Overview
RENCI Virtual Organization Nodes, or R-VO Nodes, are an ensemble of resources including multimedia large-format displays, presentation and interactive environments, and interfaces to visualization environments. These resources are used to support group-to-group interactions across the RENCI Virtual Organization.
Using the R-VO Node, audio and video teleconferencing can be combined with shared computation; visualization and/or multimedia channels to provide a rich virtual venue for group-to-group interactions and sharing of information among remotely located participants in real time. RENCI offers its users access to an iLinc commercial software system for web conferencing and a commercial High Definition system from Vidyo Inc for videoconferencing. In addition to supporting standard and high-definition video, the Vidyo system has a legacy gateway to allow cross-compatibility with systems from Polycom, Tandberg, and others.
Overview
RENCI Virtual Organization Nodes, or R-VO Nodes, are an ensemble of resources including multimedia large-format displays, presentation and interactive environments, and interfaces to visualization environments. These resources are used to support group-to-group interactions across the RENCI Virtual Organization.
Using the R-VO Node, audio and video teleconferencing can be combined with shared computation; visualization and/or multimedia channels to provide a rich virtual venue for group-to-group interactions and sharing of information among remotely located participants in real time. RENCI offers its users access to an iLinc commercial software system for web conferencing and a commercial High Definition system from Vidyo Inc for videoconferencing. In addition to supporting standard and high-definition video, the Vidyo system has a legacy gateway to allow cross-compatibility with systems from Polycom, Tandberg, and others.
The Duke, Europa, NC State and UNC Chapel Hill sites have additional capabilities for supporting dual High Definition projection screen videoconferencing via the system from Vidyo. These sites offer an exceptional quality experience for distributed remote meetings and collaboration.
Currently there are fourteen R-VO nodes. The locations and descriptions are listed below.
Europa Center
- There is a dual-screen High Definition videoconferencing facility in the Europa Biltmore room. This facility can host over 20 people – each with their own microphone – in a high-definition videoconferencing session.
- The Europa Davinci room hosts a three projector R-VO node.
- The Europa Sandburg room hosts a single projector high-definition R-VO node as well as a Cisco CTS 500 Telepresence unit.
UNC Health Sciences Library
- The UNC Chapel Hill Health Sciences Library facility hosts a two projector R-VO node.
UNC Chapel Hill
- ITS Manning room 2102 has a two projector R-VO node.
- The Tele-immersion listed above also supports dual-channel HD videoconferencing.
NC State
- The Partners I facility has a 3 projector R-VO node. In the same room there is also a dual-screen High Definition videoconferencing capability.
- The EB II facility has a 3 projector R-VO node.
Duke
- The Duke facility hosts a two-projector R-VO node that supports traditional and dual-screen HD videoconferencing.
UNC Asheville
- The UNC Asheville facility hosts a two projector R-VO node.
ECU
- The ECU facility hosts a two projector R-VO node.
UNC Charlotte
- UNC Charlotte hosts three R-VO nodes distributed around campus. Each of these contains a 46-inch flat panel display, camera and four echo-cancelling microphones on a portable rolling cart.
