How to set up a Polycom round table camera
How to set up a Polycom
round table camera
(CX5500, CX5100)
1 TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
Table of Contents......................................................................................................... 1
2
Overview ....................................................................................................................... 2
3
Glossary of terms ........................................................................................................ 3
4
Equipment checklist .................................................................................................... 4
5
6
4.1
Polycom equipment ................................................................................................ 4
4.2
PC equipment and software – things to consider .................................................... 5
Set up procedure ......................................................................................................... 6
5.1
Near site ................................................................................................................. 6
5.2
Far Site ................................................................................................................... 8
Common errors ............................................................................................................ 9
Setting up Polycom round table device_v2.docx
Page 1 of 10
How to set up a Polycom round table camera
2 OVERVIEW
This document is designed to explain the basics of setting up a video conference using Lync
with a Polycom round table camera. For the purposes of this document we will assume that
the round table device is either a CX5100 or CX5500 (both pictured below).
Polycom CX5100
Polycom CX5500
Other round table devices are available however these are the two models most widely
tested and used at the University of Exeter as of December 2014. For technical
specifications see the Polycom website here http://www.polycom.com/products-services/products-for-microsoft/lync-optimized/cx5500unified-conference-station.html#stab1
Setting up Polycom round table device_v2.docx
Page 2 of 10
How to set up a Polycom round table camera
3 GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Polycom – Video conferencing equipment manufacturer and service provider
Lync – Communications application (see here for a guide to Lync 2013)
Near site – The location you are in
Far site – The location you are connecting to, usually geographically significantly distant to
the near site
Echo cancelling – an automated process whereby the microphone picks up the sound from
the speaker and removes any echo
Panorama – Video banner that displays a 360 degree view of the room
Active speaker – Process where the most recent person to speak is shown on screen
during a Lync video conference
Stage – Digital space within Lync which can be used to video conference, share your
desktops and programs and collaborate on a whiteboard.
Setting up Polycom round table device_v2.docx
Page 3 of 10
How to set up a Polycom round table camera
4 EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST
4.1
POLYCOM EQUIPMENT
The Polycom camera has a series of components that are all required to make the system
work correctly. It consists of:

Camera and audio stand
(The Camera cap can be lowered to protect the camera and mirror area)

Processor box

Communications cable

Main USB cable
Setting up Polycom round table device_v2.docx
Page 4 of 10
How to set up a Polycom round table camera

Power cable

Blue ‘camera to laptop’ USB cable
Additionally, if you have trailing cables across the floor (e.g. power, data) it may be worth
using a rubber floor strip or some safety tape to ensure there are no trip hazards.
4.2
PC EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE – THINGS TO CONSIDER
You will need a PC, laptop or Mac with Lync 2010 or later installed at both the NEAR SITE
and at the FAR SITE (see glossary).
Near site – ensure that you have a stable network connection. A Wi-Fi connection has been
proven to be sufficiently stable however, it is best practice to use a wired connection where
possible.
Far site – ensure that you have a stable network connection. A Wi-Fi connection has been
proven to be sufficiently stable however, it is best practice to use a wired connection where
possible. The far site will need a webcam, this can be either a built-in device on a laptop or
and external device plugged in via USB (or other peripheral connector).
For the best audio experience, it is advised that anyone using Lync 2010 or later for a video
conference as an individual (i.e. NOT using a round table device) should use a headset with
headphones and a microphone. A headset reduces the load on the PC by eliminating the
requirement for echo cancelling (as the speaker output is routed through headphones or ear
phones and therefore no microphone pickup occurs).
Setting up Polycom round table device_v2.docx
Page 5 of 10
How to set up a Polycom round table camera
5 SET UP PROCEDURE
5.1
NEAR SITE
1. Ensure the Polycom round table Camera and audio stand is connected correctly to
the processor box (via the Communications cable and the main USB cable).
The images below show: the processor box with highlighted sockets for
Communications cable and the main USB cable (Figure i), the underside of the
Camera and audio stand firstly, with no cables connected (Figure ii) and finally with
the same image but with the cables connected and routed correctly (Figure iii).
Figure i
Figure ii
Setting up Polycom round table device_v2.docx
Figure iii
Page 6 of 10
How to set up a Polycom round table camera
2. Ensure all trip hazards are appropriately reduced
3. Ensure the camera cap is in the DOWN (closed) position
4. Connect the power lead to the processor box and turn on the mains power on the
socket at the wall. Figure iv shows the location of the power socket on the Processor
box.
Figure iv
5. Wait for the green microphone lights (on the leg/speaker area shown in Figure v
below) to stop flashing (on the CX5500 there is an LCD display that will show a
spinning ball when it is still powering up – wait for this screen to show the main
menu).
Figure v
6. Power up the laptop and login to Lync 2010 or later
7. Plug the blue USB cable into the side of the Camera and audio stand (shown in
Figure vi) AND into the laptop, PC or Mac, preferably into a USB 3.0 socket. If device
is recognised, the computer should give audio feedback to confirm then begin to
install necessary drivers (if this is the first time the device has been connected)
Setting up Polycom round table device_v2.docx
Page 7 of 10
How to set up a Polycom round table camera
Figure vi
8. Allow drivers to install on the laptop or PC (this should be automated and should not
take more than a couple of minutes)
9. Raise the camera cap until it clicks
10. On the Lync main application window, select the settings/cog icon
and then
select Video Device from the sections on the left hand side
11. In the drop down box, ensure that ‘Polycom round table device’ is selected (Note at
this point, the preview will not show the full panorama view)
12. Repeat for Audio Device and then close the settings window – here you will also
have the option to test speaker/headset output and to see microphone pick up via the
audio level indicator bar. Ensure both are working.
13. Click ‘Ok’ when both of these are set correctly
14. Find the contact you wish to video conference with from your contacts list or from the
search bar, right click on their name (or hover over their avatar icon) and select ‘Start
a Video Call’ (for more info see Lync 2013 user guide here)
15. When the call has started, check that the far site can see both the panoramic video
(displayed at the bottom of the stage) and the active speaker video (shown in the
main window of the stage). Ensure the camera is switching between active speakers
by having participants from around the table speak separately (this should cause the
main video window to switch on the last person who spoke).
5.2
FAR SITE
1. Ensure far site have Lync 2010 or later installed and logged in
2. Ensure the far site has a video and audio device connected and installed (preferably
a headset for audio) on their laptop or PC.
3. When video call is initiated, ensure that far site person selects ‘Start my video’ to
start sending a return video feed
4. Test that active speaker is working from the near site
Setting up Polycom round table device_v2.docx
Page 8 of 10
How to set up a Polycom round table camera
6 COMMON ERRORS

Polycom round table device is not recognised by laptop
Remove blue USB cable and restart the set up process. Check all cables are connected
correctly. Check system requirements as listed by Polycom
(http://www.polycom.co.uk/content/dam/polycom/common/documents/data-sheets/cx5500data-sheet-enus.pdf) :
Generally, for maximum video performance, a Microsoft Windows PC must have a quad core, 2.0
GHz or better processor, and an available USB 3.0 port. End-to-end video and audio performance will
be affected by—and may be a limited by—endpoint hardware, Lync Server and Client software levels,
administrative policies, available network bandwidth and traffic levels. For more information, refer to
“Lync Client Video Requirements”.
• Windows Operating System
- Windows® 8
- Windows® 7
• UC Desktop Clients
One of the following desktop clients is required on computers to which the Polycom CX5500 will be
attached:
-Microsoft® Lync® 2013 (required for maximum performance with 1080p video)
-Microsoft® Lync® 2010
For an optimal video collaboration experience, Polycom recommends using the CX5500 with
Microsoft Lync 2013; with older clients, performance will be limited.

Polycom round table device does not start up for a long time
Powering up process should take no longer than 5 minutes, any more than this, a restart
may be required. Remove the blue USB cable and depower the Polycom round table device.
Restart the set up process.

Lync audio comes out of laptop instead of Polycom round table device
Ensure correct audio output is selected in Settings> Audio Devices.
End video conference and restart conference.

Polycom round table device does not switch view in active speaker mode
Setting up Polycom round table device_v2.docx
Page 9 of 10
How to set up a Polycom round table camera
Check that Polycom round table device microphone is not muted. The microphone icons (on
the three speaker areas of the Camera and audio stand) will display Red when muted and
Green when unmuted.
Ensure all participants are close enough to the Polycom round table device to be received by
the built in microphones.
Setting up Polycom round table device_v2.docx
Page 10 of 10