Archived from groups: comp.dcom.videoconf (More info?)

I've been assigned the honor of helping to select a videoconferencing
product for a small/med sized service company and have narrowed it down to
the Tandbert 550 set up or the Polycom ViewStation SP. Any
comments/concerns success stories you'd be willing to share? Many thanks!

MMB

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.videoconf (More info?)

You could try checking on VTCTalk.com. I believe they have product reviews
on both of those.

www.vtctalk.com


"MMB" <MMB@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:A7csc.5177$zE6.2390@lakeread06...
> I've been assigned the honor of helping to select a videoconferencing
> product for a small/med sized service company and have narrowed it down to
> the Tandbert 550 set up or the Polycom ViewStation SP. Any
> comments/concerns success stories you'd be willing to share? Many thanks!
>
> MMB
>
>

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.videoconf (More info?)

My experience may be a bit dated but I'll let you
decide if it useful.

In my experience Polycom has had better support including
telephone access as well as access to software updates.
Lately Polycom has been requesting people create an
account on their download server before granting access
to software updates. Annoying but not too painful.

Polycom seems to be slower at implementing newer functionality
but free access to software updates makes the upgrade
painless when new software is available.

Tandberg support, for me, has been a pain. When I worked
with Tandberg they required a software support contract
(for a fee) in order to get software updates. We were setting
up for a conference and experienced a known audio bug and they
wouldn't provide the software patch until they had a signed
support agreement. Remember we were an existing Tandberg
account with several 800s, 2500s and a 6000 at the time.

I will say that the Tandberg 6000 has very nice picture
quality when compared with a VS4000.

The Tandberg also seems to handle and recover from lost
frames a litte more gracefully. The Polycoms I've used
sacrifice the video quality to keep the audio working.
Consequently lost packets can immediately freeze the
Polycom video but the audio remains intact. This isn't
a bad thing but something to be aware of and test in your
environment.

In the end we implemented several Polycom systems in new
locations and kept the Tandbergs where they were. So I guess
we are happy with both :-)

good luck

MMB wrote:
> I've been assigned the honor of helping to select a videoconferencing
> product for a small/med sized service company and have narrowed it down to
> the Tandbert 550 set up or the Polycom ViewStation SP. Any
> comments/concerns success stories you'd be willing to share? Many thanks!
>
> MMB
>
>

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.videoconf (More info?)

The Viewstation SP is/will be discontinued. I wouldn't buy it.


"MMB" <MMB@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:A7csc.5177$zE6.2390@lakeread06...
> I've been assigned the honor of helping to select a videoconferencing
> product for a small/med sized service company and have narrowed it down to
> the Tandbert 550 set up or the Polycom ViewStation SP. Any
> comments/concerns success stories you'd be willing to share? Many thanks!
>
> MMB
>
>

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.videoconf (More info?)

They have good reviews and opinions on both of those systems by people
who've actually used them on VTCTalk.com.

You can also post your question there and get a faster more detailed
response.

http://www.vtctalk.com



"blah" <blah@blah.com> wrote in message
news:7l1uc.2049$g%.1806@lakeread04...
> The Viewstation SP is/will be discontinued. I wouldn't buy it.
>
>
> "MMB" <MMB@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:A7csc.5177$zE6.2390@lakeread06...
> > I've been assigned the honor of helping to select a videoconferencing
> > product for a small/med sized service company and have narrowed it down
to
> > the Tandbert 550 set up or the Polycom ViewStation SP. Any
> > comments/concerns success stories you'd be willing to share? Many
thanks!
> >
> > MMB
> >
> >
>
>

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.videoconf (More info?)

"SPD" <blairsp@dca.net> wrote in message
news:81a01$40b25568$cff549e4$2337@dcanet.allthenewsgroups.com...
>
> My experience may be a bit dated but I'll let you
> decide if it useful.

I'm sorry but it is as you say a little dated.

> In my experience Polycom has had better support including
> telephone access as well as access to software updates.
> Lately Polycom has been requesting people create an
> account on their download server before granting access
> to software updates. Annoying but not too painful.

There is a reason for that, see below.

> Polycom seems to be slower at implementing newer functionality
> but free access to software updates makes the upgrade
> painless when new software is available.

Polycom (Picturetel) have invented just as many features as Tandberg, if not
more.

> Tandberg support, for me, has been a pain. When I worked
> with Tandberg they required a software support contract
> (for a fee) in order to get software updates.

Polycom are going the same way, at the end of the day you buy the product
once, the vendor then continues to develop features and its the best way of
charging for them imho. If you don't want any nre features then you can fly
without a maintenance contract but then i do not recommend this, you need
the updates to keep your equipment compatabile and secure.

> We were setting
> up for a conference and experienced a known audio bug and they
> wouldn't provide the software patch until they had a signed
> support agreement. Remember we were an existing Tandberg
> account with several 800s, 2500s and a 6000 at the time.

Well Tandberg don't do patches generally, there releaeses contain features
as well. However these are business orientated products, why wouldn't you
want to cover them ?

> I will say that the Tandberg 6000 has very nice picture
> quality when compared with a VS4000.

Tandberg 6000 MXP vs Polycom VSX8000 would be a better comparison today.

> The Tandberg also seems to handle and recover from lost
> frames a litte more gracefully. The Polycoms I've used
> sacrifice the video quality to keep the audio working.
> Consequently lost packets can immediately freeze the
> Polycom video but the audio remains intact. This isn't
> a bad thing but something to be aware of and test in your
> environment.

Both systems will priorotise audio over video in a bad network environment,
get the network working in the first place is my advice. There is no excuse
for packet loss or high jitter in a well engineered modern corporate WAN
imho, MPLS is your daddy.

> In the end we implemented several Polycom systems in new
> locations and kept the Tandbergs where they were. So I guess
> we are happy with both :-)

In general they are quite compatible, only the newest features such as
encryption and stereo audio have interoperability problems at present.
(assuming your on the latest s/w version due to your maitenance contract

-=-peas-=-

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.videoconf (More info?)

"blah" <blah@blah.com> wrote in message
news:7l1uc.2049$g%.1806@lakeread04...
> The Viewstation SP is/will be discontinued. I wouldn't buy it.

Correct, but if you were considering this system then ask your vendor about
the new VSX series.

-=-peas-=-