LifeSize has just announced that its professional Passport HD video conferencing system is now compatible with Skype video calls. LifeSize Passport is typically used in meeting rooms and other business environments for HD video teleconferencing.
This is an important step for both LifeSize and Skype because although LifeSize has done well with its video conferencing system, the setup could not yet be used to video-conference most employees or contractors who don’t have the system installed in a remote location, or at home.
Now, this is possible – at no additional cost for either party. LifeSize will provide a free update to current subscribers, and Passport users will appear in Skype like another Skype member. It’s very simple.
At the Moment, Skype video call won’t be transmitted in HD. Instead, both the video streams will be encoded in 480p format (standard definition). Video-chat interoperability is still largely an unsolved problem, and we can only hope that one day, video calls will be as interoperable as regular phone calls over different carriers. This is yet another step in that direction.
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