What does HD mean for business users video conferencing? They will see people clearly, in full-size, with no fuzzy image. They will be able to see facial expressions and body language clearly, hear everything and share multimedia presentations with ease. In essence, they will love it and the usage and return on investment will increase dramatically.

The video conferencing industry is undergoing an exciting transformation. High definition (HD) video codecs and flat panel display screens have made traditional videoconferencing virtually obsolete. Every form of video is moving to high definition, so arguably no longer should any video communication investment be made without the capability to use higher definition at low bandwidths.

The good news is that you can maintain existing SD investments and move to the next generation of HD video conferencing. With HD video conferencing you will see 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.

Questions to better understand the need for HD Video Conferencing

1. How will we use video communications? What do our users want the most out of this experience?

The applications for videoconferencing are endless. A growing number 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?

People want to walk into rooms and easily connect a PC 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?

The new generation of videoconferencing products provide dramatically better resolution and motion handling at all bandwidths from 384K to over 1Mbps. Typically you will need between 1 and 2Mbps to run HD video conferencing. Most businesses and even home users have plenty of bandwidth for exceptional video.

5. How will my new high definition video conferencing system interoperate with my current installed base of systems?

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?

Yes, do not let anyone tell you that you this is not possible. Organisations 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?

That depends on the vendor you partner with. New generation HD systems are available at a £6 – 10K price range with all options included. It does not have to cost tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of pounds per system or room.

8. Where does Telepresence fit relative to high definition video communication?

High definition 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.

10. What should I do next?

If you feel that video conferencing will benefit your business then you we would advise that you see a demonstration. Compare market offerings and invest in a future-proof solution for the next 5-10 years.