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Web conferencing or computer conferencing is a way to hold live presentations over the Internet. Generally it is used for group discussions or business conferences. Each member of web conference sits at their PC and can be easily connected to other members through Internet. It may be accompanied either via telephone or VoIP; sometimes text chat is also used instead of voice. It is an easy method to save money as well as time.

Nowadays web conferencing is one of the basic requirements of each organization. Web conferencing is of several types such as web meeting, the Webcast, the Webinar, online presenting, and online collaboration. Users can choose any of them as per their needs. It refers to audio, video or text-based conversations that are conducted in real time.

It is the best for the people who deal within global market place. Web conferencing enables you to be in two places simultaneously. You can attend business meetings while sitting at your home or office. Microsoft NetMeeting or Yahoo Messenger are free downloads forms of web conferencing. Users can invite their dear ones to participate in text-based chats for real time communication. It allows holding seminars and presentations for hundreds of delegates at same time. You can transmit files, documents and slide show presentations with web conferencing.

Web conferencing cuts traveling costs such as tickets, accommodation, subsistence etc. It allows you to meet a person regularly without any expenses. It is also a great way to do work more efficiently and accurately. Cost of web meeting depends on your requirements. You can choose any type of web conferencing that suits your budget.

About Author: The author presents a website on Web Conferencing. Website provides information about web conferencing services, web conferencing software, web conferencing tools, and affordable web conferencing. Offers some tips for selecting Web Conference Company. You can visit his site Cheap Conferencing Web.

Web conferencing solutions are applications of Web conferencing technology for business communication purposes and have an important role to play in an increasingly global economy. Companies are increasingly embracing Web conferencing solutions not only to cut down the travel expenses but also to speed up decision-making processes by allowing key people to collaborate instantly, no matter where they may happen to be physically located.

Web conferencing solutions allow participants to share information in the form of files, applications or PowerPoint presentations – they can even poll. The participants usually sit at their desks and share information either through an interactive whiteboard or through text messaging. They can also speak to each other using a normal phone or a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone and even share videos via Web cams.

Some of the most popular Web conferencing solutions are Microsoft Office Live Meeting, Genesys Meeting Center, Raindance Web Conferencing Pro Seminar, and WebEx Meeting Center. All of them offer tools considered as standard. These include Web-based PowerPoint presentations, chat, document sharing and annotation, whiteboarding and application sharing. However, they differ in terms of their multimedia features, meeting management tools, and integration with telephone conferencing.

Genesys and WebEx have the capabilities to show slide transitions, play the audio and video integrated with presentation, and allow live videoconferencing. These solutions also allow the connection of the name of the conference participants with the telephone numbers they used to dial in so that presenters can easily mute, un-mute and dismiss callers through a Web based console.

Eventually, Web conferencing solutions might become just another feature within other productivity applications. The recent acquisition of Placeware by Microsoft and the addition of the term ‘Office’ to the name of its Live Meeting service is a signal that the company may bundle Web conferencing solution with its popular Microsoft Office suite.

A web conference service is usually a hosted application. It
enables online collaboration in a conference-like environment
sometimes including video. A web conference service opens many
communication options for internet businesses.

The very nature of the internet which breaks down geographical
barriers and makes it possible for internet businesses to conduct
business anywhere in the world has changed the face of sales,
customer service, technical support and interpersonal
communications. While the opportunities in e-business are grand,
a company’s ability to provide personalized service has been
somewhat hindered. The impersonal nature of the internet has
practically eliminated face-to-face interactions between
businesses and their customers. A web conference service has the
potential of changing that.

Using a web conference service can improve your sales process.
When you have a sales proposal to make, a web conference service
can put you virtually in front of your audience to make your
presentation regardless of where the conference participants are
located. In a web conference interaction is possible so you can
answer questions, clarify your proposal, counter objections,
negotiate if necessary and close the sale.

A web conference service can help you to provide more
personalized customer service to your clients. While it may not
be practical to use a web conference service for every customer
service call, in cases where something needs to be discussed or
explained, especially when more than two people are involved in
the discussion, a web conference service with video capabilities
enables interaction and removes the disadvantage of
misunderstandings that can occur when it isn’t possible to
interpret one another’s non-verbal language. So, a web conference
service can also be a wonderful customer service tool.

One-on-one or group training can be effectively accomplished
using a web conference service. If you are in a tech industry or
another industry that requires customers to be trained once they
purchase a product, a web conference service is very valuable. It
can actually enable a company to provide training that they would
otherwise be unable to provide because of geographic limitations
and exorbitant costs that can be associated with traveling for
the purpose of conducting training. With most web conference
service files can also be shared between participants in the
conference.

A web conference service is an excellent tool for online
entrepreneurs who provide coaching, consulting or counseling
services. Even though clients are at a distance, they can receive
personal one-on-one coaching, consultation, counseling or
instruction in more of a face-to-face manner than what would be
possible without a web conference service. Group coaching
sessions can also be held via a web conference.

Another advantage of a web conference service is the ability for
a company to hold operational meetings or training sessions with
telecommuting staff. The telecommuter can easily become detached
from a company because of the distance from the action, so to
speak. By holding regular operational meetings via a web
conference service, those that work within a business at a
certain location can build relationships with staff members that
are not regularly onsite. The off-site staff will benefit from
the interaction as well as it will keep them up-to-date on
company news, strategies, concerns, and so forth.

Because web conference service is a growing industry, there are
many providers of such services that can be found on the
internet. Each web conference service has its own unique
offerings in regard to how the service is provided and what
features are available. If you are interested in web conference
service to breakdown the impersonal communication barriers in
your business, it just makes since to evaluate and select a web
conference service for your internet-based business.

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Audio conferencing software normalizes audio, video, and file sharing applications. In other words, this software allows everyone participating in a virtual meeting to see each other hear each other, and work on the same projects together. This last attribute of audio conferencing software is often called collaborative software (formerly known as groupware.) For example, if there is a diagram on the television or computer screen that everyone can see, it is possible for everyone to make marks on the document using a special whiteboard-and-pen program. This brings everyone together in as “real” a way as possible over infinite distances.

Other applications of audio conferencing software include slide shows, streaming audio and video, and document sharing. As telecommunications companies come up with newer and newer ideas, audio conferencing software will have greater and “more real” applications.

When choosing your audio conferencing vendor, the number of users or “seats” could determine which type of technology you’ll need. Some technical support will be needed for all web conferencing solutions.

Three examples of audio conferencing software brands are the following:

Centra

Centra is both a software and a service. The software has all the usual normalizing characteristics, plus a few extras. Centra can be programmed to automatically set up and communicate conference times and dates. It can also track who is logged in during the conference. Afterward, the program can automatically send meetings notes via e-mail to all participants.

Microsoft NetMeeting

Another popular audio conferencing software program, NetMeeting is compatible with any web device. It integrates your calendar, e-mail system, and so on, and is very easy to use. You can even use your web camera to take a snapshot of something and place it on the whiteboard for discussion or markup.

Xbox Live

Even modern video gaming systems use audio conferencing software! You can play a war game against other gamers anywhere else in the world, and talk trash to them at the same time via a headset.

Audio Conferencing Info provides detailed information about audio conferencing services, equipment, software, companies, plus online audio conferencing, and more. Audio Conferencing Info is affiliated with Original Content.

With videoconferencing people can interact as if they were talking face to face with both images and sound relayed in real time. This article is designed to guide you through the various options to arrive at the system type best suited to your purpose.

There are various types of videoconferencing; which is suitable for your application will depend upon the IT structure available and what it is that you actually want to achieve.
Video conferencing has in the past been relatively expensive, but prices are coming down and it is possible for anyone with a fast enough internet connection to operate a video conference.

Systems are available for hire, lease or sale.

Systems may be installed at all or any of the following: -

1. on the desktop PC
2. a dedicated videoconference suite
3. mobile - for use when and where the need arises.

Each has various advantages and limitations which may be critical to your purpose.

Paradoxically it is far more critical that audio connections are maintained than the video. You may loose a video signal or it may be intermittent but the conference will still proceed – if you lose audio, nothing can be achieved (unless both parties are versed in sign language!)

Video speed for equipment is often shown as frames per second abbreviated as FPS.

In the UK video from most sources runs under the PAL standard which 25 frames per second – e.g. domestic VHS players. In the USA the system is NTSC which runs at 30 frames per second. Videoconference equipment commonly is specified as 15 fps or 30 fps. In layman’s terms - 15 fps will be jerky, it shows every other frame, 30 fps is full motion video.

The higher the frame rate the greater the data load, so the faster the connection required.

A minimum requirement for full motion video and audio between two points is 768 Kbps.

This made up of:- an encoding rate of 384 Kbps (typically used) is selected. This is broken down into two parts –

• 64Kbps is for the audio
• 320 Kbps is for the video.

The resulting 384 Kbps stream is compressed and sent (from you – the source) to the remote point (the destination). Similarly a 384 Kbps stream is received from the remote point to you. Thus twice 384 Kbps in bandwidth is required.

If there is a lot of motion in the video, very little compression is achieved. If there is little or no motion in the video, the savings can approach 50%. It would, however, be foolish to design a system which relied on the participants being forced to remain static.

There are two types of video conferencing, each has sub-types.

1. Point to point - a live video / audio communication between any two locations.
2. Multipoint - links between a three or more locations

Point to Point (P2P)

Point to point - a live video and audio communication link between any two locations.

P2P - Application

Where the need is to communicate between two points only at any one time: -

• Two offices of the same company
• Yourself and a business partner company, e.g. Yourselves and a major supplier
• Senior management/ teams from two divisions – e.g. research and manufacture.

P2P - Use

• Virtual meetings on a one to one basis
• Project workgroup co-ordination of effort, live adjustment of data, drawings, documents or prototypes
• Virtual board meeting between two groups of people in specific locations - say 5 in one and 4 in another

P2P - Limitations

• Bandwidth required increases in proportion to the amount of data being exchanged.
• Audit trail of actions taken by whom with a timeline sequence often required.
• Extra equipment is necessary to show physical objects, using a visulaiser for say engineering parts

Point-to-Point Videoconferencing

Consider two videoconference terminals (vct) that are connected to the Internet.

The vct and its associated peripherals allow the user to make a call to another client, send the local audio/video stream to the remote client, and hear/view the received audio/video stream on a local speaker/monitor that is connected to the vct.
Assume one user (the local user) uses a vct to call a user at a remote vct by entering the IP address of the remote vct. The clients setup a call between the stations following the specifications of the H.323 protocol. Once the call is setup, the clients exchange audio/video streams over the Internet. The point-to-point videoconference continues until one of the users “hangs up” the call.

IP numbers are difficult to remember; some users have dynamically assigned (DHCP) IP numbers that can change every time they boot their system and problems in using IP addressing when different vendor systems are used.

The Gatekeeper

To alleviate the problem of IP dialing, the H.323 standard defines the use of a gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper is a system that connects to the Internet just like the client terminals. The IP address of the gatekeeper is configured into the client terminals and when the clients “power up”, they communicate with the gatekeeper and transfer certain information to the gatekeeper that describes the vct.

When the clients register with the gatekeeper, they pass their IP numbers, H.323 alias, and H.323 extension to the gatekeeper where it is stored. This allows a local user to dial a remote user by entering the remote users H.323 extension in effect their video telephone number.

The local vct communicates the H.323 extension to the gatekeeper. The gatekeeper then checks to see if the remote client is registered with the gatekeeper, then sets up the call between the two clients.

Once the call has been setup, the audio/video streams flow directly between the clients over the Internet.

Multipoint

Live video and audio links between a three or more locations.
To handle this situation, the H.323 standard introduces the concept of a Multipoint Control Unit (MCU). The MCU can be thought of as a “video bridge”. The MCU connects to the Internet and registers with the gatekeeper.

A MCU, depending on its design capacity, can handle a certain number of simultaneous videoconferences each with each videoconference being logically separate from the others and with each having a specified number of users.

When users want to join a particular videoconferencing session, they dial the service number/password combination. The gatekeeper checks to see if that service has been registered by a MCU. The gatekeeper completes the call by connecting the client to the specified videoconference on the MCU.

Once the call has been connected, the client’s audio/video stream is then sent over the Internet from the client to the MCU. Similarly, other clients connect to the session and send their audio/video streams to the MCU. The MCU selects one of the audio/video streams on the videoconference and returns that audio/video stream to all of the clients (that is all except the client whose stream was selected).

There are several methods for selecting an audio/video stream. Audio switching and chairman control are two alternatives. Typically, the method that is chosen is audio switching where the MCU selects the stream that currently has active audio (someone is talking or is talking the loudest).

As the user(s) at one site stop talking and the user(s) at another site start to talk, they capture the MCU. The process is repeated with the video from the newly selected site now being sent to all the other sites.

Streaming

To participate in a H.323 videoconference, users must have appropriate videoconferencing client terminals and have Internet connectivity with sufficient bandwidth to support the videoconference.

Some users may not have these capabilities but would still like to be able to participate even if that meant that they could only see and hear conference participants but not be able to interact with them. (Watch and Listen)

Users can receive the stream using a browser on a computer. They enter the URL of the server, and the server starts the encoded audio/video stream over the Internet to the computer.
Plug-Ins for the browser exist that are capable of decoding both RealVideo and Windows media streams. The user can thus see and hear the participants in the streamed videoconference in near real-time.

Alternatively, a user can connect to the server at a latter date and view the archived version of the videoconference.

James Hunter works for Edric Audio Visual, one of the premier suppliers of video conferencing in the UK.

Video conferencing facilitates learning by allowing remote or distant learners to meet regardless of their location. Students can take classes at multiple universities. In essence classes that are not available at one location may be available at another through video conferencing. Video conferencing can also benefit non traditional students who are not able to attend classes during normal hours.

There are various types of videoconferencing; which is suitable for your application will depend upon the IT structure available and what it is that you actually want to achieve. Video conferencing has in the past been relatively expensive, but prices are coming down and it is possible for anyone with a fast enough internet connection to operate a video conference.

There are excellent quality video conferencing systems out there. Many of them are well worth the dollars that they cost. And, because technology continues to grow, you’ll find that prices for video conferencing will become more competitive. It is the way of the future. Is your company in the future? Using video conferencing can help to insure that it is there.

Most video conferencing terminals also require what is called a codec or Compressor/Decompressor interface. This piece of equipment helps compress information being passed from audio to video to make transmission of materials feasible over the Net. Without this piece of equipment most files would be too large to send from one computer to another. The process of compression data using a codec machine is often referred to as decoding and encoding information.

Finally, a computer and reliable internet connection are also necessary to facilitate video conferencing. A high speed connection is recommended to make the video conferencing experience not only endurable but also enjoyable. The actual computer you have is not as important as the size of your display. Remember that when using video conferencing equipment, the larger your display the better your picture and the more easily a time you will have ‘conferencing’ with other people on the Web.

Conferencing - Providing conferncing information. Learn about web conferencing,
audio coferencing, video conferencing, etc. Find out about web data conferencing & web
exchange conferencing here.

If you are thinking about getting into web and video conferencing, then it is important to know what is required to operate any proposed conferencing system. Some systems run on proprietary software and need special equipment, while browser based systems usually do not require the installation of special software or equipment. Many organizations and individuals will find browser based solutions easier to use. Here are a few reasons why this is so:

1. They work on all operating systems. Do you have some users on Mac and some on PCs? Do you have some users who have Linux? If you want to connect all of these people together in one conference it may be impossible if you have to install special software to run your conference. In this case a browser based system that can run on all operating systems and all browsers allows you to connect with all of your staff or clientele without any worries about what kind of computer they are operating.

2. You don’t have to download and install software. Sure, people are becoming more computer-literate as time goes on, but downloading and installing software and getting the software to run properly can be an obstacle to some people. The good news is that with many browser based systems there is no software to download, because the installation is done on the technology provider’s host computer. Participating in a conference is as easy as going on line to view a website.

3. People anywhere in the world can go online and join the conference. With no equipment installation and no software installation to take care of, the door is open to widespread participation in your conferences. The only thing that you have to do is to notify your people and provide them with a url and a password and they can join in.

4. There is no problem with firewalls. Most offices and many individuals protect their computers and networks from hackers by using a firewall. This is good for security but can become a problem if you are trying to join people together in a conference. Many web and browser based systems are not affected by firewalls and no special instructions have to be given to conference participants whose computers may be protected by firewalls.

All of these factors add up to one very strong advantage of using browser based conferencing systems: they allow you to get maximum participation in your online events. With little or no technical obstacles, such systems make it easy for large numbers of people, using diverse equipment and with varying degrees of computer skills, to take part in online meetings. So, take a look at the various conferencing packages on the market at the present time and pick out one that is both easy to use and powerful enough to meet your communications needs.

Dan Richmond is Co-founder of MegaMeeting.com. MegaMeeting provides web & video conferencing services for individuals & businesses. For more information, please call 818.783.4311 or Visit http://www.MegaMeeting.com

When DVD technology came out, a lot of people thought that it
was not going to last. Well, as happened with CDs back in their
time, it has proven to be a long lasting technology.

With more and more players and accessories available everyday,
it will not be easy for any new standard to gain the crown the
DVD rightfully owns.

Improvements on DVD technology are amazing. A new player seems
to come out every month, featuring more extensive capabilities
and offering more benefits to users. But advances in technology
do not only apply to DVD players, but also to accessories and
products designed to take the most out of the DVD experience.
>From big screen plasma television sets to impressively realistic
digital audio systems, building your own custom home theater is
easier than ever.

This technology has been accepted so widely that people started
turning that spare room they had in their houses into
entertainment rooms, where the whole décor is based on the DVD
system looks and functionality, from sound system architecture
and layout to even furniture comfort and color matching.

But DVD technology, as you may know, may not only be used to
play movies. In fact, the first idea behind DVD development was
to provide a better, more reliable way to save and transport
larges amounts of data. So, it is expected to find an extensive
variety of DVD hardware available for computers. In fact, DVD
readers and writers are quickly replacing CD drives when it
comes to computer users’ preferences, as a platform to save and
restore valuable data in servers or just for making it possible
to save huge bulks of information.

When Zip® and Jazz® disks came out, I gave them a thumb up. When
I rated CD technology, I gave them two thumbs up. The only
reason I also give DVDs two thumbs up is that I have only two
hands; but I wouldn’t hesitate to give them four if it were
possible.

Note: (ZIP® and JAZZ® drives are registered trademarks of IOMEGA
Corp.)

In this new digital high tech computer age slideshows/slide
shows/photomontages/photo montages/video albums are becoming
very popular. But I have found that when I do a web search I get
multiple titles. So what’s the difference between a slideshow,
slide show, photomontage, photo montage, or video album? After
doing some research of my own, dictionary searches and web site
reviews, I have come to this ultimate mind numbing conclusion -
are you ready? - There is no difference in the name! I know that
this may be a cause of disagreement between many, but I dare you
to do the same research. Ultimately, I believe that you too will
come to the conclusion that whether you call it slideshow, slide
show, photomontage, photo montage, or video album they are all
one and the same. However, a bit of trivia for you, I have
discovered that in the Random House Webster’s Unabridged
Dictionary, the only one word or phrase of these five that can
be found is “photomontage”.

So, if there is no difference in the name is there a difference
in the product? The truth is whether you order a slideshow,
slide show, photomontage, photo montage, or video album the
difference is only with the company. Every slideshow, slide
show, photomontage, photo montage, or video album creating
company has their own individualized way of creating what I will
call a slideshow production. - You can replace the word
“slideshow” with “slide show”, “photomontage”, “photo montage”,
or “video album”. It’s really a personal decision. And it is
highly possible that as I am writing this article a new word or
phrase is being created at this very moment to replace any of
the above five words. Such as… moving pictures, pictures in
motion, memories in motion (that one kind of makes you dizzy)
albums that move, photo movements (there’s a phrase that will
really move you!) - You try. I give you five minutes to come up
with some of your own phrases. Go ahead be creative!

So what’s my point here, or do I really have one? I guess the
point is this. When you are doing a web search for - are you
ready, here we go again - slideshows, slide shows,
photomontages, photo montages, or video albums - type in each of
these different keywords separately each time you do a web
search and you will have more choices because each keyword will
bring up a new search and ultimately a new company that you
haven’t seen before. In addition, try using specific key words.
If you are planning a wedding place the word “wedding” or
“wedding reception” before any of the above words. Do the same
thing with a graduation slideshow, birthday slideshow,
anniversary slideshow, reunion slideshow, memorial slideshow, or
so on. You can also add words after the keywords listed above
such as “production” ” or “productions” (yes, adding an ’s’
makes a difference). And why let Google be your only search
engine. Try other search engines such as my favorite MSN. You
will get more choices because each search engine has their own
way of categorizing web sites.

After you’ve found a new company view their samples. In this way
you will be able to decide which company offers more of what you
are looking for in a slideshow, slide show, photomontage, photo
montage, or video album. And finally look not only at the price
but also at the package. What do you get for the price you are
willing to pay? And is the company willing to work with you in
creating your own package with your own needs? The more willing
a company is to satisfy your individual needs, the happier you
will be with the end results. And as with anything in life, the
same rule of thumb applies with slideshows, slide shows,
photomontages, photo montages, or video albums - you get what
you pay for! If the price seems too good to be true, it usually
is! Keep in mind that your memories are unique and should be
treated as such so stay away from the ‘cookie-cutter” slideshow
presentations and look for something unique and creative. At
Sands of Time Multimedia Creations there are no cookie-cutter
slideshows. Uniqueness is our specialty and creativity is our
“key word”.