I See How to Work Together

PictureTel's new Live200p ($1,495) is priced to compete with Intel's ProShare (see p. 116) . It works on Windows 95 only. If you have a fast system, such as 166MHz Pentium with a fast PCI graphics adapter, which turns digital information into an analog signal for your monitor, the Live200p may be all you need. Its video quality is comparable to that of the Live50.

The Live200p is relatively inexpensive and takes just 30 minutes to install. But be forewarned: if your computer's graphics card isn't top notch, it will degrade the video image.

Two more gripes: None of PictureTel systems is compatible with the latest standard, called T.120, for sharing documents with other videoconferencing systems. Macintosh owners will also be disappointed; PictureTel's desktop systems work only with Windows PCs.

Geek Factor: Outside of booking the CEO's videoconferencing room, PictureTel delivers the best video pictures of any system.

Weak Factor: Setting up the two top-of-the-line models takes considerable patience, depending on your computer's idiosyncrasies.

Coordinates: PictureTel Corp., 800-716-6000, 508-762-5000; http://www.picturetel.com

Connection Needed: Acceptable, affordable video communication that can connect with different systems.

Power Tool: Intel ProShare Video System 200

For several years now, Intel has been struggling to make individual desktop videoconferencing systems as common as faxes and modems. With the latest release of its ProShare package, it might finally succeed. For ease of setup, flexible information sharing, and videoconferencing features, Intel's ProShare package is hard to beat. The two internal cards are easy to install, especially if you've got a Pentium computer. Proshare lists for $1,499, but when purchased from a carrier like Sprint it can cost as little as $999 when you sign up for ISDN. ProShare's video quality doesn't match that of PictureTel's more expensive systems, primarily because Intel relies on software instead of hardware to decompress the incoming image. The images are a bit more grainy and slightly smaller. But the other conferencing features, such as the ability to share anything on your Windows PC with anyone else, are as good as -- if not better than -- those of PictureTel's LiveShare software.

The ProShare system is H.320 compatible, so it makes a solid connection; it also conforms to the new T.120 standard for sharing data from different computer systems. You can also set up multipoint videoconferences by calling a service like AT&T WorldWorx (800-828-9679) . The catch? If you don't have a fast, up-to-date system, your calls won't look good and application sharing will be slow.

Geek Factor: It's almost as easy as installing a modem, and it's way cooler.

Weak Factor: You have to get a little black box called an NT-1 from the phone company or another vendor for the system to work. That adds another $100 to $200 to the price. (See "Troubleshooter's Guide for Ordering ISDN," p. 114, for more on the NT-1.)

Coordinates: ProShare Video System 200 Intel Corp., 800-525-3019; http://www.intel.com

Connection Needed: A low-cost, mobile videophone.

Power Tools: Enhanced CU-SeeMe; Color QuickCam

You live out of a garment bag. a laptop computer is your office. An expensive videoconferencing setup isn't going to do you much good. There's still a way for you to look your callers and coworkers in the eye: get on the Internet.

By using a comparatively crude software called CU-SeeMe and a camera that plugs into your system, you can dial up other CU-SeeMe users over the Internet using standard phone lines and a fast modem. While there are competing Internet videophones, CU-SeeMe is the de facto standard on the Web. Versions are available for Windows and Macintosh, and a Reflector (a CU-SeeMe server) is available for Unix and Windows platforms.

The CU-SeeMe images appear as a series of still photos rather than as moving video. The audio portion can also be choppy, depending on the vagaries of Web traffic and the quality of your connection. Even so, it's the most inexpensive way to set up a videocall. Go to the Cornell University CU-SeeMe Web site and download a free black-and-white version of the program. There's also a color version available called Enhanced CU-SeeMe, which includes basic data-sharing abilities like a whiteboard for taking notes together. The Enhanced CU-SeeMe costs $69, but you can download a free, 30-day trial version from White Pine Software.