Can you suggest a Video Conference system ?

[socalbulldog]

Hello all. I have a customer with a Merlin Legend R7.0 at 1 site and a Merlin Magix R4.0 at another location. They are investigating the possibility of adding video conferencing. Does anybody have any suggestions of what systems work well with these phone systems, at a reasonable price ?

We are looking at Polycom's V500 and VSX5000 systems. Both the Legend and the Magix system will need to have a T1/PRI at each location, is that correct ? What are the requirements for it ? Each site will also need to have 3 MLX ports available as well ?

 

[dagwoodsystems]

These Polycom units operate over IP or ISDN and have nothing to do with the PBX.

The fact that there is a voice piece to conference calls shouldn't fool you. The audio in teleconferencing devices are carried over the chosen uplink interface (separate and independent of the PBX). In the case of IP, it will likely use the H.323 protocol; an ISDN link will undoubtedly use some well-known voice compression standard like G.711 or G.729A.

You will NOT need to set aside MLX ports or install any kind of T1/DS1 board in your Merlin Legend.

Technical specs for these units can be found on Polycom's website in PDF format.

 

[kwing112000]

DAGWOOD, I have seen it done thru MLX ports before. I have not set it up my self but i have seen it out there. Also seen it on alot of Definity systems.

 

[dagwoodsystems]

I believe you. And I apologize if it sounded like I was talking down to you. I've seen your posts and know that you're no dope.

Anyway, I've personally never seen conferencing done the way you describe it. The two particular models of Polycom that were mentioned certainly DON'T work that way, which is why I was so adamant about you not purchasing a DS1 card and/or freeing up additional MLX ports for either of these products. However, I'm now curious to find out what it was that you saw!

Here's the thing: MLX phones are a sort of proprietary ISDN telephone. However, I image thet a manufacturer would leverage the multiline feature--rather than the ISDN-like personality of the phone--to their advantage. In any case, that would be akin to bonding POTS lines, which is a bit primative.

The Definity on the other hand does amazing things, including the buttering of your toast. So I can't truly comment on what does or doesn't work on Definity.

I've got a question for 'ya, though. Are you looking for something that's somehow integrated with the Legend, or would a standalone solution (like the ones you found) work just fine?

 

[kwing112000]

Dagwood,
I am no expert and i was not trying to say you were wrong. The way i have understood it was you could use a brick(I Think it is just a NT1)that terminates to the MLX ports and in the Merlin you could make them more like a standard ISDN BRI line. Then those ports connect to the brick and the brick connects to the video conference unit. i have never set it up or even seen it work so i am not sure how you could program it. Then this way you could leverage your PRI to use it to make the multiple calls you need for the video. I have only ever seen this on one Merlin magix in ten years but we used to do it all the time on the definity line.

 

[kwing112000]

I Did not mean to hijack this post i was just saying it is possible. I THINK....