Polycom VSX8000 up to 9 remote sites?

[BobbyR]

Hello,

I am experienced in ethernet networking and WAN apps, but am relatively new to the VC thing. My organization (location South India) has a VSX8000 with the ISDN 2mbs PRI card, and are currently using with 2 remote sites, one is Delhi in North India (VSX7000) and Singapore (VSX7000).

We are seeing the possiblity of needing to add up to 5-7 more remote sites (in India and other international locations including UK, US) which would all need to connect at the same time. So several questions, if anyone can answer any or all....

1. Our VSX 8000 has the multi-site license allowing us to have 5 multi-points, but if needing more how to do? Is this where an 'ISDN Bridge' comes in?

2. If this is is incorrect, how to add more points beyond the VSX 8000 site license limit?

3. If anyone is able to recommend what hardware is required, can a manufacturer and model number be given?

4. We are using the system in a sightly different way than as it was designed. The system is being used in a large hall (20,000 sq.ft.) allowing the remote sites to hear presentations from this hall. (Sort of like group meetings) Dialog between the remote sites to each other is not needed, and remote sites will ask questions only in a limited basis, so ongoing discussions during the meetings is very minimal. Basically all remote sites are listening to lectures with very little 2-way discussion happening.

I am wondering if there is a way for all remote sites to only see the main site speaker and not see each other on their monitors. This is especially a concern that as we add more sites, we don't want all remote sites to have their monitors showing 8 windows on their monitors. I hope this question is clear... basically we would like all monitors in the remote locations to only see the main site speaker and not each other.... Can this be done with the Polycom equipment?

[Wise82Guy]

1) There is no larger multipoint license available for the VSX8000. Self plus five sites (meaning 6 total) is the maximum available.

2) To go beyond 6 total sites in a conference, you would need to utilize external hardware. You can either rent time on someone else's MCU (Multipoint Control Unit) or purchase your own.

3) Polycom's MCUs are the MGC line, and the RMX line. There are others produced by other manufacturers.

4) The VSX's internal MCU cannot do 'personalized layouts' but a manageable MCU (like MGC / RMX) can do this.

[BobbyR]

Thanks for the reply on this... We will look into the two Polycom lines that you mentioned and see about the possibility of using those....


Bobby

[Tallman2]

No totally true, if you have 2 Polycoms with Multipoint you can cascade two of them together giving you double the sites. But only 2.

[Sean Lessman]

No totally true, if you have 2 Polycoms with Multipoint you can cascade two of them together giving you double the sites. But only 2.

Cascading always gives you maxsites*2 - 2...as you need a port on each side for the cascade, so not quite twice. Also, there are a bunch of limitations when it comes to cascading HDX units, make sure you consult the manual before you buy into the concept.

Sean

[Tallman2]

Once again not true, have two VSX 8000 and do 12 sites no problems....
Plus buying 2 Polycoms is a lot cheaper than using a third party bridge, if you use it a lot thats what we used to do here until I bought the two Polycom and have been doing it for about 9 month now on a weekly bases.

[Sean Lessman]

Once again not true.

I guess you are implying I say a lot of untrue things. Also not sure how you are cascading without losing a port on either unit. This is a fact of any cascaded device, regardless of vendor.

Sean

[Tallman2]

Not at all, In this case I am doing a actual applaication.
2 VSX 8000 connected together via I.P. not going thru network, units are next to each other and are connected thru cross over cable.
2 PRI cards with full t1
Connect two units via I.P. dial out to other sites using PRI.
These units will all be I.P. as soon as our new network is done sometime around April 2009.

Now I know this is a cheap way to do large mulitpoint, but were I work they are not ready to spend the money for a MGC at this time. ( Goverment work)

[Sean Lessman]

Not at all, In this case I am doing a actual applaication.
2 VSX 8000 connected together via I.P. not going thru network, units are next to each other and are connected thru cross over cable.
2 PRI cards with full t1
Connect two units via I.P. dial out to other sites using PRI.
These units will all be I.P. as soon as our new network is done sometime around April 2009.

The built in MCU supports a fixed number of ports. For argument sake lets say it is 4 sites. Each system must call the other system (IP or ISDN doesn't matter), this leave each system 3 ports to connect to each other for a total of 6 systems.

So, each system has 4 ports. 4x2=8 but you can only connect 6 sites due to the cascade, therefore, it is not twice. It is twice - 2 ports as I said above.

Sean

[Tallman2]

Ok, then how am I able to connect to 12 sites.....total??

[robertk]

Not at all, In this case I am doing a actual applaication.
2 VSX 8000 connected together via I.P. not going thru network, units are next to each other and are connected thru cross over cable.
2 PRI cards with full t1
Connect two units via I.P. dial out to other sites using PRI.
These units will all be I.P. as soon as our new network is done sometime around April 2009.

Now I know this is a cheap way to do large mulitpoint, but were I work they are not ready to spend the money for a MGC at this time. ( Goverment work)


BUT, what you are saying is that you have 2 units in one room, both sending the same video to 5 or 6 sites each?

So you have one set of systems connected to system A and another set connected to system B, is this correct?

What if a site connected to System B want to see a system that is connected to system A?

I would not call this a general working solution... maybe for your specific needs, but not for a normal user.

//Robert

[Tallman2]

No Room A calls Room B thru I.P. then A and B dial out or (Add a call)PRI to the other sites, slower speeds yes...but it does work and no you are correct this is not an everyday solution but was recommened and deminstrated by are Polycom Vender and has worked for 9 month now.
Looking back I do wish we would have got ten the HD units only becuse there overall bandwidth is higher from 2M to 4M and would be better once are new network is in place.

Just for reference the company I work for is slow with new technology, it took almost three years to get them to do it this way and the only reason they did it was because they were spending about $70,000 in third party bridge units now bridging is no longer added cost,and once we move to all I.P. not more ISDN charges either.

Oh one thing to remember is that this will work only in Voice activated mode...

[BobbyR]

Tallman2,

Thanks for the tip.... I was actually thinking about this and wondering if it would be possible to do this. I was thinking maybe cascading through the serial port or something, but you are saying that just using a crossover ethernet will work. That sounds like a great solution. Only question, is are there any special ethernet settings that need to be made to the two systems?

Also, from your experience doing this... Lets say you have 4 sites connected to VSX8000 'A' and 4 sites connected to VSX8000 'B', do you need separate local monitors for each VSX unit? Or, do all connected sites still see each other regardless of which unit they are connected to? I am assuming that all remote sites have called you instead of you initiating any calls outbound.

This post seems to have opened up some good discussion... Maybe this little 'trick' is not widely known. Hope the manufacturers don't get bend out of shape by this....

Bobby

[Tallman2]

Bobby,
Both unit A and Unit B are connected for two dedecated rooms, the rooms are just next to each other and the two Polycoms are in a central rack in the A/V room. If you do not want to connect a monitor, you can put them on your network and do a remote dial in if you wish... are two room were designed to be next to each other for easy of control for me these two rooms are VTC rooms only.