Ask Slashdot: What's the Best Home Videoconferencing System?

renzema (Slashdot reader #84,617) wants suggestions for a point-to-point video conferencing system 'to connect the kids to their grandparents... We live in Europe and they in the U.S., but we both have gigabit internet and can sustain upwards of 100mb between our houses.'

I've been spoiled at work with super high quality Cisco systems... Currently, we have Amazon Echos, but the video quality on these (at least for Sweden/U.S. calls) is really lacking.

We've tried Facetime as well, and while the video quality is much better, the inconvenience of needing to use it on an iPad or phone is quite high (or starting a call with them, then them needing to move to the computer...) Ideally I would love Facetime on an Apple TV with a camera that follows us. We have played a bit with the phone-as-a-camera thing with Facetime and Apple TV, but the sound was not great...
I'm willing to invest in hardware, up to a few hundred dollars per site, if this can really be bulletproof and give a consistently high quality video connection. Ideally it would be standalone hardware that does not need a computer to be running all the time.

There's one problem that can't be solved: calling the grandparents' phone when they're out of the house and not available to talk. But the dream solution involves using a TV to make and receive video calls. 'When a call is received, it would power on the TV and 'ring'.'

The wishlist?

High quality pictureNo echo in large rooms. Handles people sitting a few meters away from the TV.'Would really prefer no monthly fees.'
Any suggestions? Share your own thoughts and experience in the comments.

What's the best home videoconferencing system?

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