CU-SeeMe (pronounced "see you, see me") is free desktop videoconferencing software for Macintosh and PC/compatible computers. CU-SeeMe allows you to send and receive digital video, sound, and text over the Internet to other users around the world. You can either connect directly to a single user, or you can connect to a "reflector site" and have a conference with multiple users. Click this button to toggle the display of the status line.

What Do I Need to Get Started? [Back to Top]

CU-SeeMe videoconferencing software (available at Cornell University's web site, listed below)

any Macintosh (other than a Mac SE or Mac Plus) running System 7 or later.

a PC running Windows 3.1 or Windows95, with a color video driver and a Sound Blaster compatible sound card.

a Connectix QuickCam ($95 - $107, available from the Microcomputer Purchase Program)

CU-SeeMe also works with several other Mac and PC digitizing solutions. You can check Cornell's web site for some other options.

An on-campus networked computer. You can use CU-SeeMe over a modem, but its functionality is limited.

Setting Up the QuickCam [Back to Top]

Before installing the CU-SeeMe software, connect the QuickCam to your computer and install the software that came with the QuickCam. Refer to the QuickCam User Guide for complete instructions.




Obtaining a Copy of CU-SeeMe [Back to Top]

The best place to obtain a copy of CU-SeeMe, as well as the most up-to-date CU-SeeMe information, is at

http://cu-seemee.cornell.edu

Versions are available for Macintosh and PC platforms. Macintosh users should note that there are different versions for Power Mac and 68040 machines. To get CU-SeeMe:

1. Enter the URL: http://cu-seeme.cornell.edu
2. Click the appropriate item to download it to your hard disk. Netscape copies the file to the default download folder.
3. If Netscape is not set up to automatically run a decompression utility (pkunzip on the PC and Stuffit Expander on the Mac) you need to run one of these utilities to decompress the files.




Installing CU-SeeMe (Macintosh) [Back to Top]

1. Double-click the CU-SeeMe application. The first time you run the program, the CU-SeeMe Preferences box appears.

2. Enter the Video Title. This is the name other users see when they connect to you.
3. Select the rest of the preferences as they are shown in the example, then click OK.

   The Local Video window is displayed.

4. If you need to adjust the brightness or contrast of your window, click the control button below the picture. Then, select "Picture" from the Options pop-up menu and adjust the sliders to improve the brightness and contrast.
5. Select "Video" from the options pop-up menu and confirm that Connectix QuickCam is selected.




Installing CU-SeeMe (Windows) [Back to Top]

When you unzipped the Windows download file, a series of files needed to run CU-SeeMe were placed in your download directory.

1. Check in your windowssystem directory for the files ctl3d.dll, msvideo.dll, and ivslider.dll. If these files exist, then you can delete the newly uncompressed files with the same names. Otherwise you will need to copy the new .dll files into the windowssystem directory.
2. In Windows 3.1, select "Run" from the File menu; in Windows 95, click the Start button and select "Run."
3. Type c:directorycuseeme.exe, where directory is the directory into which you downloaded CU-SeeMe. The installer runs and opens CU-SeeMe when it is done.
4. Once CU-SeeMe is running, select "Preferences" from the Edit menu and type the name that you would like to have appear at the top of your connection box.
5. Confirm that the Preferences box looks like the example above.
6. Select "Video Setup" from the File menu and click Connectix Quickcam.
7. Finally, select "Sound Devices" from the File menu and select the audio driver for the sound card in your computer.




Running a CU-SeeMe Session [Back to Top]

When CU-SeeMe starts up, you are presented with a Local Video window of yourself that looks something like this:

The identification name, which you specified in the installation section, appears in the title bar. If your camera is working properly, you'll see an image. Four control buttons appear below the image, and below that is the status line.




Connecting Directly to Another User [Back to Top]

To connect to another CU-SeeMe user,

1. E-mail or call another use to obtain his or her IP address and set up a time when you'll both be connected with your videoconferencing software.
2. Select Connect from the Conference menu and enter the user's IP address (i.e. aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd).
3. The user's picture should appear.

Viewing other Users. This is how another CU-SeeMe user appears to you once you have established a connection.

If you cannot connect successfully, make sure the other user has established his or her connection and that you have entered the proper IP address.

Connecting to a Reflector Site. A reflector site is a computer set up to handle multiple CU-SeeMe connections. When you connect to a reflector site you can simultaneously communicate with multiple users. To connect to a reflector site:

Select Connect from the Conference menu and enter the reflector site's IP address (i.e. aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd).

A good site to experiment with is 132.236.91.204 (Cornell University). A list of other reflector sites is included with the CU-SeeMe software.




Reflector Etiquette [Back to Top]

In consideration for those who operate reflectors, please observe the following practices when connecting to someone else's reflector:

1. E-mail the contact person for each reflector and tell them how you are planning to use the connection and for (approximately) how long.
2. Don't stay connected for extended periods (hours) unless invited to do so.
3. Don't leave a transmission going with a still image (or worse) with a message crawling. It uses bandwidth on the net and capacity on the reflector.
4. Don't set your Maxkbps (cap) above 100 kbps. Don't set change threshold below 20. Preferably just use the defaults.
5. A General Caution: Currently CU-SeeMe conferences are open to viewing by anyone who connects with an active reflector. Anyone who hangs out on an active reflector can see anyone who tunes in to that reflector as reflector software repeats all streams of a conference to all receivers.




Editing Your List of Nicknames [Back to Top]

If you repeatedly use a particular IP address, you can add it to your list of nicknames for easy access.

1. Drag down to "Edit Nickname" in the Edit menu and select "New."
2. Make up a nickname for the connection and enter the IP address. Then click OK.

The nickname is now accessible by dragging down to "Connect To" in the Conference menu.




Disconnecting From a CU-SeeMe Session [Back to Top]

When you are finished with your videoconference, select Disconnect from the Conference menu.




Need More Help? [Back to Top]

Visit http://cu-seeme.cornell.edu to find the latest information on CU-SeeMe. If you need more help, contact Microcomputer Consulting and Services in 151 McKenzie Hall (e-mail: microhelp@oregon.uoregon.edu; phone: 346-4412), Monday to Friday, 9 am - 5 pm.