Polycom VSX Series User manual

VSX™Series
Getting Started Guide
September, 2003 Edition
3725-21286-002/A

VSX SERIES GETTING STARTED GUIDE
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Trademark Information
Polycom®and the Polycom logo design are registered trademarks of Polycom, Inc., and VSX™and Visual
Concert™are trademarks of Polycom, Inc. in the United States and various other countries. All other trademarks
are the property of their respective owners.
Patent Information
The accompanying product is protected by one or more U.S. and foreign patents and patents pending held by
Polycom, Inc.
© 2003 Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved.
Polycom Inc.
4750 Willow Road
Pleasanton, CA 94588-2708
USA
No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the express written permission of Polycom,
Inc. Under the law, reproducing includes translating into another language or format.
As between the parties, Polycom, Inc. retains title to, and ownership of, all proprietary rights with
respect to the software contained within its products. The software is protected by United States
copyright laws and international treaty provision. Therefore, you must treat the software like any
other copyrighted material (e.g. a book or sound recording).
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this manual is accurate. Polycom,
Inc. is not responsible for printing or clerical errors. Information in this document is subject to
change without notice.

© Polycom, Inc. iii
Contents
Using This Guide
System Basics
Using the Remote Control .....................................................................................................2
Getting More Information .....................................................................................................3
Calling and Answering
Answering a Call ....................................................................................................................3
Placing a Call ..........................................................................................................................4
Ending a Call ...........................................................................................................................6
Types of Calls You Can Make ..............................................................................................6
Controlling What You See
Aiming the Camera ................................................................................................................7
Setting and Using Camera Presets ....................................................................................... 8
Switching Between Full Screen and Home View ..............................................................9
Showing, Moving, and Turning Off the PIP ......................................................................9
Controlling the Sound
Adjusting Volume ................................................................................................................10
Muting the Microphone ......................................................................................................11
Sharing Content
What You See When You Share Content ..........................................................................11
Sharing Content from a Laptop or PC .............................................................................. 11
Sharing Content from a Document Camera, VCR, or DVD ...........................................13
Working with Directory Entries
Adding, Editing, and Deleting Directory Entries ............................................................14
Categorizing Directory Entries ...........................................................................................15
Including Multiple Sites in Calls
About Multipoint Calls .......................................................................................................17
Placing a Multipoint Call .................................................................................................... 17
Supplying a Password for External MCU Calls ..............................................................18

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Changing the Way Calls Are Answered
Temporarily Refusing Calls ................................................................................................ 18
Answering Calls Automatically ......................................................................................... 19
Muting Automatically-Answered Calls ........................................................................... 19
Customizing Your Workspace
Allowing the Far Site to Control Your Camera ............................................................... 20
Specifying When to Display the PIP ................................................................................. 20
Displaying the Far Site’s Name When the Call Connects .............................................. 21
Hearing Audio Confirmation When You Dial ................................................................ 21
Adjusting for Strong Room Lighting ................................................................................ 21
Collaboration Tips
Tips for Great Meetings ...................................................................................................... 23
Tips for Great Video ............................................................................................................ 23
Tips for Great Audio ...........................................................................................................23
Tips for Sharing Documents ............................................................................................... 24

© Polycom, Inc. 1
The meetings you attend using the VSX™system are much like meetings you
attend in a physical conference room:
❑You see other people and you talk.
Depending on how your system is configured, you can make video calls to one
or more sites using ISDN or IP connections.
❑You show various types of information to other participants and they show
you information.
You can share many kinds of information from a variety of sources, including
almost any type of document, media, or object. You can even use the system to
share content with others in the same room when no call is in progress.
Using This Guide
Before you make your first call with your Polycom® VSX system, you may need this
type of basic “how-to” information:
This guide also includes overview information that you may find helpful when
you’re just starting to learn about the capabilities of the system or when you have
experience, but you need a quick refresher.
The following table lists the sections that include this type of information:
For information about how to... See...
Answer a call manually or automatically Answering a Call on page 3
Make a call by entering a number or by
using the Directory Placing a Call on page 4
Hang up from a call Ending a Call on page 6
For information about how to... See...
Use the remote control Using the Remote Control on page 2
Adjust the cameras and PIP Controlling What You See on page 7
Change the volume Controlling the Sound on page 10
Show a document during a meeting Sharing Content on page 11
Add an entry to the Directory Working with Directory Entries on page 13
Place a call that includes multiple sites Including Multiple Sites in Calls on page 16
Get the most out of videoconferencing Collaboration Tips on page 23

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System Basics
Using the Remote Control
The remote control lets you perform meeting tasks, such as placing a call and
zooming the camera. You can use the remote control to navigate screens and select
options.
You can also use the remote control to type text by pressing the number buttons
using the text-entry method commonly used with cell phones. For example, to
enter a “b”, press the number 2 button twice.
Initiates or ends a call
Adjusts the camera; also lets you
navigatethroughmenusanddialog
boxes
Returns you to the Home screen Opens the Directory so you can
make a call or work with an entry
Confirms your current selection; also
performs functions on highlighted items
Togglesbetweencontrollingthenear-end
and far-end cameras
Returns you to the previous screen
Stores camera position (followed by a
number); moves camera to stored position
(followed by a number); deletes a stored
position (followed by Delete)
Shows, moves, or hides the
Picture-in-Picture (PIP)
Zooms the camera image in or out
Lets you select a video source
Displays the onscreen keyboard
so you can enter text
Deletes letters or numbers Enters a dot in an IP address
Letsyouenternumbersortext;stores
camera positions when pressed for
two seconds; moves the camera to a
stored position
Mutes the sound you’re sending to
the other site(s)
Increasesor decreasesthesound
you hear from the other site(s)
Clears snapshots sent by
far-site systems

Calling and Answering
© Polycom, Inc. 3
Getting More Information
If you need additional information about using the VSX system, try these
resources:
❑To view help while you’re using the system, press .
❑For system or network problems, contact your system administrator.
Calling and Answering
Answering a Call
When a call comes in, you hear a ringing sound, and you may see a message that
includes the number of the person calling. If the person is listed in the Directory,
you’ll also see the person’s name. The system administrator configures the system
to answer incoming calls in one of these ways:
❑The system prompts you to answer the calls manually.
❑The system answers incoming calls automatically.
To answer the call manually:
>> When the system notifies you that a call is coming in, select Answer. Or, press
Call-Hang Up on the remote.
To answer the call when your system is set up to automatically answer calls:
>> You do not need to do anything. (The call connects automatically.)
If you see Near on your screen, then your system is configured to automatically mute
near-end audio when a call comes in. To unmute your system, press Mute.

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Placing a Call
You can use your system to place a video call in any of these ways:
❑You can dial using a Directory, which is like picking a name from a phone book
and having the system automatically dial the number for you.
❑You can enter a name or number, which is somewhat like dialing an ordinary
telephone.
❑You can choose from a list of the numbers you’ve called recently.
❑You can select a customized Contacts or Speed Dial button on the Place a Call
screen, if your system administrator has configured the system to have one.
Using the Directory to Place a Call
The Directory is a list of names and numbers that’s stored on the VSX system. If the
system is registered with a global directory, the Directory also includes entries
from the global directory. Global entries are marked with . For both types of
entries, the name appears with its corresponding number, IP address, or both.
When a call ends, you can save call information to the local Directory. This
information is then available to all other users of the system. Depending on your
system configuration, you can also remove or edit names or dialing information in
the local Directory.
To place a call from the Directory:
1. Press Directory on the remote control.
2. Spell the first or last name using the number buttons on the remote to go
directly to an entry. Or, press Keyboard to use the on-screen keyboard to
spell the name.
You can also use the alphabet tabs to move through the Directory and then
scroll to the name you want.
3. Press Call-Hang Up to place the call.
You can set the Directory to show only local entries, global entries, or entries in a category
you define. For more information, see Categorizing Directory Entries on page 15.

Calling and Answering
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To place a call by entering a name or number:
1. Enter the ISDN number (for example, 19875554321), the system name (for
example, Aspen Conference Room), or the IP address (for example,
255.255.255.255) of the site you want to call. The system automatically
determines the type of call to make based on the information you enter.
2. Enter any additional information needed for the call. The available settings
depend on the type of call and your system’s configuration. Not all calls
require these settings:
• Call Quality — Specify the bandwidth for this call. For most calls, choose
Auto to let the system determine the best quality for the call.
• Second ISDN number — Use two numbers only when the party you are
calling instructs you to do so.
• Gateway extension — If you need to dial an extension, enter the extension
in the second entry field. If your system is not configured with a second
entry field, you can enter the extension when the gateway prompts you.
3. Press Call-Hang Up to place the call.
Call progress indicators appear on the screen to show that the call is in
progress. When the indicators turn green, the call is connected.
Calling from the Recent Calls List
Depending on the way your system has been configured, you may be able to
choose a number to call from a list of the sites you have called recently. The Recent
Calls screen provides details of all incoming and outgoing calls, including the time
of the calls.
To place a call from the Recent Calls screen:
1. Select the Recent Calls button and press .
2. Scroll to the entry you want to call.
3. Press Call-Hang Up to place the call.
Calling from the Contacts or Speed Dial List
Your system administrator may have set up a customized Contacts or Speed Dial
button to let you quickly access calling information for specific sites. When you
place a call from this list, you choose from a list of names and numbers.

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To place a call using the Speed Dial or Contacts button:
1. Select the Speed Dial or Contacts button and press .
2. Scroll to the entry you want to call.
3. Press Call-Hang Up to place the call.
Ending a Call
To hang up from a call:
1. Press Call-Hang Up.
2. Confirm that you want to end the call.
If you don’t confirm that you want to hang up, the system disconnects the call automatically
after 60 seconds.
Types of Calls You Can Make
You can make either ISDN or IP calls (or both) using the VSX system, depending
on how your system administrator has configured the system. You can call systems
on ISDN networks, on the same IP network as your system, or on a different LAN
from your system. The network used by your system and the far-site system can
affect how you dial the call.
From: You can call: By dialing:
ISDN ISDN Phone number
IP Phone number of the far-site gateway and the
extension (E.164 address) of the far site.
Enter the extension after the far site’s number. Or,
wait until the gateway prompts you for the extension
and then use the remote to enter it.
LAN Same LAN Alias, E.164 address, or IP address
Different LAN Phone number of the far-site gateway and the
extension (E.164 address) of the far site.
Enter the extension after the far site’s number. Or,
wait until the gateway prompts you for the extension
and then use the remote to enter it.
ISDN Phone number

Controlling What You See
© Polycom, Inc. 7
When you call an IP system through a gateway that requires an extension (E.164 address),
enter the extension in the dialing field whenever possible. By doing so, you will be given the
option of saving both the number and the extension in the Directory when the call ends. If
you enter the extension after the gateway connects, then you can save only the gateway
number when the call ends.
Controlling What You See
Adjusting your cameras lets you show conference participants what you want
them to see. You can adjust cameras before the meeting starts or while the meeting
is in progress.
Aiming the Camera
You use the remote control to adjust the main camera, as well as any auxiliary
camera that supports pan, tilt, and zoom movement. If the far site is configured to
allow it, you can also adjust the far-site camera. You cannot use the remote to
control near-site or far-site content sources such as document cameras, laptops, or
VCRs.
To aim a near-site or far-site camera:
1. If you are in a call, press Near or Far to choose a camera to control. The icon
on the screen indicates which site’s camera is selected:
2. Press the arrow buttons to move the camera up, down, to the left, or to the
right.
3. Press Zoom to zoom out or in.
If you see this icon... This video source is selected...
Near-site source
Far-site source

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Setting and Using Camera Presets
Camera presets are stored camera positions that you can create ahead of time or
during a call. With the press of a button, presets let you:
❑Automatically point a camera at pre-defined locations in a conference room
❑Show a content source such as a laptop, a VCR, a document camera, or an
auxiliary camera
You can create up to 10 preset camera positions for the near site. Each preset stores
the camera number, its zoom level, and the direction it points. Near-site presets
remain in effect until you delete or change them.
If the far site allows you to control its cameras, you can also create presets to control
the far-site camera. These presets are stored on your system and are not available
to the far site. In addition, you may also be able to use presets that were created at
the far site to control the far-site camera, provided that system is designed to use
the industry standards for camera presets.
To view your presets:
>> Press Preset.
Each numbered icon represents a preset. The colored icons indicate stored
camera positions, and the gray icons indicate available presets.
To store a preset:
1. If a call is connected, press Near or Far to choose a near-site or far-site video
source. The icon on the screen indicates which is selected.
2. Adjust the camera or video input.
3. Press and hold a number from 0 to 9 to store the preset.
Any existing preset stored at that number is replaced.
If you see this icon... This video source is selected...
Near-site source
Far-site source

Controlling What You See
© Polycom, Inc. 9
To move the camera to a preset:
1. If a call is connected, press Near or Far to choose a near-site or far-site video
source. The icon on the screen indicates which is selected.
2. Press a number from 0 to 9.
To delete all presets:
1. If a call is connected, press Near or Far to choose a near-site or far-site video
source. The icon on the screen indicates which is selected.
2. Press Preset.
3. Press Delete to delete all presets.
You cannot delete just one preset. Instead, set a new preset position for the preset you want
to delete.
Switching Between Full Screen and Home View
Before the call connects, you see the near video in a small window on the Home
screen. When the call connects, the system automatically shows the video in the
whole screen, hiding Home view. You can switch between these views at any time,
even during a call.
To see the video in the full screen:
>> Press Near.
To see the Place a Call screen:
>> Press Home.
Showing, Moving, and Turning Off the PIP
The Picture-in-Picture (PIP) gives you another view of your videoconference, so
that your call is more like a face-to-face meeting. The view shown in the PIP
changes automatically, depending on how the system is set up and what is

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happening in the meeting. You can also exchange the view shown in the PIP with
that shown in the main screen.
For example, during a call on a single-monitor system, the PIP displays what your
main camera is sending to the far end. (This lets you adjust the camera if you need
to.) If one of the sites in the call shows any type of content, the content appears in
the main part of the screen, and the PIP changes to show the people at the far end.
During a call on a dual-monitor system, when the participants share content, the
monitors show the far end and the content, and the PIP shows the near end.
To show, move, or turn off the PIP during a call:
❑Press PIP to turn the PIP on.
❑While the PIP has a yellow border, press PIP repeatedly move it to a
different corner of the screen.
❑After a brief pause, the PIP border turns blue. Then, press PIP to turn the
PIP off. The PIP setting remains in effect until you change it or the system is
restarted.
To swap the views shown in the PIP and the main screen:
1. If the PIP is not showing, press PIP to turn it on.
2. Press Camera and select the Swap PIP icon.
Controlling the Sound
Adjusting Volume
During a call, you use the remote control to raise or lower the volume of the sound
you hear. Changing the volume affects only the sound you hear at your site.
To adjust the volume:
>> Press Vo lume .

Sharing Content
© Polycom, Inc. 11
Muting the Microphone
You can mute the microphone if you do not want the far site to hear what you say.
For example, you might mute the microphone if you have a side conversation.
To mute or unmute the microphone:
>> Press Mute on the remote. Or, press on the microphone.
Sharing Content
During your meeting, you can show the far end:
❑Αny information on a laptop or PC
❑A paper document or object using a document camera
❑A videotape or DVD
You can share one type of content at a time, and you can easily switch to a different
type of content if you need to. For example, you might show PowerPoint®slides
from your laptop and then play a DVD. Participants at other sites can also share
content. When another site begins sharing, their content replaces any content
currently being viewed.
What You See When You Share Content
When you share content, everyone sees the content at the same time. If your
conference supports Dual Images, you can see both the people at the far end and
any shared content at the same time. This is possible because the system can send
and receive two simultaneous sources of video.
In calls that do not support Dual Images, all participants see any shared content.
In these calls, the system sends one video source and receives one video source.
The site that initiated sharing sees both the far end (the video that is received) and
the shared content (the video that is sent). The site receiving the shared content
sees only the content, since it can only receive one video source at a time.
Sharing Content from a Laptop or PC
If your VSX system has a Visual Concert™VSX device connected to it, you can
attach a laptop or PC and share content that is stored on the computer. Because you

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connect the Visual Concert VSX to the LAN, you can also share content from
network locations.
When you share content from a laptop or PC, the far site sees just what you see on
the computer screen.
For a smoother presentation, be sure your document is open and ready to share before you
start.
To connect a laptop or PC:
1. Connect the laptop to a Visual Concert VSX device.
2. Check to be sure the laptop video is configured to use one of these supported
configurations:
To set the resolution and refresh rate, go to your laptop’s Display Control Panel.
Visual Concert VSX
640x480, 60 Hz 800x600, 60 Hz 1024 x 768, 60 Hz
640x480, 72 Hz 800x600, 72 Hz 1024 x 768, 72 Hz
640x480, 75 Hz 800x600, 75 Hz 1024 x 768, 75 Hz
640x480, 85 Hz 800x600, 85 Hz 1024 x 768, 85 Hz
1280 x 1024, 60 Hz
Visual Concert

Working with Directory Entries
© Polycom, Inc. 13
To start sharing content from a laptop:
>> Press on the Visual Concert.
To stop sharing content from a laptop:
>> Press on the Visual Concert.
Sharing Content from a Document Camera, VCR, or DVD
Your system administrator may have configured your system to let you use a
Document Camera, a VCR, or a DVD player to share content.
Before the call begins:
1. Make sure the document camera, VCR, or DVD player is connected and
powered on.
2. Position your document or object in the document camera or insert the
videotape or DVD.
To start sharing a document, object, videotape, or DVD:
1. Press Camera.
2. Select a content source.
3. Press .
To stop sharing a document, object, videotape, or DVD:
1. Press Camera.
2. Select the main camera.
3. Press .
Working with Directory Entries
The Directory on your VSX system stores dialing information that helps you make
calls quickly and easily. When a site listed in the Directory calls your system, the
system displays the name on the screen when the call comes in. If a site that calls

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you is not listed in the Directory, you are prompted to save the information in the
Directory when the call ends.
If your system is registered with a global directory server, your Directory contains
two types of entries:
❑Local entries: Information about sites that you have added, sites that you have
called, and sites that have called you. These entries are stored on this VSX
system, and you can edit them. You can also assign local entries to categories
to make it easier to find numbers. Local entries are available to anyone who
uses this system.
❑Global entries: Information about other active sites that are registered with
the same global directory server. These entries are stored on the global
directory server, and you cannot edit them. You can make a local copy if you
want to make changes.
Adding, Editing, and Deleting Directory Entries
You can create entries for point-to-point calls and multipoint calls and save them
in the VSX system’s Directory. Everyone who uses this system can use the entries
your create, and you can use the entries created by others. You can also edit the
information in any local entry. Users at other sites cannot access the local entries on
your system.
When you make a call using an entry with both ISDN and IP dialing information, the system
prompts you to choose which to use for the call.
To add a single-site entry to the Directory:
1. Press Directory.
2. Select New and specify that this is an entry for one site.
3. Specify the following information:
In this field... Enter this information...
Name Name that will appear in the Directory list and in incoming call
messages.
ISDN Number ISDN Number to use for calling the site.
Call Quality Quality to use for ISDN calls to the site.
IP Number LAN address for the system.
Extension The system’s gateway extension.

Working with Directory Entries
© Polycom, Inc. 15
4. Select Save to save the entry.
To add a multiple-site entry to the Directory:
1. Press Directory.
2. Select New and specify that this is an entry for multiple sites.
3. Specify a speed for the call. Note that each call in the multipoint conference is
placed at the same speed.
4. Add up to three numbers to this entry in either of these ways:
•Enter a number manually and press to add the number to the entry.
•Use the Directory to add a site.
5. Select Save to save the entry.
6. Enter a name for this entry as you want it to appear in the Directory list.
To edit an entry:
1. Press Directory.
2. Select a local entry and then select Edit.
3. Select Save to return to the Directory.
To delete an entry:
1. Press Directory.
2. Select a local entry and then select Delete.
Categorizing Directory Entries
When you categorize your local entries, you can find calling information quickly
by searching just the entries in a category instead of the whole directory.
Call Quality Quality to use for ISDN calls to the site.
Phone Number Optional contact information for other resources in the conference
room.
Mobile Number
Email Address
Category Designation to help you quickly find the number in the Directory.
In this field... Enter this information...

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To create a new category:
1. Press Directory.
2. Select Category, and then press .
3. Select Edit Category.
4. Enter a category name.
5. Press Back to save the new category.
To delete a category:
1. Press Directory.
2. Select Category, and then press .
3. Select Edit Category.
4. Select the category name, and then select Delete.
When you delete a category, all entries in that category are deleted. If you want to keep
these entries, be sure to assign them to a new category before you delete the old category.
Including Multiple Sites in Calls
You can use the VSX system to participate in multipoint conferences. During a
multipoint conference, a multipoint conferencing unit (MCU) enables the video to
switch to the various sites so that you can see and hear the participant who is