Microsoft coyly lifted its kimono to show off its RoundTable video conferencing device at a briefing in Toronto this morning. RoundTable is a compact, circular, audio/video conferencing system designed to sit in the center of a table to facilitate remote collaborative communications.

RoundTable captures a panoramic, 360-degree view of the room, thanks to six video cameras mounted around a circle atop a neck rising out of its center. The alpha test software is designed to run on a PC at a remote location, connected by broadband Internet service (minimum 300 kbps). The software displays the panorama across the top of the screen, along with a larger window below that features a close up of the person currently speaking. The active speaker technology, under development for 4.5 years, automatically switches to focus on the individual now talking, thanks to what appears to be a fairly accurate locating technology that monitors the six directional microphones in the RoundTable’s base.

Video conferencing is used by many businesses today, but a good system is not cheap and a cheap system is not good. You can figure on investing several tens of thousand of dollars to set up a good video conferencing room. Microsoft expects to sell RoundTable for about $2,500 U.S. At this price point, Microsoft believes quality video conferencing will become irresistibly affordable to many more businesses.

Microsoft targets 2007 launch for RoundTable

Microsoft RoundTable is a tiny computer, running on Windows CE and plugs into the USB port of a PC. The hardware controls are fairly simple: a touch screen to dial out and select options, speaker volume and microphone mute buttons and a power on/off button. I’d like it more if the neck holding the video cameras could fold down, for ease of storage and to make the device more portable. 

Will RoundTable spark new growth in video conferencing? My initial assessment of the technology shows it has promise, although the software is not yet ready for prime time. However, will businesses want to buy it?

Audio conferencing by telephone satisfies many business communications needs. Will adding video to the mix deliver enough extra value to a business to justify the investment in purchasing and learning how to use RoundTable?

Microsoft RoundTable will be officially announced in San Francisco near the end of June. It should be available in 2007.

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