Web-Based Videoconferencing on the Cheap

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At the core of this solution are two freeware P2P programs, Google Talk and Skype 2.0. Both use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. With Google Talk, users can speak with anyone else who has the Google Talk program running on their system. With Skype 2.0, you also get live video. Both free programs have just two requirements: an Internet connection and the client software running on both systems.

But both of these two freeware programs have a serious limitation: They're limited to conferences of no more than two people. Enter a new, easy-to-use freeware program called Festoon. Festoon runs an additional application layer that integrates either the Skype or Google Talk interfaces (or both), enabling videoconferencing for groups of up to five people. In this way, Festoon overcomes both Skype 2.0's inability to videoconference more than two people, and Google Talk's inability to play video at all. Even better, Festoon's video quality is terrific.

This Festoon solution is also free—almost. You will need to pay for one important component: a webcam. The good news is, webcams have gotten cheap. You can find a decent camera for as little as $24.

If your customer requires higher-quality, enterprise videoconferencing along the lines of WebEx, there's another low-cost solution: VSee, from start-up VSee Lab. I'll get to VSee later in this Recipe. But first, let's get started with the Festoon freeware.

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Choosing and Setting Up the Festoon Webcam

To get started with Festoon videoconferencing, you'll need a PC running Windows XP, a webcam (including headphones and a microphone), either the Skype or Google Talk software, and a copy of Festoon.

Let's start with the camera. Basically, there are two ways to go: You can either choose a simple webcam, like the Logitech QuickCam Chat, which retails for $24 on Amazon. Or you can opt for something with all the bells and whistles, like Creative's WebCam Live! Motion or Logitech's QuickCam Orbit MP; both retail for about $130. The extra money gets you higher resolution (1.3 megapixels); higher frame rates (30 frames per second, or fps); and built-in rotation servos (with motorized intelligence), which can actually follow a user's face around the room, then zoom in once they settle down. Other features of the more expensive webcams include auto-focus, auto-adjust for lighting conditions, and wider-angle lenses.

Both Creative and Logitech also offer small versions of their webcams that clip onto the edge of a laptop screen. For this Recipe, I tested both the Logitech QuickCam for Notebooks Pro and the Creative Live! Ultra for Notebooks. Both have 1.3-megapixel lenses, frame rates of 30 fps, and face-tracking software. I found that the Creative camera clipped onto the notebook a little more securely and easily than the Logitech.

No matter which webcam you choose, the unit should come with a set-up disc. You'll need to run this CD before connecting the webcam's connector to a USB port on the computer. Installation is essentially the same for all cameras. The installation software guides you through the required steps quickly and easily.

After the webcam drivers and software are installed from the disc, you'll be prompted to plug the webcam into an available USB jack on the PC, as shown here:

Next, insert the headphone and microphone connectors—both should be included with the webcam package—into the jacks on the computer, as depicted here:

Remove the installation disc, and you're done installing the webcam. Let's move on to the conferencing software. Setting Up an Account with Skype or Google Talk

Next, you need to set up an account on either Skype or Google Talk for each user that will participate in the conference calls. Again, both downloads are free.

While you can use either Skype or Google Talk, I recommend that you install both on the systems you're working on. This will ensure that your customers can connect with others who have either one installed on their own systems.

For Skype 2.0, you'll need to head over to this download page. It looks like this:

Click Run on the install dialogue box that pops up. You'll be guided through the rest of the install process, which begins as shown here:

If you prefer to use Google Talk instead, or you're going to take my advice and download both packages, go to the Google Talk download page, which looks like this:

Click Run on the install dialogue box that pops up, and you'll be guided through the rest of the install process. It begins as shown here:

By the way, if your customers have friends or associates who already use Skype and Google Talk, Festoon will manage both programs in one spot on its interface. Let's take a look. Installing and Setting Up the Festoon Utility

Festoon is a free utility from Santa Cruz Networks, and it does not require a hosted server. Festoon essentially integrates Skype and Google Talk voice (and instant-messaging solutions) into one interface, then adds videoconferencing capability. I'm told that support for AOL's AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, and MSN IM products will be available shortly.

Again, you can get by with either just Skype or Google Talk. But the big selling point of Festoon is that it can integrate both of these packages—and that it provides a single interface point for conferencing with an outside party. This is especially handy if you follow my recommendation and install both Skype and Google Talk on the systems.

Once you have installed Skype and/or Google Talk on the systems, head over to the main Festoon site to download the utility. Sometimes the program is called Festoon Beta or Festoon Unity; but for this Recipe, I'll simply call it Festoon.

Festoon's system requirements call for a PC with an 800 MHz or better processor, Windows XP or 2000, and Internet Explorer 5.0 or later. The system must also be set up with a Skype and/or Google Talk account.

The install process for Festoon is simple. First, download the program onto the customer's PC from the Festoon site, as shown here:

When the following download dialogue box comes up, click Run:

After you launch the program, Festoon will gather the user's contacts from Google Talk and Skype. The software keeps these contacts readily available in the Festoon interface, so the user won't have to go back to Google Talk or Skype to initiate calls. For this reason, Skype and/or Google Talk need to be running in the background. If you see their icons in your taskbar, they're running.

Starting a Festoon Call

To start a Festoon videoconference session (or "call"), double-click the smiley face icon that's in your system tray, which looks like this:

Up pops the Festoon interface, as shown here:

Next, you can choose to start either a Skype call or a Google Talk call. Choose a tab. For Google Talk, the user will need to sign in with their username and password, as shown here:

To invite people to the call, place checkmarks in the boxes by clicking them. If they're online (and running Festoon), you'll see their status in the window, as depicted here:

If you're "calling" someone via Google Talk, the person receiving the call will see a screen pop up in their browser, as shown in this screen shot:

Festoon will make the connection once they click on the "Join the call" link.

With Skype, the interface will pop up with a Web link in the IM window, as shown here:

Once the person clicks on the "I have Festoon on this computer" link, they are placed into conference. After all the necessary parties have clicked on the appropriate links, the Festoon videoconference session begins.

Close the Skype and/or Google Talk regular windows, and keep the Festoon window open so you don't get a bothersome echo. At one point during testing, I did get an echo, but at another point, I didn't. Quirky.

Festoon provides video capability, so it's okay if the system is running an older version of Skype that lacks video capability. During a call, the Festoon interface should look like this:


Installing and Setting Up the VSee Program

For more demanding customers, I recommend a simple but powerful videoconferencing interface called VSee. VSee lets the user videoconference directly using the core program. There are two versions: The Professional edition handles up to six participants, while the Scientific Edition handles as many as 100—though it requires more than the average DSL bandwidth. The Scientific Edition also offers higher screen resolution (720 x 480 pixels) than the Professional version (320 x 240).

VSee Lab offers a 30-day trial shareware version of VSee, which I recommend you start with. After that, the company offers the VSee Professional Edition for $75 a month for commercial users, and $39 a month for educational and non-profit organizations. If you need the Scientific Edition, write the company for pricing information: [email protected].

VSee uses about half the bandwidth of a Skype or Google Talk videoconference (run via Festoon). This will make a big difference to your large enterprise customers, especially if they deploy the Scientific Edition. The VSee product also offers most of the advanced functionality you'd expect from an expensive videoconferencing solution like WebEx, including the ability to edit, annotate and share applications, documents and movies. VSee also lets you pan, tilt and zoom remote cameras by simply dragging a graphical fist across the video image (similar to Adobe's Acrobat). Finally, there's a record function for taping sessions and various other settings for video quality, frame rates and sizes. Powerful stuff.

Note: VSee is not compatible with Festoon, Skype or Google Talk (or any combination thereof). This means you'll need to install the VSee software on all prospective participants' systems in order to videoconference.

To get started with VSee, go to the VSee Lab site and download the software. I'm assuming you'll want to test the 30-day shareware version. If you want to go straight for either the Professional or Scientific editons, you'll need to contact the company directly.

If you don't see the Start VSee button, click on "here" where it says "click here." In any event, the screen should look like this:

Next, where it says "first time user, run vsee.exe to enhance your browser," click on the link to vsee.exe. This will run the program called "vsee.exe," which is necessary to set up an account. The whole process is a little unorthodox, but it will get you there. Once you're set with an account, the VSee screen should look like this:

You can go back to the main VSee Lab site at any time and start calls by entering participants' names into the Google-like box.

All participating parties must have a VSee account. If they're not familiar with VSee, you'll need to take them through that process, as shown above. But after that, simply type their VSee usernames into the box, and your session will begin immediately.

Although VSee recommends systems with a 2.4-GHz processor or better, I had it running just fine on a 1-GHz machine that was videoconferencing with a 1.1-GHz system and two 2.4-GHz machines. With a standard DSL or cable connection, you can conference up to six people. In my tests, five teleconferenced locations worked great. Here's an actual screenshot from the session:

So, with low-cost equipment and free (or inexpensive) software, you can offer your customers high-quality, multi-participant videoconferencing. The software and peripherals are easy to install, and the quality and reliability of the videoconferences are impressive. Creative system builders might even consider charging extra fees for training and troubleshooting as needed.

PHIL DUNN is a writer and strategic consultant. He is co-author of a book, The 7 Essential Steps to Successful eBay Marketing (McGraw-Hill, 2005). Phil also writes an eBay marketing blog and a blog on marketing writing.