Sony answers APAC's growing demand for high definition video conferencing

In response to the high demand for HD video conferencing in the Asia-Pacific region, Sony has announced that it is introducing its latest generation HD visual communication system, the PCS-XG55. Due to its cost effectiveness, better video quality, and convenience, HD video conferencing is fast becoming a popular form of communication in the APAC region.

"Despite the softening of the market elsewhere, there is great demand in APAC for HD video conferencing," said Yoshikazu Hirano, General Manager, Business and Professional Products Asia-Pacific (BPPA). Currently, HD deployment in video conferencing has not matured and this presents a lucrative market opportunity for Sony. In response, we are making our PCS-XG55 available in March to provide customers a high-quality HD video conferencing experience."

Although the video conferencing industry is filled with SD endpoints, Sony expects to see a marked improvement in the HD visual communication system in the very near future, with estimated revenues projected to increase by more than four times in CY 2010 from CY 2007.

To ride the changing trend, Sony's PCS-XG55 is designed to be both HD and SD compatible. This enables enterprises to tailor their business needs with affordable price and lower investment in bandwidth compared to the high-bandwidth requirements for high-end (maximum 1080p) HD visual communication systems.

However, the true experience of customers equipped with a HD video conferencing system (minimum 720p) will be largely affected by peers, who send poor-quality video signals and low-resolution pictures from low-end endpoints.

Sony IPELA PCS-XG55 HD visual communication system will be competitively priced and available for shipping in March 2010 in the Asia-Pacific region.