Polycom ViaVideo II

Frequently Asked Questions
What is ViaVideo II? ViaVideo II is the new personal video communication system from Polycom. ViaVideo II replaces ViaVideo. ViaVideo II provides the best audio and video quality in desktop videoconferencing, an intuitive user interface, advanced Quality of Service (QoS), enhanced remote management tools and extended collaboration capabilities for sharing data, software and PC applications. What is the difference between ViaVideo II and the original ViaVideo? ViaVideo II has advanced CCD sensor technology in its camera. The new camera offers several significant improvements to the video quality: Higher definition for more crisp and clear video More natural colors Correct aspect ratio Video quality in scenarios with poor (low) lighting or bright backlighting is also improved, providing high quality images by compensating for the poor lighting conditions. ViaVideo II adjusts more quickly and accurately in environments where lighting is changing (for example, when the lights in a room are turned on/off or when the camera is moved in a portable application such as a manufacturing environment). Does ViaVideo II have a new form factor? No. The form factor of ViaVideo and ViaVideo II is identical. ViaVideo II has a grey color while ViaVideo is black. Is there a new digital signal processor (DSP) for ViaVideo II? No, the DSP used in ViaVideo II and ViaVideo are the same. When will ViaVideo II be available? ViaVideo II can be ordered TODAY! Product will be available for delivery by July 7th, 2003. Will the original ViaVideo product still be available? No. While there still may be a small quantity of the original ViaVideo units available in the market, ViaVideo II replaces this product. If the original ViaVideo is no longer available, does it mean there will be no future software releases? No. Software release 5.1 is in development today, and we envision future releases as well. Is there a price difference between ViaVideo and ViaVideo II? No - the List Price for ViaVideo II remains the same in all regions. Is there a new software release for ViaVideo II? No. The current release of ViaVideo, release 5.0, is 100% compatible with ViaVideo II. In fact, release 5.0 will be the software shipping in the box for ViaVideo II at its launch. Which languages does ViaVideo II support? Just like ViaVideo, ViaVideo II supports 11 languages in the user interface, context sensitive help screens, error messages and documentation. Current supported languages are: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Norwegian and Korean.
Connect. Any Way You Want.
Polycom ViaVideo Frequently Asked Questions
What are the minimum PC requirements to support ViaVideo II? Minimum PC requirements for ViaVideo II have not changed. Please see the table below for further details. This information is also available in the ViaVideo 5.0 software release bulletin at: http://www.polycom.com/common/pw_item_show_doc/0,1449,1878,00.pdf Windows 98 SE and ME USB Support Processor RAM Video Memory Hard Drive Space Speaker Option USB 400 MHz Intel Pentium II compatible with MMX 64 MB 4 MB Headphones Headset with microphone 128 MB 8 MB Headphones Headset with microphone Windows 2000 Windows XP Can I activate full screen video when 2 monitors are connected to my PC? Multiple monitor capability is not meant to support the full screen video functionality. Doing so will divide the incoming video image across the two displays, effectively cutting it in half. However, you can separate and drag the video window onto the second monitor and then drag it to nearly full screen. This is ideal for simulating dual monitors or maximizing the far side image while still having a complete, active desktop open for working in parallel or collaboration with the far side. What is PVEC? Polycom Video Error Concealment (PVEC) is an algorithm for IP video Quality of Service (QoS). PVEC significantly improves video quality over congested IP networks that suffer from packet loss by compensating for the losses using packet information from before and after the actual occurrence. PVEC allows video frame rates to remain high during IP network hits and eliminates the warped and melted images usually associated with heavy IP packet loss. This is done completely transparent to the user. The ViaVideo II application detects the packet loss and turns PVEC on or off automatically. What other Polycom endpoints support PVEC? PVEC is supported on ViewStation EX, FX and VS 4000. What benefits does canMapAlias provide? canMapAlias support improves gatekeeper interoperation with Cisco H.323 gateways. Using canMapAlias allows gatekeepers to provide incremental destination information to the gateway (and overwrite E.164 addresses) for improved call re-routing. Will ViaVideo II support the MAC Platform? Currently there are no plans to develop on that platform. Will future software releases be available free of charge for ViaVideo or ViaVideo II? No. Future releases that add additional functionality to the products will be made available as charge-for releases. Does ViaVideo II support E.164 addresses? Yes. Software Release 5.0 added this support. What are E.164 addresses? E.164 is the international public telecommunications numbering plan used for standard telephone numbers (digits 0-9, * and #), for example 512-555-1212.

62 MB available (for ViaVideo software)
Computer speakers Computer speakers (external or internal) (external or internal) Speakers connected directly to ViaVideo SVGA Monitor Resolution Network Access Windows Media Player Microsoft NetMeeting 800 x 600 Broadband IP (64 kb and above) Version 7.1 or later Version 3.01 or later
Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 6.0 or later Microsoft DirectX Software Version 8.1 or later
Can I increase the size of the Picture-In-Picture (PIP)? Yes the user interface allows you to separate the PIP window (near side preview) from the main video window (far side video). After that, both windows can be independently sized and placed anywhere on the PC desktop. As in most Windows-based applications, this is simply executed by drag and drop commands. What does Multiple Monitor support mean? Windows operating system allows you to connect multiple VGA displays to your PC. Multiple monitor support expands the PC desktop space so that additional applications can be opened and viewed (at the same time) by dragging and dropping them across multiple monitors. The ViaVideo II application supports this capability, but your PC must have an appropriate video card to enable it to support multiple monitors.
What is E.164 alias recognition? E.164 alias recognition enables end users who have a ViaVideo II that is connected to a gatekeeper to dial another endpoint by entering its numerical alias instead of the entire 10-digit string. For example, the E.164 number above may be simply accessed by dialing 1212 (provided this is a valid E.164 alias that has been set up in the address book).
What is G.722.1? G.722.1 is an audio compression algorithm that provides wideband audio (7Khz) at half the bandwidth normally required by that of G.722. Utilizing G.722.1 allows more bandwidth (an additional 32 Kbps) for video transmission, which is a huge advantage at the lower data rates. Do all operating systems support integration of the audio cable through the USB? The audio cable is optional when running Windows 2000 and Windows XP. Audio will be half duplex in this configuration. ViaVideo II will still ship with this cable in the box in the event Windows 98 SE or Windows ME is the operating system of choice. Can a specific audio algorithm be selected by the end user instead of using the default selection built into the application? No. The default audio settings are pre-selected for optimal audio quality based on the video data rate at which the call connects. Can I make audio only calls with my ViaVideo?. Yes. ViaVideo II will look for Audio and Video at call setup. If it can only find audio at the remote location then it will connect as an audio-only call. How navigation through the menus changed? In the past the user interface was based in layers. The new, enhanced user interface is flatter in design allowing access to multiple functions (tabs) from the same layer (screen). This is common with other Windows applications. The flat look and feel simplifies navigation within the application, ensures that users will not get lost in various screens and they go deeper into the required layers and speeds adoption. This results directly in greater adoption, end-user satisfaction and usage of the product. Does ViaVideo II support a SDK for custom application development? Yes. ViaVideo II has a SDK that includes documentation and some sample applications developed using the SDK. Please contact Product Management if you are interested in learning more about the SDK. How has the Web UI changed? The 5.0 Web UI reflects a closer, more dynamic integration with the application itself. This is a migration toward a greater flexibility of the interface. By design, the 5.0 user interface is now more useful for both remote management and the individual user. How do I integrate ViaVideo II with WebOffice Conferencing Portal release 5.0? When initially setting up the WebOffice Conferencing Portal, it will recognize the presence of the ViaVideo hardware and automatically integrate the two during setup. What benefits does the integration of ViaVideo with WebOffice Conferencing Portal provide? With the WebOffice Conferencing Portal, ViaVideo users can create a buddy list, detect the presence of other end users, detect which of them are video enabled, launch a videoconference with click of a single icon. Sharing data and applications is quickly enabled through the same simple user interface.

User Interface

Why is the user interface different from earlier software releases for ViaVideo? Customers have requested a look and feel that behaved more like other Windows-based applications running on their PCs. The 5.0 release user interface simplifies the setup and navigation of ViaVideo II application, making it easier to use, adopt and deploy than ever before. Are there any differences in the user interface between ViaVideo and ViaVideo II? Yes. Although both products run on the same 5.0 software release, the intelligent software detects the new ViaVideo II hardware. ViaVideo II end users will be able to access the Advanced Video Settings in the General Setup screen. These advanced settings allow the end user to manipulate the video image (mirror/invert) as well as enable backlight compensation. Can I leave the address book active on my desktop without having the application open? Yes, this was another common customer request. You can now detach the address book from the main application. It can also be minimized and left active on the task bar for quick dialing access.
2003 Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved. Polycom, and the Polycom logo are registered trademarks and Polycom ViaVideo and Polycom WebOffice trademarks of Polycom, Inc. in the U.S. and various countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies. Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Polycom, Inc.:

4750 Willow Road, Pleasanton, CA 94588 (T) 1.800.POLYCOM (765.9266) for North America only. For North America, Latin America and Caribbean (T) +1.925.924.6000, (F) +1.925.924.Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire SL1 4DX, (T) +44 (0)1753 723000, (F) +44 (0)Polycom Hong Kong Ltd., Rm 1101 MassMutual Tower, 38 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong, (T) +852.2861.3113, (F)+852.2866.8028

Rev. 06-03

www.polycom.com
Polycom EMEA: Polycom Hong Kong Ltd: