Polycom HDX 4500 Technical document

APPENDIX 11/04

TEST RESULTS FOR POLYCOM® HDX 4500

Manufacturer: Polycom®

Model: HDX 4500

Software Version: 3.0.3-14451

Optional Features and 1080p Resolution

Modifications:

Date of Test: 14th –18th November 2011

System front view

HD Camera

Control Panel

iii

C O N T E N T S Page No.

A: INTRODUCTION ............................................................1

B: SETUP PROCEDURE ............................................................2

C: HARDWARE DESCRIPTION …................................................2

D: SYSTEM OPERATION ......................................................7

E: VIDEO TESTS SUMMARY ..................................................11

F: AUDIO TESTS SUMMARY ...................................................11

G: DATA TESTS .................................................................11

H: CONNECTIVITY .................................................................11

Appendix 1 Detailed Physical Information ......................................14

Appendix 2 Detailed Video Tests …………......................................15

Appendix 3 Detailed Audio Tests …………......................................20

A: INTRODUCTION

The Polycom® HDX 4500 is a self contained desktop High Definition (HD)

videoconferencing system with a maximum picture resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels

(1080p) at 30fps. It is the highest specification model in Polycoms HDX 4000

series of conferencing solutions. The system comprises a 24‖ picture monitor,

CODEC, camera, microphones and loudspeakers integrated into a single desktop

unit. Compatibility with other H.323 and SIP CODECs is achieved across a range

of resolutions from SIF (352x240 pixels) up to 1920 x 1080 depending on the

capability of the remote CODEC and the connection bandwidth.

Available options include:

1080p resolution

4 Site Multipoint Conference unit (MCU)

The systems supplied for evaluation included the 1080p option only.

HDX 4500 Feature Summary:

A high definition videoconferencing system which supports variable resolutions

up to a maximum of 1920 x 1080 pixels (1080p) at 30fps or 1280 x 720 pixels

(720p) at 60fps.

A single integrated unit comprising: The 24‖ picture monitor, CODEC, camera,

dual microphones and loudspeakers.

An IP CODEC operating at connection speeds up to 4 Mbit/s over H.323

A fixed HD camera with 1920 x 1080 native resolution and a manual privacy

shutter feature.

Dual monitor support.

Supports H.261, H.263, H.263+, H.264 and H.264 High Profile video coding.

Supports G.711, G.722, G.722.1, G.728, G.729A, Siren 14 and Siren 22, audio

coding including Polycom® StereoSurround™.

External microphone input

Stereo headphone output

DVI PC data input

Stereo analogue audio input for connection of PC audio

Stereo-surround audio

Far-end camera control

H.239 second HD video connection with up to w1080p (1920 x 1080) resolution

Optional four site internal H.323 MCU with either continuous presence or voice

switched operation

AES Encryption

B: SETUP PROCEDURE

Installing the Polycom® HDX 4500 system was straight forward. The Quick Start

Guide clearly illustrated this simple procedure:

Connect the control panel to the unit.

Connect the RJ45-RJ45 cable to establish an Ethernet IP network connection

Connect mains power to the unit.

System set up was also convenient and trouble free. The IP address, IP Gateway,

Subnet mask and Gatekeeper address were all configured by the control panel

through the on screen menus.

Approximate set-up time: 15 minutes

Documentation quality: The documentation was concise and easy to follow

and included: Setup, Quick Start, User‘s and

Administrator guides.

C: HARDWARE DESCRIPTION

HDX 4500 System

The HDX 4500 systems supplied for evaluation had a maximum call bandwidth of

4 Mbit/s and included the 1080p (30fps) option.

The CODEC offers several video resolutions including:

SIF 352 x 240 pixels

CIF 352 x 288 pixels

2CIF 704 x 288 pixels

4CIF 704 x 576 pixels

High definition w720p i.e. 1280 x 720 @ 60 frames per second

High definition w1080p i.e. 1920 x 1080 @ 30 frames per second

The image resolution and frame rate are dependent on the call connection

bandwidth and the video mode (Motion or Sharpness), the default setting being

Sharpness:

Video Mode

Sharpness

Motion

Connection

Bandwidth

Resolution

Frame rate

Resolution

Frame rate

128 Kbit/s

704 x 576

25fps

352x288

50fps

384 Kbit/s

704 x 576

25fps

704x288

50fps

768 Kbit/s

1280 x720

25fps

704 x 576

50fps

1 Mbit/s

1920 x 1080

25fps

1280x720

50fps

2 Mbit/s

1920 x 1080

25fps

1280x720

50fps

4 Mbit/s

1920 x 1080

25fps

1280x720

50fps

To maintain picture sharpness (resolution) at the lower connection bandwidths the

frame rate was reduced as movement increased within the image

The HDX 4500 CODEC supports both single and dual monitor modes. When

multiple images are displayed on a single monitor only Picture outside Picture

(POP) is displayed, Picture in Picture (PIP) is not available. The second monitor

output may be configured as DVI, VGA or component video to cater for high

definition signals.

The Perspex screen across the front of the monitor was highly reflective and

degraded the image quality.

The aspect ratio and the video format of displayed images can be selected from the

comprehensive range of settings. This allows both transmitted and received images

to be optimised locally for both People and Content signals.

The options available are:

• None—Preserves the aspect ratio of the source video: The image is scaled (if

necessary) to the largest supported resolution that fits on the display without

cropping. Unused areas of the display are filled with black borders.

• Stretch—Aspect ratio not preserved: The image is scaled horizontally and

vertically to match exactly the resolution of the display.

• Zoom—Preserves the aspect ratio of the source video: The image is scaled to

exactly match one of the display dimensions while matching or exceeding the other

display dimension. The image is centred and cropped.

Only the ―None‖ setting was used during the evaluation.

In single monitor mode using the HDX4500 monitor only two images may be

displayed as a POP. Various layouts may be selected through the Layout button on

the remote control panel:

No Content being transmitted or received.

1. Near and far sites, same size, side by side

2. Far site big, near site small

3. Near site big, far site small

4. Near site, full screen

5. Far site, full screen

Point to Point Call, Picture outside Picture (POP) no content, near and far sites side

by side

This image clearly shows the screen reflections

Point to Point Call, Picture outside Picture (POP) no content, far site large, small

near site.

When Content is displayed, a small image of the far end conference participants

appears alongside the larger Content image, layouts may be altered using the

Layout button.

Content transmitted or received

1. Content big, far site small

2. Content big, near site small

3. Content and far site, same size, side by side

4. Content, full screen

Point to Point Call, Picture outside Picture (POP) with 16x9 Content

In dual monitor mode with no Content transmitted or received the main monitor

displays the far site image and system menus, the second monitor displays the near

site camera images.

When content is transmitted a number of layout options are available.

Main Monitor (includes Menus)

Second Monitor

Content and near site, same size,

side by side

Far site full screen

Content big, near site small

Far site full screen

Content big, far site small

Near site full screen

Content full screen

Near site full screen

Content full screen

Far site full screen

When Content is received a number of layout options are available.

Main Monitor (includes Menus)

Second Monitor

Far site big, near site small

Content full screen

Near site big, far site small

Content full screen

Near and far sites, same size, side

by side

Content full screen

Far site full screen

Content full screen

The Polycom® high definition camera has a native resolution of 1920 x 1080

(1080p) it has a fixed focus lens and tilts with the monitor adjustment. A 2x digital

zoom is available but unlike an optical zoom its use just degrades the image. A

manual privacy shutter control is provided above the camera.

A feature of the HDX system is People ‗on‘Content (conventionally called

―Chroma Key‖ or ―Colour Separation Overlay‖) to create an artificial background

behind a presenter. For example a weather presenter could be superimposed over a

map of the UK (derived from a PC image). This requires the presenter to be

positioned in front of a plain green background and viewed by the HD camera. The

green areas of the image (i.e. not the presenter bits) then cause an electronic switch

to select the appropriate parts of the map for superimposition. Unfortunately the

quality of these ―chroma-key‖ images is very variable and is critically dependant on

the quality of the lighting on the presenter. It can be very difficult to reduce the

‗shimmering‘ effect around the edge of the presenter image.

The optional high definition MCU provides four (host HDX CODEC plus three

remote sites). The speed of each connection is dependent on the total number of

sites in the MCU conference and the bandwidth capability of the CODEC. The

MCU option was not available on the evaluation systems.

During an H.323 call a second unidirectional video channel (Content) is provided

through H.239, ―People‖ being the normal conferencing channel. Thus video from

the camera and a second source e.g. a PC image could be transmitted

simultaneously and displayed on two monitors at the remote site. For People and

Content the bandwidth may be dynamically allocated between each channel or split

in the ratios, 50/50, 90/10 or 10/90 up to the limits of the maximum available

connection speed.

The HDX system is capable of transmitting and receiving two simultaneous high

resolution (1080p at 30fps) images. The high definition high frame rate Content

channel is a new development that enhances the overall conference experience.

Several audio formats are supported by the CODEC. Polycom has implemented the

Siren 22 audio protocol with 22KHz analogue audio bandwidth, including

StereoSurround™. The system captures stereo by using the two monitor

microphones to create a stereo image.

A separate stereo audio input using a 3.5mm mini jack connector allows for

straightforward interfacing to a PC or laptop. A useful feature mutes Content audio

on the local and remote loudspeakers until Content is selected for transmission.

Unfortunately not many other manufacturers provide this facility. Additionally

when the PC image is previewed its associated audio is only heard at the local site.

Echo cancellation is appropriately disabled on this input.

System control is normally through the wired remote but if preferred a Polycom

standard infra red control may be used. Remote configuration is another option via

a web browser from a network connected PC. This comprehensive web interface

provides control and configuration of the CODEC and displays diagnostic

information if required, together with web snapshots of near and far sites. For

added security this remote management system may be password protected. For

connection to a room control system etc. an RS232 serial control port is also

provided.

D: SYSTEM OPERATION

The remote control panel includes dedicated controls for Dial, Hang up, Directory,

Volume, Microphone mute, Zoom, Near/Far and Layout together with cursor

controls to navigate the on screen menus.

The Content (PC) input signal is controlled via two buttons. The monitor preview

button cycles between the PC input and the CODEC output, while the second

button transmits or stops transmission of the PC image over the conference link to

the remote site(s)

The ‗Info‘button has dual functions, providing context sensitive help when not in a

call and a shortcut to Call Status information during a call.

HDX 4500 Remote Control Panel

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