INTERACT 20/20 VIDEO CONFERENCE
TROUBLE SHOOTING GUIDE

If you are having trouble with your Video Conference System, the problem can be in two basic areas: 1) the Video Conference System, or 2) your Network and Internet connection. To determine where the problem may lie, we suggest you follow the steps described below.
 

CONNECTION ISSUES

Try to ping the Video Conference System. This means seeing if a signal (a ping) can get from another device to the Video Conference System over the network. To try this, go to a terminal (Unix) or MS-DOS command line (Windows) on another node on the network and type ‘ping’ followed by the IP address of the Interact system. A successful ping will return the systems IP address.
 
If the Video Conference System can be pinged by another node on the same network but cannot connect to a video-conference, this means a simple signal within your network is getting to the Video Conference System, but the Video Conference signal from outside your network is not. Try investigating the following possibilities.
 

• The ‘Public IP’ address is incorrect in Network Settings (F10) on Video Conference System. This is the public (sometimes called external or static) IP address of the router/firewall device. This public IP address will be provided by the network administrator who maintains the network the Video Conference System is connected to.
• In the Video Conference System, ‘Translate IP’ in Network Settings (F10) is set to OFF and should be set to ON.
• The System may be on a network that is not connected to the Internet.
• The Firewall may not be configured properly.
• Port Forwarding may not be configured properly.
• The remote end (the other Video Conference System or “far side”) has a problem.

 
If the Video Conference System cannot be pinged by another node on the same network and cannot connect to a video-conference, this means the Video Conference System is not connected to the network. Try investigating the following possibilities.
 

• The Ethernet cable to the Video Conference System is unplugged.
• The Network connected to the System is down or not functioning.
• Video Conference System needs to be rebooted. (Turn off and then on).

 
If the Video Conference System can connect to a video-conference but one or both units are not receiving both audio and video
 

• Port forwarding in the Router/firewall are not set properly.
• The selected bandwidth for the call is too high. (I.e.; change bandwidth setting from 382Kbs to 256Kbs, for example.)
• The Hub/Switch/Router on the network cannot handle the volume of data traffic. Other nodes may be accessing the Internet at the same time and overloading the network.
• The other (remote or far side) Video Conference System’s port forwarding is not configured properly.
• The other (remote or far side) Video Conference System’s firewall is not configured properly.

VIDEO ISSUES

 
If the Video Conference System can connect to a video conference, but your side of the Video Conference System is experiencing poor video quality.

• When you are not in a call, toggle your PIP (picture in picture) window to full screen mode by using your F2 key. Once you are at full screen, press the F10 key and enter the Local Video Settings menu and adjust to best quality. This should always be done when setting up for the first time or when adding a new camera.
• If video still is poor, check cable connections to make certain that they are properly installed.
• If your video screen is blue, turn the camera off and back on. If this fails, try restarting your Interact System.

If the Video Conference System can connect to a videoconference but the far side Video Conference System is experiencing poor video quality.

• If the remote (far side) video seems blocky or is flashing blocks of color on the screen, the available bandwidth may not be sufficient. Reset your system to a lower bandwidth by going to the bandwidth settings window.
• If far side video continues to be of poor quality, disconnect from far side and perform a bandwidth test by clicking the bandwidth test button in the address book menu. Set your bandwidth below the level of the bandwidth available.
• If far side video continues to be poor, run a trace route test to the far side IP address using the Trace Route tool located in the main menu under system tools submenu. Any Internet hops that shows greater than 12% packet loss or has travel times greater than 50 ms (milli-seconds) is a problem. Contact the owner (usually an ISP) of that device at that point on the Internet route and ask them to reset the device.

If the Video Conference System can connect to a video conference but one or both of the Video Conference Systems experiencing poor video quality.

• Try setting both systems to the same bandwidth.
• Low bandwidth calls (64k – 128k) will not have the video or audio quality of a higher bandwidth conference because fewer frames per second are being used.
• Other nodes on the network are generating traffic that may overwhelm the hub/switch/router momentarily, or are using up all available bandwidth.

AUDIO ISSUES

If the Video Conference System can connect to a video-conference but one or both of the Video Conference Systems experiencing no audio.

• Check connections to make certain that your speakers are plugged in to the correct port on your Interact System.
• Check to see that the speaker power supply is plugged in and speakers are powered up.
• If using Television for you audio connection make certain you are using the proper inputs on your TV and the Input settings are set correctly.
• Check to see if your speakers are muted.

If the Video Conference System can connect to a video-conference but the far side system is experiencing poor audio quality.

• If audio coming from far side seems distant or hard to hear, available bandwidth may not be sufficient. Try resetting system to a lower bandwidth and reconnect with far side.
• If audio does not improve, have the far side check to see that the microphone input plug is in the correct port.
• If audio still does not improve, have the far side check the microphone sensitivity settings. If audio seems to boom or overdrive speakers, have far side lower their microphone sensitivity

If the Video Conference System can connect to a video-conference but one or both of the Video Conference Systems experiencing poor audio quality.

• Some low level echo and noise is unavoidable and should be expected
• Make sure ‘Echo Cancel’ in Audio Setup (F10) is ON when using a high quality microphone.
• Make sure audio signal is not overdriven if a mixer is used by turning down the gain of the input.
• Make sure persons speaking sit close to the microphone.
• Make sure microphone is pointed at persons speaking, or set the degree of microphone pickup higher if using a microphone that offers this feature.
• If you are using stand alone speakers, try moving the microphone away from the speakers so the speakers are not projecting sound directly into the microphone.
• If repositioning does not help, try lowering your speaker volume output or speaker sensitivity settings.
• If there is still an echo issue, try restarting your system to re-set your internal echo cancellation software.
• If you are using the conference microphone, the mice must be plugged into the blue plug and the Audio Settings within the Advanced Settings menu should be set to Line. If you are using a simple microphone like a stick microphone, you use the pink plug on the system and have the Audio Input set to MIC.

CAMERA CONTROL ISSUES

If PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) camera does not respond to commands,

• If local camera fails to respond to commands, check camera control cable connections to make certain that connectors are properly seated then re-try controlling your camera.
• If your camera still fails to respond, turn off the power to the camera, wait 20 seconds and re-power camera.
• If your camera still fails to respond, restart the Interact System.
• If far side camera fails to respond to your commands, ask far side participant if they have your camera permissions turned off. If permissions are turned off, ask them to refer to user manual to restore your control permissions.
• If far side camera still fails to respond to your commands, ask far side participants to check control cables, turn camera power off for 20 seconds, or restart the Interact System.
• Only approved PTZ cameras will operate with the Interact System.