Digicom Technology News

Digicom were approached by Enterprise Ireland's magazine "Technology Ireland" to contribute to an article to highlight trends within the Video Conferencing market in Ireland. The article is of benefit to companies seeking to deploy video conferencing and details what they should consider. Peter Fox, Digicom's Business Development Director gives insights into what is happening on this front and provides useful advice for those considering video conferencing.

Peter Fox, Business Development Director

The strong growth potential of this market which is emphasised in the article comes as no surprise given the savings that video conferencing can provide. As of late, a number of factors have seen the popularity of video conferencing skyrocket such as extreme weather conditions, rising transport costs, downtime involved with travelling and improvements in technology.

Below is an extract from the article:

"According to Digicom Sales Director Peter Fox, Irish companies are deploying larger managed private networks and factoring the requirement for high definition video when considering bandwidth requirements. Video is still primarily used in intranet [internal company network] architecture. If connectivity is made outside the private network, companies are deploying firewall traversal components in order to overcome security concerns.
He describes bandwidth and interoperability as the key issues affecting uptake. The cheaper the connectivity, the more we will buy and the more video we use, the more we will need. remote connectivity to video conferencing acts as a complement to the service. Service providers like Skype need to create a secure video portal to allow their traffic to interface through video conferencing gateways. This would allow delegates to connect remotely to room systems from home or anywhere else.
Any business that requires face to face meetings can leverage video conferencing facilities says Fox, who explains that a good quality system can be installed for around €10,000. Some clients are taking advantage of managed service options, paying for service and support on a quarterly basis. In the case there is no upfront capital expenditure for the client and the service provider takes responsibility for the equipment for the duration of its life cycle.
He describes video conferencing equipment as robust - manufacturers typically support service of the equipment for between three and five years and up to seven years depending on the equipment. Of course, the hardware can operate long after its service life has expired. High definition has improved the experience - the more cameras and large format LCD displays you can use in the one room, the more immersive the experience. This, combined with the factors outlined above , encourages Fox to suggest that while you can never beat eyeball to eyeball conversations, video conferencing can reduce them.
What is most important for a business considering video conferencing is the environment in which it wishes to conduct the calls. Rooms with as much artificial light as possible work best. Calls with more than six delegates at one site can become less interactive. Rooms with glass and plastered ceilings or with little soft furnishing can be acoustically challenging. Most of all, seamless connectivity to the destination really completes the experience".

If you would like more information on video conferencing please click here, or contact us on 01 4600022 or email info@digicom.ie

Available on Android and Apple platforms, Polycom's RealPresence Mobile is for business professionals who want to extend their enterprise video collaboration capabilities beyond the office and conference room to their mobile devices. RealPresence Mobile is an easy-to-use video app that provides premium quality audio, video and content sharing. Cloud-based deployment gives users access to enterprise directories at the swipe-of-a finger. Users simply highlight a name, connect, then communicate.



Features and Benefits:

• Connect face-to-face from wherever you are, any time, through WiFi or 3/4G networks. Note: Polycom recommends WiFi for optimal visual experience
• Realize true enterprise mobile video through brilliant visual and audio quality – see every detail, hear every nuance and share HD visual content with other standards-based devices
• Dual signaling protocol, H.323 and SIP maximizes connectivity across platforms Simple and easy-to-use application provides instant, one-touch connections into the enterprise video-enabled network 
• Polycom RealPresence Platform is the most scalable, secure, reliable, interoperable and comprehensive software infrastructure for universal video collaboration
• Free yourself from the office and conference room with the ability to meet anywhere. 
• Stay connected with people and content with a single communication stream from your tablet or smartphone. 
• Eliminate barriers to productivity and open new opportunities for immersive teamwork. 
• Take charge of your work and life balance by taking video conferencing wherever you go.

Here at Digicom, we are big advocates of the app.

At ISE 2012, the FlatFrog 3200 was launched adding to the exciting new world of multi-touch computing and applications. The 3200 offers an astonishing multi-touch experience with a 32" full HD LCD screen, 400+ DPI, extremely low jitter, very high refresh rate and 40 simultaneous touch points. The sleek dimensions and durable in-glass optical technology also enable a variety of horizontal and vertical application opportunities.


The screens can be mounted in tables or walls, be placed upright or hung like a TV in a variety of environments such as hotel receptions, retail stores and restaurants.

 For more information on the FlatFrog 3200 please contact us on 01 4600022, email: info@digicom.ie or visit www.digicom.ie

Cisco TelePresence benefits the bottom Line.The collaboration experience does more than build trust and relationships. Strategic companies of all sizes are using TelePresence to:

● Speed decision making: You can bring talent, resources, and decision makers across different geographic regions and organizational areas together to synchronize and commit on business objectives and relevant execution blueprints.
● Reduce travel expenses: Many customers cut business travel by 30 percent or more when implementing TelePresence. Travel-related downtime is also eliminated. Typically, the cost of two international business trips will pay for a TelePresence solution.
● Innovate across the value chain: You can see your partners and customers and communicate effectively to transform business processes and enjoy new levels of customer satisfaction and innovation.
● Accelerate sales cycles: By bringing the right people together at the right time and sharing more face time more, you can close deals faster.
● Tap into expertise across the globe: No matter where people are, you can tap their resources to full advantage through Cisco TelePresence collaboration.

For more information on Cisco Telepresence please contact us on 01 4600022, email: info@digicom.ie or visit www.digicom.ie

Digicom are proud to be a part of the Gateway to Europe 2012 Expo which is taking place in Boston, USA on March 27th.

The objective of this event is to provide detailed practical information to US corporates and their advisors, who have an interest in establishing operations in Ireland or the European Union, on the practicalities, costs and benefits of doing business in and from Ireland. The event is also targeting US professional services firms whose clients may well benefit from investing in Ireland bringing the Irish proposition to a wider audience.

The expo will focus on the broad range of advantages and opportunities that Ireland presents including corporate taxes, skills, operating costs, IP generation, track record in EMEA HQ and customer service, EU market access etc., as well as applying some real costings to those services.

For more information on the Gateway to Europe 2012 Expo please visit: www.gatewaytoeurope2012.com

See Irish Times Article

An industry wide agreement to phase out VGA completely by 2015, and to standardised solely on HDMI and DisplayPort is being supported by rival processor giants Intel and AMD. VGA is passed its sell by date with HDMI and DisplayPort allowing slimmer designs and supporting higher resolution with deeper colour. It is important that display technology keeps up with the digital rich world we now live in and reinforces this move by Intel and AMD.
 
By moving to the latest digital display interfaces will allow manufacturers to focus investment on new innovations rather having to solve challenges of supporting analog interfaces on their new products and technology.

Ricoh's latest series of multifunction printers offers customers business efficiency without sacrificing performance. Ricoh's SP5210S/ 5210SF/ SP5210SR digital imaging systems provides a level of flexibility which simplifies everyday office tasks whether you require monochrome functionality or rapid completion of projects that require incredibly low cost-per-page. It is also ideal for organisations deploying a print management solution with Ricoh's Managed Document Services. The 5200S Series is an A4 platform which maintains the A3 MFPs qualities but at a lower purchase price allowing Ricoh to better meet their customer's needs.


The SP5200 series offers a small footprint, yet delivering printing, copying, colour scanning and optional faxing. This MFP has many impressive features; it has the ability to support the back office by printing documents such as invoices directly from a businesses server and the many security features will ensure sensitive information is protected from a multitude of threats. The 5200S prints 45 pages/min while the 5200SR prints at 50 pages/min with both offering many of the capabilities as previous MFPs such as automatic duplexing and high performance paper handling. The easy to use scanning functionality simplifies workflow with cost-effective electronic document storage and distribution while an 8.5" full colour tilting LCD screen gives access to critical device information.

For more information on the Ricoh Aficio 5200S Series please contact us on 4600022 or email info@digicom.ie