Video/internet conferencing

  • Thread starter Deleted member 12106
  • Start date
D

Deleted member 12106

Guest
We are getting to the point where to have meetings on-site is costly, and we also have a few remote users/customers that traveling is excessive/uneeded for meetings.

With that being said, we do have webex, however, we would also like to get to the point there we could have a camera at our end, and also one at their end.

Looking for something easy. Right now we have network/phone and also a projector.

I am looking to revamp this in terms of our abilities.

I have never done anything like this, however, things we need:
Video conferencing
Desktop/thin client in conf room
new projector
speaker phone system
camera.

I am not looking at a bare minimal approach, and would like to have something that we can upgrade/grow into.

I know we have some sort of a toshiba phone system. Whatever else would be needed to support this will go on a list of needed items.

I'd like the ability to whatever is broadcasted on the camera is viewable by those in the meeting, we have a few "grown children", myself included at times. Also would like the ability to record for future reference.

I am unsure where to start. I know we need a new projector, and a dedicated system would be ace.
 
Check out Polycomm, or Lifesize- they both specialize in these solutions.

If you have a VoIP system check out it's capabilities as well, I know OCS does what you're looking for as well.


 
StarTrek4U said:
Check out Polycomm, or Lifesize- they both specialize in these solutions.

If you have a VoIP system check out it's capabilities as well, I know OCS does what you're looking for as well.


Click to expand...

We don't have a voip system.

Malk-a-mite said:
First question then is: What is your budget range for the project?
Click to expand...

I am unsure, Let's say 5 grand, start with what we need bare minimal, and go from there.
 
Look at polycom products. I have 10 or so VSX7000s rolled out. If you want something more desktop based look at Polycom's CMA server.

I also have a VSX3000 which is a 17" flat panel screen with a polycom unit on it. That is rather reasonable.


If I sound like a salesman I'm not. I'm in charge of video conferencing at a state university. I deal with the polycom units on a daily basis.
 
DeChache said:
Look at polycom products. I have 10 or so VSX7000s rolled out. If you want something more desktop based look at Polycom's CMA server.

I also have a VSX3000 which is a 17" flat panel screen with a polycom unit on it. That is rather reasonable.


If I sound like a salesman I'm not. I'm in charge of video conferencing at a state university. I deal with the polycom units on a daily basis.
Click to expand...

Looks like 5k for just one unit. Any other alternatives?
 
sc0tty8 said:
Looks like 5k for just one unit. Any other alternatives?
Click to expand...


If i remember right the VSX 3000 I talked about above I beleve is about 1500. But for a group of about more than 10 it is impractical but it is a pretty cool all in one solution.


From the budget I didn't see in the post above mine I would look at this system I have one that I send with professors when they leave campus. It hooks to any TV and if I remember correctly can be had for ~1000.


With the polycom systems all you would need is a nice projector in your conference room the audio quality on the polycom systems is just as good as most speaker phones. And the polycoms are all in one solutions plug in power network and hook them up to a display and your good to go.
 
the V500 looks like something that could be right up our alley. What is the bandwidth requirements in the real world? Something like that could be setup on a dedicated tv, can others view the session?

Is there something like that, that would incorporate a webex type session?

i do like the V500 system, looks very simple and the price is right.
 
sc0tty8 said:
the V500 looks like something that could be right up our alley. What is the bandwidth requirements in the real world? Something like that could be setup on a dedicated tv, can others view the session?

Is there something like that, that would incorporate a webex type session?

i do like the V500 system, looks very simple and the price is right.
Click to expand...


The bandwidth requirements for a polycom systems are really light I've done video conferences with people all around the world. A polycom will only use the bandwidth you tell it too. If you set the polycom to use 384 kbps it will only use 384 kbps. I don't remember how low you can set the bandwidth. I can take a look tomorrow at work if you would like.

As far as webex goes I don't know enough about it to comment. I do know I have used just regular old handy cams with Adobe Connect and had good success.

Another thing I should mention is that the polycoms are standards based video conferencing units they can communicate with ANY other unit from ANY company that uses the same standards as the polycom.

There are software products that polycoms can talk with and there is also a piece of software that can be installed on a end users computer that allows for any computer to be used as a polycom.

Polycom VSX software. I can't seem to find the product page for it right now. They are really pushing their CMA servers. Cool product but I think its overkill for what you are looking to do.



The polycoms are incredibly simple. They a dream to support. The V500s are a point to point solution there are ways to bridge more than 2 locations together. The way I do it is with polycoms video bridge that can bridge up to 20 locations together but i will say that is completely out of your price range I think my RMX200 was around $30,000. I know the VSX7000's can do multi point Videoconferencing. for an extra software fee but I don't I have it enabled since I have a video bridge.

Nobody would be able to view the session if you are just doing point to point and you can create conference codes to only let the people that you want in.
 
Last edited:
DeChache said:
The bandwidth requirements for a polycom systems are really light I've done video conferences with people all around the world. A polycom will only use the bandwidth you tell it too. If you set the polycom to use 384 kbps it will only use 384 kbps. I don't remember how low you can set the bandwidth. I can take a look tomorrow at work if you would like.

As far as webex goes I don't know enough about it to comment. I do know I have used just regular old handy cams with Adobe Connect and had good success.
Click to expand...

Webex basically allows you to share a desktop, if a video conf setup like this had that functionality built in, with no recoccuring fees/limited users, I'd hit it like a cave man. We are on some webex plan that is based on time used/number of people connected. I like webex, but the lacking video(I think it lacks it) makes it suck. If you could look at it, I would appreciate it.

I am going to be putting in for a bandwidth hike at work to support remote support/vpn/video/remote operations conferencing, and try to leverage this towards a company savings, this thing of people(s) getting into a car to drive 3hrs 1 way for a 1hr meeting is a time waster, and if they do not take a company vehicle, it gets spendy so I think the cost justification will be cake for bandwidth/equipment.
 
sc0tty8 said:
Webex basically allows you to share a desktop, if a video conf setup like this had that functionality built in, with no recoccuring fees/limited users, I'd hit it like a cave man. We are on some webex plan that is based on time used/number of people connected. I like webex, but the lacking video(I think it lacks it) makes it suck. If you could look at it, I would appreciate it.

I am going to be putting in for a bandwidth hike at work to support remote support/vpn/video/remote operations conferencing, and try to leverage this towards a company savings, this thing of people(s) getting into a car to drive 3hrs 1 way for a 1hr meeting is a time waster, and if they do not take a company vehicle, it gets spendy so I think the cost justification will be cake for bandwidth/equipment.
Click to expand...

It should be an easy sell. Video conference for the group I work for didn't really take off until 2 years ago when everything hit the fan. Now it is used for the exact reasons you have listed above.


Again I know my VSX7000s can share desktops. To really answer some of your questions I would have to pull my V500 out tomorrow.

This With a V500 looks like it could be what you want but as a disclaimer I've never used it.

As a side note take a look at Adobe Connect I think we pay $150 for hosting threw Adobe and that allows 1 person to host as many meetings they want with up to 100 people in attendence. And allows those people to share video and content. It sounds like exactly what you want.


PSS Can you tell what I do all day, and to think I was hired to run computer labs and servers. Gotta love it.
 
Does the adobe connect use the telephone for audio?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
we are looking at doing similar for a financial client on a smaller budget. wants to be able to send a hd webcam down to the other offices and be able to conference easily without any software to really install configure. we were looking at ooovooo
 
I am getting ready to pull the trigger on a pair of the v500's. After I get them setup, and mounted where they are not moved, is it or can it be setup so just the push of a button can connect to the other side?
 
With the polycoms you "call" the IP number of the other unit. But they have address book you can populate so you can open the directory and select call location name. All with the remote.
 
DeChache said:
With the polycoms you "call" the IP number of the other unit. But they have address book you can populate so you can open the directory and select call location name. All with the remote.
Click to expand...

Cool.

I just ordered a pair of refurb tv's so I am going to give 'er a whirl. I got dyndns for the 2 locations so this should be cake.

We will more than likely be doing something larger in the conference room.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top