This document summarizes new video conferencing capabilities in Lync Server 2013, including support for H.264 SVC/AVC up to 1080p HD, continuous presence for up to 5 users, HD photos, face detection and smart framing. It describes how Scalable Video Codec works with temporal and spatial scalability. Interoperability with legacy video is supported through SVC config modes. New conferencing policy cmdlets allow configuration of features like multi-view and total receive video bitrate.

1. Video Conferencing Capabilities
within Lync Server 2013
Adam Jacobs
Polycom Global UCA, Lync MVP
@adamjacobs
http://imaucblog.com
adam@imaucblog.com

2. Disclaimer
Everything within this presentation is based
upon capabilities within Lync Server 2013 Public
Preview, as this is a public beta release and not
RTM, features could be subject to change.
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3. Agenda (all in 25mins) 
• Lync 2010 video capability
• Lync 2013 a standards-based approach
• Lync 2013 video changes
• Scalable Video Codec (SVC)
• Video interoperability
• Changes to video manageability in 2013
• Questions
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4. First some Lync 2010 video
history…
• Lync Server 2010 AVMCU is limited to H.263 (P2P only) and
RTV video codecs
• HD 720p is only possible with RTV and point-to-point (not
AVMCU)
• Lync Server 2010 needs to be enabled for HD
– Set-CsMediaConfiguration –Identity Global -
MaxVideoRateAllowed Hd720p15M
• HD 720p receive requires either dual core (15fps) or quad
core (30fps)
• HD 720p both send/receive requires quad core
• Interoperability with legacy video requires Microsoft SIP
signalling capability and RTV video support (3rd party SW or
native support)
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5. Lync 2013 a standards-based
approach
• Microsoft engaged in Unified Communications
Interoperability Forum (UCIF) for standardisation of
video, transport and signalling
• Lync 2013 H.264 bitstream is likely to confirm to UCIF
interoperability spec, removing the need to perform
media transcoding for other UCIF compliant H.264
systems
• Lync 2013 video specifications disclosed publically
• Capability to leverage H.264 hardware-based
acceleration
• Polycom H.264 SVC technology adopted
• More on SVC later…
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6. What’s new in Lync 2013
conferencing?
• H.264 SVC/AVC support
• Up to 1080p HD multi-party and point-to-point video
• Supporting desktop, mobile, and slate devices (including web)
• Up to 5 users continuous presence (most active participants/pinning)
• HD photos (delivered only via Exchange 2013)
• Face detection and smart framing (demo)
• Dynamic layouts
– Gallery View shows all participants’ photos or videos
– Speaker View shows the meeting content and only the presenter’s video or
photo
– Presentation View shows meeting content only
– Compact View shows just the meeting controls
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7. Face detection and smart framing
(Demo)
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8. Scalable Video Code (SVC)
1. Temporal scalability
Layer 0 : 720p 7.5fps
Layer 1 : 720p 15fps
7.5 frames
Layer 2 : 720p 30fps
7.5 frames
15 frames
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9. Scalable Video Code (SVC)
2. Spatial scalability
Layer 0 : 180p
Layer 1 : 360p
180p res.
Layer 2 : 720p
180p res.
360p res.
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10. Scalable Video Code (SVC)
1 + 2 = SVC
Lync 2013 Lync 2010 Polycom
Slate Client Legacy Video
Client Client Legacy Video
(H.264 SVC (H.264 AVC
(H.264 SVC (RTVideo 720p (RTVideo 720p
720p capable) 720p capable)
1080p capable) capable) capable)
The combination of these two processes result in video appropriate to the
requesting video endpoint. AVMCU routes/discards video modes that are
unsuitable for the client based upon SDP discovery
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11. Video Interoperability
• SVC Config Mode 0, 1 (Simulcast)
– Suggestion is Mode 0 for legacy video
(H.264 AVC or RTVideo)
– Mode 1 for H.264 SVC
• Simultaneous streaming being a
requirement for non-transcoding MCU
• Lync 2010 and/or legacy video
endpoints will result in gallery Source: MSDN 2.2.12.2 Video Source
view and high resolution video Request (VSR)
being unavailable
• Video gateways still necessary to
facilitate Microsoft SIP signalling
• 3rd party bridges still a
requirement for communication
with standard
SIP, H.323, ISDN, TIP, etc.
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12. New CsConferencingPolicy
Cmdlets in Lync 2013 Preview
Default in
Cmdlet Description Preview
AllowMultiView Enable multi-view by AVMCU : True
DisablePowerPointAnnota
tions Allow annotations to PowerPoint slides, allowed by default : False
AllowNonEnterpriseVoice Conference dial out for users that are not enabled for
UsersToDialOut Enterprise Voice : False
OneNote notebooks linked to a conference are automatically
updated with information i.e. conference participants and
AllowSharedNotes details about content shared during the conference : True
AllowLargeMeetings Limits notifications to participants and roster size : False
Only for Lync 2013 clients, specifies max allowed bitrate for all
combined video streams received, except for panorama. E.g. if
you specify 1500 kbps, then a client can receive up to 1500
TotalReceiveVideoBitRate kbps of video, which may consist of multiple 180P video
Kb streams or a single 540P video stream. : 6000
EnableMultiViewJoin Enable multi-view by user : True
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13. Resources
• Jeff Schertz’s Blog (fellow MVP and Polycom employee)
http://blog.schertz.name/2012/07/video-interoperability-in-
lync-2013/
• Microsoft’s H.264 AVC and SVC UCConfig specification
http://bit.ly/MGw1rB
• Polycom and Microsoft joint-announcement
http://www.polycom.com/company/news_room/press_releas
es/2010/20101108_2.html
• UCI Forum http://www.ucif.org/
• MSDN Video Source Request (VSR) reference
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh659630.aspx
• My Blog (I’m a UC Blog) http://imaucblog.com
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14. Questions?
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