10 Questions to ask to Avoid Videoconferencing Investment Mistakes!

Home

10 Questions You Should Ask

When is the last time you went to your consumer electronics store? It’s almost impossible to find a standard definition (SD) television. The good news is that you can maintain existing SD investments and move to the next generation of HD video communication.

The upshot? Get nearly 10 times the quality for the same cost as legacy videoconferencing systems. And, new generation HD video systems will work with SD capable systems because they are both standards-compatible.

1. HOW WILL WE USE VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS? WHAT DO OUR USERS WANT THE MOST OUT OF THIS EXPERIENCE?

Hint: The applications for video communication are endless. Over 91% of people no longer work at a corporate headquarters and are highly distributed.* And, over 60% of communication is non-verbal*, therefore meeting face to face over distance enhances understanding and meeting outcomes. Users want the experience to be as close to a real, in-person meeting as possible. They also want it to be reliable and simple to use.

2. WHAT TYPE OF INFORMATION AND CONTENT WILL BE SHARED DURING THE MEETINGS? WILL THERE BE SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THE ROOM?

Hint: People want to walk into rooms and easily connect a PC or use a white board that everyone can see clearly and interact with naturally. At times there may be one or two people in the room and other times 15-20, consider size to help in selecting the right solution.

3. HOW MUCH BANDWIDTH WILL I NEED TO RUN HIGHER DEFINITION VIDEO COMMUNICATION? IS IT TOO MUCH, DO I HAVE IT?

Hint: The new generation of video communications products provide dramatically better resolution and motion handling at all bandwidths from 384K to over 1Mbps. Most businesses and even home users have plenty of bandwidth for exceptional video.

4. IS HIGHER DEFINITION VIDEO COMMUNICATION ONLY FOR NICHE APPLICATIONS SUCH AS SURGERY?

Hint: No, with the price-performance now available –HD quality is for anyone for any application. With better quality will come happier, less fatigued users and better return on investment due to increased usage. And, if HD is the same cost as legacy, why would you buy obsolete products? Would you buy a 1.0 mega-pixel camera if a 7.0 mega-pixel was the same price?

5. HOW WILL MY NEW HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM INTEROPERATE WITH MY CURRENT INSTALLED BASE OF SYSTEMS?

Hint: Invest in only standards-compatible systems. HD systems are interoperable with SD systems and work well for users. This transition to HD will not happen overnight but it is happening.

6. CAN YOU REALLY RUN HIGHER DEFINITION VIDEO OVER THE PUBLIC INTERNET?

Hint: Yes, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t. Organizations should work with a qualified network service provider to plan the right network and opt for certain service levels as the application permits – but it is hard to argue with the cost of the public Internet.

7. IS HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO COMMUNICATION COST EFFECTIVE?

Hint: That depends on what vendor you partner with. New generation HD systems are available at an $8-12K price range with all options included. It does not have to cost tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars per system or room.

8. WHERE DOES TELEPRESENCE FIT RELATIVE TO HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO COMMUNICATION?

Hint: High defnition is the most important enabler to a telepresence experience, enabling people to be the full size onscreen and scalable on a 16:9 display(s) without losing resolution. Some boardrooms and applications will require a fully integrated telepresence room and others will use high definition video systems and large displays to meet the need at a lower price point. There is a wide continuum of environments and price points for video communication.

9. ARE THE CURRENT VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS MARKET SHARE LEADERS READY FOR THIS TRANSFORMATION?

Hint: Well, let’s say they have been pushed there by competition. We recommend that you take a hard look at the real pioneer and price-performance leader in high definition video communications – LifeSize Communications.

10. WHAT SHOULD I DO NEXT?

Hint: See a demonstration. Compare market offerings and invest in a future-proof solution for the next 5-10 years.

Flexnet Recommends taking a look at Lifesize

Lifesize - True High Definition Videoconferencing