Over the past year or so, how was the scene changed in the videoconferencing market?

We’re seeing a significant shift away from the traditional scenario of several individuals gathering together into one large videoconferencing room to communicate with others in different locations. The quality of IP-based communications technology has increased to the point where conferencing and collaborative communications can be conducted from an individual’s desktop or mobile device, such as a laptop.

Business is not always done within the four walls of a conference room or at a desk anymore. Meetings are being held in local coffee shops, presentations are being made simultaneously to potential clients in several different locations -- and training sessions and seminars are conducted via Webinars or online tutorials. Professionals need to stay connected to their businesses and to their customers whether they’re in the office or on the road.

Products like Sony’s IPELA PCS-TL30 are perfectly suited to the changing work styles of business professionals, serving as a desktop computer system or as an effective multi-point collaborative conferencing tool.

How has VoIP impacted your product lineup?

The evolution of VoIP technology has expanded the potential applications for our product line-up to a broader audience, essentially making videoconferencing as easy as placing a telephone call. Our products support VoIP protocols such as SIP and SCCP for Cisco CallManager.

How has Sony’s approach changed? (For example, have you started pushing ease of use over a/v quality?)

It’s not a matter of ease of use over A/V quality. Effective communications tools need to combine both, along with several other characteristics, such as functionality, ease of installation, and cost.

In a large room setting, audio and image quality are very important, but at the same time, a system used by executives on their desktop has to be easy to use. We’ve focused our efforts on designing the right system for individual users, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

What is the latest in collaboration enhancement technology?

The latest trend in this area is integrated data sharing capabilities between PCs and videoconferencing room systems, supporting the H.239 standard. Sony’s executive desktop models can display PC screen and camera images together as various display layouts (PinP, PandP, or side-by-side). These systems make it very easy to do a presentation during a videoconference, with participants able to view live video signals and live presentations together, all on a single desktop monitor.

What are the different levels of solutions? From tabletop to immersion...

Our products run the gamut from desktop systems to high-end installed room systems. The PCS-TL50, our executive desktop model, supports IP/ISDN/MCU functions. The entry level PCS-TL30 desktop system can be controlled by mouse via USB connection for easier operation control.

The PCS-G50 system is suited for a conference room or other permanent installations, and is built on the same platform as Sony's PCS-1 and PCS-G70 videoconferencing series, but adds the scalability necessary for installation in a range of environments.

What types of clients should use which products?

Desktop videoconferencing systems are perfect for executives, government officials, school administrators or any professional that needs to collaborate with colleagues and quickly make business decision, but don’t have the time to travel, or even walk down the hallway to another office.

Doctors in hospital, medical, healthcare also can use videoconferencing systems to monitor what’s happening in the operating or emergency rooms from their offices or as a teaching tool with peers and students in other locations.

Sony products are also used for broadcast applications. For example, the NBA’s TV network uses our PCS-1 to do locker room interviews and post game segments. Rutgers University uses the PCS-TL50 system to help the school’s faculty and staff stay in touch and hold meetings without having to actually travel to the campus. The Village of Palatine in Illinois has purchased our VC line to do in-house training versus taking fire department staff off site to do mandatory training. These are just some of the many uses we’re now seeing in the market place.