Thanks Nik, for your answer from Vodafone perspective.
As both FOMA and Vodafone use 3G-324M, does this mean that both can talk
to each other using video?
On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 17:01:04 +0900
"Frengle, Nik, VF-JP" <nik.frengle@vodafone.com> wrote:
> Vodafone Global Standard and Foma phones are capable of displaying two different sorts of video: H.324M video, which is encoded in the H.263 format, or in MPEG 4, with the audio in the AMR; or straight MPEG 4 files.
> H.324M is the standard used by the videophones. It includes other protocols for call handling, multiplexing, video compression, and audio compression. The ease of use factor is definitely there with H.324M: A user would simply dial a number and be connected to video content. Because this is circuit switched, it has a maximum throughput of 64 kbps, but those 64 kbps are relatively cheaper than if it was packet-based. On Vodafone, the difference translates to a factor of 8.5 times more expensive for packet-based video than for switched-circuit: 18 yen/ minute on the cheapest videocalling plan we offer, versus 153.6 yen/ minute for packet-based video streaming at 64 kbps on the least expensive packet rate that we offer.
> The other factor is ease of use for you: Because a circuit-switched option does not require you to have any agreement with a carrier, that is probably easier. The ease of doing it this way, however, does come at a cost: You would need to build a server, or buy one, that handles multiple phone lines coming into some kind of a channel bank, and then being processed individually.
> This kind of setup could require fairly significant investment: H.324M gateways from Radvision run in the neighbourhood of $40,000 USD, though I am sure that NTT ME would sell you one for significantly more than that. The application to handle all of the calls, and to serve the video streams would either need to be purchased or developed. Radvision also sell an MCU (multipoint conferencing unit) that you might be able to put to use, and which has a built-in gateway.
> You would also need some way of billing for this, though this could be handled by an arrangement with a telecoms carrier (using something like 0900 numbers).
> Radvision also offers a developer's kit for H.324M which offers APIs and stacks for all of the involved protocols.
> That is in stark contrast to plopping an MPEG 4 file down on a standard web server and saying 'come and get it!' In that case, the only real trick is getting the video to the phone: Maximum download sizes, and the inability of the current model phones to natively handle IP-based videostreaming would mean you would need to develop a Java application to handle the streaming.
> When I was in Europe last month, a colleague from VF Portugal demonstrated a pretty cool feature: He was able to watch the European championships, streamed to his mobile. He was using a Sony-Ericcson model, I believe, and it was streaming via IP. I don't know what protocol it was using: H.323 or SIP or something else. So, this ability appears to be coming, but is not here yet (as far as I know: does anyone else know if any of the current breed of Foma phones can receive streming MPEG 4 streams?)
> Oh, and one last option: You can send very short video clips encoded using the Nancy codec or MPEG4 mobile codecs. The size for most Vodafone handsets is a maximum of 30 kb, which translates to about 10 seconds of rough 3-4 FPS video. 3G models allow 200 kb file sizes, which translate to a relatively smooth 15 frames per second, though still only 10 seconds worth.
> I know that my longwinded reply is a bit much, but hope this helps.
> Best
>
Arnold P. Siboro (asiboro@maltech.ne.jp)
http://www.maltech.ne.jp
http://arnold.siboro.org/blog/
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Received on Sun Aug 1 07:39:34 2004