Polycom V500

[Skylark]

Has anyone seen this product? If any one has had a chance to look at it I would realy like som info.

[CallOne]

Polycom
®
V500™
Benefits
Simple, essential video calling – When
you need to talk face to face. Connects to
any television, uses a TV-like remote
No compromise – no comparison –
Natural smooth motion video and near-CD-quality
audio for effective communications
at a distance
Affordable – For about the price of a lap-top
computer you can realize the benefit
of video conferencing
Fully broad band capable for today's
IP networks – Leverage your Cable, DSL
or LAN connections; also supports single
ISDN connection
Easy to use and versatile – With the
Polycom graphical user environment, you
can fine tune the menu and application
tools to meet your specific video calling
application
Secure video calls – Integrated AES
encryption so you're confident your video
calls are secure
Integrated camera and microphone –
Allows the Polycom V500 to easily fit into
small offices and constrained spaces
Connect. Any Way You Want.
Simple and affordable video calling for small
businesses, remote offices and telecommuters who need
to talk face-to-face
For the first time simple, affordable, video calling is now available with unparalleled audio and video quality.
As easy to use as your television, the Polycom V500 brings the benefit of video conferencing to everyone.
Together with its superior audio and video performance, the Polycom V500 is affordable and supports industry
standards so you can call anyone, anywhere. The Polycom V500 is light, portable and easy to install and con-figure
for your office.
With the Polycom V500:
• Small businesses can communicate easily with corporate clients around the world
• Executives and corporate telecommuters can make calls from their home office to colleagues and clients
• Remote offices can participate face-to-face with their office locations around the world
• Doctors can make lab, doctor to doctor, and doctor to patient calls
• Teachers can host remote field trips or offer classes to satellite schools in rural locations
No need to add a computer to video call over the internet – simply plug the Polycom V500 into your television
and your high speed internet connection and start calling. Within seconds you are talking face to face as
naturally as if you're in the same room.
Easy to use set up wizards allow step-by-step guides for a quick installation. The simple remote control
provides access to the power of the Polycom V500 and lets you easily answer an incoming video call or initi-ate
a new one. An intuitive graphical user interface can be customized for any level of user. The main dialing
screen can be configured with present dialing locations, for one-button calling. You also have the capability
to see both near and far side video on screen simultaneously with Polycom Dual Monitor Emulation.
The Polycom V500 is standards-based and interoperates with other desktop or group conferencing systems
to participate in any size video call.
The value of the V500. The power of Polycom conferencing and collaboration solutions.
With integrated video, voice, data, and Web capabilities, only Polycom solutions let you connect, conference
and collaborate any way you want. It’s our commitment to making distance communications as natural and
interactive as being there. Work faster, smarter and more efficiently with the Polycom V500 and other
Polycom conferencing and collaboration solutions.

[CallOne]

I have pictures and more info. via email if you like.

[Gary Miyakawa]

The V500 can be read about on Polycom's public website. V500 (http://www.polycom.com/products_services/1,,pw-6575,FF.html)

It looks like an interesting box... Used it a couple weeks ago...

Gary Miyakawa :huh:

[MACC the AVCOtek]

I, personally, am leery of any video-conference device that says it's easy to set up.... :unsure:

[tom9933]

I’ve got one at the house right now; let me know if you have any specific questions. As for the easy setup it’s only power, a/v out, and a network connection. How much simpler can it get?

[vtjoe]

Does anybody know the list price?

[Gary Miyakawa]

I had heard, around $2,000 USD. Which, if true, I think is too high... but then, that's just my opinion...

Gary Miyakawa

[tjulian]

From one of my vendors:
V500 List Price - $1,995
Govt. Price - $1,340

[fenster1977]

I think I already know the answer to this question...but since it's never been addressed in any of the reviews or spec sheets...

Can you still use the 500 as a computer monitor while conducting call in a PIP?

I assume you can't...otherwise it would be a selling point for Polycom, which it isn't.

But that alone would up the stock value of this product. It would be the perfect replacement for our desktop broadband videophone, which sits of to the side of my monitor. But I'm usually accessing things on my email or on the net for discussion while in a call. If you can only use the 500 in one mode or the other, then it would take away your ability to do that.

I can't remember the last time I did a call where I wasn't referring to files on my PC or following along on a website with the person on the other end.

[Entropy3XD]

Originally posted by fenster1977@May 12 2004, 09:48 PM
I think I already know the answer to this question...but since it's never been addressed in any of the reviews or spec sheets...

Can you still use the 500 as a computer monitor while conducting call in a PIP?

I assume you can't...otherwise it would be a selling point for Polycom, which it isn't.

But that alone would up the stock value of this product. It would be the perfect replacement for our desktop broadband videophone, which sits of to the side of my monitor. But I'm usually accessing things on my email or on the net for discussion while in a call. If you can only use the 500 in one mode or the other, then it would take away your ability to do that.

I can't remember the last time I did a call where I wasn't referring to files on my PC or following along on a website with the person on the other end.
I think you may be refering to the VSX3000. The V500 is a set top unit which does not have support for VGA.

You are correct. According the Polycom, the unit can "act as a PC display when it is not in a video call". My company hos ordered one and I hope to have it next week. I will try to do a full review.

I agree with you comment about the value being raised if you could view video in a pip. I guess I need to get my hands on the unit to see how they switch between data and VTC.

[Gary Miyakawa]

Of course, with the V500 having S-Video outputs, there is nothing in the world preventing you from connecting it to a Up converter/Scaler which can convert S-Video to XGA... Admittedly, you are going to loose some quality, but if you just want one monitor on your desk, here's a way to do it...

http://www.avtoolbox.com/images/tv-4000.gif

http://www.avtoolbox.com/images/tv-4000-back.gif

MSRP is $149 and Street price in the $120 range...

Gary Miyakawa

[Entropy3XD]

Originally posted by Gary Miyakawa@May 12 2004, 10:16 PM
Of course, with the V500 having S-Video outputs, there is nothing in the world preventing you from connecting it to a Up converter/Scaler which can convert S-Video to XGA... Admittedly, you are going to loose some quality, but if you just want one monitor on your desk, here's a way to do it...

http://www.avtoolbox.com/images/tv-4000.gif

http://www.avtoolbox.com/images/tv-4000-back.gif

MSRP is $149 and Street price in the $120 range...

Gary Miyakawa
Good idea. Nice price.

[Entropy3XD]

Can even hook you cable up to it.......Very nice!

[fenster1977]

I think you may be refering to the VSX3000.

yep, i was. sorry abou that...

but thanks for picking up on what i meant and answering.

would love to see a full review.

thanks again

[tom9933]

Another nice and relatively cheap line of scalars is sold by ViewSonic. They range from $75-$200 (street) and the highest end unit (N6) even has hd capabilities through the component input. Check out:
http://www.viewsonic.com/products/accessor...s/nextvisionn6/ (http://www.viewsonic.com/products/accessories/tvvideoprocessors/nextvisionn6/)
Actually while getting this link I just noticed they now also have a nextvision10 that includes an HD tuner. I have a few friend who very happily use the 6 for their computer monitors and one guy even uses it with his projector (he has a low end home theater system).

[Gary Miyakawa]

Tom,

GREAT LINK! Hmmm... wonder when the HD10 will be out... I'll have to check them out at Infocomm.... Wish they had DVI-D output... *sgih*...

Gary Miyakawa

[Entropy3XD]

Originally posted by Gary Miyakawa@May 14 2004, 05:08 PM
Tom,

GREAT LINK! Hmmm... wonder when the HD10 will be out... I'll have to check them out at Infocomm.... Wish they had DVI-D output... *sgih*...

Gary Miyakawa
Yea....I need DVI out as well.

[Entropy3XD]

Originally posted by tom9933@May 14 2004, 04:30 PM
Another nice and relatively cheap line of scalars is sold by ViewSonic. They range from $75-$200 (street) and the highest end unit (N6) even has hd capabilities through the component input. Check out:
http://www.viewsonic.com/products/accessor...s/nextvisionn6/ (http://www.viewsonic.com/products/accessories/tvvideoprocessors/nextvisionn6/)
Actually while getting this link I just noticed they now also have a nextvision10 that includes an HD tuner. I have a few friend who very happily use the 6 for their computer monitors and one guy even uses it with his projector (he has a low end home theater system).
I almost bought one of these when I got my ViewSonic LCD. Thanks for the link. Has anyone seen one in action? If so, would you like to give a review?

[tom9933]

I played with the 6 and it’s not too bad. Basically you will need to play with the adjustments to get a decent picture (it has a tendency to show the paint effect if not careful). I would say image quality wise it compares to the internal scalar of the lower end (1-2k) lcd projectors. Like I said I know a guy who uses this for his home theater (Sony 1272 @ 1024*768), but I wouldn’t recommend it for that application. It’s intended to watch tv on a computer monitor and for that it works relatively well. BTW if you are looking for a home theater scalar try looking on EBay for an Extron. I picked up my System 7 for under 2k and it was NIB.

[Joe Monteon]

The VSX3000 is a very nice product. There are how ever as with any product out there some flaws.
• You can’t have a computer image up and use video.
• If you are on computer input and receive a call it will not auto switch to the video input.
• No VCFX
• No DVI input

There are way more pluses to this product than negatives. I feel this product is well worth the prices (I know it’s steep) but just the availability to configure/lock it down and provision it like a room station is worth the price.