Panoramic Polycom CX5100 Video Conferencing Station Optimized for Microsoft Lync

September 24, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

Lync Conferencers of the Roundtable

Very soon the Microsoft Lync Optimized Polycom CX5100 Unified Conference Station will be available at VoIP Supply.

We’re expecting to see these by the end of September 2013.

Unveiled at the 2013 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference, the CX5100 is for Microsoft Lync users collaborating with remote teams.

What they’ll get is a unique 360 degree, panoramic video experience that also displays a seamless dual window layout.

The “Roundtable”

The CX5100 was originally called the “Roundtable” because the device is placed in the center of a meeting room table and uses a handful of cameras that stitch together a panoramic view that is displayed in one window while another window displays a zoomed in image of the person who is currently talking.

Polycom uses what they call “Active Speaker Detection” which is a feature that alerts the cameras to automatically focus on, and switch the image to, the person that is actively speaking.

Who Wants to be Single?

A single camera limits what you see and do during a video conferencing call.

The multiple cameras of the CX5100 follow the speaker wherever they go so that they can move freely around the meeting to draw on a whiteboard or demonstrate how a product works.

In other words, all the things that you normally do in a collaborative seeting will be captured by the CX5100 which will produce an intuitive and naturally flowing conversation experience.

The CX5100 is the successor to the Polycom CX5000, which has the same engaging 360 degree view, but also offers:

Lync Optimized Polycom CX5100

More than twice the HD video image quality
Double the frame rate for life-like motion handling
Polycom HD Voice audio quality
1080p with Microsoft Lync 2013
720p backwards compatibility with Microsoft Lync 2010

The all-new user interface and system design makes the CX5100 easy to launch or join a call directly from the Lync user environment by simply connecting the CX5100 via USB to a computer that is running Lync.

“Polycom is the benchmark for reliable video conferencing,” said VoIP Supply CEO, Ben Sayers. “Microsoft Lync Unified Communications has been greatly enhanced with the USB plug and play Polycom CX5100 that offers an outstanding HD panoramic video conferencing experience with cameras that automatically follow you around the room.”

Watch this video to learn more:

Tips on How to Start a Business from VoIP Supply CEO Ben Sayers

September 23, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

Have you ever wondered how Ben Sayers, CEO and owner of VoIP Supply, started the company?

Find out here in Jaime Tardy’s interview at Eventual Millionaire, Step by Step Starting a Business with Benjamin Sayers, plus the strategies and techniques he uses including:

Using checklists
Competitive intelligence
Creating business plans
Setting goals

VoIP Supply is now in its 11th year of business and now Ben is starting a new venture. Click the video above to learn more.

Free Site Survey with Purchase of New VoIP System

September 6, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

Do you know about Deploy, our nationwide VoIP installation services?

If your business doesn’t want to deal with the nuances (to put it nicely) of installing a new VoIP system, Deploy is a fast and painless way to have somebody (Us!) do it for you.

Custom Fit

Get an on-site analysis by a trained technician who will tour your building, inspect your current network, and give you options on the VoIP hardware that’s best for your application.

Then we’ll install a customized VoIP system for your current needs and, if you choose, one that can be expanded as your business grows.

Purchase Credit

A lot of VoIP deployments fail because the network being used isn’t powerful enough to handle the additional traffic.

The Deploy Site Survey makes recommendations based on findings from inspecting and testing the existing network and as an added bonus, the cost of this service is credited towards any VoIP system purchased through VoIP Supply.

3 Key Services

We offer three key Deploy services to get your phones up and running:

Network Installation: A solid network infrastructure is the backbone of a reliable VoIP System. Deploy Network Installation Services will configure and install server racks, network switches, and routers for trouble free VoIP calling.
Cabling Installation: Running Ethernet cable is almost as much fun as watching paint dry. For those that don’t have the time for that, the Deploy Cabling Installation Service will supply, install, terminate, test, and label a new Cat5e cable run.
VoIP Installation: Deploy VoIP Installation Services provide a certified VoIP Supply field technician to configure and install a VoIP PBX and its phones to the customers exact specifications.

“Every VoIP installation is different,” said VoIP Supply CEO Ben Sayers. “Businesses can use VoIP Supply’s Deploy services to take the hassle and confusion out of setting up any part of a new or expanded VoIP system.”

VoIP Supply Offers Rush Processing Option for Same-Day Shipping

August 28, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

When next day shipping isn’t fasn’t enough, VoIP Supply now offers Rush Processing for VoIP, Video Conferencing, IP Surveillance, and Unified Communication devices.

When you’re checking out online, all you need to do is check the “Need your order faster?” box or, if you’re on the phone with your account manager, just ask them for “Rush Processing.”

Here’s how it works — VoIP Supply will speed up shipment:

On all orders placed before 3:30pm EST
For a small, additional fee
When the billing and shipping address are the same.

VoIP Supply always puts forth its best efforts, but unfortunately cannot guarantee that orders will ship the same day.

Patience is annoying but sometimes necessary, so in the event a rush order fails to ship on the same day, the Rush Processing fee is refunded.

Axis Naming Convention

August 23, 2013 by Taylor Hamp

Axis is probably one of the most well known names in IP surveillance. They were the first on the scene completely dedicated to video over Internet Protocol back in the late 90’s and are still industry leaders today. Like all manufacturers, they have a naming matrix that might not make sense at first, but it’s pretty easy to decipher.

Axis created their own naming convention chart (image below) to educate their buyers of the cameras for at-a-glance understanding.

In this example, the P3367-VE breaks down into meaning it’s meant for a versatile and secure advanced video solution, it’s a fixed dome camera, P33 series, supports 5 or more Megapixels, housed in a vandal resistant outdoor enclosure.

Using another example such as the P7224, it would imply it’s a versatile and secure advanced video solution, video encoder/decoder (in this case, it’s an encoder), P72 series, and it can support up to HDTV resolution.

A final example would be the T8414: This comes from a range of accessories that increase the benefits of network video, it’s a system product, T84 series, and it will display in up to HDTV resolution.

For more information on Axis IP Cameras and their accessories, check out the support documents Axis offers on their website at http://www.axis.com/techsup/index.htm.

Are You a Headset Hoarder? Help is Available

by Tom Costelloe

This is my desk. There are many like it, but this one is mine. . .and boy is it a bit of a mess.

I am a Headset Hoarder

So why am I reciting a variation of the Rifleman’s Creed and showing a cluttered photo of my desk?

Partially to publicly shame myself into taking some action and clean it up but also to talk about a small problem I have that is shown in the photo, that I can now admit to openly and take steps to conquer.

I am not talking about the layer of dust over everything that rivals a mid-winter snow storm, the fact it is one of the last Fridays in the summer and I’m at work, or the two phones on my desk but, the pile of four headsets on my desk.

I am a Headset Hoarder

It feels good to finally be able to say it and start my path to recovery.

Recognizing My Headset Hoarding

For the record the four headsets shown are the VXi UC ProSet Lux, Sennheiser SC 260, Sennheiser SC 230 and Jabra Chill. In addition to those outside of the photo I also have a new VXi V150 which I am going to be testing next week, a Jabra SPEAK 410, a Plantronics Voyager Legend and a pair of Sennheiser CX310 headphones. As I said, I am a Headset Hoarder on the cusp of being featured on a headsets episode of Hoarders.

On their own each of these headsets are very good and do a great job. From the use and abuse I’ve put them through I have nothing but praise for them and would recommend each of them when used in the right situation.

The problem I have run into which has led to my hoarding, is each one can only be used for one or two specific tasks.

These tasks can be one or two of the activities I do on a daily basis which include calls on either of my desk phones, calls and webinars on my PC, making calls on my cellphone and listening to music on my iPod.

This slight limitation on the uses has resulted in in my need for all of my headsets.

The Solution to My Headset Hoarding

The solution to my headset hoarding is to switch to a single headset that will allow me to connect to my desk phone, my PC, my iPod and my cellphone.

Jabra PRO 9465 and Plantronics Savi W720

This solution looks like it will come in the shape of one of two headsets, the Jabra PRO 9465 Duo or Plantronics Savi W720. With either of these headsets I will be able to replace the majority of the headsets on my desk with just one thanks to the triple connectivity capabilities that they both support which will allow me to:

Connect to my desk phone with support for Electronic Hook Switch or a lifter for remotely answering a call
USB connectivity to connect it to a computer for webinars and softphone applications
Bluetooth connectivity for my cell phone and my iPod.

An added bonus of switching to one of these headsets is I will have add wireless mobility to allow me to get up and move around without worrying about missing a call. This is a feature that is not available to me with any of the headsets I currently use.

Since I listen to music throughout the day in each example I have chosen the binaural or stereo versions but within the Plantronics Savi series and the Jabra PRO 9400 series there are monaural or single ear versions. Additionally Jabra, Plantronics, Sennheiser and VXI carry headsets that will connect to just your desk phone and your PC if you don’t need the Bluetooth connectivity.

There it is, I’ve finally been able to admit to it, I am a headset hoarder but one that is taking steps to curve my affliction. Of course that is if my desk isn’t consumed by the dust first.

Does Your Small Business Need Help Setting Up a New VoIP Phone System?

by Nathan Miloszewski

Need help setting up a new VoIP phone system?

Do you wish it was as simple as plug and play?

Help and simplicity are realities with VoIP Supply Assist Services that take the hassle out of dealing with quirky VoIP devices and deliver custom programming designed for the needs of your unique small businesses.

Pre-Sales Consultation

For beginners, our Pre-Sales Consultation is a helpful 10-minute conversation with a VoIP Supply engineer who’ll use common terms and easy to understand descriptions to explain how VoIP works, what an ATA does, or whatever you need to know more about.

Installation and Configurations

Our local VoIP Phone Provisioning service will setup your new device’s extension, username, voicemail path, and SIP authentication instructions.

Your pre-provisioned phones are then shipped out with each box labeled with extensions and user names so that all you have to worry about is powering on the the phone, plugging it into your VoIP network, and start making calls.

We can also configure Analog Telephone Adapters (ATA) and PCI Cards so that they’ll work to according to your specifications right out of the box.

IP PBX Provisioning

VoIP Supply Assist can take care of complex IP PBX provisioning so that it can communicate with the service provider, match internal network specifications, and setup extension information.

Additionally, we will also configure up to 10 phones purchased with the PBX to match extensions so businesses can quickly connect their new system with VoIP service.

Support

Who do you call when your VoIP installation runs into some trouble?

Whether or not you bought your VoIP devices from us or Amazon or Newegg you can rely on the support of VoIP Supply’s 10 years of experience to quickly solve your issues.

For example, VoIP Supply Assist Remote Phone Provisioning is a 20-minute service that remotely provisions phones using extension credentials.

“Our goal is to provide the best customer experience,” said VoIP Supply CEO Ben Sayers. “When installing a VoIP system gets tricky, our customers rely on our VoIP Supply Assist services for support and device configuration.”

New Digium Switchvox VoIP PBX Appliances Replace End-of-Life Models

August 20, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

Switchvox 310 for up to 150 users

New Digium Switchvox Appliances are now available to replace the Switchvox 65, Switchvox 305, and Switchvox 355 which are now end-of-life.

There are four new models available to fit the VoIP system needs of various business sizes:

Switchvox 80: For small businesses that only need a simple desktop solution. Supports up to 30 users and 12 concurrent calls.
Switchvox 310: For medium-sized businesses with a computer rack or shelf space to spare. Supports up to 150 users and 45 concurrent calls.
Switchvox 360: For large businesses looking for a rack mounted PBX. Supports up to 400 users and 75 concurrent calls.
Switchvox 380: Similar to the Switchvox 360 with the same high-performance and redundancy but with additional call handling capabilities. Supports up to 450 users and 100 concurrent calls.

These premise-based appliances work with Switchvox Anywhere, the system that allows users to create a combined cloud-based and on-site VoIP system that’s capable of expanding as a business grows.

As a Certified B Corporation, VoIP Supply is proud to offer these new environmentally friendly devices that are manufactured with fewer materials, run more efficiently, and consume less power.

VoIP Supply’s Creative Employee Perks Featured In Wall Street Journal

August 19, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

Come to play – with dogs- and deliver excellence

The benefits of working for a small business are the benefits.

As Barbara Haislip’s Wall Street Journal article, Keep Employees Happy With Creative Perks, highlights, SMBs are usually more flexible than their large corporation counterparts, and they’re using that to their advantage to reward and retain employees.

Instead of purely financial rewards, maybe you’d be happier at work with the things that VoIP Supply and other entrepreneur-led businesses are offering in Haislip’s article, such as:

Creative Perks

Free Beer Fridays
Telecommuting – Work is wherever you are
Dogs allowed in the office
Paid week of volunteering
Technology allowance
And more…

Compared to “monetary perks,” Clicks and Clients CEO Paul Rakovich was quoted as saying, “I think the experiences are more valued and cherished, plus the return on investment is bigger.”

Need a New Career?

Interested in a career with us so that you can bring your dog to work, work from home, and enjoy a generous PTO program? Check out our job opportunities or email [email protected].

Via Wall Street Journal

Skype and Outlook Get Cozy

by Nathan Miloszewski

What is new technology and new mediums of communication but simply, new ways to access email?

Microsoft has announced the addition of Skype to Outlook. So even as the business world enters a “pervasive video era“, its heavy reliance on email isn’t going to change.
If you’re an Outlook customer in one of these six countries (Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, UK, US) you can now enjoy Skype integration which will give you a similar user experience to Gmail which offers users quick access to voice, video, email, and chat on one platform/screen.

Skype Hardware

Check out a rundown on Skype accessories that we use in the VoIP Supply offices or a full list of Skype hardware to enhance your video experience.

Via CNET