LifeSize Express Offers Affordable HD Videoconferencing

SMBs looking for an affordable HD videoconferencing system have a new option to explore: LifeSize Communications' Express line.The one-inch thick LifeSize Express, designed to fit in a briefcase, is available in two models: a $4,999 version equipped with the company's fixed Focus camera, and a $5,999 version with a pan, tilt, and zoom camera. Competitive products from the likes of Cisco, HP, Polycom and Sony generally fall in the $5,000 to $10,000 range. Boasting a simple interface, Express offers resolution at 1,280 x 720, at 30 frames per second, and supports bandwidth from 128 Kbps to 2 Mbps.

At last month's Interop, LifeSize's marketing SVP told bMighty.com about a small psychiatric practice using the system for remote patient sessions, enabling the doctor to respond to nonverbal communications.

Of note, the product experienced some packet loss when tested over highly trafficked networks. "We recommend that network administrators ensure that appropriate quality-of-service measures are in place to provide sufficient bandwidth for LifeSize units whenever possible," advised InformationWeek reviewers.InformationWeek