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Conferencing Equipment
Choosing the right video conferencing equipment, systems and cameras for your business
July 21, 2006
By: Alice Osborn
Today there are many options for choosing the appropriate
video conferencing equipment for your company, be it an
enterprise or a SOHO. Although the technology might seem
intimidating at first, equipment for video conferencing
simply facilitates an audio and video interactive
connection. Before purchasing the video conferencing system,
consider the room size and the system set up -- will it be
an ISDN or IP-based system? Budget is another factor, as
well as the importance of audio and video synchronization
and clarity.
How should we communicate -- ISDN or IP-based?
When people think of video conferencing, they usually
think of the traditional system with participants sitting
around a table talking into a
Polycom unit using dedicated
hardware video bridges and ISDN lines. This system is still
the industry standard for sound and video quality. However,
a greater number of institutions are testing IP-based or
web-based video conference systems. In contrast with ISDN
video conferencing technology, web-based systems are more
affordable and they are more mobile than fixed ISDN-based
video conferencing systems.
A typical ISDN video conferencing system consists of the
TV or monitor, a microphone, speakers, cameras, the H.320
Basic Rate ISDN (BRI) to enable circuit-switched network
communication (needs at least 128K and the most expensive
systems offer three BRI lines to give 384Kbps of speed), and
a video codec (Coder/Decoder) that converts and compresses
analog data into digital data. Polycom and Sony make video
conferencing units that work on top of the TV with either
the microphone or speakers attached or separate from the
video conferencing unit. The cameras are also either
built-in to the unit or they can be detached cameras with
remote control options. When making your video conferencing
purchasing decision, look into a unit that offers a view of
the near-end (your side) and the far-end on the same screen,
so everyone can see how they look to the other team.
On the other hand, the equipment requirements of an
IP-based system include the computer, a broadband
connection, a software program (like Microsoft NetMeeting),
which is the codec, and a web camera. The audio and video
data is digitized into packets through the standard of H.323
with a recommended range of 256K to 768Kbps -- many common
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) implementations use the
H.323 standard as well. An IP-based system generates a web
video conference, during which the participants use polls
and virtual whiteboards. An IP-based system is as mobile as
a laptop with a few plug-in devices.
Advantages and disadvantages for both video
conferencing systems
Advantages for ISDN-based systems:
- Great video quality, allowing participants to clearly
see each other
- Ideal for large groups
- Sharp camera quality that can accommodate
sophisticated PTZ (Pan Tilt Zoom) and remote cameras, as
well as cameras that are voice-activated
- Has vendor quality standards
- Is easily able to synchronize audio and video
functions
Disadvantages for ISDN-based systems:
- Can be expensive because of the equipment and the
bridge, ISDN (some of these cost $120-$240), plus local
and long distance fees
- Not easy to move around
- Multimedia integration is difficult
Advantages for IP-based systems:
- Cost effective since the user only pays for unlimited
broadband service and the cost of the software and camera
- Can integrate with groupware, whiteboards, and other
web collaboration software
Disadvantages for IP-based systems:
- Video and audio images may be spotty and/or poor
- Not good for large groups since the picture would have
to be projected, which would diminish the video quality
- Cannot fully guarantee Quality-of-Service (QoS)
Final thoughts on purchasing a new video conferencing
system
Whatever you system you choose, it needs to connect with
people in order to make your business more productive and
save those travel dollars. The best systems are the ones
that don't gather dust in the conference room because they
are easy to operate and they work! The sound quality should
be excellent and the picture should not jump or freeze
(better connection speeds might prevent this). Make your
video conferencing system a good buy by not skimping on the
monitor, cameras, and microphones. Also make sure you find a
room with good acoustics and have a plan for arranging your
participants so that they are all within the camera and
microphone range.
ISDN and IP-based video conferencing systems have their
pros and cons, and only you can know which one is right.
Perhaps you are a small business and need to spend money on
other projects -- using an IP-based video conferencing
system may be your best bet. And if you are purchasing for a
large company, they will care a great deal about the sound
and video quality. In effect, buy the best system you can
afford now.
About the Author
Alice Osborn is a successful freelance writer and
contributor to Video-Conferencing-Guide.com. Your definitive guide to everything you need to know about video driven communications, including multi-view video conferencing solutions for business, broadband video phones and personal webcam chat rooms.
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Home Page:
[ Video-Conferencing-Guide.com ]
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