Comments on: Has video conferencing finally come of age?

By: Drew

Drew — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:50:16 +0000

LS products can still provide exceptional video calls even at lower bandwidths like 384kb or even 256kb. I find that PC based solutions are no good because your average computer does not have the ability to process video efficiently over a standard internet connection. You need an appliance such as this which is dedicated to video conferencing. It makes the world of difference. Its something I finally use and doesn’t collect dust.

By: John McDonald

John McDonald — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 06:56:30 +0000

Corrected for Typo. Sorry.

The Government and BT’s pathetic 2Mb broadband target by 2012 means that this type of technology will likely only be of use to city/town based users. Us countryside based folk know that the UK comms infrastructure makes a lot of third world countries look years ahead.

Woeful just about sums it up for the UK.

By: John McDonald

John McDonald — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 06:43:19 +0000

By: Steve Cassidy

Steve Cassidy — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:36:28 +0000

I echo the bandwidth comments. Inside a LAN you can do some great demos. I’ve run a VC setup with Polycoms between London and Munich, which the client loved to bits, so much that they had standing instructions that the lower echelons stayed off the Net while a bi-located board meeting was in progress – which helped. Some days.

By: JohnH

JohnH — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:31:42 +0000

In principle, video-conferencing is not a “toy” but a useful business device that can indeed stop people making unnecessary journeys and being more productive. The “real bit” is a bit silly, we have all in our careers built up working relationships with “voices on the phone” and people we never met face to face, this is no different.

However, the fly in the ointment is simple, we just don’t have the bandwidth to make it work we need a major investment in optical fibre but how to fund/move it, is the real problem.

The Government is bust, BT and Virgin will only invest because they are speculating on future traffic, where it is a “slam dunk” return perhaps time for some imagination.

There are Companies with diverse remote sites, the Banks are obvious but so too are Supermarket chains, Boots and so on. Without making the same mistakes as “Link” in the past, why not create a common “Comms Business” proportionately owned where they run the cable and then, franchise local firms to run it locally to the retail market and likely make a lot more margin than on a packet of Cornflakes from the ‘rental’ ?

By: Tim_Wn

Tim_Wn — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:29:46 +0000

What was the bandwidth of the connection in the test?

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:57:08 +0000

In the normal world remote site internet circuits are usually quite busy with email, VPN, web, VoIP all being Tx and Rx by multiple users. Adding video conferencing never mind HD video conferencing usually pushes the circuit to the limits and so you’ll likely get laggggg (although QoS can help to a degree)

In my opinion, the UK’s broadband infrastructure simply isn’t is ready for this, unfortunately.

If we were in France or Japan, no problem.

PS- when’s this awful recaptcha thing going to be replaced.

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:56:05 +0000

In my opinion, the UK’s broadband infrastructure simply isn’t is ready for this, unfortunately.

If we were in France or Japan, no problem.

By: Matt@Appia

Matt@Appia — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:58:02 +0000

Tim, we’d love to know what you think of our PC-base video communication service at http://www.applausevideo.com. Quality-wise, we seem to stack up pretty well, and at a much lower price. You can schedule a free demo through the site, or reach us directly at info@appiaservices.com.

By: Tim Danton

Tim Danton — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:58:40 +0000

No lag at all. Overall, a very impressive demo!!