Tag Archives: video conferencing

How to start a video conference for free with just one click

Video conferences are becoming more and more important. It is that more and more project teams are organized in a decentralized way, a challenge for every company. Gathering ideas and sharing them in real time – communication on audio level is no longer sufficient. Already in the year 2014, we at InFocus have been able to simplify work in teams decisively by the introduction of the innovative conferencing solution ConX – even at a large distance.

How does video conferencing on one click work?

Go to www.infocusconx.com and click „FREE TRIAL“ in order to test ConX free of charge for 30 days. Now choose between three different non-binding subscription options:video conferencing ConX subscription options InFocus

The test expires automatically after the end of the test phase. Before the end of the test phase, you will be notified in order to be able to extend the subscription (subject to a charge). The chargeable subscription runs 12 months and will be terminated automatically after this runtime.

After successful registration on www.infocusconx.com you will receive your individual host pin and guest pin as well as the meeting room number by e-mail. Now you can send any invitations to video conferencing via email. Your colleagues simply need this URL: http://conx.infocus.net and the guest pin. This allows participants to attend the conference with just a click. How to Videomeeting ConX

In order to be able to join the meeting room, an automatic download of the 121 video dialer meeting room will be started after entering the access data. There you can participate as a host or as a guest with the guest pin and the room number.

A video meeting via ConX is already running? Use the free browser client http://conx.infocus.net on your Windows PC or Mac, enter your name and your guest PIN and join immediately each meeting.

How the video conferencing solution ConX stirred up the market

After market launch, the cloud-based video conferencing solution ConX has been appreciated by users as a cost-effective point-to-point connection. The service of ConX may be used in the standard version for video conferencing with up to 12 participants. And practically with any terminal, including notebooks running on Windows, Android or iOS, tablets or smart phones on iOS and Android or the 10-inch Videophone MVO100 from InFocus.

Today, an SIP-Video Client for free calls via video and audio is installed on each Mondopad. This allows users to use audio and video conferencing and to connect with other users without additional charges.

The benefits for users? Dialing up quickly and simply, seeing and talking to colleagues and customers in real time, meetings in High Definition. Similar to the traditional telephone conference, attendees of the video conference receive a dial-up telephone number as well as a pin that promises secure access. In order to learn how to test our video conferencing solution for free, please read our article.

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Field tested: The Mondopad in use at the Portland State University

In search of a high-tech collaboration solution for their students, researchers and other interest groups, the Portland State University tested the Mondopads of InFocus. Four years ago, with the development of the Mondopad InFocus created a solution for the large-scale visualization of data and images that also combines single and group work as well as video conferencing in a single device. This has a positive impact on research and teaching: cooperation and decision-making beyond local university boundaries. It is not without reason that the State University of Portland named the work space which is equipped with the Mondopads, their “Theater of decisions”.

Theater of decisions

“Theater of decisions” at Portland State Universität Source: http://www.avnetwork.com/avtechnology/pushing-the-boundaries-of-visualization-based-collaboration-inside-psus-decision-theater/125838

Goals and wishes of the state university of Portland to the collaboration solution

The Portland State University has set itself the goal of driving the interlinking of research and teaching. Closer collaboration between research and authorities makes it possible to recognize recurring patterns through the large-scale data visualization and to make forecasts or future events. These results are applicable in areas such as prediction and prevention of environmental disasters.

At the University for Urban and Public Affairs, the Research Director describes the initial situation: „Originally, we only intended for different interest groups to be able to use a multi-part video wall in order to cooperate with each other.“ For this purpose, single display solutions have already been installed and tested, because „we have found that the individual displays open up new perspectives for our entire research area.“ In order to implement the desire for a cooperation space, the state university of Portland relied on the Mondopads of InFocus. They strove for a room with great visualization capabilities, powerful computers, robust video conferencing capabilities, and a collaborative, modular environment.

The Mondopads convinced through their complete offer consisting of touch screen, large format screen and video conference solution. „We have integrated them in different locations on the campus and are now benefiting from the ability of the Mondopads to bring together people from different areas.“ For the forest fire prediction and prevention sector, this means, for example, that a community resource has been created that may be used by many regional actors, such as first responders, in order to predict fire hazards and react as quickly as possible.

Fulfilling wishes by integrating Mondopads

Under the name „Theater of Decisions“ a work space was created, following the example of similar rooms at the Arizona State University and the University of Chicago. Thanks to the Mondopads, users can expect an immersive multimedia experience that encourages the independent work of individuals as well as cooperation in groups – and both within the university walls and beyond. The large-format touch-screen PCs make working very easy: Viewing and saving ideas in real-time, integrating external project workers, and providing versatile connectivity for individual use and an interactive touch screen experience.

Theater of Decisions

Touchscreens of InFocus Source: http://www.avnetwork.com/avtechnology/pushing-the-boundaries-of-visualization-based-collaboration-inside-psus-decision-theater/125838

The technical implementation in detail: Seven Mondopads in one room

The original idea of a multi-panel video wall was a headache for the technical service team at the university yet before the start of the project. Their preoccupation was that such a video wall would not provide sufficient flexibility and modularity to support individuals and groups equally in their work. However, since they had already successfully integrated some touchscreen displays in different training rooms years ago, they were confident.

The solution came from InFocus in the form of a modular, collaborative environment: the Mondopad. It facilitates a large-scale 360-degree view of various data and images as well as working on small units or small data sets. With the product line Mondopad, the Portland State University created an active learning environment. Touch screen interface, camera function and powerful speakers of the InFocus display solution are also convincing thanks to the compatibility with already used software on the part of the university.

The front of the “Theater of Decisions” workplace is tiled with three 80-inch Mondopads, which are capable of selectively displaying several small images or a giant image. On the remaining three walls, the technical service team installed four 70-inch Mondopads in order to support group work. The final result is a high-performance and multi-purpose space that enables researchers and community members to visualize data, collaborate with teams inside and outside the campus, and work individually in an uncomplicated manner.

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Video call, telephony and face-to face: The inconvenient truth about meetings

Meetings, i.e. discussions at a fixed date, have fallen into disrepute in many companies. Very few employees consider their regular meetings as really useful and as profitable for their work.

How much damage do meetings really cause? Why are meetings that unproductive? And how is it possible to organize better meetings? We show you the benefits of a video call in meetings…

video call

Damages caused by a meeting without a video conferencing system

Actually, such a meeting is a very useful matter where to share information, develop solutions and bring projects to a successful conclusion.

In reality, however, very few meetings are really effective, on the contrary: They cause costs and waste time. A US study showed that meetings generate opportunity costs amounting to 37 billion US dollars annually.

In more than 25 million meetings every day, employees in the US waste their time. If meetings will not be made more efficient in the future, for example by the use of a video conferencing system, those figures will continue to rise.

Already now, the numbers are alarming: The middle management spends 35 percent of the working time in meetings nowadays, the upper management spends as much as 50 percent of total working time in meetings. The most important thing is that executive staff indicates 67 percent of the meetings as failures.

Ineffective meetings without video call – a root cause analysis

The study shows clearly why meetings without video call rarely lead to success: A total of 92 per cent of the participants in addition deal with other things during a meeting. As a result, however, the duration of a meeting is delayed, the concentration capacity of the individual employees decreases, and thus also the density of the information exchange.

The experts classify the lack of involvement of remote employees as another reason for ineffective meetings. For participants of a meeting that are not connected via video conferencing system but via the telephone it is difficult to follow the course.

Since 80 percent of the messages that a person sends are coming from his body language, this important variable is missing in the communication. In addition, meetings often fail due to inadequate planning. Poor preparation and a poor build-up of the meeting reduce its chances of success.

Helpful tips for a successful meeting

We have compiled some helpful tips for you in order to make the next meeting in the company a great success:
1. Plan the meeting to be as compact as possible, never let it last longer than 30 minutes.
2. Process a specific agenda and include it in the presentation material. You will meet real expectations.
3. Obtaining required materials in advance will save time for profitable discussions.
4. Start and close the meeting on time and show this way that you respect the schedule of each individual.
5. Avoid monologues. Include all participants in the meeting.
6. Stay focused and do not allow yourself to be distracted by other things like emails or social networks.
If you want to successfully manage a meeting, whether with or without a video conferencing system, you should always ask: Is this meeting really necessary? Which employees actually have to participate? And: What can I do to make sure my meeting passes by interactively and focusingly?

video conferencing

video conferencing

Our tip:

A video call can raise a meeting to a new level. It is that participants of a meeting with a video conferencing system can concentrate on the discussions demonstrably better in the meeting and are distracted 57% less by other things.

Video calls improve the commitment of the participants, which supports decision-making and increases the productivity of the team.

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