Cisco Cisco TelePresence MCU 4510 Maintenance Manual
Reservation of MCU media ports
The MCU is able, if required, to allocate its available media ports in advance to specific conferences. This
means that it is able to guarantee that a certain number of participants will be able to join that conference,
irrespective of how many other people are using the MCU for other conferences at the same time.
means that it is able to guarantee that a certain number of participants will be able to join that conference,
irrespective of how many other people are using the MCU for other conferences at the same time.
Media port types
There following types of media port are available on the MCU:
n
video ports
n
audio-only ports
n
streaming and content channel ports
For information about the number and type of ports provided by each MCU model, refer to
The term video port refers to a port that can be used by a video-conferencing endpoint for a call. Thus, a video
port includes both video and audio streams (bidirectionally) and so the number of video ports available
represents the number of "normal" video calls that the MCU is able to maintain simultaneously.
port includes both video and audio streams (bidirectionally) and so the number of video ports available
represents the number of "normal" video calls that the MCU is able to maintain simultaneously.
Participant port usage
In general, each endpoint in a conference is able to use either a video port or an audio-only port, though
normally the MCU will assign video ports to video-capable devices and audio-only ports to audio-only
devices.
normally the MCU will assign video ports to video-capable devices and audio-only ports to audio-only
devices.
If a video-capable device joins a conference which only has audio-only ports available, the MCU will assign it
an audio-only port - that participant will be able to listen to other people and contribute their own audio to the
conference but the MCU will not transmit video to it (and will not use any video received from it). If an audio-
only device such as a simple telephone joins a conference which has just video ports available, the MCU will
assign it a video port, which includes audio capability. The video capability of that allocation will not be used,
but the audio device will be able to participate as normal in the conference. The exception to this is VNC -
because this is a video-only protocol, the MCU does not permit VNC connections to use audio-only ports.
an audio-only port - that participant will be able to listen to other people and contribute their own audio to the
conference but the MCU will not transmit video to it (and will not use any video received from it). If an audio-
only device such as a simple telephone joins a conference which has just video ports available, the MCU will
assign it a video port, which includes audio capability. The video capability of that allocation will not be used,
but the audio device will be able to participate as normal in the conference. The exception to this is VNC -
because this is a video-only protocol, the MCU does not permit VNC connections to use audio-only ports.
Streaming
Streaming a conference requires use of a video port or a streaming and content channel port. Where
streaming and content channel ports are provided, streaming viewers and conferences' content channel
(H.239 or BFCP) video allocations will use the streaming and content channel ports rather than the available
video ports; where streaming and content channel ports are not provided, streaming viewers and content
channel allocations will use available video ports.
streaming and content channel ports are provided, streaming viewers and conferences' content channel
(H.239 or BFCP) video allocations will use the streaming and content channel ports rather than the available
video ports; where streaming and content channel ports are not provided, streaming viewers and content
channel allocations will use available video ports.
If a streaming and content channel port or a video port is unavailable (or not allocated in advance when the
MCU is in Reserved mode), it will not be possible to stream that conference. If a video port has been
allocated for streaming a conference, any number of streaming viewers will be able to view that conference
via streaming, at any combination of available bit rates.
MCU is in Reserved mode), it will not be possible to stream that conference. If a video port has been
allocated for streaming a conference, any number of streaming viewers will be able to view that conference
via streaming, at any combination of available bit rates.
MCU media capacity
The total number of media ports available depends on the MCU model; refer to the product datasheets
available on the web site, or to
available on the web site, or to
for more information.
Cisco TelePresence MCU Series 4.5 Online Printable Help
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Managing conferences
Adding and updating conferences