It can be confusing when looking at soundproof pods or booths to understand what it is you are really looking for, with various sizes and formats available, what is the difference?
To make this simple, we’ve split this between two different types, a phone booth and video booth. A phone booth comes from the original idea of having a ‘phone box’ style pod in an office environment so people can take time out to focus on work, or make phone calls which are typically 15-30 minutes, without being disturbed. Phonebooths have also traditionally been configured for the user to be either standing up or sitting on a ‘perch’ or stool. However, these pods have primarily been designed for quiet focus work and a pod designed for communication is quite different. Video communication requires a suitable space to ensure the background and lighting is equitable for visual representation. A video pod is a larger booth that is optimized for acoustics, aesthetics, and environment control. This makes them suitable for longer sessions whilst creating greater improved user experience in terms of comfort and audiovisual.
Here’s an overview of the six differences:
Size
Phone booths are a smaller enclosed space, just under 1.2m2 if you take our Consult booth, which provides adequate space to perch at a desk for up to two hours. With video however, users need as much control over their environment as possible to create the best personalized experience. Our Consult Plus is just over 1.5m long by 1.2m wide in comparison to the regular Consult. Video booths are larger to accommodate a more suited desk size and allow more space for an ergonomic chair, allowing users to spend up to four hours in the pod comfortably. This makes video pods suitable for clinics that are generally 3½ to 4 hours that the phone pod doesn’t allow, due to the discomfort of being on a stall for this period causing los of focus and reducing productivity.
Audiovisual
The regular Phone Booth usually comes with a standard fixed desk either sitting or standing height, although a height adjustable desk is available as an extra. These desks include a basic power socket including a USB port. With the Consult Plus video booth, a Connect Cockpit ensures optimal performance with all you need to hand and a larger working surface to allow for papers and a phone. A fully integrated all-in-one PC is available as standard with an independently height-adjustable monitor to ensure alignment to user's needs. The desk height is also adjustable and has an optional USB-C charging point, as well as the regular power connections.
Lighting
A consistent spotlight controlled by a sensor is the main source of light for a Phone Booth, apart from the light that is let in through the glass door panel, causing shadows across the face of the user. In comparison the video booth comes standard with user-controlled non-directional bias lighting. This consists of a light mounted behind the PC monitor that is adjustable with a turn knob on the desk cockpit, allowing light to be adjusted to ensure the best video performance without glare or shadows being created, supporting equitable visual representation of all skin tones. Below: Inside our Consult Plus Video Pod
Visual Privacy
With video consultations privacy is of upmost importance for both the patient and consultant. The Consult Plus video booth comes with a dusted matte film applied to the glass panel in the door to stop passersby looking in or the patient seeing out into the room. This is an optional extra with the Consult phone pod but is included as standard with our video pods as a key part of the video experience.
Accessibility
The Consult Plus can be fitted with a push-button door opener mechanism for greater accessibility on the DDA variation. The regular Consult Phone Booth is not DDA compliant due to the smaller enclosed space not being adequate for a wheelchair to fit. The Consult Plus provides this extra space and with it an option for a push-button door as opposed to a manual door mechanism as per the Phone Booths.
Another thing to note is the level threshold for easy access, as with many phone pods there is a step required into the pod, we have done away with this on both the phone and video booths to make access easy for all.
MEP Coordination
For easy installation and servicing, the Consult Plus Video Booth has been designed with an optional integral rear access chase for the flexible connection of all MEP components, for example, a fire sprinkler and electrics, and for Day 2 serviceability. This option is exclusive to the video booth and not available on the Phone Booths. As an overall comparison, this table quickly shows the different features between our soundproof phone and video pods.
Features | Phone Booth - Consult | Video Booth - Consult Plus |
Size (mm) | 1140 wide x 1136 deep x 2235 high | 1562 wide x 1156 deep x 2235 high |
Recommended sitting time | Up to one hour | Up to four hours |
Adjustable Desk | No - Optional Extra | Yes |
Cockpit Desk/Dashboard | No | Yes |
Ventilation Control | Yes | Yes |
Light Control | No | Yes |
Socket | Yes | Yes |
USB Port | Yes | Yes |
UBS-C Port | No | Optional Extra |
PC and Monitor | No | Yes - Optional |
Adjustable Monitor | n/a | Yes |
Privacy Film | Optional Extra | Yes |
Advanced Acoustic Materials | Yes | Yes |
DDA | No | Yes - Optional |
MEP Coordination | No | Yes |