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Review: Polycom VVX-1500 Business Media Phone

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Originally published September 24, 2009 at Small Net Builder

A little over a year ago, I was offered the daunting task of reviewing the Polycom Soundpoint IP550 & IP650 desk phones. It was a considerable challenge being tasked with the review of these top-of-the-line products from a company that is considered by many to be a market-leader in enterprise VoIP.

Well, that review was easy compared to my current task of evaluating one of their newest offerings; the VVX-1500 Business Media Phones. I almost wish that I hadn’t agreed to undertake the project, because these devices have a wealth of features. But here I am, having had the phones for a couple of months. So I thought I’d best make good on my promise to describe these beasties in some detail.

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Immersive Audio: Sound All Around You

Ok, this is me diving into the deep-end of something that very possibly literally no-one in the world cares about. That’s just so typical of me. Actually, I know that a few people are starting to clue in about this because I’ve heard it come up here and there in conversation, most recently at the Sept 15th HDComms event in NYC.

This post is actually the third in a series. In the first (Pink Floyd: The Making Of Money & Directionality) I took a quick look at pop music recording practices and specifically the practice of recording things “close-mic’d” the adding ambience through synthetic means. In the second in the series (Codecs, Wideband & Stereo: A Conversation At Amoocon) I followed a conversation in the hallway at AMOOCON 2009, noting aspects of the discussion pertaining to “stereo” or the conveyance of directionality.

Once we get beyond PSTN audio quality, when wideband is accepted as normal, then “dimensional” or “immersive” audio becomes a new frontier for exploration in telephony. In fact, in some limited ways we’re already doing this in larger video conference room & telepresence suites.

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Adding A Human Dimension To Telepresence

So often our exposure to the utility of telepresence/video conferencing is by way of things like 24 or NCIS. These examples highlight big governmental or corporate situations with people are banging their fists on board tables and glaring at the other parties. This is so stereotypical and under serves the real application of such technology to bring people together. To help us communicate better.

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Skype vs Gizmo5: On Open Networks

Over the past week Skype has been making some waves, starting with a speech at ITXPO where they declared “VOIP is Dead.” Then Michael Robertson of Gizmo5 fired back in response to their petition to the FCC arguing for more open wireless networks (aka cellular.) What folly, a closed network operator (Skype) preaching open networks to other closed network operators (cellular carriers.)

Dan York has collected up the actions & reactions, as well as the Calliflower conference call on the matter from last Friday. Michael Robertson was on that call. It’s definitely worth a listen.

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Video Phones Revisited With OnSIP

While doing some admin tasks today I stumbled upon a recent post by Mike Oeth at the Junction Networks blog. He says:

As long as the video is using the SIP standard, we at Junction Networks are all for it. Our OnSIP Hosted PBX already supports video codecs using the SIP standards. Today, any customer with a video phone can make video calls.

He further states:

Oddly, however, I have the capability and most of us here at Junction Networks have video cameras, but I do not make it a habit to make video calls for business. My kids call the grandparents on the video phone every now and then, but as a business tool, at least here, it has not caught on. Does anyone have an industry where they use the video phone all the time? If so, I would love to hear about it.

Amen. That about sums up the state of video phones in general.

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