本文是对Cisco Umi个人网真系统的评测，强调了其高清视频通话的质量和在家远程工作的价值。作者指出，尽管产品存在音频问题和较高的月费，但作为与远程同事和家人保持联系的工具，它提供了前所未有的清晰度和平滑度。作者建议，如果经常需要远程沟通，Cisco Umi是一个值得投资的选择。
umi umi_env
The picture at right is of my Cisco Umi I have hooked up at my house in Portland, OR. My friend Vishal is in Seattle. Why is he holding a bag of chips? More on that later.
右图是我连接到俄勒冈州波特兰市的我的Cisco Umi的照片。 我的朋友维沙尔在西雅图。 他为什么拿着一袋薯条？ 以后再说。
I noticed recently that I've now got a LOT of posts in my Remote Work category of my blog. Considering that I work for Microsoft in Seattle but from Portland and I have for three years now, I can say I'm officially a "Working Remotely Expert."
我最近注意到，我的博客的“远程工作”类别中现在有很多帖子。 考虑到我在西雅图的微软公司工作，但在波特兰工作了三年，我可以说我是正式的“远程工作专家”。
很重要的一点 (Important Point)
There's some reviews out of the Cisco Umi (you-me) on the usual gadget blogs. They are lovely reviews by technical writers, to be clear. However, the folks that are writing these reviews don't need the product. They are smart technical product folks. However, I'm a practical pragmatist with a problem (alliteration not intended). I need to connect with my workplace without moving. Otherwise, I'll need to quit because I'm not moving. I need this product or one like it.
常见的小工具博客上有一些有关Cisco Umi(即我)的评论。 明确地说，它们是技术作家的精彩评论。 但是，撰写这些评论的人们不需要该产品。 他们是精明的技术产品专家。 但是，我是一个务实的实用主义者，但有一个问题(不希望使用替代)。 我需要与工作场所保持联系而不动。 否则，因为我不动，我需要退出。 我需要这种产品或类似的产品。
Let those reviewers argue about the marketplace. I'm using this thing every day and living it.
让那些评论者争论市场。 我每天都在使用这个东西并生活。
一，背景 (First, the background)
I'm always looking for the next better way to work remotely, and let me tell you, it's not LiveMeeting or GotoMeeting. Being successful while working remotely is as much about the psychology of the situation as it is about the technology. Ultimately you have to realize that you're NOT there. Whether you're controlling a robot remotely and haunting the halls, or you've worked remotely for years as simply a voice on the conference line, you're not there.
我一直在寻找远程工作的下一个更好的方法，让我告诉你，这不是LiveMeeting或GotoMeeting。 在远程工作时获得成功既关乎情况的心理，也关乎技术。 最终，您必须意识到自己不在那里。 无论您是要远程控制机器人并困扰大厅，还是作为会议线上的声音来远程工作多年，都不会在那里。
Of course, as they say "out of sight, out of mind." The most important aspect of being remote is simply reminding folks that you exist. Sure, you can send emails and make sure you tell all the right people about what you're working on - and that's important - but there's something to be said for being present.
当然，正如他们所说的“看不见，心不在“”。 遥远的最重要方面只是提醒人们你存在。 当然，您可以发送电子邮件，并确保将所有相关信息告知所有合适的人-这很重要-但是要在场要说些什么。
Many leadership and motivational speakers say "step 1 is showing up." I've written a number of posts on my experiments as a remote working attempting to show up.
许多领导和励志演讲者说“第一步正在显现”。 我在实验中写了许多帖子，作为一个远程工作试图露面。
Hanselminutes Podcast 242 - The Plight of the Remote Worker with Pete Brown
Hanselminutes播客242-与Pete Brown的远程工作者的困境
- A frank conversation with another remote worker on the other side of the country. We air our grievances with folks who are seemingly unable to setup a video camera, and talk about the loneliness associated working from home. 与该国另一边的另一名远程工人进行了坦率的交谈。 我们向看似无法安装摄像机的人们表达不满，并谈论与在家工作相关的孤独感。
Hanselminutes Podcast 242 - The Plight of the Remote Worker with Pete Brown
30 Tips for Successful Communication as a Remote Worker
- Specific tips and practical techniques to communicate effectively as a remote. 可以有效地进行远程通信的特定技巧和实用技术。
DIY: Making a Very Wide Angle Webcam on the Cheap
- $3 will get you a better (or at least, wider) view on things 3美元可让您更好地(或至少更广泛地)了解事物
Building an Embodied Social Proxy or Crazy Webcam Remote Cart Thing
- You're not there and you take up no physical space. What if you did? 您不在那里，并且不占用任何物理空间。 如果您呢？
Building an Embodied Social Proxy or Crazy Webcam Remote Cart Thing
回顾与比较：Microsoft LifeCam Cinema HD和VX-7000在Skype和Live Messenger中具有高质量视频
- Pick the best camera for your video calls. I switch between a LifeCam and an HD Logitech now. 为您的视频通话选择最好的相机。 我现在在LifeCam和HD Logitech之间切换。
回顾与比较：Microsoft LifeCam Cinema HD和VX-7000在Skype和Live Messenger中具有高质量视频
How to Collaborate with Remote Employees with Office Communicator 2007 R2
如何使用Office Communicator 2007 R2与远程员工进行协作
- Forward this how-to to your bosses and their assistants. 将此操作方法转发给您的老板和他们的助手。
How to Collaborate with Remote Employees with Office Communicator 2007 R2
Virtual Camaraderie - A Persistent Video "Portal" for the Remote Worker
- What if you made a Skype video call and never hung up? Create a Portal between to locations to feel more connected. 如果您拨打了Skype视频电话却从未挂断电话怎么办？ 在位置之间创建一个Portal，以使彼此之间的联系更加紧密。
Virtual Camaraderie - A Persistent Video "Portal" for the Remote Worker
Working Remotely from Home, Telepresence and Video Conferencing: One Year Later
- A retrospective of my first year of remoteness. 我遥远的第一年的回顾。
Working Remotely from Home, Telepresence and Video Conferencing: One Year Later
Skyping the Wife: Foolproof Video Conferencing with Your Family While on the Road
- Setting up auto-answer for spouses and bosses so they don't have to press buttons. 为配偶和老板设置自动应答，使他们不必按按钮。
Skyping the Wife: Foolproof Video Conferencing with Your Family While on the Road
现在，评论(Now, the Review)
It's insane. Experiencing Full HD 1080p 30fps video of your friends and co-workers is the closest thing a Portal I can imagine. First, the clarity. Most video calls are 640x480. 480p is about a third of a mexapixel or 307,200 pixels and 1080p is 2,073,600 pixels. That's 6 times more pixels on the screen. That's the equivalent of thirty 2-megapixel camera photos a second. The distance between 480p and 1080p can't be accurately expressed when you use numbers like 480 and 1080. This clarity issue can't be overstated. Believe me. If you look, there's artifacting, sure, but no more than a Blu-Ray.
太疯狂了我能想象到与您的朋友和同事一起全高清1080p 30fps视频的体验。 首先，清晰度。 大多数视频通话为640x480。 480p约为像素的1/3或307,200像素，而1080p则为2,073,600像素。 屏幕上的像素多了6倍。 相当于每秒30张2百万像素的相机照片。 当您使用480和1080之类的数字时，无法正确表示480p和1080p之间的距离。这个清晰度问题不可夸大。 相信我。 如果您看的话，肯定有伪像，但仅次于蓝光。
In fact, I'd say that a Cisco Umi call is basically a live streaming Blu-Ray of your family.
实际上，我想说的是Cisco Umi通话基本上就是您家庭的实时流式蓝光。
Next, smoothness of motion or frames per second. Not only is it basically 6 times clearer than your average video call, it's also has twice as many frames. It's smoothness also can't be overstated. This was the first thing that Damian Edwards noticed when we hooked it up in his living room. It's so smooth that you stop thinking about it the way you do in a webcam. You may not realize it but you expect webcams to look like crap. You expect them to drop frames and feel jerky. That's because life happens as a greater framerate than that. ;) The Umi does a great job of keeping up with the framerate.
接下来，运动的平滑度或每秒的帧数。 它不仅比普通视频通话清晰6倍，而且帧数也翻倍。 它的平滑度也不能高估。 这是达米安·爱德华兹(Damian Edwards)在我们将其连接到他的客厅时注意到的第一件事。 它是如此的平滑，以至于您不必再像在网络摄像头中那样去思考它了。 您可能没有意识到，但是您希望网络摄像头看起来像胡扯。 您希望他们丢帧并感到生涩。 那是因为生活发生的帧率比这更高。 ;)Umi在保持帧速率方面做得很好。
There's an HDMI pass-through on the Umi, which came as a welcome surprise to me as I have it in my home office. However, considering that this is a consumer (or pro-sumer) product that's meant for the living room, this is a smart move. You plug the Umi in as the last device before your TV. This means you can get calls when you're watching TV and the Umi "cloverleaf" interface will pop up and allow you to answer the call. For me, this meant I could keep my Xbox and Umi on the same HDMI input on my TV. If I'm playing Xbox I can still answer a Umi call.
Umi上有一个HDMI直通，当我在家中办公时，这让我感到惊喜。 但是，考虑到这是用于客厅的消费(或消费)产品，这是明智之举。 您将Umi插入电视之前的最后一个设备。 这意味着您在看电视时可以接听电话，并且会弹出Umi“三叶草”界面并允许您接听电话。 对我来说，这意味着我可以将Xbox和Umi保持在电视上的同一HDMI输入上。 如果我在玩Xbox，我仍然可以接听Umi电话。
The Cisco Umi interface is spartan in look, speed and style. In fact, to call it spartan my be unfair to the Spartans. It's basic to a fault. It's dry and uninspired. Fortunately as soon as the call starts you don't look at it again. Oddly, while the video runs at a buttery smooth 30fps, the user interface for the Umi feels very 10fps, you know? It feels underpowered and pokey. However, this is a nit as you only see it doing setup, answering and adding contacts. Both the UI and the Cisco Umi website are surprising in their lack of polish, but this isn't a deal breaker. A designer (maybe from the Xbox or PS3 teams) and a nice visual refresh of the admin website would really make a huge difference in the overall fit and finish.
Cisco Umi界面在外观，速度和样式上都是斯巴达式的。 实际上，将其称为斯巴达人对斯巴达人是不公平的。 这是故障的基础。 它是干的，没有灵感。 幸运的是，通话一开始，您就不会再看它。 奇怪的是，虽然视频以30fps的平稳速度运行，但Umi的用户界面却感觉非常快，为10fps，您知道吗？ 感觉动力不足和po弱。 但是，这只是个小问题，因为您只能看到它在进行设置，应答和添加联系人。 用户界面和Cisco Umi网站都缺乏修饰，这令人惊讶，但这并不是交易突破。 一个设计师(也许来自Xbox或PS3团队)和一个漂亮的管理网站视觉效果确实会在整体外观和外观上产生巨大的变化。
当前版本：芯片和音频问题 (Current Version: Chips and Audio Issues )
Why's my buddy holding up chips? Well, there's an audio issue in the current version of the Umi. In some rooms with some TVs (not all, as I've seen it work fine in other situations) the Umi is a little aggressive with the audio noise cancelling. In an attempt to prevent feedback, the Umi software "clips audio" when two people talk at once on different sides of the call. That means if I Vishal says something or crinkles his bag of chips suddenly he can't hear me talk. Like, literally the sound is cut off completely.
为什么我的好友举起筹码？ 好吧，当前版本的Umi中存在音频问题。 在一些配有电视的房间中(不是全部，在其他情况下我都可以正常工作)，Umi的声音噪声消除功能有点激进。 为了防止反馈，当两个人在通话的不同侧同时讲话时，Umi软件会“剪辑音频”。 这意味着如果我的维沙尔说些什么或突然弄皱他的薯条，他听不到我说话。 就像，字面上的声音被完全切断了。
It works fine if we take turns, but life isn't that convenient. People interrupt and talk over each other. Am I being too harsh? No. When was the last time you had your conference speakerphone or Skype cut someone off or mute them? Never, because it doesn't happen. Skype is absolutely brilliant with this.
如果我们轮流使用，效果很好，但是生活却不那么方便。 人们打断并互相交谈。 我太苛刻了吗？ 否。什么时候是您的会议免提电话或Skype上一次切断某人或使其静音的时间？ 永远不会，因为那不会发生。 Skype对此绝对是出色的。
Fortunately I have it on good authority from some very cool and very responsive Cisco Umi support guys that the engineers know about this audio edge case and are on it. My Umi auto-updated itself the first time I plugged it in, and I'm hoping that one day in the next few months this problem will just be solved. I'll update this post when that happens.
幸运的是，我得到了一些非常酷和响应Swift的Cisco Umi支持人员的良好授权，这些工程师对这种音频边缘保护盒非常了解，并且正在研究中。 我的Umi第一次插入电源时会自动更新，我希望在接下来的几个月中的一天能解决这个问题。 发生这种情况时，我将更新此帖子。
It's unfortunate because the Cisco Umi is supposed to have this amazing array microphone that is smart about picking up sounds and from my (and my team's) perspective, it's no better than a speaker phone, and in most cases much worse.
不幸的是，因为Cisco Umi应该具有如此出色的阵列麦克风，可以很好地拾取声音，而且从我(和我的团队)的角度来看，它不比免提电话好，而且在大多数情况下更差。
For now, this audio issue - in my room, given my constraints of very free-flowing conversations - is so irritating that we call the Umi then mute the audio. Then I'll use another audio channel (OC, Speaker Phone, whatever) as the audio. This works near-perfectly, and as an individual in a home office allows me also to use headphones. It'd be nice if there was an hardware option to plug in a standard USB microphone/headset into the UMI.
就目前而言，由于我的谈话非常自由，我在房间里遇到了这种音频问题，这很烦人，我们打电话给Umi，然后将音频静音。 然后，我将使用另一个音频通道(OC，扬声器电话等)作为音频。 这几乎可以正常工作，而且作为家庭办公室中的个人，我也可以使用耳机。 如果有硬件选项可以将标准USB麦克风/耳机插入UMI，那就太好了。
粗鲁的问答 (Rude Q&A)
Here's my answers to a few of your questions.
这是我对您的几个问题的解答。
Q. What, Skype HD to good for you? Live Messenger? Oovoo? Office Communicator/Lync?
问：什么，Skype HD对您有好处？ Live Messenger？ 喔喔Office Communicator / Lync？
A. Skype is stingy about HD video. They have been for four years. Four. You used to be able to hack it (I know, because I did) but currently there appears to be a white-list of supported cameras, specifically Logitech ones. There's obviously some kind of deal going on where they don't want to allow it for anyone on any camera can has the ability. A few technical points first. Pushing HD video is hard. Cameras like the LifeCam and other HD webcams can't push 1080p 30fps through USB2. Also, there are both driver issues and hardware issues. You can use the default driver that includes some filtering, color stuff, and animated fish nonsense, or you can use a default driver that just pushes out MJPEG (Motion JPEG) as fast as possible, unfiltered. In order to get 720p 15fps (yes, 15) you'll need at LEAST a quad-core processor to squish the frames as well as at least 1.5Mbps of bandwidth. Also note that you're not actually sending or receiving HD until the receiver's video window has expended to a size that is near 1280x720p. (This is a clever optimization.)
答：Skype对高清视频有些小气。 他们已经四年了。 四。 您曾经能够破解它(我知道，因为我这样做了)，但是目前似乎有支持的摄像机的白名单，特别是Logitech的摄像机。 很明显，有些事情正在发生，他们不想让任何拥有该功能的相机上的任何人允许它。 首先是一些技术要点。 推送高清视频很难。 LifeCam和其他高清网络摄像头等相机无法通过USB2推动1080p 30fps。 此外，同时存在驱动程序问题和硬件问题。 您可以使用默认的驱动程序，其中包括一些过滤，颜色填充和废话动画，或者您可以使用默认的驱动程序，该驱动程序尽可能快地推出MJPEG(Motion JPEG)，而无需过滤。 为了获得720p 15fps(是，是15)，您至少需要一个四核处理器来压缩帧以及至少1.5Mbps的带宽。 另请注意，在接收器的视频窗口扩展到接近1280x720p的大小之前，您实际上并没有发送或接收高清视频。 (这是一个聪明的优化。)
That was a lot of info. Here's the bullets:
那是很多信息。 这是子弹：
- HD Video takes a LOT of CPU 高清视频占用大量CPU
- HD Video from today's USB cameras has a limited framerate when paired with today's software. We need more cameras with hardware acceleration or the ability for my video card to help out 与当今的软件搭配使用时，当今USB摄像机的高清视频帧速率有限。 我们需要更多具有硬件加速功能或视频卡功能的相机
- Believe it or not, 720p at 15fps isn't that great given the inexpensive sensors in today's cameras (and I've tried them all.) Once you've done a video call at 1080p at 30fps, it's hard to imagine anything else others than MOAR PIXELS!!! 信不信由你，考虑到当今相机中便宜的传感器(而且我已经尝试了所有这些)，以15fps的速度拍摄720p并不是什么好事。一旦您以30fps的速度拍摄了1080p的视频通话，就很难想象其他任何东西比MOAR PIXELS ！！！
Q. Isn't $600 per Umi expensive?
问：每个Umi 600美元不贵吗？
A. Sure. And so is a ticket. Or mileage, or a hotel. It's effectively $1000 for me to drive to Seattle, stay a few days, eat, submit a standard mileage expense and drive back. This whole system is about the same as one trip, except I use it daily.
答：可以。 机票也是如此。 或里程，或酒店。 开车去西雅图，住几天，吃东西，提交标准的里程费用然后开车回去，对我来说实际上是1000美元。 整个系统与一次旅行大致相同，但我每天都会使用它。
I've said before, spend money and don't feel bad about it when it's something you use every day. Computer, Monitor, Bed, Chair, Car, Food. But the best quality in all these things. The Umi was a bargain. If I had relatives with decent bandwidth who lived more than 4 hours away I'd spend the money in a heartbeat so they could see my kids.
我之前说过，花点钱，当您每天都在使用它时，不要为此感到难过。 电脑，显示器，床，椅子，汽车，食品。 但是在所有这些东西中质量最好。 Umi是便宜货。 如果我的亲戚带宽宽裕，并且居住时间超过4小时，那么我会花点时间心跳，以便他们看到我的孩子。
That said, there's a "Buy One Get One Free" Cisco Umi sale going on right now at BestBuy and Magnolia. So that's $600 all up for two, plus the fees. If your parents are far away and have 3 to 4Mbps of bandwidth to spare, that's a hell of a deal. This is over the 13th. Note, this is NOT an affiliate link and I don't get any money for any of this. I'm not attached to Cisco at all.
也就是说，现在在BestBuy和Magnolia正在进行“买一送一”的思科Umi促销。 因此，这两个人总共要花600美元，外加费用。 如果您的父母离得很远并且有3到4 Mbps的带宽可用，那真是个麻烦。 这是13号。 请注意，这不是会员链接，我对此一无所获。 我根本不喜欢思科。
Q. What about the $25 per side monthly fee?
问：每边每月25美元的费用如何？
Ya, that is lame. It's the Umi tax. They have a cloud with support for visual voice mail, routing video calls to Google Chat, email notification, etc. I think $50 a year would be more reasonable.
是的，那真是me子。 这是海见税。 他们有一个支持可视语音邮件，将视频呼叫路由到Google聊天，电子邮件通知等的云。我认为每年50美元会更合理。
结论 (Conclusion)
You know those multi-thousand dollar telepresence rooms that you wish you had at your company? Well, I've got a tiny one and I'm 90% happy with it. I'm looking forward to the sound fixes. More as it comes!
您知道您希望在公司拥有数千美元的网真会议室吗？ 好吧，我有一个很小的，我对此感到满意90％。 我期待声音修复。 随之而来的更多！
Hope this was helpful. If you have an Umi, call me sometime at 207417.
希望这会有所帮助。 如果您有Umi，请致电207417与我联系。
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