Cisco TelePresence System 500

At the time this book was written, the CTS-500 was the latest TelePresence system released targeting personal and shared space use. The CTS-500 is designed to support one participant in a home or executive office while providing the same high-quality video and audio experience in the larger Cisco TelePresence systems. The CTS-500 is also a perfect fit for shared locations, providing kiosk services or specialized agent support. The CTS-500 consists of the following items:

• One native 1080p high-definition camera
• One 37-inch high-definition LCD display
• Integrated lighting shroud
• Integrated wideband microphone and speaker
• Multiple configuration options

Similar to the CTS-1000, no furniture is supplied with the CTS-500. As mentioned, the CTS-500 is designed for an executive or home office, allowing customers to utilize existing office furniture. Figure 1 shows a CTS-500 system configured on a free-standing pedestal.

Figure 1: CTS-500

One Native 1080p High-Definition Camera

The CTS-500 uses the same camera technology as the larger Cisco TelePresence systems, providing the same high-quality 1080p video. The CTS-500 camera has no moving parts and is tuned for a small office environment. Providing a camera with no moving parts in a personal system ensures the same quality image and consistent experience as larger TelePresence systems.

One 37-Inch High-Definition LCD Display

The display provided with the CTS-500 is sized to fit a home or executive office. The 37-inch LCD display provides a high-quality 1080p image equivalent to video in the larger Cisco TelePresence systems. It isn’t possible to provide life-size images on a 37-inch display, so remote participants are optimally sized for the CTS-500 display, providing the best possible user experience.

The CTS-500 display provides the same presentation-in-picture feature or optional auxiliary display for viewing shared content as the CTS-1000, allowing users to view shared content in a window on the system display or full screen on an auxiliary display.

A new feature available with the CTS-500 is the capability to integrate Cisco Digital Media Signage (DMS). The CTS-500 display provides a second HDMI port that can be used to provide video to the display when the system is not in a TelePresence call. Integration with Cisco DMS makes the CTS-500 a perfect fit for a virtual agent and other shared-space applications. Full integration of the system display enables the CTS codec to switch display inputs based on the status of the system. If the system is not in a call, the system plays video from a Cisco DMS. When a TelePresence call is placed or received, the system automatically switches inputs and shows the TelePresence call.

As with the larger Cisco TelePresence systems, the CTS-500 display completely integrates with the TelePresence system, thus allowing the TelePresence system to manage video inputs, provide display firmware updates, and provide display status. The importance of integrating system displays into personal systems is often overlooked. The number one reason is reliability; something as simple as the display setting input can make the difference between a successful or failed call. If a user places a call and the display input is not properly set or powered off, the user will likely get frustrated and use a phone for a voice-only call. This sounds like a simple issue, but this type of issue has plagued video conferencing for years.

Integrated Lighting Shroud

As with all Cisco TelePresence Systems, an integrated lighting shroud is included with the CTS-500, providing the proper key lighting, eliminating facial shadows, and improving overall office lighting. Considering most CTS-500s go into personal offices with little or no change to room lighting, the integrated lighting becomes even a bigger factor to provide consistent lighting for meeting participants.

Integrated Wideband Microphone and Speaker

Unlike larger Cisco TelePresence systems that use table microphones, the CTS-500 has an integrated microphone. CTS-500 users sit within four to six feet of the system, enabling the use of an integrated microphone mounted at the bottom of the system display. Integrating the microphone also eliminates desktop microphones that might be covered by paperwork and cause clutter on the desk.

Speakers are also integrated into the CTS-500 system and mounted at the top of the system display on both sides of the native 1080p high-definition camera.

Multiple Configuration Options

Because the CTS-500 system is designed for a home or executive office, it is important that users have options when it comes to placement and configuration of the system. The following three configuration options enable the CTS-500 to fit into any office configuration while providing the immersive experience users have grown accustom to with Cisco TelePresence:

• Freestanding pedestal: Provides a standalone configuration allowing the CTS-500 to be placed against a wall without any furniture required to house the codec or wall mount for the system display. The pedestal mount is height-adjustable, providing flexibility for different room and individual requirements.
• Desktop: Provides a stand for the system display so that it can be placed on the desk with the codec housed under or behind the desk.
• Wall mount: Allows the system display to be mounted, on the wall, above the desk with the codec housed under or behind the desk.

Figure 2 shows the mounting options for a CTS-500.

Figure 2: CTS-500 mounting options

Note

At press time, Cisco TelePresence supported the three endpoints described above. However, Cisco has additional endpoints and new features planned to address customer needs.

Cisco TelePresence System 1000

The CTS-1000 was released at the time of the initial TelePresence launch and focused on addressing small conference rooms. The CTS-1000 is designed to support two participants. The goal of the CTS-1000 is to provide the same audio and video quality found in the CTS-3000 for small conference rooms. The CTS-1000 consists of the following:

• One native 1080p high-definition camera
• One 65-inch high-definition plasma display
• Integrated lighting shroud
• One wideband audio microphone and speaker

Unlike the CTS-3000 and CTS-3200, the table for a CTS-1000 is not included with the system. The CTS-1000 is designed to fit in a multipurpose room, accommodating different customer table preferences. Figure 1 shows a CTS-1000 system.

Figure 1: CTS-1000

One Native 1080p High-Definition Camera

The CTS-1000 uses the same 1080p high-definition camera used in the CTS-3000, providing native 1080p video in a small form factor. The camera is mounted in the center of the plasma display, extending just below the bezel to provide optimal eye contact. As with the CTS-3000, the camera has no moving parts and is tuned to capture up to two meeting participants, the equivalent of a single table segment on a CTS-3000 or CTS-3200.

One 65-Inch High-Definition Plasma Display

The CTS-1000 uses a single 65-inch high-definition plasma, providing two life-size images at 1080p resolution. The CTS-1000 uses the same plasma display that is used for the CTS-3000 and CTS-3200. A CTS-1000 is capable of displaying video from a CTS-1000, CTS-500, or a single segment from a CTS-3000 or CTS-3200. If a CTS-1000 connects directly to a CTS-3000 or CTS-3200, CTS-1000 participants see the active segment of the remote system. Video from the CTS-3000 or CTS-3200 will be switched as participants in the different segments speak, allowing CTS-1000 participants to see the segment of the current speaker on the remote system. The participants on the CTS-3000 or CTS-3200 view the CTS-1000 on their center display, at all times, while the two outer displays remain inactive. If multiple CTS-1000 systems are in a multipoint meeting with a CTS-3000 or CTS-3200, the CTS-1000’s will be distributed across the CTS-3000 segments.

The CTS-1000 does not include a projection system for displaying shared documents; however, the CTS-1000 supports either presentation-in-picture or an optional LCD display for viewing shared documents.

Presentation-in-picture provides the ability to view shared documents in the lower left, center, or right side of the display. Meeting participants can select the position of the presentation-in-picture using the 7975 Series IP Phone interface. When a CTS-1000 is not in a call, the primary display can be used for displaying content locally from any PC. A user simply connects a PC to the VGA cable, used for sharing documents, and the PC is displayed on the 65” plasma.

Viewing shared content on an auxiliary display is also supported, providing a larger viewing area for shared content. An auxiliary display connects to the CTS codec, and all shared content displays on the auxiliary display automatically disabling presentation-in-picture. A list of supported auxiliary displays can be found in the latest CTS-1000 documentation.

Integrated Lighting Shroud

As with the CTS-3000 and CTS-3200, the CTS-1000 provides an integrated lighting shroud. The lighting shroud attaches above the display, providing proper key lighting for meeting participants and eliminating shadows from fill lighting. As described previously, fill lighting is required to eliminate facial shadows and provide the consistent lighting found in the larger room systems.

One Wide-band Microphone and Speaker

The CTS-1000 has a single wideband microphone and speaker that provides the same high-quality audio found in the CTS-3000 and CTS-3200. The microphone is placed on the table used for the CTS-1000 while the speaker is integrated into the CTS-1000 system enclosure. Each CTS-1000 supports two audio channels. The primary audio channel is for meeting participants, while the second is used for adding audio-only participants or audio associated with shared documents. Both audio channels are mixed by the codec and sent to the remote TelePresence system over a single connection.

Cisco TelePresence System 3200

The CTS-3200 was released in mid-2008, providing a TelePresence system for up to 18 meeting participants. The CTS-3200 system is essentially a CTS-3000 with a second row of seating and additional components for additional meeting participants. This design provides consistency, giving users the same look and feel whether they are in a CTS-3000 room or a CTS-3200 room.

As Figure 1 shows, much of the CTS-3200 system is similar to the CTS-3000; however, the following changes have been made to accommodate the additional meeting participants:

• Extended camera focal view
• Second row seating
• Extension of each table segment
• Optional displays for shared content

Figure 1: CTS-3200

Extended Camera Focal View

As mentioned previously, the CTS-3000 cameras are tuned to capture a segment of a CTS-3000; however, the lenses in the CTS-3000 system don’t provide the focal depth needed for a CTS-3200 with its second row of participants. The CTS-3200 uses the same camera cluster as the CTS-3000, but the actual lenses in the camera are different. This allows the deeper focal depth required to capture the second row of participants.

Cameras for the CTS-3200 are still fixed with no moving parts but must maintain consistency of focus and color for two rows of participants without having noticeable parallax at the back of the room.

Second Row Seating

A second row of seating is added to the CTS-3200, providing seating for up to 12 additional meeting participants. The rear table for a CTS-3200 supports two different configurations depending on room size and customer requirements.

The CTS-3200 can be configured for a total of 12 seats in the second row for rooms with a minimum width of 31 feet or for 8 seats in rooms with a minimum width of 21 feet. The ability to configure the CTS-3200 for different size rooms helps customers address their specific needs for large TelePresence rooms. This flexibility also enables customers to easily convert a CTS-3000 to a CTS-3200, assuming the current room dimensions meet the minimum CTS-3200 requirements. 

The second table row also contains additional microphones. Audio from the second row microphones is mixed with the front row microphones, preserving the spatial audio of thesystem. Audio bandwidth requirements for the CTS-3200 are the same for as the CTS-3000 with the six additional system microphones mixed into three existing audio channels.

It is also worth noting that the second row of seating added for the CTS-3200 is not elevated. This enables the CTS-3200 to be installed in a conference room with a standard 8-foot ceiling instead of requiring a 10-foot plus ceiling to accommodate a raised back row of seating. Having to raise ceilings in rooms makes consistent lighting across all participants a challenge and drives the cost of room remediation up substantially.

Extension of Each Table Segment

To maintain the natural feeling of being in the same room, table segments in the first row of the CTS-3200 extend to the back row. This extends the spatial audio to the second row seating, keeping interaction among all participants as natural as possible.

Depending on the configuration of the CTS-3200, the back table contains an additional 4 or 6 microphones covering all three segments. If the room is set up for 12 seats in the back row, 6 microphones cover the 12 participants. The directional microphones attached to the table are positioned to capture audio from 2 participants. Audio from all microphones in a segment is mixed by the CTS codec and sent out, allowing interaction from multiple participants, in the same segment, as if everyone were in the same room. Figure 2 illustrates the CTS-3200 table designs.

Figure 2: CTS-3200 table layout

When viewing a CTS-3200 from a remote TelePresence system, all participants in the front and back row of a segment will be viewed on a single display. Participants in the front row will be life-size, while the participants in the second row will be slightly smaller, as they would be in person, due to their distance from the cameras.

Optional Displays for Shared Content

As with the CTS-3000, the CTS-3200 comes with a high-definition projection system that mounts under the center segment of the front table. The projected image works well for participants seated at the front table. However, participants seated at the rear table cannot see the projected video from their seating positions.

The CTS-3200 allows for up to three additional auxiliary displays, supporting the fourth video channel, used for shared presentations. Many customers choose to mount one display directly above the center system display and one off to each side of the CTS-3200 for easy viewing for all participants. A list of the latest supported auxiliary displays can be found in the latest CTS-3200 documentation.