Webcam Conferencing: the New Wave in Inexpensive Online Meetings | Video Conferencing

By TylerVaughn
Total views: 2
Word Count: 351

Tired of flying to meetings because email and phone calls weren't enough? Some of those meetings still need you there, but many can be replaced by webcam conferencing. Time to give webcam conferencing a try.

Some webcams are still pretty spendy (well over $200) but you can find a lot of good-quality webcams priced from $28-$80. I like the Logitech models and have found them to be easy to use for a good price.

Whatever you decide on, it should be a USB webcam. You'll plug it into your PC, run a quick installation, and you're ready to go! (See link in this article's resource box for webcam brands/prices.)

Using for Family:

For family use the easiest starting point is with instant messaging software (AOL Instant Messenger, Windows Live, Yahoo). It's free, easy to use, and chances are you have friends who already use it. Get a couple of your friends to practice with you and you'll be ready to roll.

Business Use:

Businesses don't use video messaging much yet. They tend stick to web conference software. Fortunately, the major vendors all support video streaming and will integrat with your webcam.

Using video in web conferencing isn't hard, but does require a little practice. You'll want to understand the software features before you host your first 'real' webcam conference. Hold a practice meeting or two with a friend.

Points to Remember:

First of all, remember to speak more slowly. Your videoconferencing software (i.e. the webcam video streaming) needs to be able to keep up with you. The Internet's gotten pretty fast, but not as fast as we speak. Speaking about a half beat slower than normal is a good recommendation for anyone giving a presentation - and it applies even more over the Internet

Be comfortable with your webcam features. If yours includes lighting adjustments or image enhancement you'll want to invest fifteen minutes to learn how it works. Use that free web conference trial to practice the various adjustments and decide what you like.

That's it! You're ready to join the webcam conferencing world.

About the Author

Tyler used web conferences while employed as a traveling consultant. Learn more about getting webcam conference free trials at his website.

You are here Articles > Technology > Video Conferencing