OmagicQ
join:2003-10-23
Bakersfield, CA
 ·Future Nine Corpor..
·Callcentric
 ·AT&T DSL Service
| New low end ip phone Polycom IP335
I read about it here: »www.mgraves.org/voip/2009/11/pol···new-low/
Has anyone here tried one yet? Looks like its going to be one of the least expensive wideband audio ip phones. I'm considering getting one to replace my PAP2T and AT&T 1855 phone. I know it will still be G711u for pstn calls, but i've always thought the audio on calls with X-lite were better sounding than with my analog phone, so this should give me better quality audio. |
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mgraves1
join:2004-04-05
Houston, TX
·Junction Networks
2 edits | I've not tried one yet, but I've spoken with someone who was a beta tester. They're good solid devices, just as you'd expect from Polycom. They certainly do lower cost of entry. Looks like $140 each, which is pretty attractive.
BTW, X-Lite supports some wideband codecs, but not G.722. If you were making calls between instances of X-Lite you might well have had wideband calls, but not likely between X-Lite and any sort of hardware phone.
You might want to get the paid version of Eyebeam to get access to G.722. That way you could have HDVoice calls between your IP335 and the soft phone.
PhonerLite is a good freeware option for Windows as well. |
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RockyBB
Premium
join:2005-01-31
Longmont, CO
| reply to OmagicQ
I've got a 330 sitting on my desk, and you really need to know that the display is not large enough to show both caller ID name and number, it does not have a redial button, nor one button access to voice mail. I don't see in the write up of the 335 that those deficiencies were addressed. The write up of the 335 mentions a backlit display, which would be nice. |
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mgraves1
join:2004-04-05
Houston, TX
·Junction Networks
| reply to OmagicQ
I'm sure Polycom would refer to your comments about the display as a desire for something like the IP450 or IP550, which have larger displays. I'll go down fighting to keep my IP650!
In trialing a low-end desk phone from Siemens recently I was surprised to see a non-backlit LCD. In many offices that feature dim lighting that's just a non-starter.
You definitely get what you pay for. I'm still hoping to bang out a post on the Yealink/Dreamwave DP-28, which is cheapish and G.722 capable. Just not enough hours in the day, or days in the week.
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Michael Graves
Houston TX
»www.mgraves.org |
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OmagicQ
join:2003-10-23
Bakersfield, CA | reply to OmagicQ
How hard is it to configure one of these phones? I still can't configure my PAP2T entirely from memory yet. |
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RockyBB
Premium
join:2005-01-31
Longmont, CO
| said by OmagicQ  :How hard is it to configure one of these phones? I still can't configure my PAP2T entirely from memory yet. if your provider can't offer specific configuration settings or an uploadable file, and you don't know what you're doing, you should avoid it. |
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mgraves1
join:2004-04-05
Houston, TX
·Junction Networks
| reply to OmagicQ
Configuring a Polycom phone can be a bit tedious of you're only doing one or two and using the web GUI. However, there's a ton of docs on it available since the phone are so popular in a business setting. Check the voip wiki at »www.voip-info.org for details.
You could also sit in on a Voip Users Conference (»vuc.me) call and ask. Most everyone there has done it frequently.
Finally, if you pick your vendor wisely they can help you. I tend to buy from E4 Technologies in Michigan. They know their stuff, and they're willing to help...unlike some places that are just simply cheap.
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Michael Graves
Houston TX
»www.mgraves.org |
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druber
join:2000-04-11
Marlborough, MA
·VOIPo
| My Polycom 320 would have been much more difficult had I not found this:
»www.sureteq.com/asterisk/polycom.htm
if you are not running asterisk, I would take rocky's caution very seriously. |
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mgraves1
join:2004-04-05
Houston, TX
·Junction Networks
| reply to OmagicQ
I just noticed today that OnSIP users now have a tool in the web console to create config files for Polycom phones from the OnSIP servers. That is, there a tool that walks your through a few selections to build a config file, then OnSIP acts as your provisioning server.
Seems like a very cool way to extend the service, especially for small shops. No need to have your own provisioning server, or suffer through the Polycom web GUI.
The new tool only supports Polycom phones. I'll collect some screen shots & create a blog post about this shortly.
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Michael Graves
Houston TX
»www.mgraves.org |
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OmagicQ
join:2003-10-23
Bakersfield, CA
·Future Nine Corpor..
·Callcentric
·AT&T DSL Service
| reply to RockyBB
said by RockyBB :said by OmagicQ :How hard is it to configure one of these phones? I still can't configure my PAP2T entirely from memory yet. if your provider can't offer specific configuration settings or an uploadable file, and you don't know what you're doing, you should avoid it. Nitzan would have to chime in here and let us know if Future9 supports polycom phones. |
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OmagicQ
join:2003-10-23
Bakersfield, CA
·Future Nine Corpor..
·Callcentric
·AT&T DSL Service
| reply to mgraves1
said by mgraves1 :I just noticed today that OnSIP users now have a tool in the web console to create config files for Polycom phones from the OnSIP servers. That is, there a tool that walks your through a few selections to build a config file, then OnSIP acts as your provisioning server. Seems like a very cool way to extend the service, especially for small shops. No need to have your own provisioning server, or suffer through the Polycom web GUI. The new tool only supports Polycom phones. I'll collect some screen shots & create a blog post about this shortly. I could set up a free Onsip account and provision it with them and try out some sip calls to see how it works and what I can modify to make it work with F9. |
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david3
join:2000-03-21 | reply to RockyBB
So these phones don't display the caller ID name and number? Or they're truncated? |
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RockyBB
Premium
join:2005-01-31
Longmont, CO
| on mine, it's truncated... full name and partial number. have to hit an arrow key during the ringing to see the full number. may or may not be as much a function of the phone as much as how the VOIP provider has written its config file for it. there's very little real estate on that display. frankly, what's more difficult to live with IMO is the lack of a redial button! perhaps on the 335 there is a redial button, but I can't tell from the itty bitty picture. Note: I've sold plenty of these phones and not received a single objection along the lines of what I'm describing, and those customers have added additional lines of service with additional 330 phones. I just might be too fussy. |
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PX Eliezer
Premium
join:2008-08-09
New Jersey | Why do they make these devices so user-UNfriendly, so hard to configure?
I don't get it. |
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RockyBB
Premium
join:2005-01-31
Longmont, CO
| said by PX Eliezer :Why do they make these devices so user-UNfriendly, so hard to configure? I don't get it. They are not designed for installation by regular Joe end users. They are intended to be sold by dealers that go to training to learn how to configure them to accompany the phone system that's being sold. Everyone around here wants to be their own phone man, and don't give one whit's consideration that guys who do it for a living do accumulate some expertise over time. The DIY mentality leaves little room for actually finding value in paying for a professional's expertise. Many here will prefer to spend hours looking for that one missing configuration entry, rather than give a pro $85 to just fix it. Relative to the current topic, some will assume that they are just so mentally superior, that they will be able to figure it out even if their provider hasn't. When they're stuck with a $150 brick, they'll blame the manufacturer ... who won't care because they got paid. Then they'll start a thread on an anonymous message board asking for help. And they might get a helpful answer. |
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Springbokke
join:2002-09-13
Colleyville, TX
| reply to PX Eliezer
said by PX Eliezer :Why do they make these devices so user-UNfriendly, so hard to configure? I don't get it. Poor engineering, skimping on R&D rupees to make the product price competitive and still pay the CEO his bonus. Instead of taking the time to fully develop algorithms for the various conditions a device might encounter, they put pressure on the software developers to rush the code through. One easy way to cut development time is to punt the potential problem to the end user with writing the code such that it will act on variable conditions with user selectable parameters. |
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mgraves1
join:2004-04-05
Houston, TX
·Junction Networks
1 edit | reply to PX Eliezer
said by PX Eliezer :Why do they make these devices so user-UNfriendly, so hard to configure? I don't get it. Actually, they're not that difficult to configure. It's really a question of target market and sales channel architecture.
Just as Polycom do not sell direct to end users, they do not intend that their products are end-user configured. They presume that a value added reseller is making the sale, and part of their "value add" is assistance with configuration.
In truth, with handsets it's often even more indirect than this. Polycom sells to a master distributor, who then sells case lots to resellers...who eventually peddles phones to customers.
Hosted IP-PBX providers often have docs on configuring the phones for their service. Rsellers, too as they face this matter frequently. That OnSIP has incorporated a provisioning feature is great and very forward looking.
I started out a few years ago configuring each phone by hand using the web GUI, which is tedious and slow. Once I had more than a couple phones under my management I moved to using config files on a provisioning server. It takes a while to get used to that, but once you're there you can admin 1000 phones as easily as 10.
If you want to see poor engineering in action try some of the unbranded Chinese knock-offs.
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Michael Graves
Houston TX
»www.mgraves.org |
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