The following video interview used an external camcorder to capture the video from Packet8’s Tango phone. The camcorder video was encoded to a WMV file, which was then converted to a Flash 9 format, as seen below. Because of these multiple conversions, the video on this page has artifacts that were not present in the actual video conversation. The best way to judge the performance of the Tango is to look at one first hand. This may be difficult, as apparently there is a back-log already for these devices.

Click below to read more about the Tango.

Picture Phone or Picture Frame – A Mini Review

A digital picture frame: that was my first impression upon glancing at the Packet8’s latest generation video communications device, Tango. The sleek styling (less than 1 inch deep and approximately 6”x9”) and self-supporting base make it an attractive addition to any desktop. The second impression was how easy it was to set-up. In less than one television commercial break, I had removed it from the package and had made my first call (and I did not consult the manual).

This is the fourth generation phone for Packet8 (8×8, Inc.). This is not really phone, as it is a Voice and Video Terminal Adaptor with a screen and camera. To make a phone call, an ordinary telephone is required. This is actually a great feature, as it allows one to use a cordless phone to make a video call. It also transforms the dumbest telephone into one that supports all of the screen-based CLASS services (e.g. caller I.D. on the screen, missed calls, etc. – the things the cell phone has made standard).

Set-up is a breeze, as it only requires a broadband connection (e.g. DSL or Cable Modem) and a power outlet. The Tango includes support for all of Packet8’s residential services. As such, Tango supports E911. It is important to note that to provide true lifeline service, a universal power supply would be required for the Tango and any other routers and broadband modems that are part of the residential wiring.

The interface is simple to use and did not require me to reference the manual for anything other than voicemail. One potential feature – which should be easy for Packet8 to add – would be to add voicemail as a pre-configured number. I entered the unit’s number into the device’s phone book and found that I could dial voicemail with one button.

As with a cell phone, entering phone numbers into the address book was a bit cumbersome. The USB port on the side of the unit points to the potential for automatic connection to a person’s email address book and the potential for dialing from a PC or Web browser application. The Ethernet connection also provides some interesting potential for downloading images from loved ones or videos from content providers of all stripes.

Another feature that impressed me is the ease of use of setting up a surveillance application. I was able to turn on the Tango from Packet8’s DV326 video phone and immediately view images of my remote office. To prevent unauthorized remote access to the Tango it is possible to enable password protection. The remote surveillance feature offers some interesting potential for monitoring aging parents or remote cabins.

The best feature of all is the quality of the service. The h.264 encoding is a big improvement and the quality even at 256 kbs (above video used 256 kbs upstream/downstream) is excellent. Unlike earlier generation video phones, there was no noticeable delay between the lips moving and the corresponding audio. The audio quality is excellent and I did not observe any dropped calls.