VoIP Video Calls

For making VoIP video calls your best choice is Ozeki VoIP SIP SDK because it provides remarkable technology for this purpose. Since it ensures all the necessary background for such a project, you will save considerable time and effort. In case you already developed your softphone for voice calls with Ozeki SIP SDK, you will only need to implement some extra parts for video phoning. Of course, you will also find all the necessary details if you are a starter.

Introduction to VoIP video calls

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communication extends the standard telephoning features with several new functionalities such as video phoning. This communication form needs some further devices and background support besides the original VoIP requirements.

Video phoning uses the basis of the voice communication and extends it with some extra codec support and display methods. In case of video communication not only audio but also video data is sent in a digitized and segmented form through the established phone line between the two VoIP clients. If both clients support video phoning, users can talk to each other as if they were in the same room.

VoIP voice calls require some basic tools and devices that are listed and introduced in the VoIP audio calls article. In the next sections you will learn about those tools and devices that are needed beside the audio call requirements.

Webcam

The most important tool for video phoning is the camera that captures the video data. The camera is a simple input device that basically works for the same purpose as the microphone in case of voice communication.

Read more:
How to use video devices (camera, video playback)

Video display

Video display is the output "device" for video telephoning. In the case of a softphone, it is a panel on the user interface that displays the incoming video data. In case of most softphones, the local video is also displayed on the GUI on a separate display panel.

Read more:
How to make a video call

Video codecs

VoIP video communication is based on some background implementation of coder and decoder definitions called codecs. These standard tools are used for defining the digitization and digital to analog conversion methods for video data streams. The codecs also hold information about the compression of video data with saving the quality.

Read more:
Supported codecs
Addressing video quality (resolutions, codecs)