To help users make the most of their ViPr™ experience, system components are available to connect network environments, enable interoperability with legacy systems, integrate broadcast video, add voice-only telephone callers to multipoint ViPr conferences, record ViPr conferences, and more.
Advancing virtual presence communications The definitive visual communications system, Aastra ViPr offers dramatic “virtual presence” functionality for video interaction between two or more geographically dispersed parties. Mature and based on the H.264 standard, ViPr raises the bar for high-quality video telephony while maintaining full interoperability with standard telephone systems and legacy video conferencing.
If your operation benefits from collaboration between remote parties, a ViPr “call” is as good as a face-to-face meeting without the travel expense. And ViPr’s simple, intuitive user interface has been validated during human factors testing and through real-world experience. First-time users establish multiple-party video conferences within a few minutes with minimal training.
By integrating voice, video, and data over a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)–based architecture, the Aastra ViPr system enables a new era of remote communications, delivering real-time, secure video communications over local- and wide-area networks. The ViPr system is straightforward in its deployment and management. Required system components include the following ViPr Media Center endpoints:
- VMC4000
- VMC5000
- VMC6000
- ViPr Application Server
In addition to required components, the following available ViPr equipment extends the system’s features and functionality:
- Intermedia Gateway
- SIP-to-H.323 Gateway
- H.323-to-H.320 Gateway
- Media Server (H.264)
- Unicast Audio Mixer Telephony Gateways
Key benefits
- Easy-to-integrate components offer flexibility in design and operation of the ViPr system.
- Component-based architecture provides a smooth migration from legacy systems toward a complete ViPr environment.
- Components are interoperable with existing SIP phones, private branch exchanges (PBXs), and voice mail servers.
- Rack mountable hardware design fits nicely into any 19-inch rack for optimum use of valuable rack space.
ViPr SIP-to-H.323 and H.323-to-H.320 gateways
The ViPr system provides virtual presence conferencing quality that far exceeds the capabilities of H.323- and H.320-based legacy video conferencing systems. However, there is still a large installed base of H.32x-based systems. To protect customer investments in legacy video conferencing technology, SIP-to-H.323 and H.323-to-H.320 gateways allow the ViPr system to interoperate with legacy H.323 (IP) systems and H.320 (ISDN) systems.Available as a separately licensed service on the ViPr Application Server, the ViPr SIP-to-H.323 Gateway supports seamless interoperability with H.323-based video conferencing systems, including H.323 endpoints, multipoint conferencing units (MCUs), and gateways. The SIP-to-H.323 Signaling Gateway supports audio calls, video calls, and T.120-based collaboration sessions. It interoperates with the following H.320-to-H.323 gateways:
- RADVISION viaIP gw-B40/gw-P10
- Polycom MGC-25 GW1/GW2
- Cisco IP/VC 3521/3526
The H.323-to-H.320 Gateway enables ViPr endpoints to participate in H.320-based video conferences.By enabling interoperability between ViPr and legacy video conferencing systems, SIP-to-H.323 and H.323-to-H.320 gateways promote the systematic deployment of ViPr systems, allowing a gradual and smooth migration from legacy video conferencing systems toward a complete ViPr environment.
ViPr Media Server
ViPr Media Servers (VMS1000) provide the ViPr system with fully integrated broadcast video. ViPr Media Servers encode video using a hardware-based H.264 codec, allowing for good quality at low bandwidths.
Video channels can be viewed on any ViPr endpoint regardless of the video source, though an individual user’s access level will be dictated by the permission levels granted by the system administrator. Each ViPr endpoint can display a combination of conference participants and full-motion video feeds, or up to three simultaneous video feeds when not in a conference. ViPr viewing options include the following:
- Live broadcast video feeds, such as Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC
- Prerecorded video feeds, including DVD and VCR
- Live and prerecorded security and surveillance video
- PC-generated presentations, documents, and spreadsheets
Video sources can originate from a central location or from multiple locations.
ViPr Unicast Audio Mixer
ViPr conference participants enjoy an unprecedented audio and video experience.
With the ViPr Unicast Audio Mixer, non-ViPr, voice-only callers (those using traditional POTS/PSTN phones, mobile phones, or SIP phones*) can also participate in point-to-point or multipoint ViPr conferences.
The Unicast Audio Mixer enables seamless conferencing functionality between ViPr endpoints and telephone users.
ViPr Media Interface
The ViPr Media Interface (VMI) provides additional flexibility for the ViPr solution. It provides encoding and decoding capabilities for applications such as video recording, panel conferences, and corporate-wide broadcasts.
The VMI user interface is optimized for specific applications. For example, when using the VMI for recording purposes, conference participants will receive a text notification that the conference is being recorded. The VMI can also be configured to allow ViPr users to passively monitor a meeting or call. Passive conference participants have the ability to dial into the conference as active participants, if desired, to provide comments or take part in the conversation.
Please contact your Aastra sales representative for additional information about VMI capabilities, and for specific details about VMI applications.
ViPr Telephony Gateways
A series of telephony gateways enables interconnection between the ViPr system and various telephone systems (e.g., ISDN, analog, and proprietary digital phone systems).
These gateways allow fixed and mobile telephone users to participate in point-to-point and multipoint ViPr calls. They also enable existing voice mail systems to be integrated into the ViPr environment. For detailed information about available ViPr Telephony Gateways, please contact your Aastra sales representative.
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