What is HD?
HD is also known as HDTV and refers to a set of standards for Hgk definition Tele Vision (HDTV).
The lowest HD standard is HD720p and this is known as "HD Ready" so if you see this on a TV then it means it will display a TV picture up to 720p standard. Full HD is HD1080p and will display a much higher reolution (over twice the pixels) with 1080 scan lines.
The "p" in HD720p and HD1080p means the picture is built up of 720/1080 lines of pixels built progressively i.e. it starts building the picture by building line 1 then 2
etc, there are standrds such as 1080i where the lines are built interlaced i.e. line 1,3,5 etc and the fills in lines 2,4,6 etc. This can look fuzzy compared to "p" progessively scanned pictures.
Benefits • HD video enhances the overall meeting experience with true to life video with over 9x the quality of standard video. • Increased resolution during a video call equals greater productivity • Less fatigue, more focus on meeting and less on technology. • All video calls are improved due to standards based 4CIF video resolution at data rates starting from 256 kbps.
• Share your PC, HD or Blu-ray DVDs in true High Definition. • Simply plug and play and share as main camera source or as a dual stream using standard’s based H.239. • Optional People On Content allows the user to become part of their presentation using chroma key technology.
As businesses and organizations become more extended, the people working within them become more dispersed, less-connected and (potentially) less productive. Enabling individuals to communicate effectively across geographies, time-zones, devices, technology platforms and mediums represents a significant challenge for IT. Moreover, merely enabling communication isn’t enough. “Videoconferencing is now as good as it needs to be”
High definition video conferencing offers an experience that is life-like in resolution. Today, HD systems can deliver TV-like quality at rates of 30 frames-per-second and 60 fields of interlaced video. TV quality is available at data rates as low as 512 Kbps, which is available in most home office and business environments.
HD video conferencing systems using HD720p started becoming available in 2007 and are now widely available and offer huge improvements over older systems - not just that they are HD capable but they have far better cameras and higher speed processors that show huge improvements even at the same call speeds as belore. HD 720p calls typically requires data rates of 1 Mbps or higher so ar epredominantly deployed IP (Internet/LAN) networks.
HD1080p systems really started to ship at the start of 2009, Again they offer better cameras and higher speed processors, HD1080p also needs higher speed calls typically >3Mbps. Video conferencing manufacturers will continue to improve upon the technology to offer HD video for most applications but for most people any new investments should be in HD720p systems at a minimum.
HD Resolution: There are a couple of terms used that may need explaining:
HD Ready is a term used for HD720p. HD Ready resolution is 1280 x 720 pixels
Full HD is HD 1080p that has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.
HD Offers much higher resolution than previous videoconferencing systems (CIF for normal hardware based videoconferencing and even QCIF for software based systems). So whats the catch? well you get higher resolution by either increasing the processing power used or increasing the bandwidth it uses. Today the hardware processors are far more pwerfull than their predecessors however they still cannot cope with a 20 times increase in pixels. Therefore HD calls need higher speed networks.
HD720p at 30 frames per second needs >1Mpbs on 1st generation HD VC Systems (Typically 1.5M)
HD1080p at 30 fps needs >3Mbps and requires
2nd generation HD VC Systems to run Is bandwidth and issue? Current moves in high speed networks ADSL > ADSL2 and high speed 10Mbps to 100Mbps services at reasonable costs do point to bandwidth as not being an issue. HOWEVER in the real world its not free and when you start saying I want 4 or 10 or 100 users on my VC network then bandwidth will stil be an issue for some time yet. So the reality is HD720p at 30fps
is a viable solution for many users today, if you can run this on 2nd generation HD VC systems the increased processing power may well take the bandwidth required for 720p well uder 1Mbps to 768 or even 512 (Codian MCUS will send HD 720p at 384Kbps) so HD becomes viable on todays ADSL/ADSL2 services making it affordable and effective. HD 1080p today is well above what we normally get to see HD720p is more that adaquate for face to face meetings, and yes you can the see the whites of their eyes. That doesnt mean that 1080p does not have its place, for Telepresence -Yes - its all about the best possible experience. Other applications may be in health care or even quality control where fine detail is paramount. Any got yous? Beware frame rate, "true HD" will be at 60 fps and only a few systems do this, 30 fps is good but frame rate is percieved by the eye and does affect us. Also beware about interlaced formats 1080i might sound better than 720p but interlaced means its building up the picture in two goes, this affects perceived frame rate and may make the result look blurred. In my view 720p is better than 1080i. But on the whole no got yous - this is good stuff. Except to be HD (720p or 1080p) all the componants have to be HD capable, Cameras, VC Systems, Monitors and the network (dont just trust someone showing you the stats page).
Telepresence
What is Telepresence?
Telepresence can be loosely described as fixed-site video conferencing hardware on steroids. Of course, high-definition (HD) is an important element. But the decisive quality that sets telepresence apart is studio quality "immersion." The best telepresence products include a very precise, physical build-out of the conference room very much like a movie or sound stage. This includes camera, microphone and speaker placement, so that gaze angles are reduced, and participants enjoy an actual-size display of all participants and full spectrum, surround-sound-like audio. Indeed, these facilities are often referred to as studios by vendors and the employees that are fortunate enough to use them.
Who is it for? What does it cost? Telepresence systems are very expensive, it is not uncommon to find pricing in the range of £100,000 to £250,000 for each studio, plus monthly fees of £6,000 per site or more for dedicated bandwidth and on-going services.
The characteristics of these systems –studio build-out, extreme price, immersive quality – are defining an entirely new, uber high-end marketplace comprised of record labels, film studios, oil company headquarters and so on. And at these prices, yes, they really do deliver a cinematic experience. Who services this new market? Which product is best? A good comparison would be to research and physically experience Cisco Telepresence, HP Halo, Tandberg, Polycom and LifeSize, and see which one is better. All of these competitors are defining the new telepresence market segment.
Market Overview
With new telepresence systems creating a new high-end market segment, and IP video adding a whole new set of alternatives for small-to-medium business, the video conferencing (VC) market is enjoying a renaissance of sorts.
The general industry wisdom is web and video conferencing applications are going up across the board. Often cited reasons include the ever increasing complexity of products and services that require better visual communications tools, decentralization, globalization, telecommuting and other factors that drive multi-location team meetings. Add to this increasing travel costs, travel restrictions, and time delays, and it’s no wonder the industry is experiencing a growth spurt.
