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This site is dedicated to learning about Video Calls and how to get started using and making Video Calls. We have tips, articles, recommendations, product ratings and suggestions so you can easily start making Video Calls to your family and friends. |
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Our recommendation page is designed to help guide you to solutions that work, are easy to use and in many cases - FREE. We take the guess work out of what to use and recommend solutions we know, use and work well. Our recommendations are based on regular use of the solutions for applications like Virtual Visitation, Elderly Care Visitation and keeping in touch with Family and Friends. Check our 'Product Ratings' page for a list of products to make Video Calls and what is best to use. If you want more detail, my book 'Video Conferencing over IP' has the in depth detail you need to understand over 42 software solutions and over a dozen hardware solutions available to make Video Calls. You can get a copy at your local bookstore or just click through the link on the right of this page to purchase a copy through Amazon. For our criteria on our recommendations and ratings Click Here: Before we get into software, let's make some recommendations as far as hardware. Personal Computer:
* Special Note about Apple/Mac's If you are an Apple/Mac user iChat AV with an iSight Webcam is an obvious and good choice for Communicating Mac user to Mac user. AOL's AIM software for the PC now works with Apple's iChat AV users, but the AOL Instant Messenger is not a very good product. Skype and SightSpeed are the best solutions for PC and Mac users to communicate.
I only recommend Windows XP and MAC OS X. It is important to use the latest operating system and application versions when using Video and Audio applications. This way you can ask questions from people that will have similar configurations as you do and thus you can get more support from FAQ, Email Forums or the Vendor help pages. I do not recommend Windows 2000, Windows 98, or Windows ME. Sorry, but please upgrade, Windows XP is far more stable and Windows XP Service Pack 2 even has a free Firewall that you can benefit from if you don't have a Firewall product to protect yourself from the Internet. Your Internet Connection: If you already have a High-Speed Internet connection then you are most likely ready to go. If you do not have High-Speed or Broadband Internet as it is called, then you will need to order DSL through a DSL provider like your phone company, Earthlink, AOL or others. You also have the option of using a Cable Modem from your local cable provider. The goal of any High-Speed Internet connection for Video Calls is the "Upload Speed". Your Internet provider may be able to tell what to expect as far as Download speeds, but many will not know how fast the Upload speed is. The only real test will be to test it once you get it installed. A general rule of thumb we tell people as far as DSL is concerned, is to ask how far from the "CO" (Central Office) you are. If you are over 1 mile (5280 feet), then your DSL speed will start to drop the farther from the CO you go. DSL maximum limit is around 18,000 feet from the CO. If you are over 1 mile away, consider the Cable Modem option. I have had DSL several times and now opt for a Cable Modem. Most providers give you 30 days to check out your service before any commitment starts. Be sure to ask about this as many Cable Modem providers are month to month and have no commitment, whereas with DSL you could become locked into a 12 month commitment. To see how to test your Internet Speed see our FAQ page. You want to have at least 128Kbps Upload and 500Kbps Download. Most High-Speed solutions are at least 1MBbs download or faster. Many Cable Modem solutions have 1.5Mbps to 3.0Mbps download and are very fast. But remember FAST Upload speeds are key to successful Personal Video Conferencing and Video Calls. Skype does work by the way with a 56Kbps dial-up connection, but the audio quality is nowhere as good as a high-speed connection and you cannot do video over a modem with any kind of quality. Secure your system from the Internet: You should protect your computer from the great unknown of the Internet. Installing a Personal Desktop firewall software like Symantec's Norton Internet Security will keep worms, viruses and hackers from disrupting your computer.
Additional Hardware:
There is another piece of hardware that we highly recommend in order to give you more control over switching between your headset and computer speakers. Radio Shack makes a switch that plugs into your sound card and then you plug both your computer speakers and headset into the switch. This way both can be connected and you can switch them with a press of a button. Radio Shack Computer Headphone speaker switch (26-204) Free Video Software: Now it would be nice if the same software used for video can be used for audio. Well they can, but what we found is that the audio solution we recommend is so far superior to what the video solutions offer, that we choose to use and recommend two separate solutions. Windows Only: MSN Messenger is by far the best solution for video of all the free solutions we tested. It is easy to use and has GREAT video quality. Using Audio with MSN Messenger does work, but if you have a home DSL/Cable router like those from Linksys, DLink and others, you will need to enable "uPnP" in your router setting. See our FAQ page for more on this subject. Windows and MAC: MAC only: iChat AV Free Audio Software: By far one solution stands out as the best audio solution for Personal Video Conferencing. Skype is one of the BEST free Internet solutions we have ever used ! Skype is great for several reasons:
Skype's quality and lack of banners and advertising makes it a really friendly software. In fact it runs on virtually all platforms:
Commercial Personal Video Conferencing Software: Many of us are 'geek' enough to use and play with the 'free' solutions, but it does require using two applications and free does has it's limits. For a more user friendly and easier all around solution and WELL WORTH the price, we recommend you investigate SightSpeed and iVisit. SightSpeed has a Browser based option that makes it the easiest solution to use with audio and video capabilities in a single software package. We use SightSpeed and you may contact us to test it out. You must have a VERY fast connection for SightSpeed to work well or the Audio and Video will be choppy. We love the interface and options of SightSpeed, but in tests, it just does not perform as well as our recommendation of Skype and MSN Messenger.
SightSpeed Personal Video Conferencing Software (Commercial)
Webcam: As far as webcams go, there are many on the market with many features and many cost ranges. Keep in mind the better the webcam, the better the quality of the image. Since you can get a top of the line webcam for under $100, why skimp on quality.
Headset/Microphone: First off why a headset ? Well one of the issues you will run into while participating on a Video Call is that you can hear yourself through your speakers from the other sides microphone through their speakers and this causes feedback and confusion. By using a headset, you eliminate this issue and have a better quality conversation. There are several makers of headsets. We have listed two of the better ones; Logitech and Plantronics. Since there are ,many sizes and shapes, we will let you decide what type you may want to choose. Be sure to take into account the person using them. If you have a small child, size may be an issue, so behind the ear headsets work best, or ones designed specifically for children.
Noise canceling Microphone: You can also use Noise Canceling Microphones and your PC speakers, but we recommend a headset first and then add a Noise Canceling Microphone second, so you may end up with both. Sometimes you may not need the headset, but you can also just set the headset on the desk in front of you like a microphone and use your PC speakers to listen. Video Email: Video Email is another option to communicate with your family and friends. Check out our Video Email page for the latest on Video Email solutions. For more information, please visit our FAQ page or browse our web pages and my book 'Video Conferencing over IP' by Syngress Press. |
Recommended Books:
Everything you needed to know about Personal Video Conferencing by Michael Gough.
Everything you needed to know about the popular Voice over IP / Telephony application 'Skype' by Michael Gough.
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