TECHNOLOGY | Conferencing peripherals (audio)
Videoconferencing is available to companies more easily and cheaply than ever before.
Nial Anderson examines the rise of peripherals that ensure audio quality is up to scratch.
Sound networkin
T
he widespread deployment of integrated
cameras in
es
top PCs an
mo
i
e
devices, along with the emergence o
software like Microsoft Lync and Sky
e,
has succeeded in bringing video-
conferencin
to the masses.
Com
anies no longer need to invest in one ex
ensive,
inte
rated conferencin
room for their offi ces and can
make more areas available for videoconferencing at a
m
r
ff
r
l
But
uantity of course doesn’t e
ual
uality and
when important business deals are being discussed, the
rudimentary micro
hones and s
eakers in com
uters
and s
eaker
hones can’t deliver the
rofessional
erformance ex
ected in such situations. It is generally
acce
ted that between video and audio, audio is the
most im
ortant element to get right – es
ecially in the
case of communication in a conferencin
g scenario.
While visual communication can aid meetin
s, havin
a situation where speech is degraded or delayed wastes
everyone’s time. In the
rofessional environment where
t
e integrator wi
e insta
ing or supp
ying equipment
a minimum level of
uality will be ex
ected. Software
and the sim
le onboard mics and s
eakers within
PCs an
aptops cannot usua
y a
just
or t
ings
i
e
different room sizes that may not have good acoustics
n
i
lik
h
n
ll
i
n
Thi
i
i
n h
o
ened u
a niche market for conferencing
eri
herals
that interface with existing conferencing systems to
li
r fi r
-r
i
“Microsoft L
nc has been drivin
this move awa
from the full
inte
rated videoconferencin
s
stems
ith higher ASP,” ex
lained Tim Root, CTO and
xecutive VP of business develo
ment at Revolabs.
“Com
anies have been deciding that they don’t need
to s
pend all that money for these complicated rooms,
they’re just using a PC and cou
le of
eri
herals.
“There’s a lot more video-enabled, UC-based spaces
bein
created but the
’re doin
it at a much lower cost
point. Instea
o
one specia
ise
room, t
ey wi
now
h
r
l
”
s well as lower cost, technology in mobile devices
as now reac
e
a point w
ere in
ivi
ua
s can join in
on videoconferencing sessions while on the move.
People working from home is also a big driver,”
R
n
in
We were s
eaking with a com
any a few weeks
ago and I was shocked - 30% of all the inter-company
communication now is done usin
video.”
Justin O’Connor, Biam
’s
roduct manager for
audio s
stems, added: “Traditional videoconferencin
systems are continuing to
lay a smaller role in A
installation. Hard codecs for videoconferencin
are not
the way of the future and this is freeing u
p the rest
of the AV s
stem to be desi
ned for other effi ciencies
an
enefi ts.
So how did
eri
herals evolve to meet the challenges
t
at
ave emerge
in t
is s
i
t towar
using
es
top
com
uters and devices? In the case of Revolabs,
the solution was to create a new generation o
spea
erp
ones wit
more power, a simp
e p
ug-an
lay a
roach and more recently, consolidating UC
26 | Jan/Feb 2015
www.inAVateonthenet.net
>
Microsoft Lync has been driving
this move away from the fully integrated
videoconferencing systems with higher ASP.
- Tim Root, Revolabs
3830 - InAVate JanFeb15 Edn.indd 26 16/01/2015 14:16
(2 pages)
Manymanuals.com
Manymanuals.de
Manymanuals.fr
Manymanuals.it
Manymanuals.pl
Manymanuals.cz
Manymanuals.es
Manymanuals-pt.com
Comments to this Manuals