Video conferencing - advice wanted

[Minitoots]

An overseas work colleage of ours uses Polycom video conferencing, and has suggested we start using it as well. As I've never had cause to need it before, I wondered if anyone who uses it can give me any more info, eg whether we would need to use Polycom or can we use another system? What equipment do we need? Does it work by a phone connection or??? We are a small design studio so don't want anything too enormous in outlay.. thanks!

[TigerMountain]

The question I would ask you is what are your video conferencing requirements and needs for your business?

Do you simply want to have video and voice conversations with the other party? Or do you need to share your computers' screens and desktops for presentations/collaboration/training, etc.?

Polycom products are considered high-end enterprise/corporate systems that cost thousands of pounds depending on the kit. Do you really need that kind of solution for your business?

All video conferencing systems utilise an Internet connection. They connect to your broadband router either by cable or by Wi-Fi.

[Minitoots]

Hi TigerMountain

For face to face round table discussions

To show hard line CAD drawings

To show sketches and work on them live

[Minitoots]

Hi TigerMountain, I've just posted a reply to you on the forum but in case you don't see it, I posted the message on behalf of my partner who is an architect, and his reply is:-

For face to face round table discussions

To show hard line CAD drawings

To show sketches and work on them live

I saw from your other posts that you have a background in IT for small businesses.

His firm are moving offices in the next couple of months and may also need help with setting up their new IT system, or maintenance of it at a later date. Is this the sort of thing you do? I don't know much about their IT set-up at the moment but can get more info if you need it.

thanks