Conducting Video Conference Calls: Equipment & Software Required

by Jody Cafaro

An alternative to business travel is the video conference call. They are flexible and less expensive than business travel and help to lower costs and meet budget. Advanced technology has also introduced multi-user conference calls to the range of conference call services.

Since the objective any conference is to convey important information to participants, quality equipment is a must in order to achieve results. A camera, PC system, audio controls and software that provide basic camera functions are all necessary in order to make video conference calls. During each call, information and controls for the system are available on the monitors that are connected to the PC system.

Windows or Macintosh operating systems can support video conferencing programs. NetMeeting is the Windows based program whereby Macintosh users have iChat AV to make video conferencing calls. In addition, you can download other free software packages that are compatible with Windows and Macintosh.

Systems that are meant solely to provide conference call utilities are also available, and make the process more efficient by combining all of the necessary audio, visual and network systems into a single device. Portable devices are available for purchase by individual users while larger, less portable systems are also available to meet the needs of larger companies. It is not unheard of for large companies to designate entire rooms as video conferencing rooms that will not be used for any other purpose.

From the simple web-cam to a video conference call service that costs anywhere from fifteen thousand dollars, there are many different options available to the consumer and that will meet everyone’s individual needs.

Some more options to consider are the dedicated desktop-based hardware that single users usually purchase and costs anywhere from six hundred to three thousand dollars or just a software-based headset for a hundred dollars. Individuals choose headsets for personal calls and because they are effective at reducing echoes.

Participants of a small conference are usually connected thru a PC-based system that can cost anywhere from six to fourteen thousand dollars. Others that run over IP or ISDN and are relatively easy to set up are priced between three to twelve thousand dollars.

For meetings involving large groups of people, the equipment required for conference calls is expensive and may cost upwards of ten thousand dollars. Such conferences, which include video conferencing seminars or classes, typically require expensive multi-directional microphones. Often, directional microphones are placed at key locations in the room along with high-resolution cameras. Reliable microphone systems can cost as much as eight thousand dollars while each camera can cost up to two hundred dollars.

If anyone is intending to make use of conference call services, reliability, ease of use, connectivity and compatibility are all of the utmost importance. Purchase equipment that is reliable and can withstand frequent usage. Also, when purchasing your equipment and software, ensure that updates and maintenance services are readily available and can be easily obtained.

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