The Advantage of Mobility
- Video Conferencing systems are typically installed into a conference room. Large monitors are usually heavy and unwiedly.
- Cart systems allow one video conferencing system to serve multiple teams and rooms.
- Very little set-up is required and minimum network configuration.
- Video Conferencing carts rage from minimal to full-featured supporting one or two monitors.
- Lockable carts are available for public spaces
- Additional components (DVR, DVD, Audio controls) can be included.
- Carts are built on-site in one day
The Videoconferencing Unit
The core of the video conferencing cart is the video conferencing unit that both displays your remote meeting participants as well as transmits video of your end to the remote participants.
Some capabilities to think about:
- How many screens do you need? Two screens allow you to receive video of your far-end participant alongside slide deck presentations.
- What is your budget? Single screens are more cost effective and can be split into "virtual monitors" to display slide decks and video simultaneously, but do not offer the same impact/scale as two screens.
- Do you want to conference with more than one remote participant? Multi-point capabilities will allow you to bring in people from more than one location into a single conference.
- How big is the room this cart will be used in most? Larger rooms may require more microphones so that everyone on your side of the meeting will be heard at the far end.
- What video quality do you require? Video units can provide a vast range of video qualities. Most video units by default offer high definition conferencing.
- How fast is your Internet connection? The highest quality video conference will suffer from a slow or congested Internet connection. Talk to your network administrator in gathering needs for your video cart.
Screens and Displays
Video screens come in a vast array of capabilities, quality and cost. Sometimes a less expensive screen will provide adequate resolution and display, but often the visual impact of a large, properly selected display makes all the difference. Consider the following when selecting a display for your video conferencing cart:
- Monitor or Television? A monitor doesn't let you watch television on the display. Sometimes this is valuable when you need the video cart to be strictly single-purpose (in the case of public carts).
- Bezel Size The plastic "frame" around the display can be as small as a few millimeters or inches thick. The size of the bezel is one of the largest factors in increasing impact or "wow factor".
- LED versus LCD Both LED and LCD use liquid crystal technology to display video. LED displays use LEDs to back-light the video while LCD typically uses fluorescent bulbs making the display heavier and more power-hungry.
- Warranties & Commercial Displays While LED and LCD monitors and televisions come in a wide variety of sizes from a large number of vendors, Wide Area Media works closely with Samsung and LG. Samsung offers 3 year commercial warranties with on-site service for a little bit more than LG. LG displays offer an exceptional value.
