Thread: cheap/free video conferencing?

All,

I'm planning a "distributed" postgresql event (more about that later).
As part of this, I'd like to be able to have people video conference
from whereever they are so they can participate.  Is this something I
can do without $10K of equipment an usage fees?   If so, how?

--Josh Berkus

On Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:08:56 -0800, Josh Berkus <josh@agliodbs.com> wrote:
> All,
>
> I'm planning a "distributed" postgresql event (more about that later).
> As part of this, I'd like to be able to have people video conference
> from whereever they are so they can participate.  Is this something I
> can do without $10K of equipment an usage fees?   If so, how?

Easy Webex or equiv.

Freeconference.com

Even Adobe has one that works with Linux via Flash.

Joshua D. Drake


>
> --Josh Berkus

--
PostgreSQL - XMPP: jdrake(at)jabber(dot)postgresql(dot)org
   Consulting, Development, Support, Training
   503-667-4564 - http://www.commandprompt.com/
   The PostgreSQL Company, serving since 1997

2010/3/4 ๏̯͡๏ Guido Barosio <gbarosio@gmail.com>:
> http://www.webex.com/
> We've been using it and works fine.

We use webex at work, but I've never managed to get it to play nicely
with my Macs.

I did get GotoMeeting working the other day though. Dunno if it does
video, but it certainly does screen sharing.


--
Dave Page
EnterpriseDB UK: http://www.enterprisedb.com
PG East Conference: http://www.enterprisedb.com/community/nav-pg-east-2010.do

Josh Berkus wrote:
> All,
>
> I'm planning a "distributed" postgresql event (more about that later).
> As part of this, I'd like to be able to have people video conference
> from whereever they are so they can participate.  Is this something I
> can do without $10K of equipment an usage fees?   If so, how?

I do all my training via webex with a camera and it works fine.  I have
to use Win32 though.

--
  Bruce Momjian  <bruce@momjian.us>        http://momjian.us
  EnterpriseDB                             http://enterprisedb.com

  PG East:  http://www.enterprisedb.com/community/nav-pg-east-2010.do

On 03/04/2010 01:02 AM, Dave Page wrote:
> 2010/3/4 ๏̯͡๏ Guido Barosio <gbarosio@gmail.com>:
>> http://www.webex.com/
>> We've been using it and works fine.
>
> We use webex at work, but I've never managed to get it to play nicely
> with my Macs.
>
> I did get GotoMeeting working the other day though. Dunno if it does
> video, but it certainly does screen sharing.

I'm not sure any of the mentioned solutions really meets your
requirements, but as long as you are looking at webex and gotomeeting,
it is worth looking at dimdim. The service is less expensive than the
other two, and there is an open source version you can download and run
for yourself. They are also working on fully functional Linux support,
although it isn't out yet.

How many concurrent video feeds are you wanting to have?

Joe

On 3/4/10 9:27 AM, Joe Conway wrote:
> I'm not sure any of the mentioned solutions really meets your
> requirements, but as long as you are looking at webex and gotomeeting,
> it is worth looking at dimdim. The service is less expensive than the
> other two, and there is an open source version you can download and run
> for yourself. They are also working on fully functional Linux support,
> although it isn't out yet.

Oh, ooops.

When I said "video conferencing" I didn't mean "desktop sharing".  I
meant video as in video *camera*, and voice.

--Josh Berkus

On Thu, 2010-03-04 at 10:33 -0800, Josh Berkus wrote:
> On 3/4/10 9:27 AM, Joe Conway wrote:
> > I'm not sure any of the mentioned solutions really meets your
> > requirements, but as long as you are looking at webex and gotomeeting,
> > it is worth looking at dimdim. The service is less expensive than the
> > other two, and there is an open source version you can download and run
> > for yourself. They are also working on fully functional Linux support,
> > although it isn't out yet.
>
> Oh, ooops.
>
> When I said "video conferencing" I didn't mean "desktop sharing".  I
> meant video as in video *camera*, and voice.

Webex, Gotomeeting all do that as does:

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobatconnectpro/

If you want to use a camera that is not a webcam, you can. Your OS just
needs to understand how. Linux and Windows both do.

Joshua D. Drake


--
PostgreSQL.org Major Contributor
Command Prompt, Inc: http://www.commandprompt.com/ - 503.667.4564
Consulting, Training, Support, Custom Development, Engineering
Respect is earned, not gained through arbitrary and repetitive use or Mr. or Sir.

On 03/04/2010 10:33 AM, Josh Berkus wrote:
> On 3/4/10 9:27 AM, Joe Conway wrote:
>> I'm not sure any of the mentioned solutions really meets your
>> requirements, but as long as you are looking at webex and gotomeeting,
>> it is worth looking at dimdim. The service is less expensive than the
>> other two, and there is an open source version you can download and run
>> for yourself. They are also working on fully functional Linux support,
>> although it isn't out yet.
>
> Oh, ooops.
>
> When I said "video conferencing" I didn't mean "desktop sharing".  I
> meant video as in video *camera*, and voice.

Well dimdim allows for one video feed with the free service, and I think
two video feeds for the "pro" version at $25/month. You get voice either
through the dial in conf number or VoIP.

But this is why it would be better to know your actual requirements ;-)

Other options may or may not work for you -- Skype, Ekiga, and I think
even Empathy and Pidgin.

Joe

Take a look at DimDim I have used them to do this on a small scale.
http://www.dimdim.com/


Aaron Thul
http://www.chasingnuts.com



On Wed, Mar 3, 2010 at 11:08 PM, Josh Berkus <josh@agliodbs.com> wrote:
> All,
>
> I'm planning a "distributed" postgresql event (more about that later).
> As part of this, I'd like to be able to have people video conference
> from whereever they are so they can participate.  Is this something I
> can do without $10K of equipment an usage fees?   If so, how?
>
> --Josh Berkus
>
> --
> Sent via pgsql-advocacy mailing list (pgsql-advocacy@postgresql.org)
> To make changes to your subscription:
> http://www.postgresql.org/mailpref/pgsql-advocacy
>

On Thu, 2010-03-04 at 10:33 -0800, Josh Berkus wrote:
> On 3/4/10 9:27 AM, Joe Conway wrote:
> > I'm not sure any of the mentioned solutions really meets your
> > requirements, but as long as you are looking at webex and gotomeeting,
> > it is worth looking at dimdim. The service is less expensive than the
> > other two, and there is an open source version you can download and run
> > for yourself. They are also working on fully functional Linux support,
> > although it isn't out yet.
>
> Oh, ooops.
>
> When I said "video conferencing" I didn't mean "desktop sharing".  I
> meant video as in video *camera*, and voice.

Webex, Gotomeeting all do that as does:

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobatconnectpro/

If you want to use a camera that is not a webcam, you can. Your OS just
needs to understand how. Linux and Windows both do.

Joshua D. Drake


--
PostgreSQL.org Major Contributor
Command Prompt, Inc: http://www.commandprompt.com/ - 503.667.4564
Consulting, Training, Support, Custom Development, Engineering
Respect is earned, not gained through arbitrary and repetitive use or Mr. or Sir.

2010/3/5 Josh Berkus <josh@agliodbs.com>:
> On 3/4/10 9:27 AM, Joe Conway wrote:
>> I'm not sure any of the mentioned solutions really meets your
>> requirements, but as long as you are looking at webex and gotomeeting,
>> it is worth looking at dimdim. The service is less expensive than the
>> other two, and there is an open source version you can download and run
>> for yourself. They are also working on fully functional Linux support,
>> although it isn't out yet.
>
> Oh, ooops.
>
> When I said "video conferencing" I didn't mean "desktop sharing".  I
> meant video as in video *camera*, and voice.

In that usage, Ustream is the most used service in Japan. It can
collaborate with Twitter.


Regards,

--
Hitoshi Harada