Videoconference / Webcam recommendations?

[Guest]

Anyone care to offer an opinion on voice and video conferencing software and hardware for Win98? If it matters, my PC claims to have USB support though I've never put a USB device on it to be sure.

 

 

 

Once I'm back in the States I'll be wanting, in essence, 'picture-phone' to stay in touch with my wife in BKK. The worst connection will be a dial-up at 48,000bps. Should save beaucoups bucks using the net vs. Int'l phone rates, too.

 

 

 

Is there something that will do 10 or 15fps video and full-duplex voice that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? [Again, on a dial up, so we don't need to get broadband fancy.]

 

 

 

Anyone in BKK who can suggest a price and location to pick up something like that, please chime in, too.

 

 

 

We've got the speakers in BKK, so we probably just need a cam and a microphone? If I see a really good deal I'll pick up a matching rig to take to Hawaii and throw on the new unit there.

 

 

[danish30]

Hi DB,

 

 

 

I can recommend MS Netmeeting, it's free, and one of the better video conference softwares. If not installed already, do a search on Ms and you can download it.

 

 

 

A USB color cam can be found in Panthip as low as 1300 bath, 2nd floor in the back I think is where I saw it. I bought one

 

for the fun of it, works good, not too fast, but good pics if you have plenty of light in the room. Ultimately a video cam connected to pc with hardware mpg would give you great quality on a 128k up connection, but I think that would be a bit much for just keeping in touch with your close ones.

 

 

 

Yahoo messenger is a good alternative to netmeeting. Although the video settings and quality is not as good.

 

 

 

Remember that with 48k modem connection it's only the downstream, upstream is still just 28k8.

 

 

 

Best regards,

 

 

 

Danish30

[think_too_mut]

DB,

 

I do "video conferencing" with my gf in BKK every day for 1-6 hours.

 

I got her a Logitech web cam, can't remember the model but it was 2200Bht at Panthip. It has inbuilt microphone.

 

Just plugged it in and it worked, USB. Comes with it's own software but you may not want it installed.

 

 

 

I've got the same model of the cam with me.

 

 

 

She is on a dial-up line (shows anything from 28Kbps to 53kbps), I am on the backbone through my company.

 

 

 

I've got handsfree headset and mike.

 

 

 

For some reason, bandwith I think, only one of us can talk and be heard. My voice sounds like synthetized waffling, can't be understood.

 

So, she talks while I type my responses. The picture is refreshed only 1-2 seconds. Nothing like 12fps.

 

 

 

I tried NetMeeting but it gave me less functionality than Yahoo Messenger. Now I am using it only when I have to do something on her computer - to gain access to her desktop. It works but painfully slow.

 

 

 

I would think Yahoo Messenger is a way to go.

 

 

 

It is not a big joy itself but brings down phone bills. And makes you miss her to the point bordered with madness.

 

 

 

Now you see why I put video conferencing in quotes.

 

 

 

Ahh, you may come back and ask which ISP in Thailand we use. It's anet.net.th, first 100 hours came for free with the computer. If 1 hour translates into 5US$ phone call equivalent, that's 500US$ saving. No "busy" signal or disconnections.

[Palatkik]

>... every day for 1-6 hours.

 

 

 

>I am on the backbone through my company.

 

 

 

You get time for any work as well? LOL

[SoiledCowboy]

Whilst the hardware you might use is ok for the job in hand, you will see a recognisable face from the webcam at very low fps under ideal conditions, a dial-up connection just cannot deliver the bandwith for totally acceptable video let alone any audio on top of that too - just don't expect very much from the experience and this is what will happen. The demands for quality video transmission are heavy, the demands for audio transmission a bit less and maybe more successful.

[Guest]

Given a choice I'd rahter have a full-duplex audio circuit and slow, small video anyway -- the object is knocking the phone bills down.

 

 

 

Hearing tha MS NetMeeting will allow me to work on the computer I'm leaving her is encouraging -- I'm going to have to b admin for this machine from thousands of miles away. Anyone care to talk about how the program works and what it will or wont let you do at greater length? I installed version 3 already -- just because it was available in WindowsUpdate -- but haven't ever fired it up [scared].

 

 

[think_too_mut]

"You get time for any work as well? LOL "

 

 

 

It's usually 5:30pm my time when she can sit and talk. I've got an office (not a cubicle) so it's relativelly safe.

 

Saturday and Sunday evening/night is when it goes for long time.

 

 

 

If you, without knowing me, are asking the question you asked, I better watch what other around me are saying. Using corporate webcast session as an excuse won't work for me for too much longer (that's when others can see me through the glass with my headset on).

[think_too_mut]

DB,

 

It's very easy (but slow) to use NetMeeting for admin purposes on a remote machine.

 

 

 

1. Show her how to get into DOS

 

2. show her how to type "ipconfig" and what to read back.

 

3. How to exit DOS after that.

 

 

 

4. Start NetMeeting on both sides.

 

5. From your side, you type her IP address and press "Call"

 

6. She accepts your call

 

7. Both sides click on web cam and microphone icons

 

 

 

The above requires no registration with Microsoft directories and nobody can see you or her being online.

 

Only two of you....

 

 

 

 

 

For remote admin:

 

 

 

On her side:

 

 

 

1. Start NetMeeting

 

 

 

Only once:

 

2. Tools - Remote Desktop Sharing

 

3. Enable Remote Desktop Sharing on this Computer.

 

You can use Wizard to set it up, goes only thru 3-4 screens.

 

 

 

Whenever you want to get in, she has to allow you by:

 

4. Tools - Sharing

 

5. Desktop

 

6. Share

 

 

 

You are already in the call, once she offers her desktop for sharing, you will see her screen on your PC and press "Request Control".

 

She has to press:

 

 

 

7. Allow Control

 

 

 

Don't know how computer savy she is but work on some basic terminology as you may have to call her mobile and talk her through to do something for you while online.

 

 

 

Basic things to save time: when you say screen, you mean this and that. When you say Window, when you say icon, "two little computers at the bottom", drag and drop, "step on the icon and right-click it"...

 

 

[danish30]

>1. Show her how to get into DOS

 

>2. show her how to type "ipconfig" and what to read back.

 

>3. How to exit DOS after that.

 

>

 

>4. Start NetMeeting on both sides.

 

>5. From your side, you type her IP address and press "Call"

 

>6. She accepts your call

 

>7. Both sides click on web cam and microphone icons

 

>

 

>The above requires no registration with Microsoft directories >and nobody can see you or her being online.

 

>Only two of you....

 

 

 

I think it is much easier to launch a Netmeeting session through MSN Messenger. Just a single click and you are initiating a session.

 

 

 

Best regards,

 

 

 

Danish30

 

 

[think_too_mut]

>I think it is much easier to launch a Netmeeting session >through MSN Messenger. Just a single click and you are >initiating a session.

 

 

 

It certainly is. But what I do not want is others to see us being online and knocking to chat/view. Not to mention asking for control over her desktop and her allowing them with "I thought it were you" post factum explanation.

 

 

 

That procedure is what companies used to do (many still do) to fix/administer their remote PCs. No security problems.