Aiptek Video Phone 2000S

Other products by Aiptek

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00002ESX9
• Item model number: HyperVphone 2000S
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank

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  Electronics > Office Electronics > Telephones & Accessories > Video Phones

• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 20, 1999

Product Description

Amazon.com Review
When you call your family and friends why not see them too, in full color? The Hyper VideoPhone 2000S transforms your existing TV and telephone into a complete videophone system.

Setting up the Hyper VideoPhone 2000S was fairly easy. We just plugged in the AC adapter, connected the telephone and telephone line cord, connected the audio and video cables between our TV and the Hyper VideoPhone, and opened the protective camera shutter. When we turned on the unit and lifted the telephone receiver, the Hyper VideoPhone displayed our surroundings on the TV screen. The entire setup process was straightforward, taking only a few minutes.

To place a videophone call, just lift the handset, dial the number, and talk normally. If your correspondent has any H.324-compliant videophone, then press # to display the on-screen menus and press 1 to start the video. In our test of the Hyper VideoPhone 2000S, we called a similar Hyper VideoPhone (model 2000C), and 20 seconds later the two units connected; another 15 seconds was required to establish the video link.

Placing a lamp nearby and staying within 2 to 3 feet of the camera resulted in the best facial images, but placing the unit on top of our TV and sitting about 8 feet away produced an acceptable picture on the receiving unit. The images were somewhat grainy and "jerky" as people moved.

Through the on-screen menus, you can view your own image, that of your correspondent, or both at the same time. Other settings include auto answer for security applications; automatic monitoring with password protection; adjustable picture quality, size, and frame speed; electronic pan, tilt, and zoom camera controls; and high-resolution snapshot capability. A privacy feature lets you turn off the video camera electronically, or you can slide the shutter switch above the camera to manually close the camera's protective shutter.

Overall we found the video quality acceptable, considering the relatively slow 33.6kbps data rate, and the setup was easy. The Hyper VideoPhone provides a fun and functional way to keep in touch with your family, friends, or business associates.

Pros

• Easy setup
• Works with PAL and NTSC TVs
• Includes extra-long telephone cord

Cons

• Requires accompanying telephone
• Power, video, and audio cables are too short

Product Description
Aiptek's HyperVPhone 2000S (via television set) is an attractively-designed, streamlined camera unit that transforms your television set into a powerful videophone system.The HyperVphone is very easy to setup and use. Simply plug in your touch-tone phone into the HyperVPhone, then plug in the HyperVPhone to your television set, and dial out as if it were a regular telephone!The HyperVPhone 2000S operates on standard phone lines, so your video calls cost the same as a regular phone call! Designed to conform to the H.324 international standard for videophone communications, the HyperVPhone 2000S via TV set lets you communicate with anyone using an H.324-compliant videophone, regardless of brand.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not bad for going over an analog POTS voice line..., February 10, 2000

By A Customer

The setup was very easy. It took a few minutes to find the sweet spot for focus and framerate vs. picture quality, but this unit works fairly well over a slow standard analog line connection. It's a great price, too. Keep your expectations in line with what you know you're getting here and you shouldn't be disappointed. Sure it's slow, choppy, and fuzzy compared to a fractional T-1 speed, but it fits the product description nicely.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars s2000 videophone, October 14, 2000

By	Satisfied Owner (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

When loved ones are thousands of miles away, this gadget allows instant and audio-visual connection that is nothing but precious. There is a trade-off in the quality of the picture when the unit is set at low resolution. Setting up is a breeze. I would recommend setting up with a cordless phone so one can control the unit remotely.

Pros: Easy setup; hassle-free A-V connection; compatible with both NTSC and PAL video standards

Cons: High price; lack of optical zooming (and only manual focus), marginal to satisfatory images (depending on the resolution setting and room lighting)

Overall:

It has brought fun and laughs to our family. Setup is straight forward and perfect for those who are not computer-savvy. It operates over plain phone lines. No internet connection is needed.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Problem solver..., October 5, 2001

By	"michaelbear" (Prescott, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

I've used this easy to operate videophone (paired with an Aiptek 2000C) with highly satisfactory results in several applications. It allowed an elderly relative to stay in her home after she became forgetful about taking her medication. A slow speed, high quality setting allowed remote verification that she actually was taking her pills. After she moved into a nursing home, I used the system briefly in a business surveillance application. Now it's used by our elderly relative and a favorite niece to keep in touch via long distance. The system delivers surprisingly good image quality, given its POTS modem speed, which averages 28.8kbps (some wonder why it's not faster...33.6kbps is the fastest you can get in a dialup connection without an ISP). The unit's camera works in low light conditions, but in dim light the pictures tend to be noisy and lack color saturation. A little attention to room lighting produces surprisingly good, colorful pictures. The 2000S has an extra set of audio/video jacks, which let you connect a VCR if you wish. Aiptek also includes a "PC" videophone mode, which allows the device to work modem-to-modem with some PC videophones (depends on the PC modem, which can't be a "winmodem", and the PC camera software). The system is indeed easy to operate: we purposely selected the 2000C unit with integrated screen, which requires no adjustment of operating controls at all, for our elderly relative. With new concerns about airline travel, now may be a good time to consider this product.