SightSpeed
Encyclopedia
SightSpeed is a videoconferencing
company, supplying VoIP and instant messaging
solutions for Microsoft Windows
and Apple Macintosh operating system
s. The service allows people to make video calls, computer-to-computer voice calls, and calls to regular telephones, with free and paid versions.
In October 2008, the company was acquired by Logitech
for $30 million. The Logitech Vid service is based on SightSpeed's technology.
for video compression. The video conferencing technology is capable of transmitting 30 frame/s video, and uses the standards-based H263 codec
.
SightSpeed's video codec was originally developed at Cornell University
's Discover Lab and is based on H263.
SightSpeed's network technology is SIP
based.
Videoconferencing
Videoconferencing is the conduct of a videoconference by a set of telecommunication technologies which allow two or more locations to interact via two-way video and audio transmissions simultaneously...
company, supplying VoIP and instant messaging
Instant messaging
Instant Messaging is a form of real-time direct text-based chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet...
solutions for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
and Apple Macintosh operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
s. The service allows people to make video calls, computer-to-computer voice calls, and calls to regular telephones, with free and paid versions.
In October 2008, the company was acquired by Logitech
Logitech
Logitech International S.A. is a global provider of personal peripherals for computers and other digital platforms headquartered in Romanel-sur-Morges, Switzerland. The company develops and markets products like peripheral devices for PCs, including keyboards, mice, microphones, game controllers...
for $30 million. The Logitech Vid service is based on SightSpeed's technology.
Technology
SightSpeed uses a proprietary algorithmAlgorithm
In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm is an effective method expressed as a finite list of well-defined instructions for calculating a function. Algorithms are used for calculation, data processing, and automated reasoning...
for video compression. The video conferencing technology is capable of transmitting 30 frame/s video, and uses the standards-based H263 codec
Codec
A codec is a device or computer program capable of encoding or decoding a digital data stream or signal. The word codec is a portmanteau of "compressor-decompressor" or, more commonly, "coder-decoder"...
.
SightSpeed's video codec was originally developed at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
's Discover Lab and is based on H263.
SightSpeed's network technology is SIP
Session Initiation Protocol
The Session Initiation Protocol is an IETF-defined signaling protocol widely used for controlling communication sessions such as voice and video calls over Internet Protocol . The protocol can be used for creating, modifying and terminating two-party or multiparty sessions...
based.
Features
- SightSpeed users are able to have free video calls with each other.
- Video Mail messages can be sent to any e-mail address.
- The SightSpeed software is able to host video conferences with up to nine participants.
- "Phone Out" is the name of the service that allows users to make phone calls to landlineLandlineA landline was originally an overland telegraph wire, as opposed to an undersea cable. Currently, landline refers to a telephone line which travels through a solid medium, either metal wire or optical fibre, as distinguished from a mobile cellular line, where transmission is via radio waves...
s and mobile phoneMobile phoneA mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s, paying with pre-paid credit. "Phone In" allows SightSpeed users to receive phone calls from regular telephones.
Limitations
The main criticisms are:- Lack of true privacy features such as encryption.
- SightSpeed "Phone Out" does not support outbound caller IDCaller IDCaller ID , also called calling line identification or calling number identification or Calling Line Identification Presentation , is a telephone service, available in analog and digital phone systems and most Voice over Internet Protocol applications, that transmits a caller's number to...
in the United States, where people commonly reject calls from unrecognized numbers. The recipient sees "unknown" or a blank field instead of the caller ID number. - Though it uses the SIP standard it is not interoperable with SIP networks and can only be used with a SightSpeed account.