SnapVRS and Ojo VP

N

navyman

New Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2005
Messages
115
Reaction score
0
I got a free Ojo videophone from SnapVRS a couple of months ago and am enjoying it. It finally arrived after I applied about a year ago on their website. SnapVRS finally became operational in July 2007. I also use a VP-200 in a separate room in the house, so I'm familiar with Sorenson VP-100 and VP-200 videophones too.

I am wondering how many AllDeaf members have applied for an Ojo? How many have received it? For those who've used it so far, how do you like it?

I appreciate the way you can receive video messages directly on it from other Deafies. It looks cool and doesn't require a separate television, so it fits almost anywhere. It also works very well for slower broadband connections.

If anyone has any questions about the Ojo or SnapVRS, I'd be happy to provide feedback on my experiences with them so far.
 
navyman said:
I am wondering how many AllDeaf members have applied for an Ojo? How many have received it? For those who've used it so far, how do you like it?
Click to expand...
I applied for a Ojo a month or so ago. From my recent email exchange, Snap!VRS has been somewhat disappointing. I wanted a single phone number; not the two-phone number system commonly used in a relay system. Some providers are now just starting to offer single number solutions.

I work as an itinerant teacher, and I need people to call me, especially parents. I can't have them 'turned off' if they have to call the relay company like Snap!VRS first, and then give the operator my Ojo video phone number. I need a seamless, transparent calling system, where the hearing person dials my number, and the relay company automatically picks up the call and starts relaying information.

Also, I was hoping that the Ojo videophone was 'portable'. I saw a demo model in CompUSA recently, and it is too bulky for my liking. I was hoping to bring the videophone with me to different school locations, and it now increasingly appears unlikely.
I appreciate the way you can receive video messages directly on it from other Deafies.
Click to expand...
Can you elaborate on this a little bit more? On a VP-100 unit, I just get a brief message saying someone called me and I missed the call. It would have been nice to have a 'video answering machine' that other Deafies can use to leave messages, not just the relay service and hearing people. That feature alone may be worth my while in trying to secure an Ojo videophone.
 
Cousin Vinny said:
I applied for a Ojo a month or so ago. From my recent email exchange, Snap!VRS has been somewhat disappointing. I wanted a single phone number; not the two-phone number system commonly used in a relay system. Some providers are now just starting to offer single number solutions.

I work as an itinerant teacher, and I need people to call me, especially parents. I can't have them 'turned off' if they have to call the relay company like Snap!VRS first, and then give the operator my Ojo video phone number. I need a seamless, transparent calling system, where the hearing person dials my number, and the relay company automatically picks up the call and starts relaying information.
Click to expand...

I definitely understand what you mean and I feel the same way about all of the VRS companies with the exception of CSDVRS, which is the only one that offers you a single phone number. I give that number to all my hearing contacts because it keeps things simple. I'm frankly surprised that other VRS companies have not bothered to do something like this, including SnapVRS. There's probably red-tape and additional costs with doing so that prevent them from pursuing it...but CSDVRS certainly thought it was worth their while.

Also, I was hoping that the Ojo videophone was 'portable'. I saw a demo model in CompUSA recently, and it is too bulky for my liking. I was hoping to bring the videophone with me to different school locations, and it now increasingly appears unlikely.Can you elaborate on this a little bit more?
Click to expand...

I agree that the OJO, as currently designed, is not functionally portable. It would have been nice if the screen could fold down, and the base, upward...that would certainly make it much more compact. It's possible that SnapVRS may look into having their supplier modify the Ojo to be more "deaf-friendly." With this said, I personally have no problem bringing the Ojo to a hotel, for example, on a business trip if I'm driving a car. However, packing it into the original box and bringining it via air travel is a more problematic scenerio. One thing I can say is that the Ojo will have an easier time configuring itself to a hotel's internet service as opposed to a Dlink 1000 or a VP-100/200 because of its SIP-based nature and STUN capabilities. In the meantime, I find using a webcam on a laptop to be easier for VRS purposes than trying to get a VP-100/200/Dlink 1000 to work through the hotel's internet firewall.

On a VP-100 unit, I just get a brief message saying someone called me and I missed the call. It would have been nice to have a 'video answering machine' that other Deafies can use to leave messages, not just the relay service and hearing people. That feature alone may be worth my while in trying to secure an Ojo videophone.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

That's one of the OJO's trump cards..it literally and indeed has a video answering machine. A deaf friend of mine, who also has an Ojo, called me and left a message with me. However, I do not know if someone with a VP-100 could leave a message. I haven't tested that possibility yet, and SnapVRS's tech support webpage seems to imply that only Ojo users can leave messages with other Ojo users. However, I do know that VP-100/200 and Dlink 1000 users can call an Ojo user by using an IP address or DNS name if available.

As a VCO user, another feature I like about the Ojo is that I don't have to give the SnapVRS interpreter a voice telephone number to call me back on to set up VCO. The Ojo itself automatically makes audio available to all parties involved in the call via a speaker.
 
Cousin Vinny,

Someone was kind enough to share with me a picture of a portable Ojo videophone that Worldgate displayed at the CES 2007 expo. I understand that it's in development, but when it would become available to the general public is unknown. If that ever comes out, I will buy one for myself! Here's the picture:

travel_ojo1.JPG
 
navyman said:
Someone was kind enough to share with me a picture of a portable Ojo videophone that Worldgate displayed at the CES 2007 expo.
Click to expand...
Oh, that's one sexy videophone! Thanks for the link. I may just get one. However, my dream videophone would be a regular cellphone that has a foldable tripod and built-in video camera, and one that can run on 3G cellular networks. The Deaf market for this kind of phone probably will be white-hot.
 
To me... ojo is BIG, and it is like a big cell phone from World War II .
I gotta wait for a smaller/lighter cell phone with live-video camera to come out in United States.
 
I got my Ojo fast too and Snapvrs is a possibility to dominate.

Richard
 

Attachments

  • Picture 4.jpg
    Picture 4.jpg
    61.4 KB · Views: 60
faNatic said:
To me... ojo is BIG, and it is like a big cell phone from World War II .
I gotta wait for a smaller/lighter cell phone with live-video camera to come out in United States.
Click to expand...

Yeah but if the current Ojo can be folded, it wouldn't be too bad for portability.
 
OJO Test Callback?

Wonder if SnapVRS has a OJO number for automated test callback just like Sorensonvrs. I do not want to bother the other OJO users to call back to see if it works.
 
faNatic said:
To me... ojo is BIG, and it is like a big cell phone from World War II .
I gotta wait for a smaller/lighter cell phone with live-video camera to come out in United States.
Click to expand...
WWII cell phones?
 
Tousi said:
Yeah but if the current Ojo can be folded, it wouldn't be too bad for portability.
Click to expand...
The current ones don't fold up but they look like they should. Instead of being a solid piece, they should be hinged and jointed for folding. That would be great!

I would like one for a way to directly communicate with Deaf friends and clients but I can't afford it yet.
 
IloveVP said:
Wonder if SnapVRS has a OJO number for automated test callback just like Sorensonvrs. I do not want to bother the other OJO users to call back to see if it works.
Click to expand...

You can test your Ojo by calling SNAP (7627).
You will see a recorded message, although it's not a "Callback".
 
navyman said:
Cousin Vinny,

Someone was kind enough to share with me a picture of a portable Ojo videophone that Worldgate displayed at the CES 2007 expo. I understand that it's in development, but when it would become available to the general public is unknown. If that ever comes out, I will buy one for myself! Here's the picture:

travel_ojo1.JPG
Click to expand...

See travel version of OJO on Engadget

Ojo Portable Video phone - Engadget

But its problem with poor connection in hotels and hotspots
 
dbarovian said:
See travel version of OJO on Engadget

Ojo Portable Video phone - Engadget

But its problem with poor connection in hotels and hotspots
Click to expand...

Dbarovian, thanks for sharing this link with us. The article states that the travel Ojo actually is GOOD for poor connections in hotels and hotspots. I think that's because it's SIP-based and has STUN capabilities. It's the STUN function that uniquely enables the Ojo to figure out how to traverse most NAT firewalls.

Here's a blurb about what STUN means:

"STUN is the most deployed option and will traverse most NAT firewalls. STUN works by using a lightweight UDP protocol and an external STUN server to identify the type of translation performed by NAT firewall(s). It will then identify specifically the exact translation the NAT has chosen to do on a particular UDP connection used for RTP or SIP. This information is gathered without the specific co-operation of the NAT firewall and is then used to establish the SIP and RTP sessions. While virtually all consumer premises equipment uses a flavor of cone NAT, in a corporate environment it is more likely to encounter symmetric NAT. In this case, an ALG or local proxy is unfortunately needed."
 
One other thing; Something this obvious shouldn't be that easily forgotten! :) Does the Ojo videophone have a flasher? How would one know if there's a call? What kind of visual signal does the Ojo provide?
 
Back
Top