D-Link DVC-2000 Desktop Broadband i2eyeä Videophone, 5" LCD | List Price: $399.99
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Brand: D-Link
Binding: Electronics
Warranty: 1 year warranty
Features: Doesn't need the computer, could be difficult to set up [Posted on 2008-02-09]
With Skype and iChat available for video chats, where does a standalone video phone fit in?
It is helpful for a house that has an internet connection but someone in the household doesn't like or want to use a computer. After proper setup, it can behave like a normal phone where you can dial a 10 digit number and be connected with someone else with the same model phone. The documentation states it can connect to other H.264 compliant phones, but I have never tried it. As it is standalone device connected to a router/switch you don't need to sit in front of a TV (dvc-1X00 series), the 5" LCD is adequate enough to see the other caller.
Video/Audio - 3 Stars
This is a video phone, so it has to have good video. It's not as good as iChat or Skype but it isn't bad. Because the screen is 5" the picture can look good, but not as crisp as the computer video chats. There are 3 picture in picture modes. One where both callers are about in 2" squares, and two others where 1 person takes up all 5" and the other is in about a 1" square overlaid. The camera on the phone can be moved either by moving the screen or the camera can swivel a couple of degrees up or down.
There is also a speakphone button (not very crisp for the person on the other end), and buttons to turn off audio or video. Speaking from the handset gives the best audio results.
There are 2 unlabeled buttons that I found act as volume.
Setup - 3 Stars
I've tested this on 3 different setups. 2 times I fell back on putting the phone on DMZ and one other I was able to get it to work with port triggering. If one does not have DMZ to fall back on, you could pull your hair out trying to get this to connect properly between both locations. This is not plug and play in this day in age where most broadband solutions have NAT and firewalls in place.
No fees - 5 stars
I didn't want to deal with an Ojo structure of paying a fee per month to use the internet or some "special" server on the internet. D-link is supplying a service to translate a 10 digit phone number into an IP address.
No computer/TV hookup - 5 stars
Customer Service - 2 stars
On one of the 2 units I bought the power supply died within a day. Nothing radio shack cannot replace right away. However I did call D-link customer support. Even though I knew it would be an utter waste of time and called when I knew I would have a lot of patience.. it pretty much drove me insane. I knew what the problem was, the Indian call center still made me go through their inane scripts to help me "solve" a problem. I wanted another power adapter sent, not to package up the phone unit to be replaced. Nothing was resolved on this.
Overall I'm giving it 4 stars based on the niche it is filling without the monthly setup fees. The price isn't too bad and once it is setup I don't have to worry about computer problems effecting the video phone usage.
Under delivered [Posted on 2008-08-12]
I bought the unit for my parents, but tested it on my own local network first. The intent was to use Microsoft NetMeeting to connect to the D-Link device using H.323 standard IP communication, something that on the D-Link website they say they support.
Despite it being relatively easy to set-up, assuming you understand something about routers, the product totally under delivered on sound and video quality. Video was very grain and did not adapt to changing light conditions very well. And the sound was absolutely useless; very garbled and totally unintelligible. There are no settings that can be used to adjust sound quality.
The only positive point was the ease with which Amazon accepted the return and reimbursed the cost.
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