Isabel v5 Quick Guide
From Isabel Plaza Wiki
This page is intended to help newcomers to participate in an Isabel session. There are two mechanisms to connect: via Web browser and via native Isabel connection. Follow this other instructions if you plan to install an Isabel videoconferencing server yourself.
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[edit] Web Participation
The Isabel v5 application has a build in gateway that provides a Flash video stream. This participation mechanism does not require the installation of any software of modification of the user's PC in any way. The only requirement is the availability of a Flash enabled browser.
Users can connect to this gateway by loading the session URL on a Flash enabled browser.
We do not recommend this participation mechanism for event speakers.
[edit] Firewall settings
TCP Port 1935 needs to be open for connecting to Isabel through the Web gateway.
[edit] Isabel native participation
This is the recommended participation mechanism for event speakers.
[edit] Download, Install and Run Isabel v5
Isabel v5 is distributed as a Live Ubuntu Isabel (LUI) disk image which can run Isabel live from CD, DVD or USB without hard disk installation on PCs with Linux, Windows or even with no OS installed. Isabel v5 will be referred as Isabel 4.12.xxxxxxx until the final v5 release is made.
Isabel 4.11 installations can be updated to Isabel v5 (4.12.xxxxxxx) using the standard version update as described here.
To install Isabel v5 from scratch download the latest image of Isabel 4.12.xxxxxxx LUI version from here to generate a CD, DVD or USB stick, which can be used to perform a hard disk installation or to run Isabel live.
We recommend for stable participation a hardware installation, although LUI can run from removable media like CDs, DVDs and USB Sticks. We recommend to use USB sticks as they give better performance and allows for storage of customizations and Isabel updates.
[edit] Hardware Requirements
The latest Isabel v5 LUI is based on the Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic) Linux distribution. Isabel is also compatible with Ubuntu 8.04, 8.10 and 9.04 Ubuntu versions, but previous distributions are not supported. The PC Hardware to run Isabel must be supported by this Ubuntu distribution. The PC running Isabel must have the following configuration:
- CPU: Pentium IV 2 GHz (single core) or higher
- RAM: 1Gbyte of RAM
- Sound Card and microphone: full duplex interface. Session or flow servers do not need sound card. Find here a very good and cheap microphone choice for small groups which connects directly to "mic in".
- Graphic VGA Controller: 1024x768 resolution is used in typical Isabel sessions.
- Video interfaces: video cards or Webcams supported in (Ubuntu Karmic). Additional useful information about supported Webcams can be found here and here.
- Network Interface: a 10 Mbps Ethernet is enough to connect to a session. Servers or FSs may need more, i.e. a 100 Mbps Ethernet interface.
[edit] Create the removable media
The LUI image (about 700 Mbyte) should be downloaded from here and used to burn on the chosen removable media. A thorough LUI installation guide can be found here. For quick access to specific LUI media creation use this table:
| Your PC's OS | Recomended | Other Installations |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | USB | CD/DVD |
| Linux | USB | CD/DVD |
| MacOS | CD/DVD |
[edit] Boot from the removable media
When the LUI has been burned on to the removable media, insert it in the PC and boot from it. Follow your BIOS instructions if needed to change the boot order to allow booting from CD/DVD/USB. Further instructions can be found in section 5 of the Isabel LUI guide.
Once your live LUI is running you can use Isabel commands by clicking on
"Applications -> Isabel"
and selecting the various commands: "Help", "Utilities", "Connect To", "Local Test", "Start Session Server", ... as shown in Figure 1.
[edit] Hard Disk Installation
For frequent use, we strongly recommend to do a permanent hard disk installation. It can be performed from a running LUI system by clicking on the installation icon that appears on the desktop. Detailed instructions can be found in section 6 of the Isabel LUI guide. It is advisable to call a Linux expert to do the installation.
[edit] Update the Isabel version
Isabel 4.11 installations can be updated to Isabel v5, as follows:
Add the following line to your Ubuntu 9.10 repositories list:
deb http://ubuntu.dit.upm.es/ karmic extras
This can be done inside the application Synaptic Package Manager, from System->Administration menu,
or you can also add the Isabel v5 repository line to the file: /etc/apt/sources.lst.
Once the line is added, the Isabel installation can be updated to the latest version over the Internet from the Ubuntu menus (see figure 2):
"Applications -> Isabel -> Utilities -> Isabel Update"
Please ensure you accept any agreement shown on screen while installing Isabel.
[edit] Installing on a fresh Ubuntu operating system
If you are installing Isabel on an Ubuntu operating system without any prvious Isabel version, once you add the Isabel repository line as explained above, open a terminal window at menu Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal and run the command sudo apt-get install isabel.
[edit] Firewall set up
Isabel v5 needs only 1 UDP unicast port (bidirectional) to connect to the session. Isabel v5 connects to the session entry point (session URL) over UDP port 53018. In case port 53018 is closed Isabel will try to connect over the following UDP ports: 53, 88, 161, 162, 500, 1080, 1720 and 4672. If any of those ports is open no further configuration is needed in the firewall.
If none of them is open, the firewall administrator should open UDP port 53018.
[edit] Flash Gateway Web Access
TCP Port 1935 is required to be open for connecting to Isabel through the Web gateway.
[edit] Test the Isabel installation
The local test mode of Isabel can be entered by executing the menu option (see Figure 4):
"Applications -> Isabel-> Local Test"
This Isabel mode facilitates local audio and video testing. The Desktop background is modified to guide you through the different local tests. Running Isabel on Local Test mode won't let you connect to a session nor start one, but it eases the steps for your local configuration.
You will be able to see if you webcam has been recognized and renders a good image. If you see a black image or the quality of the video is not well adjusted, click on the Isabel Local on the tools icon and select Video -> Video Camera Icon as shown in Figure: Isabel Local Menu. A Video Configuration window (Figure: Video Configuration Window) will appear where you can change the camera to use as well as the contrast, brightness and saturation settings, if your webcam allows it.
Clicking on the mixing board icon opens a software mixing board with your audio vumeter. If you click on Configure button (upper right cornter) a new Aduio Configuration window appears. The Audio Wizard (see Figure: Audio Configuration Window), lets you test your audio output and capturing levels as well as possible echo problems of your mic.
If Isabel has to be connected to the audiovisuals system of a room or auditorium, an audiovisual experts should be contacted. The Isabel Audiovisuals Guide provides guidelines on how to connect the Isabel terminal to the auditorium audiovisuals.
[edit] Connect to an Isabel Session
To connect to an Isabel session click on the menu option
"Applications -> Isabel -> Connect To"
A window will appear (see Figure 6) with following parameters to fill in:
- URL: the session URL (an IP or URL provided by organiser, i.e. mcu1.dit.upm.es)
- Nickname: your company acronym (UPM, UC3M, UPC, MIT, NASA, …) or your name such that your video can be identified and recognized by all other session participants.
- Location: your town or company (Madrid, Paris, NewYork, ...) to allow other participants to indentify your phisical location.
and click on the “Connect” button to join your Isabel terminal to the session URL.
Connection to the session can be made using the URL of any other Isabel PC connected to the session that will then act as a session proxy.
[edit] Run your own session
To organise your own session, start an Isabel session server through the menu option
"Applications -> Isabel -> Start Session Server"
A window will appear (see Figure 7) allowing you to fill in the proper session parameters. The session server will be initiated by clicking on the "Start Server" button. The session URL will be composed by the IP or FQDN of the PC running the server and any contents of the session name you filled at session start.
To connect to this session the session participants will have to click on "Connect To" with the session URL indicated in the panel (i.e. isabel://serv1.dit.upm.es/MySession, serv1.dit.upm.es or 123.45.67.89). Clients will enter in demo mode if the session server has no license installed (Live CD case). Licenses can be installed only in servers with hard disk installations.
[edit] Isabel v5 new features
- New Affero GPL License for the Isabel software
- New Web gateway
[edit] Isabel 4.11 new features
- Firewall friendly tunneling over 1 UDP port with unicast. Isabel attempts to cross the firewall by sequential probbing following UDP ports: 53018, 53, 88, 161, 162, 500, 1080, 1720 and 4672.
- SIP gateway. Allows SIP VC clients to connect to an Isabel session, i.e. comercial VC systems supporting SIP, MSN Messenger, etc.
- Multi version support: Isabel 4.11 also includes version 4.10, such that this version can be used to connect with session servers running Isabel 4.11 and 4.10.
- Asymmetric bandwidth allocation for ADSL lines.
- Enhanced user interface.
- Video quality enhancements.
- Several improvements and bug fixes.
[edit] Troubleshooting
We are in the process of building a FAQ page for easy troubleshooting of problems. If you do not find help here, please give us feedback.
[edit] Feedback
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