Lync Phone Edition With Better Together: When Does Audio Flow Through Deskphone?

 

(here are the different paths the audio can take: to keep it simple: if its an audio call, it travels via IP from deskphone)

If you  make an audio call via the Lync Phone Edition device dial pad, it makes the call directly from the desk phone via tcpip.

If you initiate an audio call from lync client with Lync Phone Edition as audio device, it is controlling  the Lync Phone Edition and the call is going via tcpIP from Desk phone as well.

If you make a video call, the Lync 2010 client handles the audio/video and uses the Lync Phone Edition as a usb audio device.

If you make an audio call with the Lync Phone Edition, then bump the call up to a video call, it switches on the fly from IP to USB with no notice by the user.

If you make an audio call with the Lync Phone Edition, then bump the call up to a screen sharing session, the audio continues to flow from the desk phone via IP.

If the user in the phone and the lync client are different, the Lync Phone Edition is used as an audio device for the Lync Client. (if you unplug the usb, the call goes on hold)

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Quick Look at FonComfort: Simple Tray App That Brings Call Pickup to Lync

 

Just noticed this little tray app that brings Call Pickup (and some other features) to Microsoft Lync. It seems to work just as billed.

Some Notes:

• It will pickup Response Group and calls directly to a Lync user (if a lync user is ringing, it seems it can Call Pick it)
• Person doing the call pickup cannot have DND set
• The FonComfort trayapp must be running on both parties PC
• You must initiate the call pickup from Lync 2010, but you can answer the resulting call to yourself from Lync 2010 or an IP phone
• By default Lync does not have a “Ringing” presence state indicated, but FonComfort includes instructions to add this so you can pickup calls even without physically hearing the ring
• Restart Lync 2010 and FonComfort before trying to use

 

quick look at FonComfort Call Pickup feature

There is a time limited demo you can try out immediately, check the URL below.

FonComfort Website:
http://www.bressner.de/detail/telecom_it/unifiedcommunication/lync-software/lync-fon-comfort/BT+FonComfort+Basic_17689.html

You may also want to look at some other vendors bringing Call Pickup to Lync:
http://windowspbx.blogspot.com/2012/04/lync-call-pickup-feature-provided-by.html

Source: Thanks for heads up Jurgen De Greyt.

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First Impression Video Review of Logitech BCC950 Conference CAM (Lync Optimized)

 

Logitech has introduced a USB video conference unit that has a quite interesting design: A tilt/pan/zoom camera with a remote control combined with a conference speaker phone. The device is one of only 4 Microsoft Lync Optimized meeting room devices and is priced to be affordable for the smallest office.

I need to admit it is hard not to think “friendly robot” after you assemble this USB speakerphone with the 9” Cam extender stem. (Logitech does little to dispel this with there own video: http://youtu.be/PsX6tIHo8no)

Video First Impression Review

Looking at The Logitech BCC950 ConferenceCam

The BCC950 has a distinctive look by any standards. It can be powered by a USB cable plugged into a powered USB port on your laptop or pc or a power cord into the wall—both are included. The unit assembled quickly with no fuss. The unit’s base houses a 360 degrees speakerphone that has Call answer and hangup buttons, a mute and volume controls. There is also an LED that is blue with live conversation and red on mute. There are direction and zoom controls for that camera on the base as well as the remote that comes complete with batteries already installed (just pull the battery saver slip out) The base also includes a headset jack on the left side. I was surprised there was no volume indication on the device itself (but on Windows7 you can click on speakers icon in system tray to see volume level)

base with cam on stem

base with cam in base

side view of base with headset jack.

The camera is a 1080p Carl Zeiss camera with tilt/pan/zoom. The camera can be plugged directly into the base or on a 9 inch extender stem. I think the view with the stem is optimal when setting on a desk/conference table. When I first plugged the camera into the base I wasn’t quite sure I plugged it in right, but it was. The stem assembly feels like something you want to be a little careful with and not bang around too much. There is a blue LED in the beside the camera lens to let you know the camera is live. For me the whole unit, speakerphone and camera just worked in Microsoft Lync after plugging it in. Setup is a breeze.

Using the Positioning

The build in tilt/pan/zoom camera is probably the most unique part of this unit. After plugging in the device you can immediately start using the remote or controls on the base to position the camera. (There are no drivers or software required for Microsoft Lync---nice design Logitech) The camera moves quite fast and I had some trouble centering on my subject on the first try, likely a newbie issue. You do hear the mechanicals that move the camera through the speaker phone and, while the camera was on the “stem”, moving from side to side did cause it sway just a bit, but not very noticeable on the video for the other party.

playing with camera positioning

The unit is designed to be controlled by someone near the BCC950 and does note have far end control. (this is a limitation of Lync, not BCC950).

Video Quality

I’ve been getting questions about video quality so I’ll do my best to comment on what I see. (I want to preface this that I am no video expert) I have been comparing the video to Microsoft LifeCam Cinema HD in the Lync preview window to get raw video look and nothing else. (using default setup on both) The LifeCam immediately appears more vibrant with TrueColor feature turned on, but more comparable without it. I also noticed the BCC950 has more “fog/haze/halo” effect looking at the same view?  It interesting that the LifeCam preview put my QuadCore HP Z210 CPU at approximately 10%, while the BCC950 preview drops to 5% or below. (the LifeCam has the TrueColor feature turned off. But perhaps LifeCam app/driver takes CPU?)

I’ve been doing some tests sending HD (720p) stream and it appears that the LifeCam take about an avg of 25% cpu to send the stream whereas the BCC950 takes an avg of 18% cpu. (very unofficial tests—if anyone has better way to test or more accurate results, let me know!)

Features

• Mute LED (red when muted/blue with hot)
• headset plug
• High or low camera mount
• Carl Zeiss lens, 1080p HD camera
• Requires no drivers

Pros:

• definitely a new form factor for the small meeting, affordable cam option.
• The handheld remote does answer, hang-up, volume, mute, and tilt/pan/zoom. Quite nice.
• Quick, no drivers required installation
• Nice long USB cables included.
• The lowest priced Lync Optimized Meeting Room device available at $249.99 Retail price.

Cons:

• No volume indication on the unit, an no popup volume indicator on the PC screen (tried it on a Thinkpad laptop and HP Z210 Workstation)
• You do hear the camera movement on the speaker phone, although not loud

Observations

• This design takes care of the problem of setting a webcam on top of a screen in the conference room.
• This unit is very distinctive, but would really be creating buzz if it would/could automatically track  active speaker
• Barring active speaker tracking, it would be nice to have preset positions (perhaps 4?) for the Tilt/Pan/Zoom for 1 touch move to another speaker.
• The remote needs to be within 10ft or so and (I think) be able to “see” the front of the base unit.  Pointing at the side of the unit does not seem to always work.
• When panning, I found my self panning past the person of interest. If I went slow enough then unit seemed to go in “notches”
• Because its size/assembly it likely will stay in the conference room? may not be a laptop bag unit.

Logitech certainly has broken out of the tried something different with this Lync Optimized, meeting room device.

Official Logitech Site: http://www.logitech.com/en-us/for-business/products/webcams/conferencecam

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/lync/gg278175

Note:
http://www.logitech.com/en-us/webcam-communications/webcams/3480

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What Specifically is Better About Lync Phone Edition With "Better Together” USB?

 

Better Together features:

• Makes Lync 2010 and Deskphone act as one single unit
• Visual Voicemail
• Calendar
• Join Conference
• Locking/Unlocking of PC can Lock/Unlock Phone
• Deskphone can act as PC's default playback speaker
• Click To Dial from Outlook/InternetExplorer
• Provision deskphone by type user credentials on PC

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#snom ONE IP PBX Gets Virtual Appliance

 

Take a look a the premade VMWare snom ONE IP PBX VM:

http://snomone.wordpress.com/2012/02/21/snomone-virtual-appliance/

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snom Releases Windows UC Client That Does Presence, Instant Message and Visual Voicemail

 

snom has released a UC Client for the snom ONE IP PBX to add Unified Communication features. Below is a look and video review of some of the features.

Some features on this first iteration

• Presence (or perhaps more accurately extension state?)
• Instant Message
• Complete VoIP Client (Softphone)
• Visual Voicemail
• Contact List
• Unified Call History
• Set your user picture and note
• Debugging: SIP logging and view

Missing Features (at the moment)

• Click to transfer
• Click to call VoiceMail or transfer to Voicemail
• No tone/sound on incoming IM
• No incoming call to the softphone/client

Bugs noticed

• If you change users you need to close and reopen program
• DTMF pad didn’t seem to work for me?
• clicking on a missed call crashes the client

Review Notes

• snom has noted this product is BETA: So bugs are to be reported, not complained about. ;-)
• Very snappy UI that responds nicely
• Right clicking on a Contact gives an extra, unnecessary “jump/flicker” but it works.
• This client does not automate/control the desk phone, but is a complete SIP softphone
• But in some ways feels unified: missed/dialed calls from any endpoint show up in client
• Missed versus Dialed  calls not very clearly marked
• Very definitely a BETA (perhaps Alpha?) release

See the Video First Impression Review Here:

 

Get it here:
http://wiki.snomone.com/index.php?title=Installing_the_Attendant_Console
http://wiki.snomone.com/index.php?title=The_snom_Attendant_Console

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Could a Device Like This Leap Frog Lync Optimized & Qualified Devices?

Note: This article falls in the class of “crazy Friday future brain-storming”.

Just saw this Panasonic KX-UT670 and thought: Could this device, or something like it, leapfrog all of snom and Polycom’s hard efforts to produce Lync Qualified devices?

Why It Might

• This device could conceivably leverage any Android Lync Wave 15 Voip client that arrives (later this year?) or other 3rd party Android clients.
• It already has a 720p HD Video Cam built in
• Whopping 7” color touch display (compared to CX600 3.5” non-touch)
• Could be as easy to deploy as a Android BYOD device

Why It Might Not

• It will be too pricey for entry level desk sets (retail price of approximately $400USD)
• If Cisco Cius couldn’t make it in a tablet with docking station, why could this desk only unit make it?
• Lync Mobile clients are not really designed for “desk phone” senario so UI may not fit
• Perhaps the softphone “revolution” is too far progress for such a device to gain serious traction?
• The BYOD wave just makes any enterprise grade device unacceptable?
• Do we need a desk phone anymore?

Below is a video review of the unit by TheDroidGuy that got my attention.

As an alternative, perhaps an enterprise grade, Lync Optimized base station with handset (think of Cisco Cius docking station) that works as a USB handset when no iPad or Android tablet (or Windows 8 Tablet, to fend of life threats ;-) is in the docking station might have a shot at the future.

Above: Cius Docking (front)

BTW-Hey Cisco, maybe this is an idea to recoup some Cius R&D? Okay, sorry for that lame joke.

Cius Docking Station:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/ccmcd/user/9_2_1/english/accessories.html

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