Video conferencing equipment that is used in one location is different from another. If you plan to get one for the office, you should decide whether to buy a PC based system, a portable, a rollabout or an installed system.

Manfrotto 679B Monopod 3-Section Replaces 679 (Black)

Just to give you an idea, a PC based system can accommodate one or two people, the portable is good for two to eight, the rollabout is for three to fifteen while the installed system can be used by 20 or more participants.

You should also get the right sized monitor so everyone will have a good view of whatever is projected on the screen. Most video conferences use a 20 or 35 inch monitor but since this is still small when there are many people, the solution is to get an LCD projector.

When you have decided which one to get, the next thing you have to be concerned about is the bandwidth because the faster it is the better you are able to compress audio and video signals and connect in real time.

Most video conferences today use two ISDN lines at the same so if you don’t want to see any blurred movement, it is best that these transmissions move at 768k to 1.5 megabytes per second.

The codec is considered to be the most important of all the equipment in video conferencing. When you are looking for one, you should make sure that it is compatible with the other versions in the market.

You should also check if the system you get supports full duplex audio and digital echo cancellation so you get to see and hear the other party clearly.

In order for the presentation to be a success, you need to have multiple monitors and projectors. This will let you see the other party and a preview of what you are showing next. This will prevent any mistakes and make sure that everyone is listening to what you have to say.

But some people can use just one monitor instead of two. They just have to make sure that the monitor they have has a picture in picture feature so they get to see a preview of what will be shared next.

In the event that you will be talking to more than one party, you must also have a bridging system in place.

As for the camera, there are different types to choose from. You can get multiple cameras to show different sides of the presentation if you have to move, or better yet get the robotic version that will automatically follow you.

The document camera is considered to be a must in video conferences so that aside from seeing your face on the screen, people will be able to see the visual aids that you have prepared.

Lastly, you may want to have a phone line so if you have to take a call, you can do so during the presentation. But if you will be talking to a lot of people as well, this can also be done through the bridging.

The price of video conferencing equipment varies but the prices these days are more affordable than they were 10 years ago. People have noticed a huge growth in 2008 versus 2007 and this is expected to continue as more people are willing to use such a system.

Video Conferencing Equipment

Draper FH MFD Mobile Videoconferencing Unit

The Draper FH MFD Mobile Videoconferencing Unit is a mobile unit that allows two panel displays to be mounted next to each other. It does not come with the monitors. Ideal for videoconferencing or for presentations requiring two displays. Unit comes with two H2 universal brackets, designed to fit virtually any plasma display. The SMS H2 Universal Plasma Bracket attaches to almost any plasma display through 50″ diagonal and under 110 lbs.

Sanyo PDG-DSU21N Ultra-Portable Multimedia LCD Projector

Not much larger than a laptop PC, the Sanyo PDG-DSU21N is ideal for classrooms, boardrooms and other small gatherings that use projectors for video playback or small-audience presentations. It weighs less than 6 lbs and can be hand carried from one presentation to the next. A versatile, go-anywhere system, it connects easily to a PC using the D-sub 15 pin input or any video source such as a VCR, DVD Player or even cable/satellite set-top boxes via the composite (RCA) or S-Video input.

The PDG-DSU21N features true SVGA picture quality, a brightness level of 2300 lumens and delivers a contrast ratio of 2000:1. It has an RS-232C control port for advanced projection control, and comes with a 1.1x zoom lens. For convenience, the auto input search function searches, finds and displays incoming source material automatically. Component input, quiet fan operation and versatile go anywhere capability make this a truly portable projector. For added versatility, the PDG-DSU21N may be ceiling or inverse mounted.

Hitachi CP-X401 LCD Multimedia Projector

The Hitachi CP-X401 projector boasts 3,000 lumens but weighs a very light 7.7 pounds. This versatile projector is easy to install, or it can be used on a desktop. The CP-X401 features seven Watts of built-in audio, eliminating the need for external speakers; and the Audio Pass Through function allows audio to play while the projector is in standby mode. The projectors maintain a low noise rating of 29dB in Whisper Mode.

The CP-X401 features a new 2000 hour hybrid filter on the side of the chassis. Additionally, the lamp door is located on the top of the projector for easy replacement if the projector is ceiling-mounted. The CP-X401 also offers longer lamp life (3,000 hours in standard mode; 4,000 hours in Whisper Mode*).

Teleconferencing Equipment

Projection and Viewing Equipment

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 21st, 2009 at 1:40 am and is filed under Video Conferencing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.