First Look: Polycom RealPresence Group

Today was a busy day for Polycom as they started the day by ringing the opening bell on the NASDAQ before unveiling their newest additions to their video conferencing selection. Part of  their new video conferencing product lineup announced the Polycom RealPresence Group

What Is It?

The Polycom RealPresence Group Series has been designed to complement and expand on the existing Polycom RealPresence HDX Series, with both series sharing common features as far as interoperability, scalability and video/audio performance. For all that they share there will be certain features that will be supported by the RealPresence Group but not the RealPresence HDX and vice versa.

Some of the features unique to the RealPresence Group include 1080p60fps for people and content, a new user interface and remote, and HDMI inputs/outputs. On the other hand some of the features that are currently unique to the HDX Series include ISDN/POTS connectivity, People on Connect, MS Lync 2010 Qualification and UC-APL certification for US FED.

Within the new RealPresence Group there are three new video conferencing solutions and a new camera.

Polycom RealPresence Group 300

The Polycom RealPresence Group 300 is designed for use in small conference rooms, huddle rooms and offices. The RealPresence Group 300 ships with your choice of either the Polycom EagleEye III or new EagleEye Acoustic camera, codec, new Polycom RealPresence Group Microphone Array, cables, and remote control.

• 1 camera input
• Wireless PPCIP content sharing
• 1 monitor (2nd via license key)
• No built-in multipoint
• Small, sleek design
• Polycom RealPresence Group 300 Datasheet

Polycom RealPresence Group 500

The Polycom RealPresence Group 500 is ideal for most conference and meeting rooms. The RealPresence Group 500 ships ships with your choice of either the Polycom EagleEye III or new EagleEye Acoustic camera, codec, new Polycom RealPresence Group Microphone Array, cables, and remote control. 

• 1 camera input
• Wireless PPCIP plus HDMI and VGA content inputs
• 2 monitors
• 6-way SD, 4-way HD multipoint
• Small, sleek design
• Polycom RealPresence Group 500 Datasheet

Polycom RealPresence Group 700

The Polycom RealPresence Group 700 is designed to have the flexibility to match the demands for larger conference rooms and integrated environments. The RealPresence Group 700 ships ships with the Polycom EagleEye III camera, codec, new Polycom RealPresence Group Microphone Array, cables, and remote control.

• 2 camera inputs
• Wireless PPCIP plus 5 content inputs
• 3 video outputs
• 8-way SD, 4-way HD multipoint
• Substantially greater processing power for future features
• Polycom RealPresence Group 700 Datasheet

Polycom EagleEye Acoustic

The Polycom EagleEye Acoustic is a new video conferencing camera that ships with both the Polycom RealPresence Group 500 and RealPresence Group 700. The EagleEye Acoustic is designed for use in smaller conference rooms where the participates are 2-3 yards away from the camear.

• ePTZ (electronic pan/tilt/zoom) camera
• 1080p20 video performance
• Built-in high-performance microphone
• Innovative rubberized hinge

Who Is It For?

With the three different models released most people and businesses will be able find a model within the Polycom RealPresence Group to match their video conferencing needs. Versatile enough to be used in both large and small conference rooms; the RealPresence Group 500 will fit the needs of most people.

Availability

All of the Polycom RealPresence Group Series products are scheduled to be released by the end of the year. The RealPresence Group 300 and RealPresence Group 500 will be available in November of this year and the RealPresence Group 700 is scheduled to follow in December 2012.