CE8.0.0 - Collaboration Endpoint Software 8.0.0 is released

[Magnus Ohm]

I am pleased to announce that Collaboration Endpoint Software version 8.0.0 is released and can be downloaded from http://www.cisco.com

Release summary

Collaboration Endpoint Software is the next generation software tailored for the new generation of endpoints.

CE8.0.0 is supported on SX10, SX20, SX80, MX200 G2, MX300 G2, MX700, MX800, MX800D.

The most important features introduced with CE8 is:

• Intelligent Proximity support
• Desktop sharing via Proximity
• The desktop applications for Windows and OS X will shortly be available at http://proximity.cisco.com
• Multistream  

We highly recommend reading the release notes to get an understanding of the requirements for deploying CE8.0.0 and its limitations in terms of discontinued support for some features.

Please read the release notes:
http://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/td/docs/telepresence/endpoint/software/ce8/release-notes/ce-software-release-notes-ce8.pdf

Regards,
Magnus Ohm

[Wayne DeNardi]

Thanks for letting us know Magnus.

Can you please explain how we can create custom layouts on an SX80 now if there is no longer TC Console software, and the replacement CE Console only does audio?  Is this a permanent change, or are we just waiting on a new tool to be released to do this?

And, yes, for anyone who hasn't - please read the Release Notes thoroughly - there are some big nasties in there (ie, no Touch 8 support, no TRC5 Remote support, no Multiway, etc).  And the user interface has changed significantly.

Wayne
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[Jens Didriksen]

"...there are some big nasties in there (ie, no Touch 8 support, no TRC5 Remote support, no Multiway, etc)."

...and requires TMS 15.0 or later....

/jens

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[Jens Didriksen]

Wow, they weren't joking when they said the API had changed - here's the impact on AMX controlled systems:

• Disconnecting calls - changed.

• Rebooting the system - changed.
• Sending DTMF tones - changed.
• All ‘Far End Camera’ control and feedback has changed.
• Setting of presets is now different.
• ‘xState’ has now been removed making all status responses obsolete or changed to a newer format.
• Addressing Cameras - changed.
• PIP activation - changed.
• PIP layout - changed.

/jens

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[t.svatek]

I also wonder, how layouts can be managed without TC-Console. Especially with Multistreaming, I cannot find something in the docs, how the participants can be divided between the two monitors.

Magnus, could you please explain that for us?

thanks

Tino

[Magnus Ohm]

Hi

I do not have any information about the CE console yet and improvements to this in order to support video.

Regarding Multistream. Multistream will setup automatically when entering the conference if the endpoint has it enabled and infrastructure configuration and requirements are met. In this case the first participant are displayed on screen one, the second is automatically displayed on screen 2 like you see on Multisite. You can display up to 16 participants devided on the two screens. There is no way to manually move the participants around.

/Magnus

[t.svatek]

thanks, Magnus.

Could you also explain, which layouts will be used based on the number of participants? If there´s a conf with 4 people, will there be 2 people on each screen with equal size? What would happen with 6 people? Or 5?.

Thanks

Tino

[Magnus Ohm]

How this will look like depends on what layout you select on the endpoint. But yes, 4 participants will have 4 equal size participants (2 on each screen). There are many scenarios here and the user will have the oppertunity to select the layout that best suits the call regardless how many participants are in the conference. When there are no room for more participants on screen there will be an icon showing +x participants. The layout you choose may not have room for more than 6 participants for example. I advise you to try it out. :)

[t.svatek]

Thanks, Magnus. Could you please also explain what will happen, if some endpoints in the conference are not able to support multistream? E.g. Conference via TPS running latest 4.2, a MX800 running CE8.x together with some SX20 running latest TC7.x?

Thank you

Tino

[Magnus Ohm]

The endpoints on TC7.2.x will receive a transcoded image from the TPS while the CE8 endpoints are running multistream its hybrid.

/Magnus

[t.svatek]

this is really cool

[mark hackett]

I looked at the API and most if not all commands that were avaiable for compositing that were in TC-7.x are gone...I can't understand why this would be done.

[Wayne DeNardi]

I can understand the reson they've done it - to give everyone, no matter what endpoint they're using, a consistent look and feel - but, unfortunately, that means dumbing down all the capabilities of the endpoints to that of the lowest common denominator (which in this case could be considered the SX10).  For those of us that used all the advanced functionality of the better endpoints (previous, the C60/C90, and more recently the SX80s), we're stuck not being able to do what we need to accomplish any more, unless we stay on the old "Maintenance Mode Only" TC software.  Fingers crossed all of this stuff will be added back in a future release in the near future.  I'm guessing that the CE8 was just pushed out the door in its basic state without all the bells and whistles features as it was already way behind the date it was orginially targetted for, so just the basics were included in the first attempt.

In the mean while, I'll continue to log bugs I'm finding on the one device I had upgraded as a test - and, as a possible warning to others, beware if you're upgrading an SX20, you may break the microphone mute button functionality if you have to downgrade back to TC again (CSCuw74729) the end result being that you will need to RMA the endpoint if you want your functionality back.

Wayne
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[Wayne DeNardi]

For everyone's reference.  CE8.0.0 now has a Deferral Notice (http://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/td/docs/telepresence/endpoint/software/ce8/release-notes/cisco_ce800_deferral_notice.pdf) and has been replaced by CE8.0.1 due to the microphone issue I reported earlier.

Wayne
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[Magnus Ohm]

Important to note that this only affects the SX20. The CE8.0.1 has been released for the whole portfolio but only the SX20 will take the bug fix into effect. CE8.0.0 is still available for the other units but has been pulled for SX20 due to the reasons mentioned in the deferral notice. 

/Magnus