LifeSize has done some really good things; I'm not sure Cloud alone is a good idea
Updated December 21, 2016

LifeSize has done some really good things; I'm not sure Cloud alone is a good idea

Peter Grant | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 5 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with Lifesize Video Conferencing

We use it across the whole organization from multiple office locations. We primarily use it between different boardrooms and often include others from outside of our organization. We also include audio callers into the videoconferences. Video is a better choice than audio when in-person isn't practical. It hasn't replaced travel, but it has certainly improved inter-office communication.

Pros

  • LifeSize Cloud is great for mixing audio callers and video participants into the same virtual meeting.
  • You can participate from a room system, laptop, phone, tablet, for by calling in.
  • Pretty easy to use.

Cons

  • LifeSize Cloud only uses on screen for video participants (even though they support dual screen systems); the second screen is only used for presentations.
  • The Cloud solution has had a lot of growing pains over the past year - availability issues, quality issues.
  • Cloud video resolution isn't as good as the non-cloud hardware-based bridging.
  • The systems are prone to being hacked - we end up having to do factory resets all too often after they have been compromised.
  • LifeSize has stopped supporting equipment that is more than 5 years old.
  • New Icon systems no longer support analog phone lines, only support SIP.
LifeSize Cloud is a very good idea. Its implementation has been a bit painful. They seem to be moving away from hardware which is a shame. They no longer support equipment more than 5 years old. Newer Icon series no longer supports analog phone lines. The quality isn't what it used to be (which was really excellent) - seems like what I think of when I think of Skype quality.

Lifesize Video Conferencing Feature Ratings

6.3
High quality audio
6
High quality video
6
Low bandwidth requirements
7
7.0
Desktop sharing
7
8.0
Calendar integration
8
Meeting initiation
9
Record meetings / events
7
6.0
Live chat
6
3.0
Participant roles & permissions
3
VoIP system collaboration ()
Not Rated
Web and Video Conferencing ()
Not Rated

Using Lifesize Video Conferencing

  • Tying audio and video participants together in the same meeting has been great
  • Should be able to replace traditional audio conferences
20 - All parts of our organization use video conferencing. Most people use it multiple times per week. While it doesn't replace being somewhere in person, it helps when travel doesn't make sense or isn't feasible. Once you know people, video is especially useful. We find it especially useful for meeting with people outside of the organization when we can.

Evaluating Lifesize Video Conferencing and Competitors

  • Price
  • Product Features
  • Product Usability
Prior to LifeSize Cloud, it was all about price and performance and features - video quality was amazing; the system was rock solid; the HD phone provides terrific audio. The Team 220 was a great solution and still stands up well. The integration of audio and video together and being able to have something like 40 participants attracted us to Cloud.

Lifesize Video Conferencing Support

We've received most support from our local VAR; even with their help, support has been very disappointing. I'm not sure ever a formal recognition of problems with their cloud service and most importantly security.

Using Lifesize Video Conferencing

From a purely usability point of view, it's hard to imagine a lot of ways to improve something that interoperates as well as it does. It's quite powerful and is available on so many different platforms, access is easy. There are many issues with LifeSize Cloud, but usability really isn't a major concern.
ProsCons
Like to use
Relatively simple
Easy to use
Technical support not required
Well integrated
Consistent
Quick to learn
Convenient
Familiar
None
  • The Cloud-based calling directory is great.
  • Integrating audio and video is very easy.
  • Calling another room directly is just a couple of clicks.
  • When hacked, the factory reset takes quite a bit of time to do.
  • It can be challenging to successfully include people not running LifeSize equipment into a video conference.
  • When there are problems, it's hard to diagnose what is wrong even for our VAR.
Yes - The LifeSize Cloud app works surprisingly well on iPhone and iPad and Android devices. It's very easy to use and actually has excellent picture quality. The original app, ClearSea in the Cloud, was a huge step forward years ago. I still find the app quite useful in a pinch, but I'm not sure I'd want to participate in long calls on my phone by video.

Lifesize Video Conferencing Reliability

It's pretty impressive the number of people the system can support both in total and per conference. The system handles large numbers of connections pretty well, although there's little control over how participants are displayed on screen. One of its greatest strengths is adding large number of both video and audio connections simultaneously.

Comments

  • Mitch Holt | TrustRadius Reviewer
    Mitch Holt
    commented 8 years ago
    Peter, we truly appreciate your business and willingness to share feedback about the product. I have passed your concerns along to the Customer Success team. A couple of our Core Values - Relentless Innovation and Customer Obsession - drive every decision we make. We've built a best-in-class product that connects even the most scattered teams across the world through cloud conferencing and HD phone and camera systems. We would love to hear more about your challenges in using the product so we can continue meeting and exceeding expectations. Feel free to email your Customer Success Advocate and we'll address your concerns in person. Thank you!

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