Any Experience with Web Conferencing Software?

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Tuesday Dec 19, 2006

In its neverending quest to complicate my life, my company wants to implement web conferencing software. Of course, the VPs have no idea what they want. I am familiar with the different types, but not so sure about what works. I doubt if we'd have a conference larger than 10 people, but you never know. I am thinking that P2P might be the way to go, but hosted is also a possibility. Due to engineering software constraints, we are a Windows shop, although we also have iSeries OS400 to work with.

Anybody have any thoughts?

Craven Sound · Post by **Craven Sound** » Wednesday Dec 20, 2006

We've been beta testing Mircosoft Live 2007 and it kicks ass. It's probably going to be expensive, but the audio/video is flawless. If you're looking for point to point software, Polycom makes a really nice desktop conferencing software that integrates extremely well with appliance based videoconferencing units. There's a shitload of software out there, but your boss will have to figure out what features they are willing to pay for.

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Wednesday Dec 20, 2006

Craven Sound wrote:We've been beta testing Mircosoft Live 2007 and it kicks ass. It's probably going to be expensive, but the audio/video is flawless. If you're looking for point to point software, Polycom makes a really nice desktop conferencing software that integrates extremely well with appliance based videoconferencing units. There's a shitload of software out there, but your boss will have to figure out what features they are willing to pay for.

Yep, I already checked on Live at CDW. Here is an excerpt from my email to the VP of marketing:

We can get a 1000 user license of Microsoft LiveMeeting for only $159,082.99!

They won't pay for Live...I will probably have to suffer with shareware.

Thanks for the Polycom tip. I will check that out.

Craven Sound · Post by **Craven Sound** » Wednesday Dec 20, 2006

We own a software called iLinc, it's a little cheaper than the MS offering, and also Horizon Wimba. I'm pretty sure these will need a local server to handle the calls. Any way you dice it, if they don't have any infrastructure or other videoconferencing systems, they're going to pay through the nose just to save time keeping you out of the office.

Brian of the Clan Plush · Wednesday Dec 20, 2006

We recently started using Macromedia Breeze with inexpensive Logitech ball cameras to do meetings and presentations without having to fly all over the country.

Even with both ends on a T3 connection, the stutter on the video feed is a bit annoying, but the capability to do split screens with the presenter and a powerpoint or shared desktop application is fantastic. And the fact that I can roll into my office with a shirt and tie, surf trunks and flip flops and do a two hour presentation to 40 people in Boston and still hit OIP for lunch beats hell out of the alternative of $500 in air fare and two days blown in my work week. When considering options, you definitely need to factor in travel costs and lost productivity related to staff travel.

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Thursday Dec 21, 2006

We use a Polycom system at school, and it's very useful if you want to simply train your clients on how to use the software and hardware and then let them go on their own. I didn't build the system, so I'm not really sure how hard it would be to put in place. Everything that the user controls is done via a touch screen. The great thing is that you can integrate it with other hardware such as PCs, VCRs, DVDs, and overhead projectors.

We dial in, though I'm sure it can also be used with a cable or fiber-optic backback. It's fairly reliable with this setup, though there can be some lag time.

rreihart · Post by **rreihart** » Thursday Dec 21, 2006

Penn State uses Acrobat Connect Pro (formerly Breeze)

I don't like it, but it's what we use.

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobatco ... ?sdid=KBSN