Skype Hardware - IST Recommendations

JABRA UC VOICE 750 MS DUO DARK​​ or LIGHT

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   JABRA UC VOICE 750 MS MONO DARK​​ or LIGHT

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Device  Specifications/Features

• Operating Systems: This device supports Apple Mac OS and Microsoft Windows

• Connectivity: USB

• Usage:  Connects to a PC and can be used to stream music/sound and for voice calls

• Frequency Response: Wideband|Hifi

• Digital Signal Processing: Yes - Digital Signal Processing (DSP) is a technology that digitally optimizes your voice and music and suppresses echoes

• Listening Modes:

  • Mono - One ear - Offers mono sound through one speaker

  • Duo - Two ears - Offers stereo sound through two speakers

• Microphone Sensitivity: Standard (E-STD) - Standard (STD) variation microphone sensitivity is comparable to a normal telephone receiver and is used in most telephone devices.

• Boom Arm Type: Flex - Noise-cancelling microphone with excellent noise reduction - great for open, loud office environments. The boom arm can be adjusted to the user.

• Mute function: Yes - Mute gives you the option to mute/unmute the microphone directly on the device

• Wearing Style: Headband - A headband is a fully adjustable, over-the-head wearing style

• Ear Cushion Type: Leatherette - Large (L) leatherette ear cushions  

Why we like it: Small, very light weight, portable and comfortable headset. Fully adjustable microphone boon. Good voice quality. 7 foot cord is long enough and does not get tangled. Controls well placed - 32" from the earpiece. The most portable headset we tested - the best option for someone who needs to pack up their headset and go.

Some drawbacks: Control markings are not clear (especially in lower light). Music audio quality is okay but not great (some found it a bit "tinny").

*These Sennheiser headsets are our number one choice for audio quality, comfort and function.

Sennheiser SC 660 USB ML (Duo)

 Sennheiser SC 630 USB ML (Mono)

Device  Specifications/Features

• Operating Systems: This device supports Apple Mac OS and Microsoft Windows

• Color: black

• Wearing style: Headband

• Connector: USB

• Microphone: Ultra noise-cancelling

• Frequency response: 150 hz - 6.800 Hz (wideband)

• Max. sound pressure level: 113 dB limited by ActiveGard®

• Cable length: 9.5 feet

• Weight: 134 g (SC 630) and 167 g (SC 660)

• Speaker type: neodynium magnet speaker

Why we like it: Solid, very comfortable headset with very good audio quality (both voice and music). Control markings are well designed and can be mounted to the desktop via magnetic strip.

Some drawbacks: The cord may be too long for some (9.5 feet) and the control unit is located farther away from the earpiece (39") than on other headsets. As a result, the cord is prone to tangling and gets in the way (unless anchored). Headband is not padded.

Logitech HD Webcam B525

Device  Specifications/Features

• HD video calling (1280 x 720 pixels) with recommended system

• Autofocus

• Built-in stereo mic

• 69° diagonal field of view

• Universal clip fits laptops, LCD or CRT monitors

• Hi-Speed USB 2.0 certified

• True 2.0-megapixel sensor with RightLight™ 2 technology

• Universal clip fits laptops, LCD or CRT monitors

• UVC compliant

• Works with most instant-messaging and video-conferencing applications

• 5 foot cable

• Optimized for Microsoft® Lync™ - Certified for Skype®

• Works with Windows and MacOS Lync client software 

• Camera Dimensions: 68.5 X 29 X 40.4 mm(Clip combine together)

• Weight: 88 grams (Include clip, cable, and PWA)

Polycom VVX410, 411

​Device Specifications/Features

User interface features

• Backlit 3.5 in color LCD  (320 x 240) resolution

• Voicemail support1

• WebKit-based browser

• Adjustable base height

• Single USB port (2.0 compliant) for media and storage applications

• Unicode UTF-8 character support. Multilingual user interface including Chinese, Danish, Dutch, English (Canada/ US/UK), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish

Audio features

• Polycom® HD Voice™ technology delivers lifelike voice quality for each audio pathhandset, the hands-free speakerphone and the optional headset2

• Polycom® Acoustic Clarity™ technology. Providing full-duplex conversations, acoustic echo cancellation and background noise suppression - Type 1 compliant (IEEE 1329 full duplex)

• Frequency response – 150 Hz – 7 kHz for handset, optional headset and handsfree speakerphone modes

• Codecs: G.711 (A-law and μ-law), G.729AB, G.722.1, iLBC

• Individual volume settings with visual feedback for each audio path

• Voice activity detection

• Comfort noise generation

• DTMF tone generation (RFC 2833 and in-band)

• Low-delay audio packet transmission

• Adaptive jitter buffers

• Packet loss concealment

Headset and handset compatibility

• Dedicated RJ-9 headset port

• Hearing aid compatibility to ITU-T P.370 and TIA 504A standards

• Compliant with ADA Section 508  Subpart B 1194.23 (all)

• Hearing aid compatible handset for magnetic coupling to hearing aids

• Compatible with commercially available TTY adapter equipment

Call handling features

1 • 12 lines (programmable line keys)

• Shared call/bridged line appearance

• Busy lamp field

• Flexible line appearance (1 or more linekeys can be assigned for each  line extension)

• Supports compatible USB headsets

• Distinctive incoming call treatment/ call waiting

• Call timer and call waiting

• Call transfer, hold, divert (forward), pickup

• Called, calling, connected  party information

• Local 3-way audio conferencing

• 1-touch speed dial, redial

• Remote missed call notification

• Do not disturb function

• Electronic hook switch capable

• Local configurable digit map/dial plan

Network and provisioning

• SIP protocol support

• SDP

• IETF SIP (RFC 3261 and companion RFCs)

• Two-port gigabit Ethernet switch - 10/100Base-TX across LAN and  PC Ports - 1000Base-TX available on VVX410 - Conforms to IEEE802.3-2005 (Clause 40) for physical media attachment - Conforms to IEEE802.3-2002 (Clause 28) for link partner auto-negotiation

• Manual or dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) network setup

• Time and date synchronization  using SNTP

• FTP/TFTP/HTTP/HTTPS serverbased central provisioning for mass deployments

• Provisioning and call server  redundancy supported1

• QoS Support – IEEE 802.1p/Q tagging (VLAN), Layer 3 TOS, and DHCP

• VLAN-CDP, DHCP VLAN discovery, LLDP-MED for VLAN discovery

• Network address translation support for static configuration and “keep-alive” SIP signaling

• RTCP and RTP support

• Event logging

• Syslog

• Hardware diagnostics

• Status and statistics reporting

• IPv4

• TCP

• UDP

• DNS-SRV

Security

• 802.1X authentication and EAPOL 

• Media encryption via SRTP

• Transport layer security

• Encrypted configuration files

• Digest authentication

• Password login

• Support for URL syntax with password for boot server address

• HTTPS secure provisioning

• Support for signed software executables

Power

• Built-in auto-sensing IEEE 802.3af Power over Ethernet

• Energy-saving after-hours mode

• External universal AC adapter (optional), 48VDC 0.3A

Jabra SPEAK 510+ MS

Why we like it:

Compact design and a travel case that make it well-suited for transport. Whether it's setting up a quick conference call in someone's office, or taking it along on the road, collaboration is made easy. Outstanding sound quality (good volume) and a plug-and-play solution that can connect to your PC/Mac, tablet or smartphone via USB or Bluetooth. Microphone is sensitive enough and the speaker is loud enough to literally turn any room into a conference room.

Logitech Mobile Speakerphone P710eLogitech Mobile Speakerphone P710e

Why we like it:

 Compact design and travel case make it well-suited for transport. Like the Jabra Speak 510 (above), this is a good option for a quick conference call in a meeting room, someone's office or on the road. However, this device is more useful as a personal speakerphone device as opposed to a device that you would share in conference room with many participants. Great for those who need to use a mobile phone or tablet to make audio and video conference calls (wish it could charge the device while in use though).

Logitech BCC950 ConferenceCam

Why we like it: 

A portable video conferencing system. Remote control video with zoom allows the video conference to share room whiteboard content as well as presenters and/or participants. Excellent speaker and microphone quality means that this device can be used in a large space. Video camera height is adjustable from the base.