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Personal solutions
Facetime
Using a video calling app such as Apple’s
Facetime is a free option and ideal for video
calling while on the go. Apple currently only
allows you to video call one-to-one, so
Facetime can’t be used to video conference
with several people in different locations.
Google Hangout
An alternative to Facetime for Android
device users is Google Hangouts. This, too,
is free, and it has the added advantage of
video chats for up to 10 people.
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Skype
Basic Skype accounts allow you unlimited
one-on-one and multi-user video chats (for
up to 10 people) to other Skype users free
of charge. Skype for Business starts from
£1.30 per user per month and allows up to
250 people to have a meeting.
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SIP phones with video
The T49GN SIP videophone fromYealink
features an 8’’ LCD touch screen and a 2
megapixel HD camera, enabling real-
time face-to-face interaction
from your desk. An ideal
solution for executives and
homeworkers, the T49G
supports three-way
video conferencing
or five-way audio/
video mixed
conferencing.
co.uk
The
Cisco DX80
is an all-in-one desktop
unit offering HD video and audio. The
23-inch touchscreen has a built-in camera
and microphones, providing an engaging
experience for video calls. Intelligent audio
means background noise is eliminated,
improving the experience for the remote
party. The DX80 also acts as an external
monitor for your laptop. It has a high-
contrast LED panel and the screen can be
angled to accommodate different users.
Running on the Android operating system,
the DX80 is compatible with Android
applications and is intuitive to use.
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Room systems
The
Cisco TelePresence SX10 Quick
Set
, an entry-level video system for small
rooms, provides an effortless collaboration
solution that can be deployed in less than
ten minutes. The all-in-one unit combines
a camera, codec and microphone in a
compact device that sits on top of any
standard display and provides HD video
with a wide-angle field of view.
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Yealink
offers solutions for small, mid-sized
and corporate meeting rooms.
The VC110 fromYealink is a plug-and-
play video conferencing endpoint for small
meeting rooms that takes just five minutes
to set up. The all-in-one unit with built-in
camera, microphone and codec supports
Full-HD 1080P video and content sharing.
Dual-screen support makes it even easier to
view content.
For mid-sized rooms, Yealink
offers the VC120 video conferencing
endpoint, featuring an 18x optical zoom
PTZ camera, while for boardrooms,
it recommends the VC400 video
conferencing system, offering embedded
multi-party conferencing for up to four
participants.
The VC110, VC120 and VC400 support
SIP and H.323 and are compatible with the
industry’s major vendors. Participants can
also join in on a tablet or smartphone.
Logitech GROUP
provides full HD video
conferencing for groups of up to 14 people
or for up to 20 with optional expansion
microphones. The system has 1080p video
quality, a 90-degree field of view, 10x
lossless zoom and smooth pan and tilt
controls, making it easy to see everyone in
a room.
GROUP is ideal for mid- to large-sized
conference rooms and works with any
computing device with a USB connection,
as well as Bluetooth-enabled mobile devices
for audio calls. It is compatible with leading
applications, such as Skype for Business,
Microsoft Lync, Cisco Jabber andWebEx.
Logitech GROUP retails at £999.
Polycom
says its
RealPresence Centro
is
the industry’s first collaboration solution
purpose-built to put remote participants at
the centre of collaboration. Designed to sit
at the centre of a room with participants
arranged around it, the unit has a touch-
sensitive monitor on each of its four sides.
An intelligent 360° camera with tracking
sensors allows everyone to easily see and be
seen, even as they freely move around the
space. All users have an equal opportunity
to contribute and can share, annotate and
save content from their own devices.
Cloud solutions
StarLeaf
gives customers the flexibility to
buy the conferencing service that meets
their needs. You choose your device and pay
to connect to the StarLeaf Cloud. StarLeaf
offers its own range of meeting room
systems, starting from £1,795, or you can
use systems from Cisco, Polycom, Lifesize,
Avaya and other vendors. StarLeaf removes
the complexity and cost of management
and enables users to call anyone, including
those who use Microsoft Skype for Business
as their client.
Immersive VC systems
The
Cisco TelePresence IX500
0 is an
immersive system featuring three 70-inch
high-definition LCD screens that gets you as
close to ‘being there’ as possible through an
immersive audio and video experience. Three
4K Ultra HD cameras capture the entire
room while a raised microphone bar allows
optimal audio pickup. This powerful system
provides an immersive experience with real-
size, life-like remote meeting participation.
But it comes with a hefty price tag.
Kim Nguyen, product marketing manager
at Cisco, said: “Even though the IX5000 has
a list price of $300,000 USD, it has been a
very popular product as customers see and
appreciate the value of high-end immersive
video collaboration. It experienced the
fastest ramp of any immersive product, and
we’re selling it as fast as we can make it.”
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Cisco TelePresence IX5000
Cisco DX80
