In this paper I discuss augmenting existing classrooms or UMTV stations with the ability to
send and receive paper documents.
Scenario #1: No computers
In this scenario, there are no computers available. This could be in a classroom or a UMTV
station equipped with audio-visual equipment, such as camera, Viz, and/or television, but
without access to a computer. To accomplish the transmission of paper documents from one
location to another, the only solution in this case is to use 2 facsimile machines, one at each
station. Note that both stations must have telephone lines to accomplish this, and that when
faxing is occurring, the phone lines cannot be used for conversation. Therefore, to maintain an
audio link between the stations while fax machines are in use, the stations must be equipped
either with a microphone and separate audio line (such as through UMTV) or with a second
phone line.
Note that fax machines can also be used in any of the other scenarios as well as long as a
telephone line was present at each station.
Scenario #2: Computer at transmitting station
In this scenario, the "transmitting" station (i.e. the station transmitting the document, where a
teacher or lecturer might be located) contains computer equipment, but the "receiving" station
(i.e. the station receiving the document, where students are located) may not. In this situation,
the transmiting station may be able to use a fax modem (along with its associated send-fax
software) instead of a fax machine to transmit the document. However, the receiving station
'will still need a fax machine, and both stations will still need telephone lines.
Using a fax modem instead of a fax machine is advantageous if the documents to be transmitted
are already stored on the computer in some digital form. However, if the documents to be
transmitted are hardcopies, then a scanner and its associated software will need to be employed
as well. This is generally considered to be a more complex setup than utilizing a fax machine.
Scenario #3: Computer at receiving station
In this scenario, the "receiving" station contains a computer but the "transmitting" station
may not. While either of the previous solutions (fax machines or fax modems) will work in this
scenario, we now have a richer set of options at our disposal. For instance, if the PC is
equipped with video input, we can employ video-capture software to capture video frames
from the transmitting site. Once captured, a video frame can be converted and stored as a
standard graphic file and printed using standard graphics software and a printer. Thus, to
transmit a paper document, the document would simply need to be imaged on the transmitting
side using a visualizer or standard camera, then the image would be captured and printed on
the receiving side.
Of course, this scenario, like all its predecessors, assumes that you have a TV link between the
stations; the transmitting station will of course need the ability to transmit video (such as via a
modulator onto UMTV) and the receiving station will need at least the ability to receive this
video. But this scenario removes the necessity of devoting a phone line to transmitting the
paper document via fax, plus it is a much faster way to transmit images.
Scenario #4: Computers at both stations
What if you could have it all? Yes -- a computer at both stations! This opens up a world of
possibilities. Now you could employ any of the techniques discussed in the previous scenarios,
plus you can avoid having to use a TV link to transmit the images! This may not seem like
much of an advantage, but relying on UMTV significantly constrains the locations of the
stations. Even where video can be broadcast via satellite, most buildings do not have access to
a cable headend and satellite system, and even when they do (such as on our campus), a cable
television drop can be found in perhaps only a few rooms within that building. So being able
to transmit video and/or audio via computer networks greatly enhances the locations that can
be used for transmitting and receiving documents even if teleconferencing ability is diminished
by current technology.
In this situation, the most effective way to transmit a document would be to use a computer
network (LAN or WAN, including the Internet) to send the document. The transmitting
computer can "serve" the document using an FTP or HTTP server application; the receiving
station could then employ standard Internet software to retrieve the document and print it out.
Additionally, any of the techniques mentioned in the previous scenarios could be applied if a
video link were present, such as using a teleconferencing program like CU-SeeMe -- video
frames could then be output to a printer on the receiving end.
Conclusion
