Category: Desktop Video Applications Toolkit

The variety of product cut sheets, websites, and online descriptions can make it hard to figure out exactly how products stack up against each other. Below are two comparisons, one for standards-based and one for consumer-grade applications, with the main products within each category stacked up against a variety of measures.   Consumer-Grade Desktop Videoconferencing […]

Making a Selection: Considering Organizational Needs When Selecting a Desktop Videoconferencing System Deciding which desktop videoconferencing (VTC) platform to use in an organization can be challenging. The increase in the availability of PC-based VTC applications in the personal lives of providers, patients, and support staff has resulted in many healthcare professionals wanting to know how […]

The “Decision Process” section looks at what needs your organization may have when choosing a desktop videoconferencing application, and then provides a couple of resources for making this selection.  “Making a Selection” looks at why you might choose one category of product over another (or why you may want both).  “Product Comparison” provides a more static […]

The use of consumer-grade desktop videoconferencing (VTC) software within the world of healthcare has been a point of discussion, as well as some concern, in recent years.  The dialog frequently turns to whether or not the particular applications are HIPAA compliant, and whether or not they are reliable enough for use in the delivery of […]

As mentioned elsewhere in this toolkit, the use of the term “standards-based” and “consumer-grade” to define the different videoconferencing markets may result in some concerns or confusion.  After all, some consumer-grade products use standards for video encoding, while other standards-based systems may not implement all of the possible videoconferencing standards. Below is a collection of […]

Many of the resources that are available on the topic of desktop videoconferencing are manufacturer-specific and focused on how to support or implement their various products in your environment.  We have gathered together some of the more relevant sources of information for these products, and have also gathered information on websites that discuss or review […]

The deployment and support of desktop videoconferencing applications varies by manufacturer, as each product requires its own infrastructure, client software, and licensing agreement.  There are, however, a series of steps that can be taken to better ensure that the deployment and support of these systems is done in a consistent, effective manner. Note that many […]

Video teleconferencing, or VTC, has long been recognized as a staple technology in the telehealth community.  VTC hardware has evolved through the years to include a range of solutions, including room-based telepresence systems that offer high-definition cameras with large screens, portable carts with cameras and monitors built into them, and dedicated desktop devices that can […]