of CU-SeeMe posted here is w0.33.b1
The easiest way to get started is to download the .ZIP file in this
directory. If you don't have a copy of the ZIP compression utilities
you can download it from ftp.cit.cornell.edu in the pub/dos/util
directory as pkz204g.exe. Then execute this file to extract the
zip utilities.
Double click on file cuseeme.hlp from the Windows File Manager.
Cuseeme.hlp is a Windows hypertext help file, and contains setup and
help information in the "Windows Help" format used in all Windows programs.
This file contains much of the text found in cuseeme.hlp, and is provided
for non-Windows folks seeking information on CU-SeeMe For Windows.
CU-SeeMe For Windows
--------------------
System Requirements
Setup
Features
How to tweak this Beta release
Some things you may notice
A bit more info
CU-SeeMe mailing list
System Requirements
-------------------
For receive-only:
1. 386SX processor or higher.
2. Windows 3.1 running in Enhanced Mode.
3. Windows Sockets compliant TCP/IP stack.
4. A 256 color (8 bit) video driver at any resolution (640x480,
800x600, 1024x768, or higher).
To send as well as receive:
1. 386DX processor or higher.
2. Windows 3.1 running in Enhanced Mode.
3. Windows Sockets compliant TCP/IP stack.
4. A 256 color (8 bit) video driver at any resolution (640x480,
800x600, 1024x768, or higher).
5. Video capture board that supports Microsoft Video For Windows.
6. A video camera to plug into the video capture board.
Setup
-----
Hostname
--------
Your Windows machine will need a hostname. CU-SeeMe for Windows will not
work without it (this requirement may disappear soon). If you don't
already have a hostname for your PC, you may want to contact your network
administrator about getting one assigned. One quick way to provide a
hostname is to make an entry into the hosts file (which should be in the
directory that contains your Windows Sockets stack). An example of an
entry in a hosts file is:
<your IP address> <name for your PC>
For example, you might decide to use the hostname WillieBob. If your IP
address was 128.32.64.88, the entry in your hosts file would look like:
128.32.64.88 WillieBob
Msvideo.dll
-----------
CU-SeeMe comes with the file msvideo.dll, which it uses for "device
independent video capture". If you have Microsoft Video For Windows
installed, you will want to delete the copy of msvideo.dll that comes with
CU-SeeMe. Video For Windows will have already installed a copy of
msvideo.dll in your Windows System directory. Having a second copy in your
CU-SeeMe directory may cause some problems. Be sure to delete the copy of
msvideo.dll in your CU-SeeMe directory, not the copy in your Windows System
directory.
Video Format
------------
CU-SeeMe needs to capture video using image demensions of 160x120, and an
image format called 8 bit palettized. This happens to be the default
configuration for many video capture cards, so chances are you are all set.
If you do get a strange image, or no image at all, the Video Format... menu
item will display a dialog box that allows both image demensions and image
format to be set.
Features
--------
Flexible conferencing
---------------------
CU-SeeMe For Windows 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,
and does not (yet) include audio.
If you do not have a video capture board, CU-SeeMe will come up in Receive-
only mode. You will be able to receive video, but not send. The title of
the main window will say "CU-SeeMe (Receive-only)".
Messaging
---------
Typing with the local video window in the forground (while the local video
window has the focus ) will cause the characters typed to be displayed at
the bottom of the local video, and sent with your video.
Participants
------------
When connected, the main window will show of a list all the particpants in
the conference. The main window can be moved and resized to meet any
preference. The main window will show all senders (anyone sending video in
the conference) and lurkers (anyone receiving but not sending).
Senders are denoted with a [v].
Lurkers are denoted with a [x].
Closing video windows
---------------------
Any video window (except the local video window) can be closed via that
window's system menu. A participant with a closed video window is denoted
with a [c]. Double clicking on a participant with a closed video window
will reopen that video window.
Brightness/Contrast
-------------------
If you are sending video, you can adjust the brightness and contrast of the
local video window. There is a "brightness/contrast slider" (horizontal
scroll bar) in the Preferences dialog.
Minimizing video windows
------------------------
Like most Windows programs, any window can be minimized to an icon:
The local video window will stay "live", showing the upper left hand
corner of the video window as the icon. Just for fun, try waving in
the upper left corner of your picture while your video window
minimized.
All other video windows will show an icon of a camera, using the name
of the sender as the caption. While minimized, the video in these
windows will be "frozen". When restored, the video will be "un-
frozen", and once again "live."
Rates
-----
The following rates appear at the bottom of each video window:
Frames per second (fps) - how many times per second the video window
is updated (redrawn).
Kilobits per second (kbps) - how much video is travelling across the
netowork from that sender.
The local video window will also show the current rate capTweakCS in
parentheses.
How to tweak this Beta Release
-------------------------------
Rate cap
--------
CU-SeeMe uses a adjustable rate cap to control how fast it sends video over
the network. The rate cap has maximum and minimum settings. The maximum
setting (Max kbits/sec) is highest speed at which CU-SeeMe will send. The
minimum setting (Min kbits/sec) is the slowest speed at which CU-SeeMe can
send. Both values are adjustable from the Preferences... menu item.
Some things you may notice
--------------------------
CU-SeeMe will not currently display "high resolution video" from a Mac
(although this feature will be added). A video window will appear, but no
video will be displayed. If the Mac switches to "standard resolution",
video will be displayed.
If you are able to send video, the hourglass cursor will appear when CU-
SeeMe is starting. The video capture driver is "initializing an 8 bit gray
scale palette", and this can take anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds, depending
on machine speed. The main window's status bar will say "Initializing
capture palette..." during this time.
CU-SeeMe will work on a "standard 16 color" VGA, or with any Windows video
driver at any resolution that displays only 16 colors. The catch is, the
picture will look, well, interesting; showing only black, white, and 2
"shades" of gray.
A bit more information.
----------------------
All video capturing is done via the Microsoft Video For Windows Video-
Capture API (that's why we use msvideo.dllMsvideoCS). This allows CU-SeeMe
to capture video from any video capture board that supports Video For
Windows. One caveat is that CU-SeeMe currently only knows how to deal with
uncompressed 8 bit palettized images. Folks who have boards that don't
support that image type (like Intel Indeo video capture cards) may get an
upside down image that looks fuzzy.
We have successfully tested the following video capture boards:
Video Spigot for Windows (now sold by Creative Labs, formerly sold by
SuperMac)
Video Blaster (sold by Creative Labs)
The following Windows Sockets compliant stacks have been successfully used:
Chameleon by NetManage.
Distinct by Distinct Corp.
Trumpet WinSock by Peter Tattam.
Windows NT 3.1 (built-in) by Microsoft.
And also, PLEASE TREAT THE INTERNET KINDLY--keep bandwidth limits set down
under 100kbps, or less if you share limited bandwidth with others. Many,
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 For Windows is copyright 1993, 1994, Cornell University. The
project leader is Dick Cogger. Programming is being handled by Steve Edgar
and Rich Kennerly. CU-SeeMe For Windows is designed to work with its
Macintosh counterpart (also called CU-SeeMe) written by Tim Dorcey.
Since Oct. 1, 1993, the CU-SeeMe Project receives funding from the
National Science Foundation. 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.
CU-SeeMe For Windows was written with Microsoft Visual C++, with some
routines developed in 386 specific assembler with Microsoft Macro
Assembler.
Have fun. More speed and features to come.
Steve Edgar - Cornell University
Rich Kennerly - Cornell University
Reflector sites
---------------
The following reflectors are available for public use:
reflector.cit.cornell.edu (192.35.82.96)
nysernet.org (192.77.173.2)
isis.dccs.upenn.edu (130.91.72.36)
hilda.ncsc.org (128.109.178.103)
gatekeeper.imagen.com (161.33.3.1)
skyhawk.gte.com (132.197.10.74)
norm.itn.med.umich.edu (141.214.20.107)
fenris.dhhalden.no (158.36.33.3)
sunten.wiezmann.ac.il (132.76.64.143)
CU-SeeMe mailing 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.
BUG Reports / Problems
----------------------
Please send bug reports for CU-SeeMe for Windows to:
cu-seeme-bugs@cornell.edu