Monthly Archives: June 2011
2011
Videoconferencing Professionals Linkedin Group Roundup – June 2011
Most Popular Discussions for June, 2011
The Videoconferencing Professionals group on Linkedin is a fairly active one, and this past June was no exception. Elie Massakbi, President of Syfx Tekworks (@leftyserve) tapped into the collective knowledge of the group’s 7,000+ members when he asked for a conferencing solution that would allow his company to cover a large room without the complications associated with wiring more than one microphone. Almost 50 telecommunications professionals chimed in with their suggestions as to how he could achieve a single microphone setup that would offer clear audio and still be practical, with solutions ranging from ceiling microphones (posted by Gerry Murphy of Infocor, Twitter handle @Gmurph61) to multiple-mic housings offered by Polycom and LifeSize (posted by David Schofield of Videonations).
These two options were backed up by numerous member endorsements, including several stemming from real-world experience using these types of devices in videoconferencing situations. Further potential microphone suggestions included the Audio Science mics offered by Cisco, as well as Revolab mics.
Continue reading »
2011
Cisco Publishes “Extending Telepresence Beyond the Boardroom” White Paper
Until recent years, the costs associated with telepresence technology have kept it largely oriented towards executive use, suitable for meetings, conferences, and high-level summits between upper-management employees. The dramatic drop in video conferencing pricing and the greater affordability of the level of bandwidth required to facilitate high-quality telepresence sessions have opened up a new realm of collaborative communications use.
Cisco has released a white paper that explores several methods that companies can use to help take better advantage of video conferencing across the entire enterprise. Called “Extending Telepresence Beyond the Boardroom,” the free, downloadable report offers useful advice for organizations looking for a communications edge.
Continue reading »
2011
KBZ’s InfoComm 2011 Roundup
KBZ Communications is back from InfoComm 2011, and this most recent iteration of the popular audio-visual industry convention was a resounding success for all involved. The videoconferencing and telepresence specialists from KBZ welcomed more than 500 visitors to its booth at the event, with an excellent mix of KBZ partners, end users, and fresh faces from the media and the telecommunications industry spending time with the KBZ team in Orlando, Florida. Two lucky winners of our ZBucks Rewards giveaway – Barry Brewer of Avitecture and Kevin Powell of MPact Systems – also went home with $1,000 in ZBucks to spend.
In addition to participating in panel discussions, forums, and IMCCA telepresence events throughout InfoComm 2011, KBZ was also able to demonstrate several of Cisco’s most intriguing and newest telepresence products. One of the Cisco TelePresence offerings that attracted the most attention was the new touch interface device that has been developed for use with Cisco TelePresence Codecs. Each Cisco TelePresence Codec can make use of the same touch panel device and menu system, which makes it much easier to interact with a variety of different TelePresence Codecs no matter where they are installed. The simple, one-size-fits-all interface is also designed to eliminate the need for multiple remotes and control systems to be distributed with each Codec.
Jeff Nicoll, KBZ’s Southeast Regional Sales Manager, explains the benefits of this new product during the event.
The entire KBZ team would like to thank each and every InfoComm attendee who took the time to stop by our booth or visit our information sessions and get to know KBZ Communications a little bit better. We plan to be back in 2012 with more exciting news about Cisco TelePresence products and systems, as well as fresh strategies and insights into how your business can best integrate video conferencing into its operations. We will also soon be blogging about some candid KBZ photos and videos that we took at the event to give you a closer look at what exactly goes on at InfoComm.
2011
Videoconferencing Professionals Linkedin Group Roundup
Joining a Linkedin group such as the Videoconferencing Professionals group gives those in the telepresence and video conferencing industry the chance to interact and connect with likeminded individuals and participate in discussions and brainstorming sessions about technology, the social implications of video collaboration, and the future of videoconferencing. With 7,713 members, there is never a lack of something to talk about in this helpful and useful group.
Most Popular Discussions for May, 2011
Richard Raspantini of The CIT Group tapped into the collective knowledge of the Videoconferencing Professionals group by asking members for their advice concerning an enterprise video conferencing system that could replace Skype on a relatively modest budget. 15 members chimed in with their opinions and guidance to help Richard find the best-fit solution for his needs. More than twice as many group members participated in Mike Landau’s discussion of the recent Skype acquisition by Microsoft. Landau, who is the CEO at SetFocus (@mikelandau) asked whether proprietary videoconferencing platforms would be able to compete against Skype moving forward. The majority of group members who expressed their opinions were of the mind that while Skype is an excellent consumer-grade communications resource, corporate telepresence clients expect higher video quality that only dedicated solutions can provide.
Continue reading »
2011
KBZ Communications @ InfoComm 2011
InfoComm 2011 is coming up this week, and as always, KBZ Communications will have a substantial presence on the ground at what has become one of the world’s premier audio-visual industry conventions. More than 32,000 AV professionals will convene in Orlando, Florida for the event, and KBZ will be at the center of the action with its very own booth in the Conferencing Pavilion.
What will InfoComm 2011 attendees find at the KBZ Communications booth this year? KBZ will be providing demos of the very latest Cisco TelePresence equipment and software, along with our DMS Partners Industry Weapon and TruMedia, and we will also be offering in-depth information about Cisco Certification, the Cisco DMS Authorized Program, and Cisco’s TelePresence ATP Profitability Programs. The KBZ booth will be staffed by members of our Federal Channel group, our marketing specialists, and representatives from Z-Services and all our regional sales groups. We will additionally be offering the chance for you to register to meet with specific KBZ personnel in order to explore telepresence options and partnerships for your organization.
Continue reading »
2011
Telecom Professionals Linkedin Group Roundup – May 2011
Linkedin is a useful tool for telecommunications professionals looking to stay in touch with the latest technology and industry trends. Linkedin groups like the Telecom Professionals group – over 159,000 members strong – represent the pulse of the industry and offer exceptional resources for anyone involved in this sector of the economy. Each month, we provide a roundup of the most interesting activity this group to help you keep abreast of the currents that are running through the communications business.
Most Popular Discussions for May, 2011
Once again, job postings represented a sizable portion of the discussion within Telecom Professionals group, continuing a strong trend observed in April. Moving beyond companies seeking qualified telecommunications professionals, there were a number of other interesting discussions on tap during the month of May.
Continue reading »
2011
Telepresence Industry Professionals Linkedin Group Roundup – May 2011
The Linkedin social network offers video conferencing and telepresence industry professionals the chance to connect with others in the same field and share ideas, ask questions and plan out career moves. This is especially true for those who join a Linkedin group, like the Telepresence Industry Professionals group which has a membership of 1,923.
Most Popular Discussions for May, 2011
Pat Montani, CEO of IPV Gateways (@patwhistler) attracted considerable attention within the Telepresence Industry Professionals group this past month after posting his opinion that “islands of IP” are an outdated concept in the telepresence industry. Many group members posted their thoughts regarding the idea of closed communications networks and the need for service providers to create bridges between different video conferencing systems. Some of the most thoughtful contributions came from Eric Adleman, Director of VNOC Service Program at Polycom, Marco Hormazabal, Sales Business Dev. Manager for Cisco, and Glen Sykes, Technical Director at Direct Visual.
Continue reading »
2011
Cisco Video Collaboration Guide: Four Steps to Understanding the Possibilities of Video for Your Organization
Many businesses are interested in adopting a telepresence strategy or expanding the role of the video conferencing technology that they are already using within the organization. It is not always clear, however, what the best course forward is in selecting which areas of a business can benefit the most from video communications. To help provide decision makers with a resource that they can turn to when pondering these questions, Cisco has published a white paper entitled “Cisco Video Collaboration Guide: Four Steps to Understanding the Possibilities of Video for Your Organization.”
The “Cisco Video Collaboration Guide” starts out with a brief overview of the impact that video conferencing technology can have on a business’s practices and bottom line. It then quickly delves into the benefits offered by telepresence, including the ability to move faster and make decisions more quickly across an organization, the opportunity to more readily access experts within a company regardless of where they might be located geographically, and the way that video communications can create a tighter-knit group of co-workers and allow those employees to achieve a better work-life balance. Each positive aspect of video conferencing technology is backed up by a real world mini-case study.
Continue reading »
2011
Telepresence and HD Conferencing Users and Pros LinkedIn Roundup – April to May, 2011
Telepresence and video conferencing professionals have access to a powerful online tool in the form of the Linkedin social network. Linkedin groups like the Telepresence and HD Conferencing Users and Professionals group provide an excellent industry resource for those who are seeking out new jobs or who need to ask highly specialized questions about technology and service options. The Telepresence and HD Conferencing Users and Professionals group is sponsored by the Interactive Multimedia & Collaborative Communications Alliance (IMCCA).
Most Popular Discussions for April – May 2011
There have been a number of popular discussions over the past month in the Telepresence and HD Conferencing Users and Professionals group, including a lengthy conversation comparing the popularity and inexpensive attributes of Skype with the more immersive, high quality video communications provided by a full-on telepresence solution. Instigated by Daniel Newman, CEO of United Visual, Inc (@danielnewmanUV), the general consensus was that Skype was not a telepresence replacement technology and that comparing the two options was difficult because they were designed to serve very different markets. Particularly thoughtful responses came from group members Howard Alleway (VC Senior Engineer, vc-net), Adele Thornton (Nee Shaw, Sales & Marketing Manager at Direct Visual) and Fabrice Emonnet (Regional Sales Manager France & Maghreb, LifeSize Communications, @bricefouille).
Categories
- AV and Video Providers
- Business Video Conferencing
- Cisco Digital Media
- Cisco Digital Signs
- Cisco TelePresence
- Cisco TelePresence Tech Tip
- Cisco Video Conferencing
- Desktop Telepresence
- Distance Learning
- Federal Government
- Green Communications Technology
- Home Telepresence
- Mobile Video Products
- Mobile Video Solutions
- tele-justice
- telecommunications
- Telemedicine Video Conferencing
- Telepresence Chat
- Telepresence Cost
- TelePresence Solutions
- Telepresence Tech Tip
- Telepresence Trends
- Video Calls
- Video Conferencing
- Video Conferencing Equipment
- Video Conferencing Solutions
- Video Conferencing Systems
- Video Conferencing Tools
- VOIP Communications