Viewpoint VBX Enterprise Server™

Viewpoint VBX™ Enterprise Server is an enterprise video communications and distribution solution that provides the capability to distribute high-quality full-resolution uncompressed video and audio over existing CAT5 unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) wiring that normally already exists within most corporate IT infrastructures.

The unique aspect of the VBX Enterprise Server technology is that it utilizes the spare Ethernet UTP wiring that already resides in the walls and ceiling. Most installed UTP cabling includes four twisted pairs (a total of eight wires). Of these, only two pairs are typically used by 10/100BaseT Ethernet networks, leaving two unused pairs for use with VBX. Using these two spare pairs, the VBX Server can implement bi-directional video and audio communication. In addition, many network installations run multiple four-pair UTP cables to each destination. With Viewpoint VBX, audio and video signals travels off the LAN because video and audio are passed over dedicated UTP wiring, thus there is no negative impact on network data traffic.

Even if no UTP cabling is available in your facility, new UTP cabling is easier and much less expensive to install than coaxial cable. Like 10/100BaseT Ethernet networks, Viewpoint VBX UTP connections use a hub-and-spoke topology where each user is wired directly to the VBX Server.

At its core, the Viewpoint VBX is essentially an advanced audio/video switch and that manages and optimizes one way, two-way or multi-point video distribution and communications within the enterprise. Using advanced audio and video communications technology, VBX can deliver professional-quality audio and video to the desktop without impacting your mission critical LAN data traffic and bandwidth.

Each Viewpoint VBX™ Enterprise Server can control up to 240 one-way or 128 two-way connections in your building, and multiple VBX Enterprise Servers can extend your video network throughout an entire campus, delivering television-quality video. Multiple VBX systems can be trunked together to add additional users and thus provide a highly scalable video communications solution for the enterprise or for campus-wide installations.

Viewpoint VBX Enterprise Server Features

  • Client/Server architecture
  • Very high-quality video to the desktop
  • No negative bandwidth impact to data network
  • Centralized network control and administration
  • Shared directory services
  • Shared resources - server, codecs & WAN connections
  • Utilizes existing CAT5 wiring
  • Multipoint Conference Bridge
  • Continuous Presence mode
  • Unmatched scalability
  • Multi-vendor, Multi-standard codec support
    - H.320, H.324, MPEG2
  • Gateway between network communications standards


WorkFone VBX Desktop Client

WorkFone VBX works in conjunction with the Viewpoint VBX™ Enterprise and Small Office servers, to provide full-featured desktop video communications, controlled from a dynamic interface that's as easy to use as your regular telephone.

WorkFone® VBX is the VBX client application and comes in several flavors:

  1. WorkFone VBX - This is the standard client software application that works in conjunction with the VBX server to place calls, join or initiate video conferences, and tune in to VBX broadcasts. Workfone VBX client software comes standard with a VBX Enterprise or Small Office server.

  2. WorkFone 320 - This product is designed for VBX users who wish to place point-to-point H.320 (ISDN) calls. Workfone 320 requires additional hardware including an Osprey-1000 board which is used along with a Promptus ISDN NIC card to place H.320 calls (this is a VBX hardware/software option).

WorkFone® VBX Features

  • Attractive VBX Client GUI and application
  • Intuitive and easy-to-use GUI
  • System-wide directory services
  • Easy point and click directory dialing
  • Single-button access to:
    - Broadcasts
    - WAN codec connections
    - Multi-point conferencing
  • Control codec dialing and configuration

Using VBX Codec Array with VBX Enterprise Server
The Viewpoint VBX Codec Array is designed to seamlessly integrate with the Viewpoint VBX Enterprise and Small Office Servers. The Viewpoint VBX™ Codec Array provides an interface between the local area users and the wide area network. The codecs provide protocol translation, allowing the local users to conference with users who are equipped with H.320 (ISDN), H.323 (IP), or MPEG-2 conferencing equipment. The Viewpoint VBX Codec array effectively provides a gateway between many different protocols and audio/video standards. In entry-level installations using the VBX Enterprise Server or the VBX Small Office Server, the codec array is not required if the video application is for communications and video distribution soley within the site. Up to two Osprey-1000 codecs may be included in the VBX main chassis to facilitate H.320 and H.323 calls and conferences.

The VBX Codec Array and Codec Manager support a variety of popular 3rd party codecs including codecs from Polycom , Minerva, NEC, Picturetel, C-Phone, and other popular brands. The VBX Codec Manager provides a remote administration interface that allows you to setup and tear down calls with any of these codecs. This ensures that your existing video communications and conferencing infrastructure can be leveraged and expanded upon when you use Viewpoint VBX as your primary video communications platform.

Viewpoint VBX Enterprise Server Hardware

The Viewpoint VBX™ Enterprise server is designed to meet the video distribution and communications needs of the mid- to large-size organization. This enterprise video communications server consists an industrial-grade rack-mounted PC running the Windows NT 4.0 operating system. The PC is based on a passive backplane system design with a plug-in Pentium processor board . Typically, 16 slots are available for UTP or Coax I/O boards or for integrated ViewCast Osprey-1000 codecs. Multiple rack-mount chassis can be installed and interconnected for support of larger installations. Although codecs may be mounted within the server, in large installations, they are normally installed in a separate VBX Codec Array chassis.

Each enterprise server can handle up to 240 one-way or 128 two-way users. VBX UTP and Coax cards are full-length ISA cards that plug into the passive backplane. External VBX connections from each card are located at the backplate of each card. DIP switches on each card set the card address to allow the software to control the card. The video does not burden the ISA bus, but travels on dedicated 'talk path' cards that interconnect the VBX cards 'above' the ISA bus.

The Viewpoint VBX™ Server software running on the rack-mount PC performs the following functions:

  • Communicates with clients and other servers
  • Maintains a database of installed hardware and connected users
  • Controls the flow of video and audio through the switch
  • Logs the system usage for management and billing purposes

Software for the management of the Codecs runs as a separate process, communicating directly with the server software. Control of Viewpoint VBX™-based communications is performed using the existing LAN infrastructure. The WorkFone® VBX client software, running on an individual workstation, communicates with the server software, running on the VBX Server using the TCP/IP protocol. Messages passed from client to server include Dial User, Get Directory Listing, and Hang Up. Messages typically use only a few bytes (a directory listing may use a few hundred bytes), so there is virtually no impact on other LAN traffic.

Audio and video data travels off the LAN. Because video and audio are passed over dedicated UTP wiring, there is no effect on network data traffic. The Viewpoint VBX™ makes use of spare Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) wiring for distribution of video and audio. Each twisted wire pair can carry both video and audio in one direction up to 3,500 feet. Most installed UTP cabling includes four twisted pairs (a total of eight wires). Of these, only two pairs are used by 10BaseT Ethernet networks, leaving two unused pairs. Using these two spare pairs, the VBX Server can implement bi-directional video and audio communication. In addition to these spare wires, many installations run multiple four-pair UTP cables to each destination. Even if no UTP cabling is available in your facility, UTP cabling is easier and much less expensive to install than coaxial (coax) cable. Like 10BaseT Ethernet networks, Viewpoint VBX UTP connections use a hub-and-spoke topology where each user is wired directly to the VBX Server.

This capability provides a robust set of video switching and call routing capabilities within the enterprise or across a campus. Add more VBX units at multiple locations and add the broadband trunking capabilities of the VBX Codec Array and you have a very powerful, flexible, and scalable video solution for a broad range of video communications applications.

Contact ViewCast today to see how the Viewpoint VBX Enterprise Server can provide a solutions to your video communications and distribution needs.

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