Today at Citrix Synergy Berlin, Logitech (SWX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) announced a collaboration with Avistar, Citrix and HP to bring high-definition (HD) video communications to virtual desktops for the first time. At the event, Logitech will preview its new Logitech® B990 HD Webcam, which will feature built-in H.264 technology for onboard encoding. Compatible with the Avistar C3 Integrator™ desktop videoconferencing application, the Logitech B990 HD Webcam helps remove the burden of video processing from thin clients and enable HD 720p video conferencing in session-based and VDI desktops. The Logitech B990 HD Webcam virtual desktop communications capabilities will be demonstrated by Avistar and HP at Citrix Synergy, Oct. 6 through Oct. 8, in Avistar booth No. 516 and HP booth No. 202.

Enterprises are increasingly moving from traditional desktop environments to virtual desktops that run inside a server in the data center, thus enabling full desktop productivity with the security and efficiency of centralized management.

The rapid rise of server-hosted virtual desktops in the enterprise is putting a strain on the deployment of unified communications and videoconferencing solutions, by creating delays in transmissions to and from the data center, over-burdening networks or challenging thin client processing capabilities.

Now, Logitech and Avistar are enabling businesses to deploy an HD videoconferencing experience on low-capacity terminals with HD monitors, by providing onboard HD video encoding in the Logitech B990 HD Webcam and decoding within Avistar’s C3 Integrator application. This effort enables HD videoconferencing without degraded network performance, and full unified communications functionality in a virtual desktop, while reducing thin terminal computing overhead. The combined solution helps support thin client terminals such as the HP t5740 Thin Client and other platforms and desktop virtualization solutions such as Citrix XenDesktop®. In addition, the Logitech B990 HD Webcam delivers plug-and-play, enterprise-class reliability, 720p HD video calling, and dual-microphone stereo audio.

“We’re continuing to see thin clients shrink in both size and capacity, but by teaming up with Logitech, we’re able to give enterprises the highest-quality desktop video-conferencing experience regardless of their virtualization infrastructure,” said Bryan Kennedy, vice president of business development, Avistar.

“Desktop virtualization is being widely adopted by all sizes of organizations as a way to enable virtual workstyles for users and increase business agility for IT. Citrix HDX technology ensures users receive the best-possible experience of their virtual desktops, and through relationships with key partners Avistar and Logitech, our combined technologies help ensure a high-definition experience of video communications for Citrix XenDesktop users,” said Derek Thorslund, principal product strategist, XenApp product group at Citrix.

“By joining forces with Logitech and Avistar, HP can provide additional multimedia capabilities and deliver affordable HD videoconferencing for thin client customers,” said Allen Tiffany, worldwide thin client manager, HP. “The offering is standards-based and interoperable with other communications solutions, making it easy to integrate into any enterprise environment.”

“As part of our promise to bring seamless HD video communications to anyone – consumers and businesses – on any screen, we recognized that in the enterprise market, the final untapped frontier is the thin client,” said Eric Kintz, vice president and general manager of Logitech’s video business. “As such, we welcome the opportunity to work closely with leading technology providers such as Avistar, Citrix and HP to enable HD video calling on a virtual desktop.”

Availability
The Logitech B990 HD Webcam is expected to be available in early 2011.