Real-Time PDA Based Cell Phone to Cell Phone Video Transmission?

[kzemach]

Quick question-

We're looking for, and may have found one source, for a solution to send real time video from one WM based cell phone to another over a regular cell network. Yeah, there's a tradeoff of frame rate and resolution, but these guys have pulled it off apparently. However, the development costs for finishing the package are going to be high. Does anyone know of any companies that are already doing this? I did some searching, but everything I find is video to cell phones over WiFi, and that's not what we want.

Thanks,

Ken

[GSmith]

Not sure what you mean by "regular cell network". The main "data over regular cell network" physical layer methods are CSD (9 kbits/sec), GPRS (50kbits/sec), EDGE (150kbits/sec), 1xRTT (140 kbits/sec), EVDO (400-600 kbits/sec) and UTMS (400 kbits/sec). The availability, cost and convenience of each of these varies greatly between carriers, within countries, and around the world.

I don't know the answer to your question, but I think your search likely will be impacted by the exact method of video transfer (and thus the bitrate). The streaming method is very likely to be "over the internet", so ruling out WiFi ("over the internet", which is usually limited to broadband or T1 speeds) is not a huge deal (in terms of bitrate) if your alternative is 1xRTT, EVDO or UTMS. If your alternatives are either ad-hoc or direct ethernet network over WiFi, then the bitrate difference between "WiFi" and EVDO or UTMS would be dramatic.

And I apologize for being both very technical and possibly useless in answering your question. :roll:

[kzemach]

No, actually, while technically way over my head, it's getting me more sped up on this issues. We'd actually fall into the lowest (10 kbps) category, and it's allegedly this bandwidth that the company in question is sending streaming video at 1 FPS minimum. Low res, but high enough to not stink. I kid you not. I haven't seen it yet, but someone I know has. Now, perhaps they were NOT using such a low data rate medium, and the guy passing me this info isn't switched on. I think we're gonna end up finding out.

FYI, the company with these interesting claims is www.kttech.com

[GSmith]

After reviewing the web site, it seems reasonable and technically feasible. Depending on your exact application, this might work just fine.

I would take note of one-way vs. two-way requirements and bandwidth compared to the service/bandwidth that is available in the exact areas you may need. But when you specify 10kbps, I think that is essentially available (well, 9600 actually) through GSM anywhere you can make a GSM call (using "CSD" service) if the carrier has the equipment.

To answer your earlier question: I do not know of anyone else doing this.

[Sven Johannsen]

If you can get to a UMTS system the Jasjar has video call capability built in. Even has a camera on the same side as the screen so the other party can see you, instead of what you see. (look at where most cell phone cameras are, when you are looking at the screen:) )

I think this sort of thing is not all that uncommon in Korea where they have a much more developed 3G network. I'd look a bit more, now that 3G networks, Edge, EVDO, are being rolled out left and right.

As another thought, does it need to be just the cell phone, or can it be with a PPC but the transmission be via a cell phone? MS research has had a program for a long time called Portrait, which involves low dta rate videoteleconferencing. Drawback is that it supports a relatively limited set of hardware. Given a PPC with a supoorted camera, and a BT connected cell phone though, I would bet you could do what you want.

http://research.microsoft.com/mcom/portrait/

I see the latest version even supports the Eten P300 Pocket Phone directly.

[kzemach]

Thanks guys. That was all quite helpful actually, and gives me some more leads and thoughts as we push through.

Ken