[AG-TECH] Polycom ViaVideo

[Bob Riddle]

we just got a hold of a couple of the mpeg2 Vbrick devices - which have 
tabletop mics (I think they're made by Polycom) which have built in echo 
cancellation.  I suspect they have some of the limitations you mentioned 
in large places.  I'll let you know what we find out.

Gary Refka wrote:

>We've been poking around in this area but have not tried the Polycom device
>yet but we have had success with some other devices that provide the echo
>cancellation needed.  We use these devices for the single user system that
>we offer and don't see these working in a full Access Grid environment.
>These devices just don't offer the coverage required for the large spaces
>that most nodes are in.  A Soundsation type device works but as you stated,
>only for a smaller room or area.
>
>Gary A. Refka
>Senior Sales Engineer
>INSORS Integrated Communications, Inc.
>111 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 1412
>Chicago, IL 60604
>Email: grefka at insors.com
>On the Web: www.insors.com
>(847)922-8950
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: owner-ag-tech at mcs.anl.gov [mailto:owner-ag-tech at mcs.anl.gov]On
>Behalf Of David E. Bernholdt
>Sent: Sunday, December 16, 2001 1:22 PM
>To: ag-tech at mcs.anl.gov
>Cc: bernholdtde at ornl.gov
>Subject: [AG-TECH] Polycom ViaVideo
>
>
>Polycom makes a USB camera with built-in audio, including echo
>cancellation. This is sold as an H.323 device, but I was just curious
>if anyone might be experimenting with this in an mbone/AG context?
>
>With the built-in echo cancellation, it seems like it might be a
>convenient device to use in "personal AG" nodes or similar small
>setups. But I'm not optimistic, since I've seen nothing to suggest a
>"software developers kit" or any APIs that might allow you to get at
>the raw data streams.  Nor has web searching turned up any indication
>of people messing around with these (i.e. nothing about Linux drivers,
>etc.)
>
>Is anyone experimenting with less expensive audio techniques (echo
>cancellation) that might be suitable for small sites?  For example, it
>seems to me that a good full-duplex conferencing telephone
>(i.e. Polycom SoundStation) with a QuickJack card or something similar
>might work.
>
>Just curious.
>--
>David E. Bernholdt                   |   Email: bernholdtde at ornl.gov
>Oak Ridge National Laboratory        |   Phone: +1 (865) 574 3147
>http://www.csm.ornl.gov/~bernhold/   |   Fax:   +1 (865) 574 0680
>
>