Customer Reviews

Polycom Communicator C100S USB Speakerphone for Skype-Grey

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

Everyone who gives the Polycom Communicator C100S a great rating is absolutely correct. Under Windows XP this device is awesome. The sound quality is great on both ends. It doesn't take you long to realize that you are carrying on a conversation in a much more natural manner without a headset on.

When you want to use this device on any operating system other than Windows XP, you'll find that the device is nothing more than a cheap speaker and desktop microphone. Of course it works with Skype on Linux, MacOS and Windows Vista, just like any other speaker and desktop microphone do. Crappily.

The magic of this device is in the software. The echo cancellation and sound quality are all products of the drivers that lie between Skype and the device. Wihout those drivers, the device is just an expensive USB speaker/microphone. Those who say that the device works with MacOS and Vista are only partially right. The Skype integration buttons do not work on anything but XP and I could live with that. But the audio processing in the driver is what makes this device usable with Skype. Without it, there is terrible echo from your side that makes the device unusable. You may as well use a cheap pair of speakers and a cheap desktop microphone. You'll get the same performance and it'll cost you a lot less.

Windows Vista has been available to the software developers at Polycom for over a year now and there is apparently no Vista driver in the works. This means that the Polycom Communicator C100S is useless for almost all new computer purchasers. (I did recently read that Dell is now offering Windows XP on some new PC purchases. I belive for enterprise level buyers only though.)

There is apparently now no plan to release a Mac driver, as if there was ever one in development. Which I highly doubt. So, according to my spidey senses, unless you use Windows XP exclusively, and don't have any plans for a new computer, purchasing this device now is a waste of money.

This is a terrible shame as the Polycom Communicator C100S is an awesome device and I was really looking forward to using it when I purchased it. So far I haven't been able to use it more than once, as they haven't released any Vista drivers. I did use it once with a VMWare virtual machine running Windows XP, just to make sure that my device wasn't broken, and it does work as advertised on Windows XP.

Vista drivers were supposed to be released mid 2007, but it's almost mid 2008 now and there are no hints that they have ever assigned a software guy the task of writing them. My advice is to wait until Polycom shows some interest in supporting this device with current operating systems before shelling out any money for it. :o(

A number of people have claimed that this unit does not work with Vista. However, that is simply not correct. I have Vista Ultimate in Japanese, running an English language pack, and Skype which even more surprisingly is not yet fully compatible with Vista either.

First time you connect to your PC, it is possible that you will need to plug-in and out a few times before the drivers load - but they will load. Then you are on your way. Now, what does and does not work when using with Vista - on my PC:

1. Skype Button works fine.
2. Dial and hang-up button works fine
3. Volume (up and down) do NOT work
4. Mute button does NOT work
5. Speaker works fine
6. Microphone works fine

I use the unit for both Skype-Skype calls and Skype-out calls and the audio quality is good. I have asked and people at the other end have no problem hearing me, no echo and no distortion.

Overall a good product. When Polycom eventually release Vista drivers (and when Skype is fully compatible with Vista also) it will be a great product. In the meantime, understand its limitations but buy without fear that it will let you down.

I thought I would write up this review for those Mac users who might be skeptical of the Polycom Communicator's compatibility with Mac OS X 10.4.

Although Polycom offers no Mac drivers or official Mac support, I find that it works extremely well out of the box.

I have used it 4 times (just got it 2 days ago) and it is an amazing speakerphone. I have used it with Skype for Skype and Land-line/mobile calls within the United States, and everyone believes me to be using my Logitech USB headset, unless they have video and can see me headset-free.

I have had a couple of instances of feedback, but these were cleared up once the person on the other end turned down their speaker volume or switched to headphones. In one case there was terrible feedback from my end, but it was because I opened ichat while on a skype call, and I think ichat opened the microphone, not allowing Skype or the Communicator to enact echo cancellation. Once I closed ichat, the call returned to echo-free quality.

I have used it on ichat, and it works as well as my internal laptop speakers and isight microphone, without the "cave-like" sound I usually get on the isight. On Gizmo Project, the sound quality is excellent with no echo or feedback whatsoever.

The buttons are the downside of this on the Mac - the "switch to skype" and "answer call" buttons do not function on the Communicator. The mute button functions, as does the LED, but the LED does not light up when there is an incoming call. The volume buttons work, but they do not control the master volume of the Mac. Both volume controls are independent of eachother. Although the Communicator does not indicate any response from touching the volume controls, they work fine.

The unit is very light, well made, and of high quality with a very nice carrying case.

Polycom says they will offer Mac support in early 2007, but I say why wait? This is well worth the money. I don't plan to use my headset again unless I need some privacy. Mac users, don't be put off by lack of Mac support - this unit functions extraordinarily well!

I was tired of using a headset, especially when we wanted to have a webcam session with our parents to show them their grandchildren. Having used Polycom speakerphones at work 6 hours a day I thought I would see if they had a device for the home user. And sure enough they do and it only cost around $100!

The Polycom Communicator is packaged in a plastic mould within a box. Thankfully the plastic wasn't heatsealed around the edge like most PC accessories these days, so within seconds it was in my hot little hands. I was surprised how light it felt for a solid built device. Size wise it was just smaller than my hand and about 3/4 of inch thick.

Accompanying the device was a nicely made wallet to store it in while traveling, the customary manual and setup CD, and a voucher for 30mins of Skypeout call time (which I thought was cool at the time but later discovered this was 30mins of cheap rates and represented about 54c of Skype credit. Oh well, it was the thought that counted).

The Communicator has five buttons: one for starting Skype, two for volume, one for calling/hanging up and one for mute. The buttons are surrounded by a ring that glows when you are making or receiving a call. It has a headset jack on the side for private calls. At the back is a flap which, when opened reveals a USB cable which is neatly stowed. The flap itself serves as a prop-up stand as you can see in the picture. Being USB powered is great because it means no unnecessary power cords and no need for a power socket.

Installing the software proved a little more difficult than I anticipated. The setup CD would just not work and kept coming up with a message that it couldn't find a file which as it happened was on the CD, just in a different folder. I copied all the files from all the folders into one folder on my hard drive and ran it from there and it worked no problem. Setup was very painless and quick from thereon.

Having got it all setup I plugged it in, fired up Skype (which recognized the device automatically), did a test call with no hassle, and then called my mother. The call was crystal clear with no echo or feedback. My mother said it was very clear and noise free at her end too. As we talked for 20mins it became hard to believe that this little device was even there. It was like talking to her in the same room.

All in all I am really happy with this device and think it is great value for money. My only complaints are the setup CD and the fact it is only compatible with Skype (I am a big yahoo messenger user too), but these are small niggles in an otherwise excellent product. Congratulations Polycom!!!

I tried Skype with a headphone/microphone that was kicking around the house and was encouraged enough to order one of these little phones, expecting a clipped, jerky conversation that was difficult to understand, like a cell phone call. Not so. With the new phone and both people using Skype the conversation is amazing. It really is like being in the same room. I never before realized how much clipping regular phone lines employ in order to compress calls. The Skype phone sounds much better than the $300 Polycom conference phone on my desk. With only one person using Skype, intelligibility is about as good as a regular telephone call, but still far better than most cell phone calls. One nice little benefit is that when both people are using Skype, the call is free. No subscription fee, no nothing. Free to Hong Kong, or Mumbai, or anywhere for as long as want to talk.

However great the phone may be, its short USB cable is a pain. I'm giving these as Christmas presents this year, but including a USB extension cable with each phone.

Be aware that this product will not work out-of-box with Vista, XP Media Center, or XP Tablet Edition. The hardware is great, but since the echo cancellation is done on the PC working drivers are essential.

My coworkers and I have tried every microphone option out there. We've tried desktop mics paired with headphones, multiple headsets, cameras with built in mics, etc. This is by far the most convenient and best sounding of all the solutions we've tried. The Skype integration in Windows is great. I did try it on the Mac, and it seemed to function well as a USB mic and output device. Unfortunately, it does not seem to work as well as it does in Windows, and the integration with Skype isn't there.

The hardware itself is very nice and solid. The stand pops out to reveal the integrated USB cable which wraps up nicely on the back. A travel case is also included to stow it away for trips. The only downside I can see is that the USB cable may be a bit short and you'd need an extension for certain situations, but overall it's a great product, and I highly recommend it.

It doesn't work. At all. I have spent upwards of 15 solid hours installing, uninstalling, reinstalling, updating firmware, upgrading and downgrading between versions of Skype, all on two different computers with different versions of Windows, just to be sure it wasn't me. Oh, and waiting days for Polycom's lame customer service to reply to my emails.

I should have realized what I was letting myself in for when the installation CD came up with a dialog box telling me it couldn't find the file to start the install (turns out they set the autorun to the wrong path, so you have to navigate through the CD's contents and find it yourself. That shows you just how little attention has been paid to getting this product right).

AVOID AVOID AVOID!

It simply does not work with Vista. I have opened three separate problem reports/incident tickets with Polycom. I included all my contact information, but I NEVER received any feedback on the tickets. When I went back to check the status of the ticket, it was closed with a status of "keep checking the website for updates when they become available."

They gladly took my money when I bought the C100S, but are unwilling to provide any continuing support. VISTA has been available to the public for more than 9 months. Polycom should have a driver for this product to work with Vista by now. I consider this an INDICATOR of their poor support, and I am at the point of extrapolating this incident and making broad general statement that Polycom will take your money and not provide support services to keep you running; find another vendor to buy your conferencing products from.

I bought the C100S USB phone several months ago and was pleasantly suprised by the voice quality in a simple convenient package. Getting it to work on a PC with Windows XP using the Skype client and the intial trial time provided by Skype made me a quick proponent. I wish I had known they would not provide the continuing support necessary as I upgraded to a current OS.

Only correctly works with Windows XP - how laughable. Even more absurd is Polycom support's communication regarding this laziness forcing regular users to secretly upload beta versions of Vista drivers to RapidShare in order to help other people try and get this to work. Also, (obviously I guess) echo cancellation only works with Skype. If there ever was a one-trick pony, this is it.