CU-SeeMe Pro by White Pine Software is a video conferencing product that allows up to
12 users to participate simultaneously in a video conference. It gives users a more
powerful tool than an “industry standard,” such as Microsoft’s NetMeeting,
and has the added features of allowing participants to collaborate on an electronic
whiteboard, to chat, to transfer files, and to collaborate on any Windows-based program.
In addition, CU-SeeMe is compatible with other H.323-compliant products, including
NetMeeting and ProShare by Intel.
INSTALLATION
There was very little work involved in installing CU-SeeMe Pro on our PCs. We had
previously installed the conference software (MeetingPoint Conference Server), which was a
much more complicated install. The software comes on a CD-ROM, and we first clicked on the
“Read Me First” button. That brought up a text file of conflicts and possible
incompatibilities that can arise with the installation. There is also a section with
“known issues,” which include black frames around the video, installing a camera
after CU-SeeMe Pro is installed, and making sure that appropriate browser software has
been installed. We also made sure our camera was on the list of supported devices. (An
updated list of compatible cameras is available at support.wpine.com.) The GUI for the
install is simple, with only four options (install CU-SeeMe Pro, Install Utilities,
Contact Info, Exit, and Read Me First). The Text for Tools tips appear in the window when
the cursor passes over any of the buttons, and explain exactly what each button does. They
are set up to allow the user to easily run the install, without any complications.
We chose to install the software and all the utilities. Our client PC was a 366 MHz
Pentium II with 128 MB of RAM, on our 100 Base-T network. The install process was a
standard wizard, with no surprises. We stayed with the defaults, which included the
“typical” installation, and when the install was complete, we decided to see
what the utilities were. The utilities were three different Microsoft products, NetMeeting, Internet Explorer, and
Direct X Media. Since we already had NetMeeting and Internet Explorer on the PC, and
Direct X was for Windows 95 only, we skipped this step.
Our next step was to go through the Setup Assistant in CU-SeeMe Pro. Again, this was a
simple wizard that went through the standard process —configuring the video and audio
levels, and making sure the camera worked with the software. There was also a squelch
feature, which masked background noise. After completing the wizard, we were able to start
using the software. The entire configuration process was done within the wizard, and no
changes (other than customized views) needed to be made once the program was open.
DOCUMENTATION
The only hard-copy documentation with CU-SeeMe Pro is the Quick Start Guide. At
sixty pages, it’s not intimidating to an end user, yet is thorough enough to get the
job done. The copy is clear, and there are enough graphics (mostly screenshots) to clarify
the steps in installing, configuring, and using the software. The program is simple enough
to require a reasonably sized manual, and nothing is too in-depth.
The online help files in CU-SeeMe Pro are excellent. White Pine has historically had
better than average online help files, and this is no exception. It is an HTML file, with
a split screen. The topics are on the left 25 percent of the window, and the text is on
the right 75 percent of the window. The text section has many graphics, and there are
several links to related sections, all of which worked seamlessly. The programmers who
worked on these help files proved how well this sort of thing can be handled. Any company
with less-than-stellar HTML-based help files should take a look at this excellent example.
A job well done!
FEATURES
CU-SeeMe Pro is feature rich. With a customizable interface and the ability to view up to
12 windows of video at any given time, it has a definite advantage over similar products,
most notably Microsoft’s NetMeeting. Users are able to send and receive video, audio,
and text, and meeting participants are able to share applications, transfer files, and
share data with a whiteboard using integrated T.120 data collaboration. Other features
include:
- Up to 12 windows of videos at any given time;
- Send and receive video, audio, and text;
- Customizable interface;
- Works over LANs, WANs, modems, and any TCP/IP network connection;
- Fully H.323 compliant: Works with any other H.323 compatible client;
- Ability to save chat; and
- Address book, with the ability to locate other connected users of CU-SeeMe Pro or any
other H.323 compatible client.
OPERATIONAL TESTING
We installed CU-SeeMe Pro on several networked computers in our lab. Along with
CU-SeeMe Pro, we used another White Pine software product — MeetingPoint Conference
Server — to facilitate our meeting. (See the November 1999 issue of Internet Telephony� for an
in-depth review of MeetingPoint.) We had previously set up a custom conference in
MeetingPoint, so we decided to use that during our testing phase. We used a hodge-podge of
cameras for our testing, including an Intel camera that originally came with a Create and
Share camera pack. Our extensive experience in dealing with video conferencing and
Voice-over-IP (VoIP) products showed us that the best way to go was a headset and
microphone combo, rather than the stand-alone mic and external speakers, which result in
echo.
Our first test was a relatively unsophisticated one. We wanted to do a peer-to-peer
conference between two Windows 98 workstations, running on a 100 Base-T network, and not
using the MeetingPoint Conference Server. When we did a direct dial from one PC to
another, our sound quality was fair at best, and the video quality was much better than
the sound. We tweaked the audio settings in the Advanced Settings window, with good
results. The audio quality improved when we changed from G.723 6.4 Kbps to G.711 Mu-Law
(high bandwidth, 64 Kbps). Previously, the latency was nearly two seconds, but after we
made the setting change, it was about half a second, a much more comfortable conference.
One slightly disturbing discovery, was that a ping test confirmed that the software was
not optimized, thus it took a long time to process the packets and the latency was not due
to the network. The results of our first test were mixed, but acceptable, after adjusting
the settings in the preferences.
Our next test was a test of the software using the MeetingPoint Conference Server. We
did extensive testing of the server previously, but those tests were used to evaluate the
server software and not the client software. We set up a custom H.323 conference, and had
three labs staff dial in to the server. This time the quality of the conference was
better, most notably the video quality. Since CU-SeeMe Pro is optimized to work
efficiently with MeetingPoint, it wasn’t surprising.
One odd thing happened when we were integrating NetMeeting with CU-SeeMe Pro. Even
though the chat attribute was turned off in the conference, we were still able to chat
with others by launching the chat feature in NetMeeting. However, the chat window that
came up when using CU-SeeMe was from NetMeeting and not CU-SeeMe Pro. When we enabled
CU-SeeMe’s chat feature, the window “imported” the chat text from our
NetMeeting chat window and we were able to proceed with the chat, uninterrupted.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
Video conferencing still has the unfortunate “novelty” tag attached,
and has a long way to go before attaining mainstream status. This is in part due to the
“gadget” tag that has been placed on early attempts at creating video
conferencing products. The audio still has a bit of latency as we mentioned earlier, and
this seems to be more of a software optimization issue White Pine has to address rather
than the limitation of the network. However, many similar products suffer from the same
problems.
The other “room for improvement” issues are minor. The chat GUI is not nearly
as attractive or functional as the AOL or NetMeeting chats, although this isn’t a
major functional part of the product. The other issue is the poor Web page that lists the
compatible cameras. It appears to not have been updated in a while, and is below average
design.
To be fair, CU-SeeMe Pro is basically a SOHO/home user gadget, and was developed for
the home user market. In fact, there is an entire Web
site that allows users to contact others on the Web using the software. For business
purposes, CU-SeeMe Pro probably won’t be taken seriously unless it is connected to
the MeetingPoint Conference Server, which makes it a powerful business tool.
CONCLUSION
CU-SeeMe Pro is an above-average product for video conferencing, particularly
when used in tandem with another White Pine Software product, MeetingPoint Conference
Server. With the possible exception of an identity crisis, White Pine has made all the
right moves with the product. Even less-than-perfect audio can be forgiven, as all similar
products suffer from the same dilemma. An easy-to-use GUI and administration make the
product accessible, coupled with better than average quality video and audio. CU-SeeMe Pro
is a deserving recipient of the Editors’ Choice Award. |
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