TrueConf Adds Support for Open H.264

TrueConf has added support for Cisco’s Open H.264 video codec. This implementation of H.264 provides wide compatibility of TrueConf solutions with third-party video conferencing endpoints and enhanced web conferencing experience. Cisco open-sourced it’s H.264 codec implementation as a license-free alternative solution to allow its use in WebRTC standard along with VP8 video codec. Open H.264 ensures compatibility between […]

TrueConf Adds Support for Open H.264

Vaddio OneLINK Codec Kits Ship

Vaddio is now shipping its new OneLINK Codec Kits for Cisco and Polycom Codecs. OneLINK Codec Kits give room designers more camera flexibility by providing the ability to connect Cisco, Polycom or Vaddio cameras to codec rooms. Using Vaddio RoboSHOT PTZ cameras in rooms with Polycom and Cisco codecs provides a broader array of camera choices including 12x, 20x and […]

Vaddio OneLINK Codec Kits Ship

The ZOOM vs. WebEx Shootout

ZOOM just published, on their internal blog, a video-based shootout against WebEx. Rarely do you see public side-by-side comparisons where one company calls out their competitor, by name, as it’s considered, by many in marketing, to be a bad move. But, in this case, ZOOM doesn’t seem to care — and, of course, it’s probably well-known […]

The ZOOM vs. WebEx Shootout

Prysm Adds Enterprise Collaboration Features Including Co-Browsing

Prysm, Inc announced today new functionality for its digital workplace platform. The new features include: Co-browsing – allows all Prysm participants accessing content via an approved mobile device to view and interact with web content. Prysm is the first to offer web application co-browsing among teams, enabling all users to make edits while empowering the content owner to monitor […]

Prysm Adds Enterprise Collaboration Features Including Co-Browsing

Cisco Has Most of Its Collaboration Videoconferencing Products in Revit Now

Cisco has posted its videoconferencing collaboration products for use in all Revit programs created by Autodesk. These CAD program tools are used by architects, integrators and design consultants in building design and are required in the Smart Building Technologies (SBT) market.  Now Cisco video solutions can “drag and drop” in those designs.  The modules are found in the Bimobject.com online database. Products that […]

Cisco Has Most of Its Collaboration Videoconferencing Products in Revit Now

Is the Microsoft Surface Hub An Overpriced Collaboration Board?

With the deluge of new collaboration boards that will hit the market over the next six months (this was the most popular launch product at ISE  in Amsterdam, last month), there’s no question that Microsoft will have to cut the price of their Surface Hub — or, no one who knows any better will buy it. They can’t keep ripping […]

Is the Microsoft Surface Hub An Overpriced Collaboration Board?

Will Microsoft Be Able to Continue to Rip People Off With Their Surface HUB?

With the deluge of new “Collaboration Boards” that will hit the market over the next six months (this was the most popular launch product at ISE this month), there’s no question that Microsoft will have to cut the price of their Surface Hub. They can’t keep ripping people off at $8,000 — $9,000 (55″) and $20,000 (84″) […]

Will Microsoft Be Able to Continue to Rip People Off With Their Surface HUB?

At ISE, Crestron Goes Big (and Small), and Biamp Steps Towards Dante

Editor’s Note: Leonard Suskin has additional thoughts on Biamp’s TesiraFORTÉ DAN, which you can read here. ISE has never been quite as big to me as InfoComm, though not for any particular reason. Perhaps it’s that time-zone differential is even worse heading East across the ocean than West to Las Vegas [or due South to […]

At ISE, Crestron Goes Big (and Small), and Biamp Steps Towards Dante

The Crazy, Cautious and Amazing Future of Collaboration Boards — My Virtual Visit to ISE 2017

I am in Amsterdam. Or, at least I believe I am at this point. As many of you know, I am in the middle of a very large project and was unable to travel to Amsterdam for ISE this year. This is a pilgrimage I’ve made every year for quite a long time, in fact […]

The Crazy, Cautious and Amazing Future of Collaboration Boards — My Virtual Visit to ISE 2017

Cisco Debuts Spark Board and Spark Meetings

Cisco just launched two all-in-one, cloud-based products in Cisco Spark Board and Cisco Spark Meeting. Cisco says it invented Spark Board to clean up the conference-room chaos and connect physical rooms to virtual spaces. The Cisco Spark Board will be available in both 55” and 70” sizes. It’s basically a few products in one, including: A […]

Cisco Debuts Spark Board and Spark Meetings

Cisco Publishes White Paper on Switching AVB Over Its Gear

AVB (Audio Video Bridging) is the common name for the set of technical standards developed by the IEEE Audio Video Bridging Task Group of the IEEE 802.1 standards committee. This task group was renamed the Time-Sensitive Networking Task Group in November 2012 to reflect the expanded scope of its work. IEEE 802.1 defines a set […]

Cisco Publishes White Paper on Switching AVB Over Its Gear

Integration Sales – Are You Meeting the Online Resources Challenge?

How do we define the proper way to do business in this era of rapid technological advancement? Where business was once all about the cold-call dials and networking events, with marketing materials present in his or her briefcase as one went out on the sales call, the new age of technology and media has added […]

Integration Sales – Are You Meeting the Online Resources Challenge?

Can There Finally Be a “New UCC Mindset?”

To refresh the memories, when entering the UCC Pavilion at InfoComm 2016 this is what you were witness to: Videoconferencing and telepresence systems Remote worker / teleworker technologies Cloud services Unified communications and collaboration technologies Networked interactive whiteboards Unified communications as a service (UCaaS) providers Videoconferencing as a service (VCaaS) providers Managed services providers Collaboration […]

Can There Finally Be a “New UCC Mindset?”

My InfoComm 2016 Video Interview Cisco

Cisco’s Marketing Manager, Kim Nguyen joined me for an awesome overview about their entire product line at InfoComm 2016. Cisco is squarely focused on supporting the AV integrator community and their newest products like PresenterTrack, Spark and their SX and MX room systems prove that. I hope you’ll watch this video interview with Kim:

My InfoComm 2016 Video Interview Cisco

Collaboration Squared Launches Its Cisco Spark Offering with Integration to Cloud Acano Video Conferencing Service Ubiety

Collaboration Squared, a global collaboration and video conferencing service provider and winner of the 2015 InfoComm and Enterprise Connect Innovation showcases, today announced the launch of its Cisco Spark offering, including a deep integration to their cloud Acano service Ubiety. Cisco Spark is the next generation cloud collaboration platform that unifies messaging, meeting and calling; […]

Collaboration Squared Launches Its Cisco Spark Offering with Integration to Cloud Acano Video Conferencing Service Ubiety

A Walk Down Memory Lane

Nearly six years ago to the day, Cisco closed on its $3.3 billion acquisition of Tandberg. Although it was announced six months earlier, the path acquisition was impeded by investor challenges and regulatory hurdles. During that time, I was part of the Polycom PR machine that highlighted the fact that with Logitech’s recent acquisition of […]

A Walk Down Memory Lane

Joel Rollins’ Observations of Day Two at ISE 2016

Well, Day Two has gone really well, although like last year I am certain that my brand-new running shoes will be completely trashed by the end of the show. Seriously, folks, with 1,200+ exhibits in a dozen buildings, the last two years I have bought new sneakers to wear at the show, and thrown them […]

Joel Rollins’ Observations of Day Two at ISE 2016

Cisco Focuses on Spark and Speaker Track at ISE

In addition to focusing on the simple user-experience Cisco has created with their line in recent years, Cisco’s focus at ISE 2016 is demo’ing their Speaker Track and Spark. Cisco Director of Collaboration Solutions Marketing Angie Mistretta explained Cisco’s presence at ISE and what visitors to their booth can expect.

Cisco Focuses on Spark and Speaker Track at ISE

Security and the AV Industry – Time to Expand On Message, Perspectives and Awareness

As stated in my previous blog, “Baffling” Backdoor Cyber-Talks, numerous people in the industry through discussion as well as writing got right out and on top of a major story in the industry. Again, my hats off to them and this now leads to my next discussion on the matter of security. With the AMX […]

Security and the AV Industry – Time to Expand On Message, Perspectives and Awareness

This Week (In AV and IT) 12/11

While this could be considered last week’s news, I did say there would be a followup to the final story from my previous This Week blog. Here’s what it looks like when your startup passes a make-or-break test (12/4) The future is looking very bright now for videoconferencing company Blue Jeans Network after “Big Papi” […]

This Week (In AV and IT) 12/11

Cisco to Acquire Acano for $700 M

Today, Cisco announced its intent to acquire Acano Limited, a privately held company based in London that provides collaboration infrastructure and conferencing software. Acano’s hardware and software includes gateways, and video and audio bridging technology that allows customers to connect video systems from multiple vendors across both cloud and hybrid environments. This acquisition will help […]

Cisco to Acquire Acano for $700 M

This Week (In AV and IT)

A new series – I’ll be looking at news and developments in both AV and IT within the industry during the week. Cisco Announces Intent to Acquire Acano (11/20) Today, Cisco announced its intent to acquire Acano Limited, a privately held company based in London that provides collaboration infrastructure and conferencing software. Acano’s hardware and […]

This Week (In AV and IT)

InfoComm Connections – The Experience (Part 1)

This past week, many industry professionals and end users attended InfoComm Connections in New York’s Jacob Javits Center where certain industry manufacturers exhibited. Co-located with NAB CCW (now NAB Show New York), the statement put out by the industry organization was as follows:  We realize that not everyone has the time or budget to attend […]

InfoComm Connections – The Experience (Part 1)

ScanSource to Acquire KBZ, AV’s Largest Cisco Distributor

ScanSource today announced the execution of a letter of intent to purchase the assets of KBZ, a Cisco Authorized Distributor. Founded in 1987 and based in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, KBZ operates in the United States and has approximately 75 employees. The company’s sales for the trailing twelve months ended June 30, 2015 are estimated to total […]

ScanSource to Acquire KBZ, AV’s Largest Cisco Distributor

Enterprise Connect: The Booth Videos – Day Two

Day two of the Enterprise Connect show provided more excellent experiences with companies specializing in providing unified communications and collaboration solutions. Here are the booth videos from the second day. AGT AGT has improved the way organizations communicate and collaborate for over 20 years. Our passion for technical innovation, visual communication and customer service – […]

Enterprise Connect: The Booth Videos – Day Two

Convergent Tech Interview #3: Cisco’s Gary Hall, Chief Technology Officer – Federal Defense

When you look at certain individuals who have been influential in the audio visual industry, there are those who have contributed in numerous high level ways. Gary Hall is certainly one of those individuals who has made major contributions and continues to be held in high regard by many in the industry. Along with being […]

Convergent Tech Interview #3: Cisco’s Gary Hall, Chief Technology Officer – Federal Defense

17 Stands You Must See at ISE 2015

As you may know, Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) is Europe’s — and the world’s — largest AV show. Combining both residential and commercial AV technology in one giant trade show venue at the Amsterdam RAI, the show is nicely spread out in 12 easy-to-navigate halls that you can walk without back-tracking as it’s laid-out in […]

17 Stands You Must See at ISE 2015

All the Right Moves? A Perspective on Innovation vs. Acquisition

Last week I published a blog on the Internet of Things and convergence, basically highlighting two companies — Cisco and Google as those leading the way in IoT and IT. However I felt the need to clarify that while I mentioned the cloud collaboration environment that Cisco has built through acquisitions as strategic to an overall […]

All the Right Moves? A Perspective on Innovation vs. Acquisition

InfoComm Offers a Plethora of Collaborations Solutions

Practically everyone now offers a collaboration solution was the clear take away from my recent visit to InfoComm 2014. From telecons to document sharing; from video calling to video conferencing; solutions in all shapes and sizes could be had. I met with a number of companies at InfoComm and learned about many solutions, but clearly […]

InfoComm Offers a Plethora of Collaborations Solutions

Disruptive Forces in AV/IT – Part 4: Acano

New solutions continue to enter the market at a rapid pace and if all were taken into consideration, it’s altogether possible that this series could go on for months. However, due to the fact that I’ve set it to end prior to InfoComm we are coming to the last few chapters. So far all companies […]

Disruptive Forces in AV/IT – Part 4: Acano

Cycling Our Way to InfoComm 2014

Well, June approaches again, and with it, among other things, comes the InfoComm show. And I don’t mean InfoComm Patagonia or InfoComm New Zealand or whatever they’re up to these days. I mean the original, accept-no-substitutes, convince-the-boss-I-NEED to-go, InfoComm show. Actually, that’s not to disparage InfoComm’s ever-widening pantheon of AV shows around the world. I […]

Cycling Our Way to InfoComm 2014

Public Demo of 4K Live Streaming

At NAB 2014, Cisco and Sony became the first companies to publicly demonstrate the live delivery of full-frame rate 4K 60P content. The live demonstration streamed live 4K video from New York City to Las Vegas and was on display for NAB show attendees at the Cisco and Sony booths. Live events in New York […]

Public Demo of 4K Live Streaming