FAQs about Polycom Viewstation EX and Viewstation EX MP

Click here for Polycom Viewstation EX product page

Question #1 What are the main differences between the Polycom Viewstation EX and the Polycom Viewstation FX?
Answer: The Polycom Viewstation FX had the ability to support four-monitors in conjunction with its four-site multi-point function. This provides the ability to host three locations simultaneously.

The Polycom Viewstation EX has 2Mbps capability, but can only connect at 512Kbps via an ISDN line and cannot utilize a PRI connection. The Polycom ViewStation FX can utilize a PRI connection. The Polycom Viewstation EX cannot support a second camera and the multi-point ability must be purchased separately.

Question #2 What requirements need to be met to use the Polycom Viewstation EX? 
Answer: The Polycom Viewstation FX and Viewstation EX require a basic TV/Display, broadband Internet IP connection, or ISDN BRI lines.

Question #3 What does EX stand for? 
Answer: Expanded Functionality

Question #4 Where does the Polycom Viewstation EX fall in the Polycom product line-up? 
Answer: The Polycom Viewstation EX a high-end entry model in the Polycom Viewstation series.

Question #5 Who is the targeted market for the Polycom Viewstation EX and Viewstation FX?
Answer: Medium and large corporations, government and educational institutions that require stellar video performance and extensive conferencing capabilities for high-end applications such as distance learning, boardroom conferencing and high performance conferencing.

Question #6 What is NearTV quality (60 fields) video?
Answer: Polycom’s Near TV video provides a crisp life-like full motion image, which is very muck like watching a television. Before Polycom’s Near TV enhanced video, the most common form of high performance video for videoconferencing applications has been 30 per second with each frame consisting of 352x288 pixels.

Near TV encodes and transmits two interlaced fields for each frame of video, and at 30 frames per second, this provides 60 fields per second. In addition, Polycom has increased the resolution above the normal 352x288 pixels.  

Question #7 What is the minimum data rate at which 60 fields is enabled?
Answer: 768Kbps. Sixty fields is only enabled in a point-to-point call between Polycom Viewstation FX or Viewstation EX systems. If a Polycom Viewstation FX or Viewstation EX is connected to another end point or systems from another vendors, it will connect with the highest video algorithm supported on the other system.

Question #8 What is an advantage with the Polycom Viewstation EX?
Answer: The Polycom ViewStation EX uses a built-in VGA output, which was not previously available. This means that received computer content in a Polycom video call can be presented in the original resolution when connected to a VGA monitor. A dual monitor setup is necessary to accomplish this.

Question #8 What interfaces and data rates are supported by the Polycom Viewstaton EX? 
Answer: The Polycom Viewstation EX and Viewstation FX supports V.35, Ethernet up to 2 Mbps, and 512Kbps via ISDN with an optional QUAD BRI IMUX interface.

Question #9 How do I enable multi-point functionality on the Polycom Viewstation EX?
Answer: The multi-point ability is embedded in the Polycom Viewstation EX hardware, but purchase of a separate Polycom software key is necessary to activate this function.

Question #10 Where can I find out more about the Polycom Viewstation EX?
Answer: Click here for Polycom Viewstation EX product page