MOBOTIX National Partner Conference East 2013

February 4, 2013 by Taylor Hamp

This week, VoIP Supply, an Advanced Mobotix Partner–the highest level partnership available–attended the MOBOTIX NPC in Fort Lauderdale, FL for 2 days of sun (we’re in Buffalo, so Florida was very much appreciated), food, and a whole lot of MOBOTIX goodness!

About 150 business professionals from around the States, Canada and Mexico gathered to meet and greet the MOBOTIX leadership team including the General Manager of the Americas – Steve Gorski, Director of Training -Jens Wirok, and the Chief Executive Officer USA -Dr. Mangus Ekerot.

The hot topic at hand was the newly released MOBOTIX S14 Flexmount, a sleek and stylish IP camera unlike anything else available to the public. The S14 can connect 1 or 2 MOBOTIX hemispheric lens units with an integrated microphone back to a small main camera unit, making it possible to monitor two rooms with 1 camera. The S14 has had amazing success with police departments in New York State as it’s EN50155/E1 certified for transportation and fits discreetly in their police cars and undercover vehicles. During an open room discussion, several integrators raved about how much their customers love that the camera isn’t blatantly visible and maintains the integrity of the interior design. Also during this open discussion, it was a surprise to realize that every integrator mentioned they have not had a MOBOTIX camera ever fail on them, and no one spoke up to disagree.

Another hot topic was the upcoming M15D, which has been anticipated for awhile among the community. Replacing the M12D, it began as the M14, but as research and development advanced, MOBOTIX discovered a 5 Megapixel lens they could really be proud of. Previously MOBOTIX refused to upgrade their 3 MP to 5 MP because the over-light saturation wasn’t up to their elite standards. This new 5 MP lens has satisfied the production team with genuinely perfect quality, and the expected M14 became the M15. The new 5 MP lens along with another outstanding feature (which is still under NDA) exclusive to the M15, makes this new camera look like it’s going to be a huge smash in the security industry.

It looks like the future is going to bring even more outstanding IP cameras from the already top quality products MOBOTIX offers, and VoIP Supply is happy to be one of the very lucky few resellers to be included in their Partner Program! If you have any questions about MOBOTIX cameras, please call us at 866.885.4853 and we’d love to tell you more about it!

First Look: Cisco SPA302D ATA and DECT Phone System

February 3, 2013 by Christina Smith

What Is It?

It has been spoken of and referred to since July 2012 but it is finally here, the latest addition to the Cisco Made For Small Business line of communication products, the SPA302D-KIT. The Cisco SPA302D-KIT consists of two components: The Cisco SPA232D ATA and the Cisco SPA302D Wireless handset.

What Does It Do?

The Cisco SPA232D ATA, or VoIP adapter, features a single FXS port for your analog phone or fax machine and a single FXO port to connect to the PSTN. PSTN connection is not required, but can be used as a backup lifeline or to make local calls. The SPA232D has a LAN and a WAN port, making it flexible enough to fit into a SOHO environment, connecting directly to the router, or in a small business environment.

What differentiates the SPA232D from other popular VoIP adapters is that it has a built in DECT base station. DECT is a method of transmitting wirelessly, so in essence, the SPA232D is also a wireless VoIP phone base.

The Cisco SPA302D is a wireless VoIP phone that uses the Internet rather than normal phone lines to communicate. It connects to the Internet or to your LAN using the DECT base station integrated in the SPA232D.
The Cisco SPA232D ATA can be used by itself to provide your analog devices access to the Internet to use VoIP or when used in conjunction with a SPA302D DECT handset, can be used as a Cisco wireless VoIP solution. Each SPA232D can support up to 5 Cisco SPA302D handsets and will support 11 SIP accounts. This means each handset can have up to 2 SIP accounts, plus the analog device plugged into the SPA232D can have 1 SIP account. The SPA232D will handle up to 4 simultaneous calls.

Who Is It For?

The Cisco SPA302D-KIT, which is one SPA232D ATA and one SPA302D phone, is perfectly suited for the small business or SOHO that wants the cost savings and features of VoIP but the mobility of a wireless phone inside the office. By using the SPA232D with 5 SPA302D, this Cisco wireless solution is perfect for a small business with 5 or fewer associates or where associates are not deskbound and are mobile all day, such as car dealerships, pet daycare or grooming centers, florists, small retail shops, and restaurants.

The Cisco SPA302D-KIT with no additional wireless handsets would also be ideal for a telecommuter who works from home but would love to double their efficiency by being mobile throughout their house. Be completely connected to the office while making dinner, doing laundry, or even enjoy working from your patio on warm days! The FXS port on the SPA232D also allows you to hook up a fax machine or modem if you need it for work, allowing you to truly bring your whole office into your home. Because you can add additional handsets and additional SIP accounts, you can have one handset be your work VoIP account and another handset be a home VoIP account and run your entire home telecommunications structure through the Cisco SPA302D and SPA232D.

Pricing?

Cisco SPA302D-KIT – $279 MSRP
SPA302D handsets – $170 MSRP
Cisco SPA232D – $118 MSRP

Availability?

Cisco says that the SPA232D, SPA302D, and SPA302D-Kit should be available by late March or early April. Place your pre-orders now!

VoIP Supply Becomes First Certified B Corporation in Western New York

February 1, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

VoIP Supply is proud to announce that they have become the first Certified B Corporation (B Corp) in Western New York and have joined the ranks of other great eCommerce B Corps based in New York such as Etsy, Warby Parker Eyewear, and UncommonGoods that are representing a new sustainable way of doing business and measuring success in the same way that a LEED certification can be given to a building or how food can be labeled as Fair Trade or USDA Organic certified.

Sustainable Business Focused on New Way Way of Measuring Success

B Corps are leading the way to a newly recognized corporate form. Seven states, including New York, have passed Benefit Corporation Legislation. The “B” in B Corp stands for “benefit” and this certification impacts how a business interacts with employees, vendors, customers, the environment, and the local community.

Gaining B Corp status is the result of an in-depth application process that requires a company to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance with a legal obligation to put people ahead of profits. VoIP Supply’s history of community outreach and intra-office policies contributed to this achievement:

Ranked #1 Best Places to Work in Western New York in 2008 by Business First and a five-time finalist.
Consistent donations to the Buffalo City Mission, Cornerstone Manor, Haven House, and Camp Good Days.
An office sustainability team that seeks out and implements new ways to save energy and reduce waste.
Volunteer efforts to help the community such as the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper shoreline cleanups.

“It’s a great feeling to know that in addition to being successful at work by solving problems for customers, growing our business, and earning a good living that we’re also helping the community with every successful order we process,” said Ben Sayers, CEO of VoIP Supply.

Financial success is great but Sayers wants his company to do well so that it can do good. When Sayers discovered that there’s a new way to do business and measure success by becoming a Certified B Corporation, he jumped at the chance.

“We are not a typical company, we are a great company, doing great things with great people working together,” said Sayers. He challenged himself and his company by asking, “What more can we do?”

Sayers adds that, “VoIP Supply’s B Corp Certification is an honor, a roadmap to improve sustainability efforts, and an example to other local businesses on how to become better corporate neighbors.”

About B Corp

Certified B Corporations 1) meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance; 2) legally expand their corporate responsibilities to include consideration of stakeholder interests; and 3) build collective voice through the power of the unifying B Corporation brand. As of 2013, there are 681 Certified B Corporations in 24 countries from over 60 industries, representing a diverse multi-billion marketplace with one unifying goal. Additionally, there were 40 B Corps among the first 250 companies and funds to receive GIIRS ratings.

About B Lab

B Lab is a nonprofit organization dedicated to using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. B Lab drives systemic change through three interrelated initiatives: 1) building a community of Certified B Corporations to make it easier for all of us to tell the difference between “good companies” and just good marketing; 2) accelerating the growth of the impact investing asset class through use of B Lab’s GIIRS impact rating system by institutional investors; and 3) promoting supportive public policies, including creation of a new corporate form and tax, procurement, and investment incentives for sustainable business.

First Look: LifeSize Icon 600

January 31, 2013 by Tom Costelloe

What Is It?

The Icon 600 is the latest video conferencing solution to be released by LifeSize and comes in four different versions. All four versions of the LifeSize Icon 600 come with the codec, Digital MicPod and remote control but where they differ is in the camera and some of the capabilities. Two of the versions have the Icon 600 codec bundled with the LifeSize Camera 200 and the other two have the codec bundled with the LifeSize Camera 10X. For each camera there is a version that is 720P with single display abilities and one that is 1080P with dual display abilities. If that is a bit confusing here is a breakdown of the four different versions:

LifeSize Icon 600 4X PTZ Camera 720P Single Display
LifeSize Icon 600 4X PTZ Camera 1080P Dual Display
LifeSize Icon 600 10X PTZ Camera 720P Single Display
LifeSize Icon 600 10X PTZ Camera 1080P Dual Display

What Does it Do?

The LifeSize Icon 600 is a video conferencing solution that through its user friend interface makes video conferencing easier and more accessible for all businesses.

One of the main features of the new Icon 600 is the user interface that was designed by LifeSize to give users a simplified, fast and easy, frustration free video conferencing experience.

To achieve this the LifeSize Icon 600 has been made to be more responsive to the user. The Icon 600 keeps your personalized meeting schedule on the home screen making it easier to join meetings and has a pop up remind if you are running late for a meeting. Join group meetings has also been simplified by eliminating the need to dial bridge numbers and replacing with an easy to use click to join over video function. The new unified directory name-based dialing interface also makes finding and calling contacts easier.

By removing some of the technology and user interface barriers that might have made people reluctant to invest in video conferencing, LifeSize is opening up the ability to make video calls to a wider range of businesses and people.

Who Is It For?

The simplified interface and user experience of the LifeSize Icon 600 really opens up videoconferencing to everyone. From capabilities perspective the Icon 600 cameras are targeted towards small to large conference rooms with the 10X Camera versions better suited for the larger rooms. The compact size of the codec and the mountable option also make the LifeSize Icon very flexible when it comes to installing it.

Pricing?

Besides the improved interface, the pricing also makes the LifeSize Icon 600 a very accessible video conferencing solution to businesses of all sizes. Starting at just under $3,000 the Icon 600 comes in at a very affordable price for those looking to get started in video conferencing. The complete pricing is:

LifeSize Icon 600 4X PTZ Camera 720P Single Display – $2,999
LifeSize Icon 600 4X PTZ Camera 1080P Dual Display – $6,999
LifeSize Icon 600 10X PTZ Camera 720P Single Display – $3,999
LifeSize Icon 600 10X PTZ Camera 1080P Dual Display – $7,999

All of the prices do not include the mandatory LifeSize maintenance that is available in 1, 2 and 3 year terms.

VoIP Supply Named One of Western New York’s Most Admired Companies

January 24, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

Buffalo Business First provided a great way for VoIP Supply to close out 2012 by naming the company to its list of Western New York’s Most Admired Companies.

“It’s more than a great honor to be included on this short list of only 19 other admired companies,” said Ben Sayers, CEO of VoIP Supply. “It’s a wonderful achievement by my employees to be mentioned in the same space as these other fine Western New York companies who are well-know, respected, local institutions.”

Business First has a number of awards and lists for the local business community that publish annually. The WNY’s Most Admired is a new recognition they’ve put together that examines:

Company Growth
Success as an Employer
Work in Promoting Diversity
Connection and Contributions to the Local Community

Click here to read the Business First special report, Leaders in Esteem, to learn more about VoIP Supply and the other great Buffalo Niagara business that are just a sample of what the region has to offer.

VoIP Supply Offers Free Shipping on Sangoma Digital Voice Cards

January 23, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

The second best thing to instant gratification might just be free 2-day shipping.

Going on now until January 31, 2013, customers will free receive free 2-day shipping on the Sangoma A100 Digital Voice Card Series which includes the A101, A102, A104, A108, and A116 boards.

Sangoma’s voice optimized hardware powers leading PBX, IVR and call center applications worldwide with their well known quality, reliability and support.

Sangoma A100 Series of Digital Voice Cards offer:

Available telco-grade hardware echo cancellation.
1 to 16 port configurations of optimized voice and data to support up to 480 voice calls or 32.8 Mbps full duplex data over T1/E1/J1 lines.
Expandable BRI solution available with optional echo cancellation.

Each Sangoma Digital Card uses the same high-performance PCI or PCI Express interface that delivers superior functionality in many critical systems.

Get hardware and software upgrades as soon as they’re released. All Sangoma cards in the Advanced Flexible Telecommunications (AFT) family are field upgradeable with crash-proof firmware and can achieve carrier-grade echo cancellation and voice quality enhancement functions for phone systems.

Visit our product page, Sangoma A100 Series Digital Voice Cards, for more information.

TANSTAAFL

January 21, 2013 by Taylor Hamp

I learned the word ‘tanstaafl’ during my macro-economics class in college. While it’s used as a word, it’s actually an acronym. If you don’t recognize it, prepare yourself: There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.

Box chain stores carry surveillance cameras that are a couple bucks. Here at VoIP Supply you’ll see them run into the several thousands. Truth is there is a whole lot of quality difference. Don’t worry, this article shouldn’t be preachy…too preachy.

Simple: If you want to keep an eye on the house while you’re away or just need to monitor the front door of the office, a good IP camera would be right for you, such as Grandstream’s indoor GXV3615WP_HD or their new outdoor model GXV3672_HD. The Grandstream IP cameras are easy to work with, all of Grandstream IP cameras can sync up with their Video Phones GXV3140 and GXV3175, and they come included with Gsurf, Grandstream’s free video management software. Grandstream cameras range from about $100 up to around $500.

Basic: If your time is precious or your space is vast, look at a few other manufacturers. You will pay more, but you’ll also get features such as auto focus (instead of having to manually adjust the image—a plus for outdoor cameras that can lose that sharp image when blown around by the wind for so long), true day and night capabilities, tamper detection, and ePTZ. The Panasonic WV-SF548 has several outstanding features but skipped others such as 2 way audio and weatherproof casing which brought the price down about $300 from the WV-SF549, which includes all of those features (most of Panasonic’s IP cameras can be monitored on their KX-UT670 touch screen multimedia VoIP phone, which is pretty cool).

Don’t forget to consider if you pay a little more for one camera, you might not need as many; Vivotek’s FD8161 has a field of view six times larger than traditional VGA cameras which greatly reduces the number of cameras needed. For these types of IP cameras, they’ll run you anywhere from $400 to $1200

Advanced: Finally, if you need your camera to auto-track a person entering a restricted area, identify license plates from a street lamp, compensate for backlight, survive Arizona heat/Alaska cold, or even control other devices based on motion detection, consider a sizable budget. For these tasks, question anything promising all this for less than $1000. I’m not saying it doesn’t exist, but it might not be up to your standards: perhaps it doesn’t come with a lens, it fell off the back of a truck in which there is no support available, the list goes on. If you need these features for security, evidence, or proof, don’t skip just because the price tag might be daunting. You simply won’t be happy. Trust us. We’re the experts.

Live Demo of Digium Switchvox

January 18, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

Digium_Global Growth_Leadership_Award

If Digium Switchvox is not your current phone system but it’s been on your radar, now’s your chance to see it live, in action.

Click here to register now for the live Switchvox demonstration, this Thursday, January 24, 2013, 2 pm EST.

Seeing is Believing

Digium Switchvox is an award-winning Unified Communications (UC) solution based on the Asterisk communications platform. This live demo is co-hosted by VoIP Supply with Digium’s Switchvox sales engineer Steve Jakab. You’ll get to see why this is no ordinary phone system – it’s the UC system that has the features you need to grow your business:

Presence,
Mobility,
On-demand reporting and more are all included.

Smarter, More Affordable

If you are looking for a smarter, more affordable alternative to add to your product portfolio, the time is right to see the Digium Switchvox system and IP Phones in this demo.

Highlighted features will be:

Admin features that simplify life for IT,
VoIP calling,
Instant messaging,
Comprehensive communications dashboard for each user,
3rd party integration with SugarCRM and other CRM platforms,
Video, and presence.

If you are looking to migrate from a legacy phone system to a unified IP communications platform, you owe it to yourself to look at Switchvox.

Free Report

To show our appreciation for registering, you’ll receive a free copy of the latest analyst research from Frost & Sullivan, the Global Growth Award report that confirms why Digium is one of the top IP vendors.

Watch our live demonstration of Digium’s Switchvox UC platform on Thursday, January 24th at 2 pm EST.

Lay of the LAN

January 14, 2013 by Taylor Hamp

If you’re starting an IP surveillance network from scratch, congrats! You have either a) waited it out until the technology has come down in price or b) waited until the technology advanced to maximize the efficiency of your network…or c) you just happened to join the party right now.
The necessary elements of a residential or small shop IP surveillance network system are few and simple. Even a large system can be easily integrated into a manageable network. However like all quality things it takes time and dedication to get it that way. Conveniently, once it’s created, even if something has to be switched out due to a failure or need to expand to keep up with demands, it won’t destroy all your hard work—you merely replace it or add it while everything else keeps rolling.
Component List:
IP Cameras – There are several types of network cameras each unique to whatever task it is best for. Be it indoors or outdoors, VGA or Full HD, audio or not, be sure to check out several cameras to be sure you’re getting what you want.
Cable (LAN) – Today, most IP cameras are set to work over a 10Base-T/100Base-TX cable. This is a twisted-pair cable that works at the standard 802.3a 10-Mbps Ethernet or 100-Mbps for fast Ethernet. If you have not purchased cable, may I suggest Cat-5? As of 2013, I cannot really suggest going any lower. If it’s the price that entices you, try to resist: anything lower than Cat-5 cabling is that cheap because it’s obsolete and will do you little good. Cat-5e would prepare you for the next wave of improved technology with Gigabit Ethernet built in (1000Base-T), and if you want to go all out and install fiber optic, more power to you—however chances are you’re going to need a media converter because most IP cameras have not caught up that far.
Network Switch – Depending on the type of network you’re creating, you might not need this. If you have one or two cameras, depending on the router you’re running your house phone out of, you could probably plug it into that. If you’re business is running off a switch and you have a few extra ports, go ahead and use those. For a full scale surveillance system, don’t risk running off your SIP/IP switch, dedicate a completely different switch to the system. Also ask yourself if you have power outlets by the camera stations or if you need Power over Ethernet for your cameras and switch. Depending on the circumstances, you could get a switch, PoE switch, or a PoE+ switch.PC with video management software – This is the biggest perk of IP surveillance: you can look in on the cameras from your computer. Most cameras will come with some free version of video software for viewing your security footage, but just keep in mind that this software is free. If you need facial recognition, license detection and the ability to easily find what you need to search for, check out third party Video Management equipment. They might be more than what you want to pay for, but most have a free trial version, so test it out and see if it’s going to be the right fit for you! And if nothing else remember this: In IP surveillance, you get what you pay for.
Storage – Last but not least, decide if you need storage or not. Storage can either be backed up on your PC, saved on a Network Video Recorder (NVR), or an emerging option is to back up your security footage over the cloud. These options will be explained in further detail in other posts, but it’s good practice to consider what kind of footage you’ll be saving and how much memory it’s going to take up!

Extending the Life of Analog

January 7, 2013 by Taylor Hamp

Love your analog camera but the CCTV system isn’t cutting it for you? You’re not alone. A lot of analog cameras are still going strong after the rest of the system bites the dust. In fact, manufacturers have hardware that lets you keep your favorite cameras and give them the network surveillance lift.

The main reason you’re looking for a solution is most likely because the monitor, DVR or VCR gave out…or you can’t find any more VHS tapes. That’s ok, surveillance has prepared for this. Nowadays you can use a PC for video processing and back-up with your analog cameras. There are just a few components you need to have:

Video Encoder: This piece of equipment is what makes it possible to keep your analog cameras while moving forward with digital equipment. VoIP Supply carries models such as the ACTi ACD-2100 and the Axis Q7404. From the analog camera through the coax cable, the encoder takes the feed and digitizes and compresses the data for viewing and storing on the PC. However, any time you convert data, some of the quality will be lost.

Storage and Server: For a single camera to a handful of cameras, a PC with a dual processor should do the work you would like it to do. The dual processor gives the computer the power to process the converted feed as well as perform any basic intelligent video tasks, as long as it’s strictly used for surveillance. If the job description requires several cameras and advanced intelligent video features, quad processors and video servers might be worth looking into.

With these updates, you can maintain your analog cameras and get good use out of the coax cable! Just remember a few pointers:

Video conversion, compression, and intelligent features take a toll on the processing power a computer and encoder can crank out. Be certain to buy the proper equipment to handle the amount of processing that needs to be done!

Give a little thought to the future: analog cameras are made well and tend to outlast their monitor counterparts, but no technology is made to last forever. See if there is a way to create a system that is future-proof and capable of upgrading to an IP Camera System easily!

MOBOTIX National Partner Conference East 2013

First Look: Cisco SPA302D ATA and DECT Phone System

What Is It?

What Does It Do?

Who Is It For?

Pricing?

VoIP Supply Becomes First Certified B Corporation in Western New York

Sustainable Business Focused on New Way Way of Measuring Success

About B Corp

About B Lab

First Look: LifeSize Icon 600

What Is It?

What Does it Do?

Who Is It For?

Pricing?

VoIP Supply Named One of Western New York’s Most Admired Companies

VoIP Supply Offers Free Shipping on Sangoma Digital Voice Cards

TANSTAAFL

Live Demo of Digium Switchvox

Seeing is Believing

Smarter, More Affordable

Free Report

Lay of the LAN

Extending the Life of Analog

Featured Posts

Popular Posts

Read Our Feed

Latest

VoIP Post Categories

Archives