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Video conferencing (video conferencing) is a trendy trend in our time in the IT market. And if before video conferencing was more of a status thing, nowadays you won’t surprise anyone with it - meeting rooms equipped with video conferencing equipment can be found in many companies.
I will not separately dwell on the description of the advantages that your organization receives when starting to use video conferencing. I will name only one of them - effective online communication at a distance without having to spend money, time and effort on the trip. The introduction of video conferencing in large firms in the very first year beats off the money spent on it, eliminating the need to send employees on business trips and at the same time incur the corresponding costs.
So, we can see videoconferencing in most large companies. I did not accidentally singled out the word "large." Because basically, large companies can afford to allocate sufficient budgets for the purchase of video conferencing equipment.
Let's look at a typical request from a company to arrange a small or medium-sized meeting room. I deliberately do not consider large meeting rooms, since the decision on video conferencing is often integrator for them, which means that this is a completely different cost.
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The company has an average meeting room and a remote branch or partner with whom you need to organize a video conferencing session.
There are two main approaches to the organization of the meeting room:
1) Organization of video conferencing sessions based on software clients installed on personal computers equipped with either embedded or external web cameras.
The main advantage of this solution is low cost. Indeed, a good web-camera company Logitech is in the range of 9,000 rubles, the software for video sessions can be either free (for example, Skype) or purchased for an amount in the region of 100-150 dollars. This refers to software for video conferencing of various vendors, for example, Polycom Realpresence Desktop, Lifesize Softphone and others.
The disadvantage of this approach is that, due to the weak optics of embedded or ordinary external webcams, software clients are not able to cover the size of meeting rooms, which means they are not suitable for solving this problem. Therefore, when the question arises to equip the meeting room with VKS facilities, the company comes to the second option, namely:
2) Communication through specialized video conferencing equipment. These are hardware, including a central unit (video codec) for encoding / decoding audio and video signals, a PTZ camera, and remote high-sensitivity microphones.
From the end user's point of view, an important advantage of hardware solutions is the availability of a high-quality PTZ camera, which provides the convenience of their use across meeting rooms. High image quality (FullHD), multiple optical zoom, wide viewing angle, lens turns on the axes of coordinates, memorization of camera positions - all this raises the video conferencing system to a higher level of ease of use and quality.
The main disadvantage of hardware solutions is their cost.
If we consider the mid-budget offers from the leading manufacturers of video conferencing equipment, for example, Cisco and Polycom, then the Cisco SX20 system will have to pay about $ 12,000, and for the Polycom Group 300 system - about $ 9,000. And if the company has several meeting rooms, the amount will be multiplied their number.
So what do we have?
1) A software client is cheap, but not ergonomic, when it comes to equipping meeting rooms.
2) A hardware video codec with a PTZ camera and an external microphone is an excellent solution for meeting rooms, but expensive. There are also difficulties when you need to connect to flash web chats, Skype and Lync due to the incompatibility of the vast majority of “classical” video conferencing systems with this product.
What do those companies who want to equip a meeting room with video conferencing facilities at an affordable price? This article is an attempt to raise the veil in this matter and find a "middle ground".
I work for IP Video Systems , a company that has been involved in video conferencing projects since 2005. During this time we have developed and implemented more than 400 solutions for video conferencing.
I raised the topic of video conferencing for the lower and middle segments for a reason. Years of experience have shown that the video conferencing market does not have enough solutions for this segment. Solutions that are relatively low cost, will enable small and medium businesses to experience the benefits of high-quality video conferencing.
The rapid development of computing platforms for personal computers has led to the fact that today an average and relatively inexpensive PC with an Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7 processor and software for video conferencing has sufficient performance for processing audio and video signals. An analogue of a remote microphone can be a high-quality wireless speakerphone, for example, the Plantronics Calisto P620, or a USB microphone.
But what about the most important, from the point of view of the end user, element - the camera? Enough quality and functionality for comfortable work in a meeting room, quick to install and configure, does not require additional expansion cards and fussing with drivers, and at the same time relatively inexpensive.
To solve this problem, we suggest using the Prestel USB camera line .
In this article, I’ll tell you about the two USB cameras included in the Prestel line:
1) HD-PTZ1
2) HD-PTZ3
Both cameras can be connected to a regular personal computer via USB 2.0 (Prestel HD-PTZ1 camera) or USB 3.0 (Prestel HD-PTZ3 camera). After connecting the camera, the necessary drivers will be installed automatically and it will become available in the operating system as a video image device.
The following is a list of operating systems that support these cameras (32 and 64 bit versions):
• Linux
• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7
• Windows 8
• Mac OS
One of the undoubted advantages of these cameras is the ability to work with any software for video conferencing systems of well-known vendors, such as Cisco, Polycom, Lifesize, etc. The list of the most popular software:
• Cisco Jabber
• Polycom Realpresence Desktop
• Lifesize Softphone
• Microsoft Lync
• Skype
Please note that image quality may be limited by the capabilities of the software used. For example, the software client Lifesize Softphone supports video transmission in 1080p format, while the software client Polycom Realpresence Desktop –720p.
The main characteristics of the camera:
Let's look at the composition of the standard solution for videoconferencing for a meeting room, based on the use of Prestel cameras. The structure includes:
1) Personal computer with USB connectors. For comfortable work during a video conferencing session, a configuration based on processors not lower than Intel Core i3 is recommended (the cost of such a system unit will not exceed 25,000 rubles).
2) Prestel HD-PTZ1 or Prestel HD-PTZ3 camera connected to a PC via USB interface (HD-PTZ1 camera costs 35,000 rubles, HD-PTZ3 camera - 80,000 rubles).
3) Wireless speakerphone, for example, Plantronics Calisto P620 (6,000 rubles).
4) Software client, for example, Polycom Realpresence Desktop (3,500 rubles).
5) Display device (for example, TV with a diagonal of 46 inches, from 22,000 rubles)
6) Mount / rack for TV (optional), in the region of 17,000 rubles.
Thus, the cost of a solution for a meeting room is from 40,000 rubles (provided that the computer and monitor are already available), which is several times less than the cost of hardware video codecs. At the same time, the company is able to equip a meeting room while retaining the advantages of hardware solutions.
Analyzed the market of USB PTZ cameras for video conferencing, the data gathered is tabulated.
Thus, if you are faced with the task of budgeting the meeting room with video conferencing facilities, then it makes sense to pay attention to the Prestel USB camera line , which will give you the opportunity to experience the benefits of high-quality video conferencing for a relatively low cost.
I will not separately dwell on the description of the advantages that your organization receives when starting to use video conferencing. I will name only one of them - effective online communication at a distance without having to spend money, time and effort on the trip. The introduction of video conferencing in large firms in the very first year beats off the money spent on it, eliminating the need to send employees on business trips and at the same time incur the corresponding costs.
So, we can see videoconferencing in most large companies. I did not accidentally singled out the word "large." Because basically, large companies can afford to allocate sufficient budgets for the purchase of video conferencing equipment.
Let's look at a typical request from a company to arrange a small or medium-sized meeting room. I deliberately do not consider large meeting rooms, since the decision on video conferencing is often integrator for them, which means that this is a completely different cost.
')
The company has an average meeting room and a remote branch or partner with whom you need to organize a video conferencing session.
There are two main approaches to the organization of the meeting room:
1) Organization of video conferencing sessions based on software clients installed on personal computers equipped with either embedded or external web cameras.
The main advantage of this solution is low cost. Indeed, a good web-camera company Logitech is in the range of 9,000 rubles, the software for video sessions can be either free (for example, Skype) or purchased for an amount in the region of 100-150 dollars. This refers to software for video conferencing of various vendors, for example, Polycom Realpresence Desktop, Lifesize Softphone and others.
The disadvantage of this approach is that, due to the weak optics of embedded or ordinary external webcams, software clients are not able to cover the size of meeting rooms, which means they are not suitable for solving this problem. Therefore, when the question arises to equip the meeting room with VKS facilities, the company comes to the second option, namely:
2) Communication through specialized video conferencing equipment. These are hardware, including a central unit (video codec) for encoding / decoding audio and video signals, a PTZ camera, and remote high-sensitivity microphones.
From the end user's point of view, an important advantage of hardware solutions is the availability of a high-quality PTZ camera, which provides the convenience of their use across meeting rooms. High image quality (FullHD), multiple optical zoom, wide viewing angle, lens turns on the axes of coordinates, memorization of camera positions - all this raises the video conferencing system to a higher level of ease of use and quality.
The main disadvantage of hardware solutions is their cost.
If we consider the mid-budget offers from the leading manufacturers of video conferencing equipment, for example, Cisco and Polycom, then the Cisco SX20 system will have to pay about $ 12,000, and for the Polycom Group 300 system - about $ 9,000. And if the company has several meeting rooms, the amount will be multiplied their number.
So what do we have?
1) A software client is cheap, but not ergonomic, when it comes to equipping meeting rooms.
2) A hardware video codec with a PTZ camera and an external microphone is an excellent solution for meeting rooms, but expensive. There are also difficulties when you need to connect to flash web chats, Skype and Lync due to the incompatibility of the vast majority of “classical” video conferencing systems with this product.
There is no third?
What do those companies who want to equip a meeting room with video conferencing facilities at an affordable price? This article is an attempt to raise the veil in this matter and find a "middle ground".
I work for IP Video Systems , a company that has been involved in video conferencing projects since 2005. During this time we have developed and implemented more than 400 solutions for video conferencing.
I raised the topic of video conferencing for the lower and middle segments for a reason. Years of experience have shown that the video conferencing market does not have enough solutions for this segment. Solutions that are relatively low cost, will enable small and medium businesses to experience the benefits of high-quality video conferencing.
The rapid development of computing platforms for personal computers has led to the fact that today an average and relatively inexpensive PC with an Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7 processor and software for video conferencing has sufficient performance for processing audio and video signals. An analogue of a remote microphone can be a high-quality wireless speakerphone, for example, the Plantronics Calisto P620, or a USB microphone.
But what about the most important, from the point of view of the end user, element - the camera? Enough quality and functionality for comfortable work in a meeting room, quick to install and configure, does not require additional expansion cards and fussing with drivers, and at the same time relatively inexpensive.
To solve this problem, we suggest using the Prestel USB camera line .
Prestel line of cameras
In this article, I’ll tell you about the two USB cameras included in the Prestel line:
1) HD-PTZ1
2) HD-PTZ3
Both cameras can be connected to a regular personal computer via USB 2.0 (Prestel HD-PTZ1 camera) or USB 3.0 (Prestel HD-PTZ3 camera). After connecting the camera, the necessary drivers will be installed automatically and it will become available in the operating system as a video image device.
The following is a list of operating systems that support these cameras (32 and 64 bit versions):
• Linux
• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7
• Windows 8
• Mac OS
One of the undoubted advantages of these cameras is the ability to work with any software for video conferencing systems of well-known vendors, such as Cisco, Polycom, Lifesize, etc. The list of the most popular software:
• Cisco Jabber
• Polycom Realpresence Desktop
• Lifesize Softphone
• Microsoft Lync
• Skype
Please note that image quality may be limited by the capabilities of the software used. For example, the software client Lifesize Softphone supports video transmission in 1080p format, while the software client Polycom Realpresence Desktop –720p.
The main characteristics of the camera:
Let's look at the composition of the standard solution for videoconferencing for a meeting room, based on the use of Prestel cameras. The structure includes:
1) Personal computer with USB connectors. For comfortable work during a video conferencing session, a configuration based on processors not lower than Intel Core i3 is recommended (the cost of such a system unit will not exceed 25,000 rubles).
2) Prestel HD-PTZ1 or Prestel HD-PTZ3 camera connected to a PC via USB interface (HD-PTZ1 camera costs 35,000 rubles, HD-PTZ3 camera - 80,000 rubles).
3) Wireless speakerphone, for example, Plantronics Calisto P620 (6,000 rubles).
4) Software client, for example, Polycom Realpresence Desktop (3,500 rubles).
5) Display device (for example, TV with a diagonal of 46 inches, from 22,000 rubles)
6) Mount / rack for TV (optional), in the region of 17,000 rubles.
Thus, the cost of a solution for a meeting room is from 40,000 rubles (provided that the computer and monitor are already available), which is several times less than the cost of hardware video codecs. At the same time, the company is able to equip a meeting room while retaining the advantages of hardware solutions.
Analyzed the market of USB PTZ cameras for video conferencing, the data gathered is tabulated.
Thus, if you are faced with the task of budgeting the meeting room with video conferencing facilities, then it makes sense to pay attention to the Prestel USB camera line , which will give you the opportunity to experience the benefits of high-quality video conferencing for a relatively low cost.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/221069/
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