Deciding on what Videoconferencing Unit (VCU) you should use/purchase to meet your requiremens is very important.
The following is a list of questions to ask yourself to try to get a general idea of what you will need. All these questions are important factors in determining what you decide on for hardware, but will NOT give you an exact unit you should purchase, nor an exact cost of that unit. For information regarding an actual purchase, we'd recommend you review these factors then contact eMAP's Video Conferencing Group for consulting and purchase assistance.
What is my budget?
If you have a very limited budget, you may want to contact eMAP's Video Conferencing Group regarding usage/rental of their facilities for your use.
If you have a budget in the range of $3000-$5000, you should be able to purchase a stand-alone unit that can perform standard videoconferencing tasks (sharing video and audio between 2-6 sites). This unit would NOT be integrated into a purpose-built room.
If you have a budget in the range of $5000-$10,000, you should be able to purchase a unit that can perform standard functions plus share computer-based presentations, share data between sites and record sessions. This unit would NOT be integrated into a purpose-built room.
If you have a budget of $10,000+ you can purchase a unit that can perform both standard and advanced Videoconferencing functions, plus you can start thinking about how you wish to integrate it into a purpose-built facility (a Videoconferencing Room, for example...)
What can I DO with videoconferencing units?
Share video and audio between 2 sites
Share video and audio between 3-6 sites
Share computer-based presentations between 2 sites
Share computer-based presentations between 3-6 sites
What is the standard at the University?
Generally, the MAP's Video Conferencing Group purchases and recommends Sony Ipela Video Conferencing units, and can provide training and support on those units.
What do OTHER people/organizations use, and how will this affect me?
The other major vendors in the field of Videoconferencing are PolyCom and Tandberg/Cisco. While all the major vendors state that their VCU's are interoperable with all the other vendors, there are some factors to consider. Particularly since you generally have no control over what brand of unit your participants are using.
- User support of your remote audience. If your participants are using a different brand of conferencing unit, you will find it more difficult to troubleshoot problems on their end.
- Settings and preferences applied to different units may adversely affect their ability to interoperate with your unit, particularly if you are trying advanced features such as Computer Presentation sharing.
Where else can I go to get more information?
Feel free to contact the ITS Videoconferencing Support Team if you would like some more general consultation regarding your use case and requirements for videoconferencing.
If the above information has brought you to a point where you need more detailed technical information or you would like to investigate purchasing a VCU, please contact eMAP's Videoconferencing Group.
