Black Diamond Video Launches the Sapphire-QHD1 Conferencing Solution for Medical and Commercial Applications

POINT RICHMOND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Black Diamond Video launched its comprehensive high definition conferencing solution, Sapphire-QHD1, a four-faceted package that offers bi-directional HD video and audio conferencing, unidirectional HD video and audio streaming, HD video recording, and HD image capture. Black Diamond Video’s HIPAA compliant Sapphire-QHD1 can be incorporated into BDV’s popular Integrated Digital Surgical Suite (IDSS) for medical applications or stand alone as a commercial, business, or military conferencing system.

Sapphire-QHD1’s conferencing element provides advanced bi-directional HD video and audio conferencing functionality. VoIP support allows phone calls into and out of the conference room, command center, or OR with no external, third party conferencing codec required. BDV’s Sapphire-QHD1 is compatible with all major conferencing systems that can support SIP and H.323 protocols, including Polycom, Tandberg, Codian, and Sony.

Sapphire-QHD1 is also equipped with HD video streaming capability. A close relative to Sapphire-QHD1's bidirectional HD conferencing feature, HD streaming facilitates unidirectional communication via H.264. Any HD video source can be combined with a superior quality audio feed and streamed to up to 80 remote clients. By utilizing BDV's proprietary streaming algorithms, such a massive number of clients can be served without degradation of video or audio quality. When streaming, the remote user's credentials and access rights are controlled by the local user’s Active Directory/LDAP servers and can be fine tuned to accommodate the customer’s requirements.

While conferencing or streaming, the local user can route a video source to any destination or permit far-end camera control (FECC) or far-end video source selection (FEVSS). Once a conference or stream is initiated or accepted via the Sapphire-QHD1’s intuitive touch panel controls, the incoming video stream can be routed to any destination, including surgical and wall displays. By utilizing the embedded dual-tri-quad view windowing functionality, users can simultaneously see their own video sources side by side with far end video feeds. In addition, at the near-end operator’s discretion, the Sapphire-QHD1 can enable the far-end to remotely control multiple pan-tilt-zoom cameras and select and view any video source connected to the Sapphire-QHD1 system, while privacy controls can restrict far-end view of certain video sources and the patient’s identity.

The capabilities of Black Diamond Video’s Sapphire-QHD1 extend beyond HD conferencing and streaming to include HD video recording and image capture. Because Sapphire-QHD1 is a highly vertically-integrated system, its HD video recording feature is able to capture all video sources, including HD Conferencing video, in any combination and sequence to create HD video clips. Real-time video editing features allow the user to edit or trim even hours-long video recordings in seconds via the touch panel, without leaving the conference room.

Like HD video recording, with BDV’s Sapphire-QHD1’s HD image capture, any video source that is present in the system, including the HD Conferencing video feed, can be captured and stored. These frame captures are saved as DICOM compliant .jpeg files.

Black Diamond Video’s Sapphire-QHD1 will drastically improve workflow and efficiency for the end user. Using BDV’s Sapphire-QHD1, surgeons will be able to quickly consult with laboratory specialists or other medical staff during surgery. From the lab, a pathologist will be able to remotely zoom or pan a camera in the OR while advising the surgeon where to take a sample. Vladimir Goupenko, V.P. and Director of Software Engineering at Black Diamond Video, commented, “With the release of BDV’s conferencing solution, the dream of many surgeons and pathologists of high definition, real-time, bidirectional audio/video communication between the OR and pathology has finally come true. Not only does BDV deliver a state-of-the-art video conferencing solution that is based on open standards, SIP and H.323, and in-room Voice over IP technology in the same packet, but best of all, this technology comes at no additional cost for customers who purchased our IDSS. That is a real difference between BDV and all of our competitors.”

Describing the versatility of the system, Ed Priest, Founder and CEO of Black Diamond Video, commented, “Our Sapphire-QHD1 is an extensive solution that reaches beyond medical market applications. HD audio and video conferences can be initiated and accepted with the push of a few buttons from a business conference room… Military personnel can easily and securely conference with remote forces to discuss plans of action while panning and zooming surveillance cameras to view activity from thousands of miles away, all with the greatest detail possible thanks to our high definition video feed.”

First deployment of the Sapphire-QHD1 conferencing solution will occur at Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Connecticut, with updates of existing IDSS systems at other leading medical institutions to follow shortly thereafter. The Sapphire-QHD1 system is also available for purchase on the commercial market.

About Black Diamond Video

Black Diamond Video is the leading manufacturer and integrator of high-resolution, digital video processing solutions for mission-critical medical and commercial applications. The company manufactures a complete product line of single-link and dual-link DVI matrix switches, processors, scalers, signal conditioners, converters, displays, system controllers, digital recorders, and H.264 streaming and conferencing technology.

For more information about Black Diamond Video and/or its products, visit www.blackdiamondvideo.com. You may also call [phone]; fax [phone]; or write to 503 Canal Boulevard, Point Richmond, CA 94804. Contact Laura Jumper, media relations at [phone] or e-mail [e-mail].