New Paper “Audio Performance in Multi-Codec Telepresence Systems”

Without audio, a video call is generally useless unless the video is being used for sign language or some other special application. For many years, videoconferencing users have appreciated the superior quality of the audio call that is generally part of a video call, compared to ordinary telephony. In the past five years, several vendors have introduced multi-codec videoconferencing endpoints, widely known as telepresence systems, and these devices have taken audio to a new level for business meetings while also presenting vendors with a new set of interoperability challenges.
Andrew Davis and I published a new paper (Wainhouse Research Note) on audio performance in multi-screen (multi-codec) telepresence systems. We looked at three scenarios: point-to-point calls between systems from the same vendor, multipoint calls with equipment from the same vendor, and finally, point-to-point calls between systems from different vendors. You would be surprised how the quality of the audio changes depending on the configuration.
The paper is available to WR subscribers at http://wainhouse.com/index.php

New Paper “Video Architectures: Disruption Ahead"

Recent shifts in video network architectures promise to impact the videoconferencing world in a powerful way. While IP remains the core transport medium and H.264 remains the video algorithm of choice, interest in a switched infrastructure is coming back, but with several new twists.
Andrew Davis and I published a new paper (Wainhouse Research Note) on the impact of new video architectures on the market place. We compared traditional transcoding with layer switching and stream switching technologies.
The paper is available to WR subscribers at http://wainhouse.com/index.php