October 2010 Archives

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Peter Mann asked:




Video conferencing is method by which people in different locations communicate in real time with two or more people at different locations via video This ability to see the remote participants as well being able to hear them has many benefits over audio-conferencing.

Video conferencing is now widely used by all industry sectors. Multinational companies use it to communicate with international branch offices, whilst smaller companies use videoconferencing to enable them to work with clients and suppliers in different countries.

The equipment required for video conferencing is simple to operate. On screen menus enable you to enter the number you want to call or select it from an address book. Gone are the days where videoconferencing required specialist technicians – now everyone in your office can be shown how to place calls with a 10 minute training session.

Video conferencing should not be considered in ‘black and white’ terms – there will always be a need to travel to meet clients or partners especially during the important early stages when relationships are being built. Where videoconferencing wins out is being able to maintain those relationships easily and cost effectively.

Modern video conference systems enable users to share documents and computer images with the remote (far end) party. When videoconferencing is used in this manner it becomes part of a collaboration solution.

Video conferencing is not only used internationally, many legal firms and consultants use videoconference systems to avoid billing clients travel time and to be able to carry out more client meetings in any given time period.

Many-to-many communication: this is the most complex form of video conferencing and is mostly associated with room based video conferencing technology. In this case several parties (more than 2) are involved in the conference, and all can be seen and heard.

Why use video conferencing?

A telephone call or e-mail is not always the best way to communicate with another person. Interactive meetings can help to generate ideas, and enable people to read and react to others’ sensitivities

Video conference communication and meetings are often much shorter in total as no travel is involved. A meeting that may take you away from work for four hours (due to travel) may take only one or two hours using a video conference. You can communicate more regularly with people in other districts or countries, which would usually be costly or impossible if you had to travel. Using video conferencing saves money as it can lower your expenses – there is no need for all the costs involved with travelling, such as meals and tickets

You can video conference with many more people than would fit into a single meeting room because each party will be using their own facilities, video conferencing allows for collaboration by document sharing. Many people in different areas can work on the same project and make contributions.

Many institutions can receive the same broadcast simultaneously and thus a much greater level of participation can be gained. For example, a lecture being broadcast to students at many different educational institutions

How do I use videoconferencing?

Videoconferencing can be extremely easy to use.  The most recent developments have been with 4 digit dialling opposed to entering in IP Addresses to connect to the far end.  This process would often be perceived by non technical users of the system as overly technical and would lead to a frustrating and clumsy user experience. 

We are all used to entering phone numbers in to mobile phones or fax machines where there is an on screen display of the number being dialled. Video conferencing is similar but with a TV as the onscreen display and a video image of the participants at the far end. Placing a call is easy, although there are advanced features available on most videoconferencing systems, these do not need to be used if not necessary.

What equipment do I need?

Video conferencing systems & equipment vary from entry-level systems where a videoconferencing unit (codec) is placed on top of a TV monitor, through to advanced ‘installed’ systems in boardrooms and meeting rooms. The latter require careful system design and expert installation.  CCOMM have been designing and building complex but easy to use main board room and meeting room installations since 1996.

Apart from the videoconferencing hardware a carrier is required for the communication between the near-end and far-end systems. This carrier can be ISDN digital telephone lines or IP based computer networks. Generally when organisations use video conferencing to speak to branch or international offices then IP (h.323) is used. When speaking to outside organisations it is most common to use ISDN (h.320).



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Steven Long asked:




Do you need to connect with business colleagues and clients in an engaging yet efficient way without the hassle of traveling? If so, web conferencing could be a valuable tool for you. A relatively new communications phenomenon, web conferencing offers numerous benefits and advantages that could help you move your company to the forefront of the business world.

Deliver Messages Effectively

In the modern business world, it’s essential to get your point across in a clear and convincing manner. Without good communication, your company will not be able to reach its full potential for success and productivity. On the hand, quality communication can help to move your business forward and to boost its success. By making use of web conferencing to connect with peers and clients, you will be able to deliver messages effectively and efficiently.

Build Strong Relationships

Another key to success in any industry is building and maintaining strong relationships with both colleagues and clients. When you are successful in this arena, all aspects of your business will benefit. Web conferencing can help you to create strong bonds with others by allowing you to communicate with them in a personal and engaging way, even when you are separated by long distances. It can also help meeting participants in different locations put faces to names and to work together in an interactive way, creating a better dynamic and allowing for a better overall meeting experience. Whether you need to foster good working relationships among your employees or to maintain a solid connection with overseas clients, web conferencing is a highly valuable communications tool.

Bridge Geographical Distances

As alluded to previously, web conferencing can also bridge geographical distances by allowing for virtual meeting experiences that are similar to face-to-face meeting experiences. No matter where the meeting participants may be located, this type of conferencing brings everyone together into a single working environment, allowing for more fulfilling and productive discussions. By combining audio and video with a number of different web applications and features, web conferences allow meeting attendees to share and exchange data and ideas in an open and dynamic way. As a result, geographical distances become insignificant and people can work together effectively no matter where in the world they are located.

Streamline Your Work

Web conferencing is also highly beneficial in the sense that it allows you to streamline your work. Through the integration of the Internet with video conferencing capabilities, web conferencing provides you with a powerful communications tool and allows you to make use of a variety of applications and features with a single, easy-to-use interface. From delivering memorable presentations and demonstrating software to launching new products and collecting feedback from participants, web conferences let you take care of all of your virtual meeting needs in a single forum. As a result, you will enjoy greater efficiency as well as the satisfaction that comes with streamlining your work.

Save Time and Money

Incorporating web conferencing capabilities into your business meetings will also translate into greater efficiency with respect to both time and money. Not only will you save time and frustration by streamlining your work, you will also significantly reduce your required travel time. By allowing you to conduct productive and engaging meetings without ever leaving your office, online conferencing makes collaborating with colleagues and clients highly convenient. Moreover, by reducing the need to travel, web conferencing also allows you to save money, so you can stay within budget and get the most out of your available resources.

Benefit from Versatility

When you take advantage of web conferencing, you will also benefit from its high level of versatility and flexibility. As a powerful and dynamic communications tool, this type of long-distance conferencing can fulfill a variety of different functions. From collaborating with a team of colleagues to providing training and orientation to new employees, web conferences have multiple uses and can meet numerous communications requirements. Whether you need to interact with large groups of people or small audiences, web conferencing offers the flexibility you need to keep your business running efficiently.

Employ Multiple Features

One of the reasons that web conferencing offers such a high level of versatility and flexibility is the fact that it comes with multiple features and add-ons. Many online conferencing solutions come with scheduling and invitation features that allow you to gather participants together quickly and easily. Audio controls and reporting tools are also commonly offered by conferencing providers. In addition, other features that often accompany online conferencing solutions include everything from security and technical support to streaming media and live feedback functions. With so many excellent features and such a wealth of benefits, it’s clear that web conferencing is an outstanding communications tool for businesses large and small, one that can help you achieve your goals and take your company to the next level.



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Vivek Kushwaha asked:




If your company is considering adding video conferencing equipment one of things you will want to consider is how bandwidth will be required. Most of the video conferencing solutions now being sold are IP based as opposed to ISDN. Although ISDN is still being used the IP based systems are more economical.

There are several kinds of video conferencing solutions available for different user requirements :

Video Conferencing Software for Desktop video conferencing requires very little bandwidth and any DSL and cable service will easily meet the low band width requirements. The low cost and popular Polycom PVX Video Conferencing Software requires only 64 kbps to work. Standard DSL of the home variety has upload speeds of 336 kbps which is 5 times what the PVX requires.

Small Group conferencing equipment from 1 to 4 users in close proximity also use very little bandwidth such as the case with the PolycomVSeries systems like the V500. The V500 uses 128Kbps and delivers 30 frames per second.

Bandwidth requirements for Medium Sized Video Conferencing Systems for medium sized conference rooms with groups under 12 start to go up with additional features available such as content sharing and multi point conferencing. For a typical system such as the best selling VSX5000 series bandwidth requirements are as low as 56kbps at 30 Fields Per Second to 768kbps at 60 FPS. The faster the FPS, the higher the quality of the video conference.

Large System and HD video conferencing systems such as the Polycom HD9000 series require 1Mbps up to 4Mbps. A typical T1 is going provide 1.5Mbps of bandwidth with a bonded T3 delivering 4.5Mbps which can provide some over head for additional services.

To figure out how much bandwidth is going to be required for you solution a few questions need to be asked.

What level of quality is required? Will you be using an HD codec? Will you be doing Multi Point conferencing?

If your company would like to talk with a bandwidth specialist or video conferencing specialist call us at 800-335-0229 or get an instant quote for bandwidth by clicking here http://www.telcom-data.com/pri/index.aspx



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Damien Ghosh asked:




Video conferencing is a technique of conferencing which permits people sitting at two or more different venues to communicate and interact through two-way video and audio broadcasts, at the same time. Such kind of conferencing via the Internet uses high-end telecommunication systems to create a virtual meeting environment that sets the stage for a web meeting. The quality of video conferencing is enhanced with the presence of a webcam, a television, a computer screen, a projector, the Internet, microphones and loudspeakers. Videoconferencing may be executed through Dedicated Systems and through Desktop Systems.

There are several advantages of video conferencing. It helps people to meet other people across countries and continents. This saves a lot of time and money. When such kind of conferencing was non-existent, executives had to fly to different cities to attend meetings and seminars. A lot of time was wasted in traveling and costs simply mounted. This is because the company would have to pay for an executive’s travel costs and accommodation charges in a hotel in a foreign location. Plus there would be other incidental costs that would be billed to the company. An immense amount of time would also be lost in traveling up and down. So, the benefits of video conferencing arrived like a windfall. All sorts of audio and video technologies can be integrated with video conferencing to make desktop videoconferencing a most satisfying experience.

Online video conferencing also known as ‘web meeting’ has become very popular nowadays. The Internet is a wonderful phenomenon that has taken videoconferencing to new heights. There are several web meeting software that you can avail of from the Internet. These software help to create a perfect videoconferencing setup for seamless web conferencing and web meeting execution. Nefsis, WebEx, and MegaMeeting are some of the most renowned web conferencing software that are used for conducting web meetings. Nefsis is a web conferencing software that’s compatible with a whole range of state-of-the-art videoconferencing equipment. If you use Nefsis with videoconferencing equipment such as Logitech QuikCam Pro 5000, a webcam, and Plantronics Audio.610 single-ear USB, a headset with boom microphones, you’re bound to have an unbelievable web meeting.

Video conferencing is not only complemented by videoconferencing equipment but also by the online diary planner. A reliable online diary planner is an online meeting planner and scheduler. While web conferencing helps in presenting and conducting meetings, the online diary planner helps in planning and organizing meetings. A reliable online diary planner is indispensable to video conferencing as, if you don’t have a proper meeting strategy, no amount of web conferencing will help you to convey what you’d like to convey and to make a proper impression. An authentic online diary planner enables you to upload every kind of meeting information into it and retrieve data from it, instantaneously. A reliable online diary planner functions over different time zones and allows you to import email contacts from email applications into it. The online diary planner is an incredible online tool that helps you restructure your thoughts and processes so that you can think innovatively and work brilliantly. A great online diary planner is the key to productive video conferencing and a memorable web meeting. Visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_diary_planner to find out which online diary planners are best for meetings and conferences. You can trust Wikipedia to give unbiased and authentic information about anything and everything.

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Ajeet Khurana asked:




Twenty years ago no one would have ever dreamt of something as sophisticated as video conferencing, but today this is a really convenient way to do business. More and more businesses are taking advantage of this high tech ability to do business even if they are half a world away from one another. When you have the need to speak with people from other offices, even if they are in different parts of the world, video conferencing makes it simple and straightforward.

Benefits of Video Conferencing

Many businesses have adopted video conferencing because they believe that it actually increases production. When people are able to meet face to face in their respective offices or locations and brainstorm or simply see eye to eye on topics it will energize everyone involved in any given project, which generally results in more productivity. This is something that more businesses are picking up and they like the increase in productivity so much that they are willing to continue the video conferences for that benefit alone.

Another aspect that a lot of corporations like about video conferencing is that it can actually save money. The reason for this is that people from different offices no longer need to be in the same geographical location to get things done together. Instead employees can meet and discuss things, even share physical progress on projects because they are linked via video. Video conferencing is much more economical than flying several employees to another location, paying for lodging and food. This is simply a more efficient means of communication.

One more benefit of video conferencing that cannot be overlooked is that it actually saves time. Sounds odd, but when you consider that employees will no longer need to spend work time traveling, there is time to be maximized. Employees will have a lot less travel time, which is usually time that cannot be utilized, and so more will be able to get done in less time. This goes hand in hand with saving money and an increase in productivity, since there will be more time to get things done in.

Video conferencing is relatively new to the world of business but it works. There are many different services that will provide video conferencing capabilities to businesses, whether they need the service once a month or once a day. Shop around a bit to see what is out there and how video conferencing can benefit your business. You’ll likely be impressed at how easy it is to set up these services and put them to use for your company. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re involved in, chances are that you can use video conferencing services to build a better business.



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sufiyanmunir asked:


Video conferencing solutions, video conferencing systems, and video conferencing products by SONY videoconferencing range.

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Vikas S asked:




The use of video conferencing services in business is increasing.

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lockergnome asked:


live.pirillo.com – Matt says “I just found out about this free service that allows you to video/voice chat with as many people as you like over the Internet using a flash plug-in within your browser. You just don’t have to install it on your computer or anything!”

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alicelapaz asked:


A guide to setting up a video conferencing meeting room, camera, sound, positioning, hints and tips for a successful meeting and some etiquette pointers.

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global1049 asked:


Video conferencing – CBS Evening News With Katie Couric (Recorded May 24, 2007, WCBS)

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