Megaconference

[Christian Helft <>]

Thanks a lot Simon. You make very good points and answer some of my long 
lasting interrogations about software vs hardware echo cancellation.

I doubt that people not bearing hearing door slams appreciate too much 
watching you with a headphone hiding your ears and mouth. And unfortunately 
echo cancellers DON'T cancel door slams (maybe I'm wrong, do they have a 
short range sensitivity like headphone microphones?). For me, pervasive 
videoconferencing requires hands-(or more exactly ears- and mouth-)free user 
experience, period (exit headphone). And my experience is that I'm using less 
and less often an external echo canceller (sometimes I forget to hook one, 
and ... no one complains!).

Granted, I'm using more Macs than Windows machines, and you're shedding a new 
light on my understanding of the mysteries of software vs hardware 
implementation of echo cancellation. Now I understand why my iPad will 
probably never see an echo canceller during its whole life.

Beyond your point about Windows being so difficult to master regarding sound 
processing, it's a little bit scary to see that every *application* needs a 
different hardware!

Regarding Spranto, I gave it a (very short and incomplete) trial a couple a 
weeks ago. I just called the Esnet MCU from a new iPAD (without remote 
participants). The video was often quite pixellated, under conditions where 
other systems (Cisco Jabber, zoom.us, Lifesize softphone) are performing 
quite well.

Regards,

Christian.
 
Le 1 déc. 2012 à 14:03, "Simon Horne" 
<>
 a écrit :

> Christian
> 
> I think you might be a little misdirected. The issue is not the software but
> the curse of the OS, location or just simply the hardware itself.
> 
> People in Professional video conferences do not want to get blasted in their
> ear when you receive an email or IM or hear the door slam down the hall or
> people talking noisily in the other room. That can get really taxing on the
> other participants in the meeting. This is an inherent problem with ANY PC
> application.  People using Skype might think it is ok to occasionally get
> loopback,  beep of your IM or external noise but people who are using
> profession video equipment like Polycom or Tandberg room systems are not.
> Windows PC's are terrible to get software echo cancellation/noise reduction
> consistently right. Mac and iOS are much much better. For instance Spranto
> iOS client don't need any such devices it works really well.
> 
> For professional video conferencing on PCs, companies like ClearOne offer a
> range of device tailored to PC applications to provide professional crystal
> clear audio like a professional room system.
> Here are some of their range.
> For General Softphones
> http://www.clearone.com/products_chat50
> For Skype
> http://shop.skype.com/phones/speakerphones/clear-chat-60/
> For Lync
> http://www.clearone.com/products_chat70u
> 
> I highly recommend the Logitech BCC950. It comes with a 1080p camera and
> high quality speakerphone and a PTZ that can be controlled remotely during a
> call.
> http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/Conferencecam?crid=1252
> We will be giving one of them away as part of our package at megacon.
> 
> Simon
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: 
> 
> [mailto:]
>  On Behalf Of Christian Helft
> Sent: 01 December 2012 16:33
> To: Simon Horne
> Cc: 
> 
> Subject: Re: [Megacon] Message from Platinum sponsor (instructions and
> notes)
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Le 30 nov. 2012 à 23:15, "Simon Horne" 
> <>
>  a écrit :
> 
>> 2.       Recommend Headphones or echo cancelling speakerphone. (for
> everyone’s sanity)
>> 
> 
> Can you comment on the fact that any reasonably recent videoconferencing
> "softphone" (you name it: VSee, zoom.us, Jabber video, Messages (for Mac),
> Vid, etc. (even Skype)) doesn't require external echo cancellation any more,
> while there seems to be a malediction with truly H323 compliant systems?
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Christian. 
> --
> Christian Helft LAL - IN2P3 - CNRS
> LAL Bat 200 BP 34 91898 Orsay CEDEX France
> +33 1 64 46 84 12
> Mobile +33 6 32 90 97 09
> http://www.lal.in2p3.fr
> 

--
Christian Helft LAL - IN2P3 - CNRS
LAL Bat 200 BP 34 91898 Orsay CEDEX France
+33 1 64 46 84 12
Mobile +33 6 32 90 97 09
http://www.lal.in2p3.fr