Encounters in Videoconferencing

Although customers are curious about telepresence systems, not many are buying, say local audio-visual experts. “It’s predicted to be about 1 percent of all videoconferencing sales in the next 12 months,” Stoebner says. Part of the reason is the high price. Baer says that on average, one telepresence-equipped room could cost between $250,000 and $500,000, and to get the full effect, users need at least two such rooms. Expect Fortune 500 companies to be the first to adopt this technology.

Home and Away

The small meeting-room videoconferencing systems are far and away where the volume is,” Stoebner says of his business. Other AV experts echoed his sentiments, saying that most clients want a dedicated room with a permanent videoconferencing installation. Dedicated installations offer the most reliable network connections, resulting in smooth sound and video.

But many people are still opting for portable and desktop systems. With a desktop setup, the user receives the transmission on his or her computer and is recorded by a camera that sits on top of the monitor.

For road warriors, a camera, software, and wireless broadband connection make it possible to videoconference from a laptop computer. However, Stoebner cautions, “If you go to a retail store and buy a $99 camera for your computer . . . it’s not going to look spectacular.” Another issue with portable systems is that the bandwidth required for a smooth picture may not always be available.

One mobile option is the BVP8882 Videophone from Internet telephone company Globalinx in Rochester, New York. It’s a small laptop-shaped device that has a traditional telephone keypad, a telephone handset, and a five-inch LCD display with a built-in camera and can be used to make video telephone calls. The device places calls via a high-speed Internet connection and requires a minimum bandwidth of 256 kilobytes per second. It doesn’t require an external monitor, keyboard, microphone, or speaker, and you can place regular telephone calls with it. However, in order to have a video conversation, the user on the other end must also have a Videophone.

Web conferencing is videoconferencing that takes place over the Internet. This includes Web-based seminars, which can incorporate interaction between the audience and presenters or be produced as one-way broadcasts. Users download software from the Internet or use an application on the Internet to participate. One benefit to this method is the ability to simultaneously transfer files, such as charts and other visual aids.