HD3000 set-top and HD5000 multimedia conferencing systems combine VCON's innovative IP technology with leading video quality
(February 11, 2004) Austin, Texas – VCON (Nouveau Marché No. 022021), a worldwide leader in audio and videoconferencing solutions, today announced the expansion of their High-Definition product line with two new group systems, the HD3000 set-top conferencing system and HD5000 multimedia conferencing system. VCON’s high-definition solutions are characterized by cutting edge video quality combined with advanced feature sets and unmatched price performance. Additionally, VCON’s HD family of products provides industry leading rich media conferencing functionality to enhance any meeting or training session. With the addition of the HD3000 and HD5000 to the existing HD100 offering, VCON’s HD family of products now addresses the integrator’s market as well as set-top and multimedia conferencing environments. “These new systems bring our customers a full line of HD videoconferencing systems, supporting a complete range of conferencing and collaboration applications,” said Gordon Daugherty, chief marketing officer, VCON. “Never before has a near-TV quality line of videoconferencing products been offered with this kind of price performance and value.”
The HD3000 combines streaming, videoconferencing and embedded MCU functionality all in one system and all at a single price point. With IP data rates up to 4Mbps and interlaced CIF video resolution, the HD3000 has exceptional video quality. The built-in 4-port MCU has all the basic multipoint features, as well as many advanced features normally found only in larger, more expensive MCUs. Some of the HD3000 MCU features include cascading, video and audio transcoding, downspeeding and speed matching. Additionally, any HD3000 MCU conference can be simultaneously streamed over the Internet, at a lower data rate than the conference, to multiple participants using either the unicast or multicast streaming methods. The streaming engine in the HD3000 includes VCON’s exclusive HD SimulcastTM technology. HD Simulcast encompasses several streaming methods including multicast, unicast, multi-unicast and VCON’s exclusive Interactive Multicast. The embedded web server of the HD3000 gives users extensive control over their conference, including the ability to start and stop streaming, dial, hang-up, and view the status of any conference. The HD3000’s software upgrade utility is simple and hands-free. The unit can be configured to detect any new software version that has been released and will automatically install it with no user intervention required. The ability to share data with the remote site via a laptop utility is included with the HD3000 at no extra cost. VCON’s HD5000 is a high-performance, versatile multimedia conferencing system. The HD5000 also provides data rates up to 4Mbps and includes the newest H.264 video standard for exceptional video quality at a fraction of the bandwidth required in the past. ISDN is available on the HD5000 at data rates up to 384Kbps. The HD5000 has native 16:9 display support for users who wish to view their conference on an LCD or plasma wide-screen display. HD DualStreamTM is a unique feature of the HD5000, allowing users to simultaneously stream video and data. Additionally, VCON’s HD5000 makes the most advanced use of the new H.264 video standard versus any competing system. The HD5000 has unique data sharing capabilities, both during a videoconference, and while offline. Built on a high-performance multimedia PC, the HD5000 can share data with a remote site using a simple, intuitive interface. Attaching a VCR/DVD to the HD5000 allows users to access and play videos or music during a live videoconference with mixed audio for recording or training purposes. The tabletop pod is an optional module of the HD5000 that enables users to easily connect a laptop for data sharing, while also providing an extra USB port and microphone connector. The HD5000 has an embedded web server for remote management of the conference, and allows users to control and monitor their conferences on an ad-hoc basis. With an integrated Broadcast Viewer and encryption client, the HD5000 can be used to view streamed conferences and can easily accommodate encrypted videoconferencing communications. VCON’s HD3000 and HD5000 will be shipping in Q1 2004. Read about VCON's new products in the Wainhouse Research Bulletin | 
