London, UK – September 20th 2004 -- VideoCentric has announced that it is now offering the VC-C4-VC, a unique desktop video conferencing bundle with USB connection, H.264 control software and echo-cancelled tabletop microphone for an amazing end-user price of less than £800.

The Canon VC-C4 camera is one of the most popular professional cameras in the world offering high quality, advanced pan, tilt & zoom features, remote control and compact size and is ideal for operating with PCs and laptops. The new Canon VC-C4-VC package will operate on H.323 IP networks using the new H.264 standard up to 256kbps and using H.263/H.261 up to a massive 1536kbps. Powered by the latest VCON software, performance is dictated by the specification of PC into which it is connected and the broadband bandwidth available between sites, but initial trials in schools over the summer have proven an immediate success. This has resulted in the technology being used live in A-Level Spanish Language classes in some rural schools from the start of the new term. More is to follow on this in a subsequent case study but reference details can be supplied to educational establishments upon request.

Services to be offered by VideoCentric in support of the new Canon/VCON bundle include:-
a) training of sales and technical staff for desktop VC resellers
b) non-competitive policy for partner resellers & integrators
c) trade discounts
d) on-site customer demonstrations
e) next day delivery from UK stock
f) interoperability testing

In addition to video conferencing, the package includes built in “one-to-many” streaming as well as video and audio interaction from multicast streaming participants. For organisations looking towards helpdesk applications, a call-centre video-PBX package incorporating receptionist answer, call divert, hunt groups, call pick up features is also available. For those wishing to build Canon VC-C4-VC into their own banking, finance, agency or medical applications, a full SDK (software developer’s toolkit) has also just been released through VideoCentric.

David Shimell, Sales Director for VideoCentric, said, “VideoCentric’s new Canon-VCON bundle is available for immediate demo and shipment. Our resellers are being offered an extra special trade discount on demo systems which will run up to the end of November after the package is demonstrated at WAVE 2004. This will be followed by a training day in December in preparation for volume sales in early 2005”

For more information, trade discounts, training and tickets for WAVE, email canon@videocentric.co.uk, phone +44 (0)118 974 0125.