My advice is to not just have a booth on the exhibit floor. In fact, I’d strongly suggest not having a booth at all, especially if the manufacturers that you represent will already be exhibiting . By confining yourself to the exhibit zoo, you are putting yourself and your company on the same level as all the other animals, fighting it out for slim margins. It’s not where you want to be if your services are really valuable.

Instead, make a presentation at the conference. A presentation that will be of practical value to your audience, not a glorified sales pitch. The people who are won over by a sales pitches are not the type of customers that you want anyway—these are the people who shop only on price and not on ROI or quality of service.  It requires more work and research on your part, but it allows you and your company to standout as leaders in your field, who are able to rise above the fray of selling and have real expertise. It also involves you in the issues that your customers are dealing with in a very practical way.

Presenting requires that you look ahead. For example, as I write this (mid-April), the call for proposals for the MOREnet Technology conference in Oct is due within a few weeks.

When I make a conference presentation, I usually start out by clearly identifying what my company does and explaining that I am there to give back and share information with the professional community from which our customers come and I am not there to give a sales pitch or advocate for a certain technology or line of products. I then give the most objective presentation of the information possible, presenting all the potential approaches and technologies available for the subject at hand regardless of what product lines we carry.

When people understand that you are not just another sales guy reading off the bullet points, hoping to make the sale and move on, but that you know your stuff and are willing to share the information you have gained from your experience, then they are much more likely to establish a relationship with you and your company. By giving an objective presentation and not a sales pitch, you are winning your audiences trust as a source of information and gaining credibility as an expert. That is much more important to your long-term bottom line than pushing a particular brand or solution.  Much has been said about the power of trust in working relationships, and in my experience, trust allows you to make work and selling easier.

If the packet loss and jitter goes away or is very little on the low bandwidth call, I then start looking at the intermediate network. This is where having a number of sites to call is useful, since you can start to figure out if the problem is common to your location or if it changes based on who you are calling. If the former, then there might be a bottle neck with your connection to the internet and you might want to check with your ISP (morenet, etc) to make sure that you have quality of service on your router (so that video traffic will be given preference over web, etc.). It is not uncommon for a router that has QOS installed to have it removed when a software or firmware upgrade is loaded on the machine.

If the packet loss and jitter goes away when you call some of the test sites (and comes back when you call the site you are wanting to connect with), then the problem is probably beyond you and your ISP. Unfortunately it is now time to start to look at the other side of the call; usually the side outside of your control.

Does this jive with how you diagnose problems? What other ways can test sites be used to diagnose problems? Please comment below.

“Having multiple protocol stacks in a cloud-based service makes a lot of sense from a user’s perspective. It allows for a bring-your-own-client (BYOC) model for video communications.”

But if organizations are timid about cloud computing, there are premise-based solutions.

“Traditionally, the solution has been to use various network gateways to get from one network or platform to another,” says Kaleidoscope’s Christianson. “Radvision has a gateway that will bridge Microsoft Lync to H.323, for example. While these technically can make the connections, they usually just bridge from one network to one network, not from many networks to many networks.”

Another premise-based approach to interoperability is to deploy endpoints or software clients that support multiple protocol stacks. “For example, the LifeSize Passport can act as a Skype client or Lync client, as well as an H.323/SIP endpoint: Four protocols/networks on one box,” Christianson says. “However, you can just do one at a time. You can also get clients on your Windows PC or Mac that will bring together multiple networks at the same time; for example Adium or the new Messages program from Apple.”

…
For the full article, click here: http://www.infocomm.org/cps/rde/xchg/infocomm/hs.xsl/20141.htm

$19.98 later (cost of app, plus video dialing option), I’m making SIP and H323 video calls from my iPad. The app does require that you register with a SIP registrar, you can’t make direct SIP calls to an endpoint. I suspect this is because the app comes out of the VoIP world. In my case, I registered it to a Cisco VCS Controller. Calls to and from SIP endpoints were possible from the moment I registered. However, since the Cisco VCS supports H323-SIP internetworking (translation), I was also able to get calling from my iPad (SIP) to any H323 endpoint with help from my friend Scott Glass, who is much better at Regex than I am. Here is the search rule and transform that he created to make it work right.

Note: H323 calls to an IP address are made as URIs in this case with the format of [IP address}@vtc.vid-in.com. The VCS will strip off the @vtc.vid-in.com and make an attempt to call via direct IP. 

So this is very cool, by registering my iPad running with the Bria app to the VCS , I can make calls to and from SIP and H323 devices. As I mentioned, the cost of the iPad application (with Video dialing) is $19.98; Bria’s app also works on android. And all of this is happening without a LifeSize ClearSea server, or a Radvision Scopia Desktop Server, or a Cisco Movi/Jabber server, or a Vidyo server, or a Polycom CMA server, or any of the other pieces of infrastructure that the major makers of videoconferencing equipment require in order to support SIP and H323 videoconferencing on a mobile device.

This would been even more cool, if I didn’t make a living selling and installing such infrastructure…..

I wonder if there is a market for just providing gatekeeper and SIP-H323 inter-networking services for apps like this? There are a lot of SIP registrars that you can purchase or subscribe to, but I don’t know of any that will translate between SIP and H323 the way the Cisco VCS will. Let me know if you have a spare VCS and want to start a new venture!

Below are some screen shots from the iPad (Click for full size image). I was dialed into the LifeSize fish tank test site while sitting outside enjoying a fire. Notice that I could switch to the rear camera to show the fire! If you want to test, call me on my iPad at ScottCIpad@vtc.vid-in.com (not available all the time, email me at jsc@kalvideo.com if you want to schedule a test).

One example from the book talks about what incentive a real estate agent has to work on your behalf to get an extra 10K when they are working to sell your house? Turns out not much, since their cut of the extra $10K is probably just $150 after the commission is split with the buyers agent and their office. What incentive do they have to get you to settle for the first offer that is in the general range so they can quickly move on to the next sale? A lot, probably thousands of dollars per year.

As I am flying on various airlines, I got to thinking about what incentivizes the behavior of the airlines. For example, if you have recently flown, you know that each time you check in, you are bombarded with offers to upgrade (for “only” $50) to a seat with 4 inches more leg room, to a seat in an exit row, or some other type of “better” seat.

If selling “better” seats makes more money, then what incentive does an airline have to make sure that the un-upgraded coach seat is comfortable, clean or in anyway pleasant. Not much, I am guessing. Even worse, there is probably a strong incentive to make it a bad experience, so that you’ll be willing to pay that $50 to avoid that experience in the future.

To date we have seen videoconferencing endpoints that will support two and sometimes three protocols without external gateways.  For example: SIP, H323, and LifeSize connections. Or SIP, H323 and Skype. Or SIP, H323 and Microsoft Lync. Or some other combination. The iPad represents the first device that can do any and all of the above mentioned protocols regardless of whether the communications protocol is an ITU Standard or a proprietary protocol.

For example on my iPad3, I currently have applications that allow my iPad to function as a ClearSea SIP endpoint, a Scopia Desktop client, a Polycom CMA client, a Skype video client,  an Apple Facetime client, and shortly it will be able to connect via Cisco jabber and LifeSize connections. Most of these services will serve as a gateway to connect to standards based H323 and SIP endpoints.

I have not been a big fan of replacing dedicated video endpoints with an iPad, but the ability to run different apps and therefore connect to different videonetworks and protocols at the drop of a hat, makes it much more attractive as a videoconferencing device for the truly video-devoted professional.

I can do a FaceTime call with another iPad user–by passing entirely the need for an external system or infrastructure–or I can fire up an application like LifeSize ClearSea and make a call to a H323 standards based Polycom or LifeSize system.

The iPad gives me the flexibility to use different protocols but it also allows me to bridge between technologies of different eras. I can use the FaceTime application to talk with my fellow iPad users in the clearest HD or I can use ClearSea to talk with a standard resolution endpoint that was installed over a decade ago. For the end user, switching protocols is as simple as switching applications.

For IT managers the iPad as some real advantages over PC/Mac Desktop videoconferencing applications, since the iPad has strict controls on installing applications and how applications interact with the underlying operating system, allowing the user to install multiple iPad videoconferencing apps without conflict or the type of interference we often find between drivers and applications trying to access desktop hardware.

There are not yet any native SIP or H323 applications for the iPad (Here is my list of current iPad videoconferencing apps). All of the current apps have to go back to a server or service that provides the connectivity to external endpoints. Whether the processor in the iPad 3 is capable of processing native H323 and SIP protocols might be an issue (one that I don’t know about), but it seems like some SIP application would be possible to implement and would be a boon to videoconferencing users.

However good for the consumer is often trumped by whether or not it is  advantageous for the major manufacturers of the backend infrastructure that the current set of apps rely on.

SIP at jsc5225@clearsea.com

Facetime: jscottchristianson@mac.com

Available for Download:

Fring For iPad 

Description/Comments: An extension of the Fring instant messaging application for the ipad.
Product Link: http://blog.fring.com/en/?p=3037
Download Link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fring/id290948830?mt=8

Apple FaceTime

Description/Comments: HD Conferencing with other iphone/ipad and Mac Users. Used SIP on the backend, but connected just to other facetime clients.
Product Link: http://www.apple.com/mac/facetime/
Download Link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/facetime/id414307850?mt=12&ls=1

LifeSize ClearSea 

Description/Comments: Requires a Clearsea server to connect to. Can make H323 and SIP calls. Can also receive calls from H323 and SIP endpoints.
Product Link: http://www.lifesize.com/Products/Infrastructure/ClearSea/ClearSea_Registration.aspx
Download Link: http://www.lifesize.com/Products/Infrastructure/ClearSea/ClearSea_Downloads.aspx

Vidyo Mobile

Description/Comments: Requires a Vidyo server to connect to. Can make H323 and SIP calls as well as calls to other Vidyo users. Can also receive calls from H323 and SIP endpoints.
Product Link: http://www.vidyo.com/products/vidyomobile/
Download Link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vidyomobile/id444062464?mt=8

ooVoo Mobile

Description/Comments: Connect with other ooVoo users (on mobile or desktop devices).
Product Link: http://www.oovoo.com/mobile.aspx?pname=mobileoverview
Download Link: http://www.oovoo.com/mobile.aspx?pname=mobileoverview

FUZE Meeting

Description/Comments: Still haven’t really figured this one out since there is no trial that doesn’t require inputing my credit card. Claims to all connections to H323 and SIP based systems.
Product Link: https://www.fuzebox.com/

Tango

Description/Comments: iphone app that can also be used on ipad. Calls other folks using Tango app. Searches your address book for friends on Tango
Product Link: http://www.tango.me/
Download Link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tango-video-calls/id372513032?m=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Coming Soon:

LifeSize Connections for ipad. 

Description/Comments: Will allow for iPad users to connect to other LifeSize Connections clients (Mac/PC) and endpoints. Coming in Q2
Product Link: http://www.lifesize.com/Products/Cloud_Based_Video_Conferencing/LifeSize_Connections/Connections.aspx

Cisco Jabber

Description/Comments: Essentially a movi client that has been ported to the ipad. Required login to a movi server (TMS or VCS express). From there H323 and SIP calls can be made. Coming in Q2.
Product Link: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps12430/index.html

Related:

Most of these provide for remote control of video conferencing systems

Scopia Control

Description/Comments: Intuitive Multi Touch Control for SCOPIA XT Telepresence and SCOPIA XT 1000 Series Video Conference Systems Extremely Simple to Use HD Video Conferencing
Product Link: http://www.radvision.com/Products/Video-Conference-Systems/Conference-Room-Systems/SCOPIA-Control/

VTC-Remote

Description/Comments: First Mobile app that truly mimics the original Polycom HDX Remote. Now, you can carry your Polycom  HDX remote with you everywhere.  Using the touch capability of the iPhone/iPod/iPad/Android, you’re able to pair with the Polycom HDX and fully control* it just like you would with a traditional Polycom HDX remote.
Product Link: http://vtc-remote.pointsofdata.com/

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