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MPEG-4 and the New, 'Flat' World
9/29/2004
Demise of the Scan/Standards Converter
Today, coding and decoding technology has fixed protocols and baud rates as required by the internal transmission systems. Selecting transmission using MPEG-2 or H.323 means the decoder must be matched to the coder with protocol and baud rate. Therefore, viewing an MPEG-2 image on an H.323 codec requires some means of standards conversion. Even if the coder and decoder are compatible and only the baud rate is different, some means of external baud rate conversion is still required. MPEG-4 proposes to remove the need for scan/standards/rate converters by enabling the receiving decoder to use only the bandwidth it has available and is necessary for the display.
Impact on the Smart Classroom
Thus far in our discussion, we’ve been looking at the original intent of MPEG-4 for the broadcast industry. But MPEG-4 will have pronounced impact on the world of education as well—no wonder higher ed and K-12 are also exploring its use! Currently, AV/multimedia trials of MPEG-4.10 transmission over IP networks are being conducted. And it is as these trials of somewhat bleeding-edge technology are turned into standards-based products, that the real excitement will begin. The driver may well be the ability to provide HDTV and SDTV broadcasting via DSL technology and cell phones, but understand this: The residual benefits of these developments will be educational uses. Educators will have achieved the means of delivering instruction without regard for time or place. With MPEG-4, students will be able to see and hear information on a wired PC or wirelessly connected laptop, PDA, or other mobile device (with the appropriate resolution and bandwidth constraints), while the same information is presented with a high-definition image locally. All this while your campus is utilizing available bandwidth more efficiently. Remember: MPEG-4 can send equal picture quality in one-half the bandwidth needed by MPEG-2.
Think, too, about the impact of the replacement of that H.323 codec, the set-top box, or the tuner in the classroom VCR/TV. Replace this “box” with a new MPEG-4 low-bit-rate encoder/decoder to send and receive video and audio to and from remote sites. Add a camera and microphone to a smart classroom system, and the room will be enabled to record what is presented and transmitted to receivers at the receiver’s selected baud rate. No additional equipment required. [For more about MPEG-4, visit www.m4if.com and www.mpeg.org.]
Dave Kaun is chief technical officer for Elert & Associates (www.elert.com),
technology and training consultants to the education, government, and health
care sectors. He is a former director of Telecommunications and Networking at
the University of Wisconsin-Stout, and has also enjoyed a distinguished career
in public television.
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