As collaboration technology adoption grows, high-definition (HD) video has become the industry standard and has replaced the traditional, standard-definition (low-quality) video conferencing. The quality, simplicity and manageability of this medium, combined with wide availability and lower costs of HD displays and IP networks, promises far greater usage and value than the staid video conferencing of old.
The benefits of collaboration and video conferencing are easy for IT to realize with relatively small amounts of bandwidth – clear, crisp HD picture quality leads to an authentic, “just-like-being-there” experience that’s totally addictive.
However, IT departments are usually juggling multiple applications that, when used at the same time, could stress the network and demand more bandwidth than is available. IT must work to optimize the network and manage bandwidth effectively to deliver the best user experience possible, especially when collaboration tools and video are in play.
To achieve high-definition video (1280×720 at 30 frames per second), only 768Kbps is needed. For even better motion handling, 60 frames is achievable at 1.1 Mbps. For some perspective, your office’s standard T-3 line has an output of about 43.23Mbps. A T-1 line emits 1.54Mbps.
Additionally, measurable increases in quality at lower bandwidths can also be obtained. For example, DVD quality is achievable at just 384Kbps. So, for less than 1Mbps over the public Internet, phenomenal video quality is now a reality. Most businesses are capable of allocating this amount of bandwidth for video communications, especially when the cost-to-return component is so favorable. In some cases, it is desirable to use a Quality of Service (QoS) network, but it is not always imperative.
If HD quality is desired, sufficient bandwidth must be in place on each link to carry the expected real-time traffic. There are a few questions in the planning process that can help estimate the demand and support needed for video conferencing on the network.
One of the most important factors for video conferencing is the speed of your network. And a simple way to avoid wireless channel interference that can disrupt connectivity is to ensure your system is hardwired to your network. If a user is not certain of their current bandwidth use, try having them visit a speed test site prior to the meeting and confirm availability.
Note that use of video at home or on a mobile device versus the office will typically have different outcomes. A corporate office environment will most likely have similar download and upload speeds, whereas a remote environment may not. The information gathered from a speed test is beneficial to all involved with troubleshooting – the user, IT department and/or service provider.
Also, in both cases, but more so from a remote environment, it is smart to avoid unnecessary items running in the background during a video call, like large file transfers, virus protections scanners or downloading cute cat videos from YouTube.
While a majority of networks can handle HD quality, if there are issues with the connection, professional enterprise-ready video conferencing services currently have the ability to course correct automatically. These Service Providers monitor bandwidth and network speeds in real time, and if there’s a hiccup, audio will be proactively prioritized and video slightly reduced. As data analytics continue to reach their potential, next generation monitoring tools will be able to flag low bandwidth before it even becomes an issue.
Truth be told, not all video services are created equal in technology and interoperability, meaning quality can vary. Free and consumer-grade apps can result in poor picture quality, pixilation and bandwidth hiccups, which can be distracting during meetings. By stepping up to enterprise-quality HD video conferencing, companies will benefit from seamless and lifelike picture quality and audio that makes it feel like your conversation is taking place in the same room, even if the people you’re talking to are across the globe.
By Vineet Misra, CIO at Lifesize
