Video K. Corral

July 23, 2009 1:20 PM

Videoconferencing gurus: Software-based MCU/phone bridge instead of hardware-based?

Is there PC software (free or otherwise) that acts like an MCU in that it:

1) Runs on a dedicated (preferably a Windows) PC
2) Routes video so the active speaker is the one shown on everyone's (remote) screen
3) Bridges audio to the regular public switched telephone network by way of a voice modem installed in the PC

All of my (futile) Googling leads to stuff I don't understand about ISDN, or $100K whole-room hardware-based solutions. I have the cameras and software I want to use for all this, and they connect very well using point-to-point or over our existing bridges/MCUs--but I am looking into the idea of buying our own dedicated bridge/MCU for this purpose so I don't have to rely on the guys who maintain those bridges. (Yes, it's political.) Is it worth it? Does this function have to be done with dedicated hardware?

I have a dedicated phone line and all network traffic will be contained within my company's network. Video conferences will typically be limited to 4-5 nodes across the conference.

Thanks!

posted by ostranenie to computers & internet (5 comments total)

H.323 or SIP?
posted by datacenter refugee at 7:41 PM on July 23

H.323.
posted by ostranenie at 8:22 PM on July 23

Going further - H.323. PVX is the client I'm using.
posted by ostranenie at 8:23 PM on July 23

Sorry it took so long to respond . . . The only device that I've used that can fulfill your requirements above is not software, but an expensive tandberg MCU. A polycom codec with an integrated phone line and the multipoint option license installed may be capable as well.

If you can find a way around your phone bridge requirement, the Open H323 project (webpage gone: http://www.openh323.org, sourceforge here: http://openh323.sourceforge.net) built an open H.323 MCU which was a bit shaky, but is GPLed. If you've got an ubuntu machine with the community repositories enabled you'll find it as 'OpenMCU.' A quick test enabled me to connect an ekiga client and a tandberg codec. This will NOT, however, allow you to do audio-based chairing.

Alternatively, there are ALOT of cheap, used MCU units out there. Ebay for 'Cisco MCU' or 'Radvision MCU' (same company, post/pre buyout). They will both fulfill your needs save for the phone line and regularly go for <>
This is a long shot, but does your company have any old Polycom Viewstations lying around unused? In the early days these things were sold with the multipoint option like 30% of the time (no one knew what they were buying and salesmen were eager to pile on the extras). They are fantastic conference bridges. Even if you don't have one on hand they may be a cheaper used purchase then a dedicated MCU.
posted by datacenter refugee at 1:51 PM on July 28

Very interesting, I will look around for a hardware MCU. I've seen OpenMCU and I don't think it quite does what I wanted but I was just making sure there were no 'obvious' solutions out there for software. Thanks!
posted by ostranenie at 6:00 AM on July 29