Uncompressed High-Definition Videoconferencing Tools for Telemedicine and Distance Learning

Abstract

Uncompressed high-definition (HD) video image quality is superior to compressed HD video provided in most commercially available videoconferencing products. Uncompressed HD videoconferencing tools provide a more immersive experience because there is no reduction of image information and, in most cases, lower latency. Four open source uncompressed video applications are reviewed that have been tested at the National Library of Medicine: three transmitting uncompressed HD video and one transmitting loosely compressed standard-definition video. The technical requirements for implementing each are described, and test results in terms of image quality, latency, and application reliability are presented. Because the hardware and bandwidth requirements for uncompressed HD video are relatively high and most applications are still under development, they are generally not ready for mass deployment. Some are, however, ready for pilot testing and experimentation in clinical settings by either those who have or anticipate having bandwidth sufficient to support them or those interested in researching the effects higher-quality video may have on diagnostic and other clinical outcomes.

Technical aspects of clinical videoconferencing: a large scale review of the literature

“…Uncompressed High Definition technologies, though not yet ready for broad deployment, can be used in disciplines such as teledermatology in which standard definition video is not satisfactory. 15 Results of this review showed that a very low proportion of papers have mentioned frame rate and image quality of their videoconferencing solutions. Although the overall quality of videoconferencing depends on many factors, 16 reporting a few basic settings of videoconferencing (such as frame rate) under study can roughly indicate the quality of video and audio experienced by the clinicians and/or patients during a clinical video visit.…”

High definition live interactive and store and forward teledermatology: Initial qualitative observations

“…Teledermatology was chosen as the research domain because this study includes testing very high resolution uncompressed high definition video and more standardized, compressed high definition video. The former are just emerging from laboratories and need testing in telemedicine domains where high resolution images are needed [10,11]. Dermatological diagnoses rely on visual examination to a great extent and resolution more be more of an issue than in other medical domains, such as telepsychiatry.…”