Telepresence 2007:Taking Videoconferencing to the Next Frontier published by Wainhouse Research, LLC in February, 2007. This report price starts from US $ 2495.
Abstract
Chapter 1: Telepresence Overview
Introduction
More than a decade after the first videoconferencing-based telepresence
solution was introduced to the public, and after more than ten years of
languishing in the backwaters of the communications market, telepresence hit
the limelight in 2006. The re-emergence started in the closing weeks of 2005
when HP announced the release of the company' s Halo telepresense solution.
Designed in collaboration with partner DreamWorks, Halo proved to many
observers that there was still significant interest in a two-way, interactive
visual communications solution that somehow exceeded the boundaries of
"traditional" videoconferencing systems. Equally important, the apparent
success of the Halo marketing thrust indicated that CEOs and high level
executives at large enterprises were interested in high performance, immersive
visual communications systems that were highly reliable and easy to use,
despite the high initial costs and operating costs of many such systems.
The renewed interest in telepresence initially fueled by HP was further
strengthened during the first half of 2006 by two other initiatives. Cisco' s
CEO John Chambers began to talk about his company' s forthcoming solution that
would take videoconferencing far beyond its current capabilities and provide a
communications vehicle that was a serious alternative to corporate travel.
During the same time period, Polycom announced its own pending telepresence
solution, to be based on a product line dubbed RPX, that would be delivered in
conjunction with partner Destiny Conferencing (later acquired by Polycom), one
of the original telepresence suppliers. A prominent September Wall Street
Journal article added fuel to the fire. Finally, in October 2006, Cisco
formally announced its Telepresence Meeting System, supported by a massive
advertising and PR campaign. With three "credible" vendors now talking about
telepresence solutionsand joining the ranks of half a dozen smaller stalwarts,
the industry appeared at the close of 2006 to be headed for a long-awaited
take-off.
Many people are confused by the concept of telepresence. For some, the mere
mention of telepresence conjures up images of traveling to remote galaxies
without leaving the comfort of one' sliving room sofa, or to remote business
locations without leaving one' s own conference room. This fantasy is exactly
what the telepresence suppliers are trying to deliver. The most common
question Wainhouse Research is asked today in this area is: "what is the
difference between telepresence and videoconferencing"? To answer this
question and to help define different market segments, we offer the following
definition of telepresence:
A videoconferencing experience that creates the illusion that the remote
participants are in the same room with you.
To meet this deliverable, telepresence solutions use videoconferencing as well
as other "arts and sciences" to create a two-way communications experience
that simulates an in-person, interactive encounter. In fact, many elements
embedded in "traditional" videoconferencing systems are intentionally left out
of telepresence systems since they would break the "immersive"experience or
shatter the "sitting across the same table" illusion.
To create the same-room illusion, telepresence solutions use a combination of
technology elements and environmental design that are described in further
detail in Chapter 2. Many of these telepresence elements we believe are
synergistic, i.e. improved audio realism is more effective when accompanied by
increased video realism than it would be alone. Hence, the entire telepresence
solution cannot be appreciated as the sum of individual technology components,
but rather must be experienced in its holistic presentation. Some refer to
this as the 1+1=3 phenomenon.
Telepresence System Objectives
In order to produce the illusion of sitting in the same room" and satisfy the
demanding requirements of high-end customers, telepresence solution suppliers
have focused on four key elements, explained in further detail in chapter
2:
- High quality audio and video
- Simplicity
- High reliability
- Environmental excellence
Telepresence System Tradeoffs
While focusing on the above key objectives, telepresence product designers
have had to make compromises in areas where traditional videoconferencing
system vendors have not had such liberties.
These include:
- System cost
- Bandwidth
- Interoperability
- General purpose environment
Telepresence Vendor Differences
Virtually every telepresence system vendor makes the same claims in his product literature:
- Very easy to use
- Highly reliable
- Providing excellent audio and video quality
Prospects will find that the differences in these areas may be subtle and in
many cases may depend more on the skills and vision of the system integrator /
installer than on anything else.
There are, however, significant differences in the various solutions in other areas including:
- Eye contact
- Support for multipoint (3 or more location) sessions
- Enteroperability and operating modes with non-telepresence systems
- Support for data collaboration
- Initial system cost
- On-going operational costs
- Breadth of available support services
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Telepresence Overview
- Introduction
- Telepresence System Objectives
- Telepresence System Tradeoffs
- Telepresence Vendor Differences
Chapter 2: Telepresence Technology Elements
- Telepresence Video Elements
- Telepresence Audio Technologies
- User Interface Technologies
- Telepresence Environmental Designs
- Support for Multipoint
- Support for Data Collaboration
Chapter 3: Telepresence Vendors
- Cisco Systems
- Digital Video Enterprises
- HP
- Polycom
- TANDBERG
- Telanetix
- Teliris
Appendix 1: System Design Comparisons
Appendix 2: Telepresence Vendor Comparisons
Appendix 3: Product Matrices
