Moodle in English: Video and audio conferencing

Video and audio conferencing

by Martin Dougiamas - Tuesday, 13 January 2004, 4:22 PM

I'm a bit of crusty old sod when it comes to playing with net tech, and free conferencing software has always been more "wow it's working, sort of" than "this is really usable".

However, I recently did a little test of two newish Windows-based software packages from my home in Australia to Canada (with John Captain) and was very impressed with their quality : "wow it works well enough that I can forget about the technology and just talk".

I'm posting this here because I think this is an important component of good online teaching, not necessarily as something you'd do all the time, but as a way to learn about who your students are to give the forum postings more context.

Eyeball Chat worked very well with a simple interface, good video, good sound, and no issues with my NAT firewall. The sound delay from Australia to Canada was about two seconds, which was not too bad once you go used to it. It might be less over shorter distances - I haven't tried yet.
We also tried Skype for a voice-only chat and that was amazingly great sound quality with hardly any delay (half a second, I reckon). Really really good - better than a telephone. Again, the setup was trivial - it just works.

I highly recommend either of these to anyone wanting to do a little conferencing over the net. Both are leap forward in usability from the old generation that included NetMeeting and Cu-SeeMe. If you do any more tests, especialy over slower lines (I'm on 512/128 ADSL) please post your experiences here.

Finally, they are safe downloads: I scanned them both for spyware and other malicious passengers and they came up clean.

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by John Gone - Tuesday, 13 January 2004, 5:07 PM

It was a pleasure speaking with you Martin, and a very cool way to end the day. I'm still pretty much wide awake. big grin

Videoconference via Eyeball Chat: I cannot believe how easy it was to set this up and I'm blown away by the quality of the signals during the videoconference, both video and audio! The video was beyond acceptable++, more than adequate. The delay was minimal and I was getting used to it by the end of the video part of the trial. The audio was fine.

Audio conference via Skype: I think the quality was better than a telephone line and amazing considering this was Australia <-> Canada ! Nothing more to say, I'm blown away.I mentioned to Martin that I was using a generic $2 microphone so wondered about quality. Not an issue apparently. I will be dis-continuing my monthly long-distance package with the phone company as it's no longer required! Everyone I talk to long-distance can install Skype.

The setup: Both Eyeball Chat & Skype were 2 click affairs, all software should be this easy. My Mom could even install and use this!

Summary: I'm buying a good webcam today, combing my hair and cleaning up my office! The future's here and it looks fine to me!

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Graham Stone - Wednesday, 14 January 2004, 11:08 PM

In future versions of Moodle will people be able to chat using these latest technologies because this is definately the way forward. cool

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Thomas Robb - Tuesday, 13 January 2004, 6:08 PM

Unfortunately, both Eyeball Chat and Skype work on Windows only. Will there ever be a version for 'the rest of us', I wonder...

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Tom Murdock - Tuesday, 13 January 2004, 7:39 PM

The AV iChat that is packaged with all new Macs is really beautiful and stable, but it requires broadband, firewire camera, and Panther OS X.

With all of those requirements, the fact that the AV iChat is bundled free seems less like a real steal...

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Martin Dougiamas - Tuesday, 13 January 2004, 8:23 PM

Yes, it is a shame they aren't more cross-platform. After a long search I was just happy to find stuff that worked so well on at least one of my firewalled machines!

However, Eyeball can talk to Yahoo Messenger, and there is a Mac client for that ... someone want to give it a try?

The best one I found for Linux was GnomeMeeting, though I don't have a video card on my Linux box that I can plug my firewire handycam into so I can try it out. I wonder if it's compatible enough to work with Eyeball.

My OS X laptop doesn't have Panther on it, so that rules out iChat AV (and even then you can only talk to others using iChat AV).

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Lynne Barkett - Wednesday, 14 January 2004, 10:51 PM

I've used the video in Yahoo Messenger on OSX. It's, um -- can we use profanity on this board? If you use any sort of NAT, you get one frame per second. I've found no one who has found any workaround, it's not as simple as opening ports, apparently the ip address is attached to each packet.

I used to use Broadcaster (Apple software, Mac only) for videochat and there was about a one second delay to England (I'm in North America). You get used to it and learn to talk around it. However, iChat has NO DELAY. The vid is a bit watery, blurry, but full motion and the audio is continuous.

Yeah, I am REALLY hoping Apple releases it for the unwashed masses. The only people I video chat with are other Mac users, but iChat is really great.

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by John Concilus - Monday, 8 March 2004, 12:43 PM

I've used iVisit (Windows & Mac) for years, as I live in a remote place where the phones don't always work...but the Internet is by satellite

It has video, audio chat, and text chat window. The new version ( couple weeks old?) has a shared whiteboard , and a way to share files in a group, like PowerPoint presentations and so on.

When I travel my wife and each use a firewire cam and headset to catch up on the day's events rather than telephone. I have used this many times with folks in other countries with great results.

http://www.ivisit.info

I've used iChat, but am frankly underwhelmed. Most Mac software these days is very flexible, but iChat doesn't play well with other applications at all, has only limited camera support, and all the video is reversed image .

Regards,

JTC...in the Bering Sea

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Ray Lawrence - Monday, 22 March 2004, 7:21 AM

Just a quick post to share my experince with Skype.

Easy to install

Easy to set up if familiar with chat/MSN type programs.

It just works! Cheap headsets - no problem.

Can now converse for free wth daughter at university.

Comments:

Need to find way of having headset and speakers on single soundcard.

USB phone might help, but at 40 GBP each decided not to try at present.

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Robin Good - Monday, 22 March 2004, 3:18 PM

Ray,

to solve your issue about having speakers and headset on the same audio output plug please see this inexpensive solution: http://tinyurl.com/2yhmk

Audio jack splitter to connect two headsets or one headset and a pair of speakers to your computer audio

I use it myself and I find it extremely useful.

(One good alternative is http://tinyurl.com/3c4bw )

In my case though, I much prefer to use a headset that integrates a mike, otherwise when I am doing VoIP or videoconferencing, the speakers will feed back into the mike creating both an echo and a fastidious disturbance for my listeners. On the other hand, I use the audio splitter referenced above to let one other person listen (and talk) in on my session by connectiong two sets of headsets to this plug on my laptop.

Let me know if this solves your need!

All the best,

Robin Good

What Communication Experts Need To Know
http://www.masternewmedia.org/

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Ray Lawrence - Monday, 22 March 2004, 5:08 PM

Hi Robin,

I'm using headsets too. The main issue I have is hearing the ring sound on speakers when someone is trying to reach me (I don't have a speacker in the PC either). I anticipate I'll turn the speakers off when talking because of the feedback issue.

I'll be trying to source a splitter today.

Do you know of experiences with USB phones/headsets? I decided not to buy a USB headset as they are about 25 GBP each at present and the idea of using Skype is to save money rather than spend a lot (my headsets were 6 GBP each, you can buy cheaper). I've seen USB/RJ11 convertors on US sites but have been unable to find on in the UK, I'm not sure if you'd need some droviers of some description to make a standard phone work with on of these.

Ray

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Thomas Reichl - Saturday, 23 October 2004, 12:41 PM

iChat AV works with AIM video now I am told.That could probably mean good quality videoconferecing between mac and windows.

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by John Gone - Friday, 16 January 2004, 10:47 PM

With the prices dropping on components it's easier to install large, fast, drives. This makes it practical to have a dual boot system even on an older unit as drive space is plentiful. I'm just curious as to why more people don't use dual boot to have the best of both worlds. This is being asked from the rookie point of view.

Is it just a severe allergy to Windows or something more practical?

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Lynne Barkett - Saturday, 17 January 2004, 12:05 AM

It's because it's a PITA to keep rebooting to switch operating systems.

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Vu Do Quynh - Sunday, 7 November 2004, 8:54 AM

Skype is multi-platform : it also works with Linux, Mac OS X and Pocket-PC
Eyeballchat is only for Windows

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Richard Treves - Tuesday, 13 January 2004, 7:26 PM

In a previous job with the Open University I played around with a bit of software called Lyceum. It allowed users to talk to each other at the same time and share a white board and chat

Lyceum isn't available outside the OU and I've been watching to see if some similar shareware appeared. IMHO video isn't that important but the whiteboard and share application parts of Netmeeting were very useful in a teaching situation. Anyone know of a bit of software that fulfills those needs?

If anyone is interested, my experience taught me that in voice conferencing strong structuring of sessions was important - it goes against the grain with me to be a directive teacher (i.e. leading the session strongly) but I found it necessary using this medium otherwise users got confused and lost the plot.

Cheers

Richard

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Dr. Ali Abureesh - Monday, 19 January 2004, 1:58 PM

Hi guys,

Check this site. It has many nice options for Video and audio conferencing. I hope you will find it useful.

http://www.masternewmedia.org/index.html

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Martin Dougiamas - Monday, 19 January 2004, 3:45 PM

Thanks - found a few promising things to try: NeosMT Visivoice and iVisit (not recommendations - I haven't tried them yet)

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Lynne Barkett - Thursday, 22 January 2004, 1:27 AM

I've got a fair amount of experience with videoconferencing. By far the best I've seen is iChat, but it will need to be Windows compatible before it is practical for most people.

iVisit is still the best choice for multiple user chats. iSpQ's interface still sucks. With iViz, you can open whichever video windows you want and rearrange them on your desktop. iSpQ tiles them for you, and I believe there is a limit of 4 users in a "room." iViz still has a free client and it is available for Mac & Windows. The open source GnomeMeeting requires a fair amount of technical skill to install.

I haven't used the audio in iVisit recently. It was pretty abominable on the OSX client when that client was released, and since I've had iChat, and really only chat with one person these days, there wasn't much reason to bother with iViz. I've never thought the iViz windows client was as nice as the Mac version, but they do both WORK and talk to each other.

Most of the other apps out there -- NetMeeting, Eyeball chat, etc. -- are for one-to-one connections. iViz handles one-to-one and rooms. Audio does not work well in a chatroom environment yet. The bandwidth is one issue, and just figuring out who is talking to whom is another. Remember CB radios? While it is not polite, in a physical room, one can speak louder to be heard. When two people try to talk at the same time in a chat room, you likely won't be able to understand either one.

Another really fun visual chat environment is the Palace. It's dead, but not gone. This is not video -- you use an avatar. You can also use props and rooms can have behaviors -- doors, scripts, pop-ups. Whatever you say shows up in a thought bubble next to your avatar. There is also a chat window that shows everything being said. You have to try it to understand. I used it for a pilot online support group for people with arthritis (at the National Arthritis Foundation) in 1997. Aside from the obvious stupidity of people with arthritis having to type, every participant loved it. You can move your avatar around the room, hand things to people, zap them with ray guns, be Judy Jetson if you want, you can draw on the walls, etc. All of it -- servers and clients -- is free. It's cross platform, too, and even has a java client.

I did discover very quickly that about 60% of the male population considers "Can I see your tits?" to be a proper greeting (to a female) in a videochat environment. Just a warning.

Hope all this rambling helps. I actually do recommend iVisit if you want to try to build some real-time community into your distance learning programs.

Lynne, who is a bit of an iViz legend...

Average of ratings: Useful (1)

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Robin Good - Friday, 27 February 2004, 12:11 AM

Hi,

To find out the best web and video conferencing tools that work across Macs and PCs you can check out:

1) http://www.tinyurl.com/yvdfk

2) http://www.tinyurl.com/2jvua

3) http://www.tinyurl.com/k7eu

4) http://www.tinyurl.com/mzv1

But if you have the bandwidth to support let me tell you which is the really best secret about PC to Mac video and web conferencing. This is the ONLY videoconferencing product that Apple USA has jsu signed an exclusive to resell directly. It's called Marratech Pro and it runs wonderfully on anything from an ADSL up. It integrates whiteboarding, co-editing, auido and video and room for up to 10-15 people which offer the highest level of collaboration. Go check out their solution and try it now by loggin with a friend at one of their free open demo rooms at www.emeetingportal.com. (Review here)

Cheers to all and kudos for Moodle. It looks like a very promising tool.

Robin Good

http://www.Kolabora.com
The Online Collaboration Authority

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Richard Treves - Tuesday, 30 March 2004, 1:34 AM

Apparently Athabasca University did a study of free VoIP tools and yahoo messenger came out top.

Just been watching (listening? reading? constructivist-learning? ) martin on Learning times, Elluminate looks fantastic, but THOUSANDS of dollars a year in fees...

>>sigh<<

why isn't there something as OS free and great as moodle for everything I'm interested in? big grin

Richard

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Robin Good - Tuesday, 30 March 2004, 3:21 PM

Richard,

let me understand better what you are looking for and let'see if there is really no hope left for you.

You want a Moodle that also integrates audio and videoconferencing? Is that it?
If that is it, then you need to combine some different communication and collaboration components together, but I doubt that YM is the best performing one. Is this research they have done accessible?

If that is not what you are looking for, then let me know what it is, and I will do my best to help out.

Cheers,

Robin Good

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Richard Treves - Tuesday, 30 March 2004, 9:46 PM

Hi Robin,

Thanks for your offer. I thought a wish list would help:

Must have:

synchronous multi user audio, whiteboard, chat, simple to use, robust, go through firewalls.

Would help if it did:

desktop sharing, integration with moodle, voting, session recording, video.

Elluminate (using java) seemed to meet all these pretty much, although I suspect that something based on Flash comms server would be more firewall resistant since it works on .swf files (I believe).

I heard the Athabasta quote re 'Yahoo messenger' on a Learning Times presentation (not Martins) but I haven't followed it up with a web search, given the postings on moodle it surprised me as well.

Any advice would be gratefully recieved,

Richard

Average of ratings: -

Cost-Effective Video and Audio Conferencing

by Robin Good - Thursday, 1 April 2004, 2:02 AM

Must have features:
a) synchronous multi user audio,
b) whiteboard,
c) text chat,
d) simple to use, robust,
e) firewall-friendly.

Here a couple of ideas that will leave you with an excellent solution that won't brea your wallet:

1) Convoq ASAP - $ 149.95/year - unlimited mettings up to 25 users
It integrates VoIP, video, presentation facilities with annotation tools, screen sharing and file distribution. Cross-platform, firewall-friendly, based on Flash Communication Server.
http://www.convoq.com/

2) Voxwire + Groupboard - apx. $ 55/month - unlimited meetings of 15-20 users
Voxwire offers the best VoIP in the industry and Groupboard has a robust multi-user interactive whiteboard.(PC only)
http://www.voxwire.com/ http://www.groupboard.com/

Nice to have features:
a) desktop sharing,
b) voting,
c) session recording,
d) video
and
integration with moodle,

1) Linktivity WebDemo - $ 2,399 (this is less than one year subscription to Elluminate for 3 people!) for one-time license 5 concurrent users, unlimited meetings. It integrates stellar desktop sharing, remote control, VoIP, videoconferencing, file sharing and document management, polling/voting and recording. (PC only)
http://www.linktivity.com/

2) iVocalize + Glance - apx. $ 50/month for unlimited meetings 15 users - it integrates excellent VoIP, integrated recording and polling. Glance offers one-click screen sharing. (video not included) (PC only)
http://www.iVocalize.com + http://www.glance.com/

3) VoiceCafe OfficeMaster - $ 130/monthly - 10 seats
It integrates whiteboard, video, VoIP, polling/voting and desktop sharing.(PC only)
http://www.voicecafe.com/

Though none of the above comes free, the price-effectiveness of the above tools is startling, opening up access to these technologies to most people. I hope some of you find this helpful. I am also available to answer any questions on the above as I have personally tested and used all of the above technologies.

Robin Good

What Communication Experts Must Know
http://www.masternewmedia.org/

Average of ratings: -

Re: Cost-Effective Video and Audio Conferencing

by Richard Treves - Thursday, 1 April 2004, 5:20 PM

Hi Robin,

Thats fantastic! wide eyes Thanks a lot.

ASAP looks very cheap for what it seems to offer, any idea how they manage to offer that service at less than $20 per month?

Richard

Average of ratings: -

Re: Cost-Effective Video and Audio Conferencing

by David Vreeken - Monday, 17 May 2004, 4:21 PM

I played with a lot of the the VOIP applications when I was travelling and, apart from bandwidth, found that the biggest factor that influenced the quality of the calls was a decent headset. I bought an expensive Plantronics headset iwth microphone and volume, mute buttons on the cable and have never looked back.

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Ian Usher - Monday, 28 June 2004, 8:38 PM

We're considering using Macromedia Breeze as it's more or less platform independent. It (unsurprisingly) works through the Flash plugin and can do all sorts of things...

Application / desktop sharing
Whiteboarding
Video conferencing
etc. etc. etc.

I think there is lots of potential for this. It's server based - i.e. you buy a server and place Breeze on it, but here's some interesting potential...

The Breeze plugin for Powerpoint allows ppt files to be converted into Flash - I'm aware this is do-able through OpenOffice and others - but it's possible to add an audio track to each slide, check comprehension using quizzes etc. - and all of these are delivered through the Flash player. Answers from the quizzes can be stored in a database, which allows for user tracking etc. - sound familiar?

Also, the video conference or online lecture itself can be archived (yes, in Flash) and accessed later on. There's an optional SCORM module to save the activity in a compliant format which in my mind means that I could deliver online 'lectures' / 'lessons' through Moodle...

I may get v excited about this. Warning, it ain't cheap...

Anyone else thinking of doing this Moodle / Breeze link up? Email me!

http://www.macromedia.com/software/breeze/

Average of ratings: -

Re: Video and audio conferencing

by Sean Keogh - Tuesday, 29 June 2004, 5:28 PM

I was very excited about Breeze when I heard about it...my assistant has just been to an accessibility conference and saw it demonstrated there.

Then I found out how much it costs. EEEK!

For us, it would cost approximately the same as my entire annual IT budget.

Sean Beardie

Average of ratings: -