This image gallery accompanies our story Videoconferencing for every budget. Click through to that story for details and advice on which type of product is right for your company.
At the bottom of videoconferencing options are basic one-on-one IM chat services like Yahoo Messenger. The main advantage of these services is that anyone can quickly download and use them for free from just about anywhere, but they don't provide the best video quality.
Moving up a notch are Web services that provide a way to include more than two people on a chat. Skype provides a simple 10-way video chat feature for $8.99 per month.
The ooVoo video call service is used with participants' own computers. The company offers various plans; the one that supports six-way video chats costs $20 per month. In my tests, ooVoo's quality was noticeably superior to that of Skype and Yahoo Messenger, although the video stream stuttered a bit.
Unlike desktop video chat services, which run on your computer, modular videoconferencing systems use specialized hardware setups to boost video quality. The $2,500 LifeSize Passport system consists of a 720p webcam that transmits at 30 frames per second, and a set-top device that you connect to your own HDTV.
At the high end of the videoconferencing scale are immersive telepresence suites that make you feel as if you're in the same room with remote participants. Cisco's CTS 3000 room for six people costs $300,000, with additional ongoing fees for maintenance and support.
Polycom's RPX 400 Series telepresence suite features a 16-foot video wall, LCD monitors built into the tables, and very realistic 60-frames-per-second video. This 18-person room costs about $600,000, with additional monthly maintenance and support fees.
At the bottom of videoconferencing options are basic one-on-one IM chat services like Yahoo Messenger. The main advantage of these services is that anyone can quickly download and use them for free from just about anywhere, but they don't provide the best video quality.
Moving up a notch are Web services that provide a way to include more than two people on a chat. Skype provides a simple 10-way video chat feature for $8.99 per month.
The ooVoo video call service is used with participants' own computers. The company offers various plans; the one that supports six-way video chats costs $20 per month. In my tests, ooVoo's quality was noticeably superior to that of Skype and Yahoo Messenger, although the video stream stuttered a bit.
Unlike desktop video chat services, which run on your computer, modular videoconferencing systems use specialized hardware setups to boost video quality. The $2,500 LifeSize Passport system consists of a 720p webcam that transmits at 30 frames per second, and a set-top device that you connect to your own HDTV.
At the high end of the videoconferencing scale are immersive telepresence suites that make you feel as if you're in the same room with remote participants. Cisco's CTS 3000 room for six people costs $300,000, with additional ongoing fees for maintenance and support.
Polycom's RPX 400 Series telepresence suite features a 16-foot video wall, LCD monitors built into the tables, and very realistic 60-frames-per-second video. This 18-person room costs about $600,000, with additional monthly maintenance and support fees.
