Pexip Infinity uses what the company calls a “distributed architecture” to optimize bandwidth: Only the person who is talking uses the full amount of bandwidth, while the others who are connected use only a small fraction. And there is no limit to the number of users who can join a call or meeting, Pexip says.
Each user can choose one of three layouts: a “virtual auditorium” layout, in which the current speaker is shown, along with smaller images of up to 21 other participants; a “seven plus one” layout, featuring the speaker and seven other participants; and a “lecture mode” featuring just the speaker.
Pexip Infinity is licensed at $99 per port (or user), per month—and a yearly enterprise license with an unlimited number of ports also is available.
Vidyo offers its own cross-platform solutions for hosting high-definition video conferences, lectures, or meetings on any device, over any network.
The VidyoDesktop app brings video conferencing to Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, letting users participate from wherever they are. Users can choose from among multiple layouts; share any app or desktop into the conference; and switch between multiple streams of shared content.
The VidyoWeb browser extension lets participants join conferences from within a web browser on desktop and laptop computers. Unlike VidyoDesktop, which allows credentialed users to control their own virtual conference rooms and send invitations, VidyoWeb is designed for guest participants who simply want an easy way to join a conference.
The VidyoMobile app brings video conferencing to Apple and Android tablets and smart phones through a wireless broadband or Wi-Fi connection. It supports customizable layouts with up to four on-screen participants showing at a time. VidyoSlate lets you share content from your tablet into the conference, view content shared by other participants, and annotate shared content with pen and highlighter tools. And VidyoRoom SE (Software Edition) is an enterprise system that can deliver ultra HD video through off-the-shelf hardware.
A cost analysis of Vidyo’s services suggests they work out to about 2 or 3 cents per user, per minute, said Vice President of Strategic Marketing Mark Noble—or comparable to a standard voice call.
Color accuracy
In 2012, a new way to measure color brightness debuted at InfoComm, giving educators a standard way to compare the color intensity of projectors. But color accuracy is important as well—and at this year’s InfoComm, many vendors were using the term “gamut” to describe the range of colors their products can accurately represent.
3LCD projector makers (such as Epson) have long argued that their three-chip LCD design produces bright, accurate colors that are superior to those produced by DLP projectors. But BenQ disagrees—and the company set out to prove that crisp, clear, bright, and accurate colors are possible with a single DLP chip through the development of what it calls “Colorific” technology.
Though BenQ declined to describe the how its “Colorific” technology works, the company did show a number of new projectors with very high-quality color images at InfoComm.
BenQ also debuted a 24-inch “color proofing” monitor for specialized applications such as photography or graphic design classes, where color accuracy is essential. “Putting digital pictures on a cheap monitor is like processing negatives with vinegar instead of mixer,” said Associate Vice President Bob Wudeck.
Certified to provide reliable, precise colors, the PG2401PT monitor sells for $999.
(Next page: Two more key themes from InfoComm 2014)
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