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I just acquired an obsolete Tandberg teleconferencing system via surplus auction. The codec isn't much use to me, but the camera is 720p with pan/tilt/zoom/expo

I just acquired an obsolete Tandberg teleconferencing system via surplus auction. The codec isn't much use to me, but the camera is 720p with pan/tilt/zoom/exposure controlled over serial. It looks outstanding and I can re-aim it easily in my office where I sometimes sit different places. I use a cheap HDMI capture device to get the video off of it, and due to Cisco/Tandberg being a bit evasive about the control protocol I'm working on my own software to control it this evening... that and notes about getting it up and running here: https://github.com/jcrawfordor/tandyberg https://github.com/jcrawfordor/tandyberg These Tandberg systems were expensive ($1500 and up) when new but the outdated ones turn up at auction somewhat regularly and the cameras, having been top of the line at the time, are still pretty good by modern standards. I'm quite happy with it for $35. Later versions were 1080p as well.

bluedino 6y ago
We had a Lifesize system at one point that ran on a dedicated T1. It was amazing at the time.
- jcrawfordor 6y ago
  When I got mine I thought it had a 4-port ethernet switch on it for convenience for a moment. Then I realized it was for eight bonded ISDN BRIs. I actually used the exact model I got at a previous job, although it was on ethernet by that point. I remember the codec's UI being painfully hard to use. I have a SIP setup here so I might try to get the codec working with it later, but for now I haven't even powered it up yet. I did crack it open out of curiosity and it's neat how they heatsinked all of the ASIC codec chips to the aluminum case. All around very nice hardware design, which I guess we ought to expect out of Norway. The camera is surprisingly heavy but the drive motors are extremely smooth and quiet compared to the PTZ surveillance cameras I'm more used to working with.
- gogopuppygogo 6y ago
  I sold life size when T1 connectivity was still the norm and you could get HD over one of those. The quality was outstanding for the time.
rozab 6y ago
PTZ? How about automated tracking with OpenCV? You could pace around during meetings ;)

bluedino 6y ago

We had a Lifesize system at one point that ran on a dedicated T1. It was amazing at the time.

jcrawfordor 6y ago
When I got mine I thought it had a 4-port ethernet switch on it for convenience for a moment. Then I realized it was for eight bonded ISDN BRIs. I actually used the exact model I got at a previous job, although it was on ethernet by that point. I remember the codec's UI being painfully hard to use. I have a SIP setup here so I might try to get the codec working with it later, but for now I haven't even powered it up yet. I did crack it open out of curiosity and it's neat how they heatsinked all of the ASIC codec chips to the aluminum case. All around very nice hardware design, which I guess we ought to expect out of Norway. The camera is surprisingly heavy but the drive motors are extremely smooth and quiet compared to the PTZ surveillance cameras I'm more used to working with.
gogopuppygogo 6y ago
I sold life size when T1 connectivity was still the norm and you could get HD over one of those. The quality was outstanding for the time.

rozab 6y ago

PTZ? How about automated tracking with OpenCV? You could pace around during meetings ;)