Standards Review and Recommendation Publication
SRRPUB05
Video Conferencing Guidelines
Revised December 27, 2004 Version 3
Standards Review and Recommendations (SRRPUB) are issued by the Department of Information Resources (DIR). They are intended to be used as guidance by Texas state agencies and institutions of higher education. This publication provides additional information in support of 1 T.A.C. §209 Minimum
Standards for Meetings Held by Videoconference.
Objectives
The purpose of this recommendation is to:
(1) establish technical and procedural operating guidelines
for managing open meetings, closed meetings and general administrative
meetings using video conferencing technology.
(2) establish effective meetings that will promote the use
of video conferencing for holding quorums for open and closed
meetings and enable legislation for such.
(3) encourage the use of the technology within state government.
Recommendations
DIR recommends that State agencies adhere to the following
guidelines for video conferences used for open and closed
meetings:
{Items marked with ** indicate that the guideline has been
implemented as an administrative rule - See DIR Rule §209}
1. The audience and committee members must have full view
of at least one monitor at each meeting location {**}. Additional
monitors should be placed, as required, to ensure a clear
view by all of the audience. If the nearest monitor is further
away then a regular television is at home, additional monitors
are required.
2. At a minimum, one monitor for audience viewing must be
a minimum of 27 inches in size (as measured by the industry).
3. Audio signals perceptible from the remote video conferencing
sites must be of similar quality and volume as the local audio
at the receive sites {**}. This may be accomplished by linking
the video system at each site to the local audio system or
by placing a microphone from the video system in proximity
of each of the committee members. The public microphone must
also be similarly accommodated.
4. All video transmissions shall be at least 384 kbs and use full common intermediate format (CIF) quality transmission {**}.
5. Except when presenting documents, all committee members
primary sitting location will be transmitted at all times
to the remote sites.
6. Video conferences held between sites with different vendor
equipment must adhere to the ITU-T standards listed in DIR
Rule **.
7. Video conferences held between sites on different networks
or linked through public switched networks or between sites
not under 100% control by a single government entity must
be tested not more than seven days before the actual conference
and be up and operational for public viewing for at least
one hour.
The purpose of the test is to determine that the network
link and applicable video bridges will perform adequately
and meet the standards listed in the above sections. This
requirement does not apply to video conferences at sites that
have previously held open meetings within a six month period.
8. Open meetings involving more than two sites must be controlled
such that the received video at all sites will switch to the
speaking committee member site within two seconds of the members
commencement of speaking {**}.
9. Testimony from the public held through video conference
from sites with no participating member of the governmental
body holding the open meeting are not required to meet the
rules requiring the site to supply monitors for public viewing
or for testing of the site for public viewing before the conference
{**}.
10. All video conferences will be in color and monitors for
the viewing public and government members will present color
video {**}.
11. At least one audio recording of the meeting will be recorded
from the site where the quorum of the open meeting is held.
12. It is recommended that all open meetings using video
conferencing use the ITU-T G.711 or G.722 standard at 56 or
64 Kbps for audio communications.
Data and graphic document transmission standards are not
included in this rule.
Procedural Guidelines
1. Conferences should be moderated by an agreed upon assigned
individual from a control site. The moderator should act to
facilitate technical and video conferencing clarity issues
during the meeting. The moderator is not a participant in
the meeting, but ensures that the camera is focused on the
speakers, audio is clear, clears problems at remote sites,
and cooperates with remote site moderators in resolving technical
difficulties.
2. Moderator (s) should check camera focus, audio, and camera
range before each conference.
3. If feasible, the meeting sites should have a posted end
of meeting schedule.
4. Moderators should ensure that speakers during the conference
are within camera range.
5. All conference participants should be introduced at the
start of the conference. This does not include the audience.
6. Remote sites should have the mute enabled in multi-point
conferences, unless a participant is speaking.
7. Material to be presented should be available at all sites.
8. If a conference participant from a remote site leaves,
the video conference will proceed until the meeting is adjourned.
9. Always record the video transmitted from the quorum site.
Questions or comments about this document may be directed
to:
Department of Information Resources
P.O. Box 13564
Austin, TX 78711-3564
Contact: Brian Kelly at 512-463-9672
Address questions about the Texas Information Technology Standards Web pages to:
DIR Standards and Architecture
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