Call an external H.323 or SIP Client



In EVO, it is possible to call any H323 or SIP client directly from Koala. You have two options to invite remote participant to join the meeting: (1) to make a call from inside the meeting to invite him/her to join this particular meeting or (2) to make the call without joining a meeting. In this later case, the system will automatically create a Private Meeting and put you in.
In the Koala menu click on the icon and then choose “Call H.323/SIP client” menu item.

 ExtCall

You may call any H323[1] or SIP[2] hardware device (e.g. Polycom, Tandberg, Aethra, etc.) or software clients (Ekiga, Xmeeting VCON, etc.). Click on “” and then on “Call H323/SIP client”. A new window will appear:
 


 

a.     From the pull down menu select the type of the call “h323” or “sip”.
 b.     If you are calling a H.323 device/client:


      ·      fill the “IP” of your H.323 device in editable text field
      ·            if your H.323 device is registered on a Gatekeeper enter the “Alias of your H323 client”@”IP address of the Gatekeeper”. For example: 881234@gk1.es.net
      ·            you can also call MCU[3] by IP or you can call directly the meeting on MCU by typing “meeting ID”@”IP address of the MCU”

c.     If you are calling SIP device/client please fill in editable text field:

      ·      IP address or
      ·       “user”@”IP address” or
      ·            “user”@”IP address”:”port” – you can specify which port will be used for calling. The default port is 5060.


 
d.     Click on “Advanced” to have more options about the call parameters.


      ·      “Bandwidth“ represents the maximum bandwidth that you will send to the H.323 device . If the remote device/client doesn’t allow this bandwidth, it will send the maximum bandwidth received from the device.
      ·            “Connect through Panda“ If you are behind NAT for example and calling the MCU, you may want to check this option, as the call will be established from the Panda server to which you are connected, instead of your PC. In case of SIP call this option is disabled.
      ·            “Audio only” will only send and receive only audio.
      ·            “Limit inbound Video“ will limit the bandwidth you send to your device to 128 kbps. This option is available if the initial bandwidth is less or equal to 768 kbps.
      ·            “Show Speaker only“ will send only the current speaker’s video to the device connected. This option is available only if “Connection through Panda” is not selected.
      ·            “Save To Address Book“ will save the current settings to the Address Book. You can overwrite the current profile or save as a new entry to Address Book.
       

e.     As soon as you will finish filling all the necessary information, hit the call button to make a call. If you want to cancel the call, hit hang up button.

g.    
When the call is established the dial pad will appear automatically. You can also open it by click on small triangle button. In EVO you can connect both H.323 stand-alone clients or bridge a meeting in a H.323 MCU. In the second case, you may send DMTF tones. This can be useful, since it allows you to operate the video layout display (works with Codian MCUs) and send commands to the MCU, to create an Ad-Hoc meeting with password, etc.
h.    If you want to call a number from the Address Book click on button. The Address Book window will appear and you can call any number you previously save or you can add a new one.

[1] The H.323 standard provides a foundation for audio, video, and data communications across IP-based networks (see at: http://www.protocols.com/pbook/h323.htm)
[2] "The Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is an application-layer control (signaling) protocol for creating, modifying, and terminating sessions with one or more participants (see at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Session_Initiation_Protocol)
[3] "The Multipoint Control Unit (MCU) a device in videoconferencing that connects two or more audiovisual terminals together into one single videoconferencearticipants (see at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multipoint_control_unit)