Conferencing - The Advantages of Video Conferencing

Conferencing and what are the advantages of Video Conferencing?

There was a time that people had to send messages via a telegram or through the post office to get their message across. The telephone changed all that when you simply have to call the other party. Now that we are in the digital age, we get to hear and also see the person and this is perhaps just one of the many advantages of video conferencing.

So what are the other advantages of video conferencing?
For one, it increases productivity. This happens as offices in various places are able to talk with one another to brainstorm and make fast decisions.

Second, video conferencing saves money because you don’t have to pay for the airfare or traveling expenses for one employee just to get the work done. Studies have shown that it reduces fatigue and stress brought about fro the travel so you don’t feel pressured when a job needs to be done there.

Very close to money is that video conferencing saves time. You don’t have to sit on an airplane or drive a certain distance just to meet someone when you can have the conversation in the boardroom and talking to the person on the other end as you seen them through the screen and hear them through the speakers.

Apart from the corporate world, educational institutions can also benefit from video conferencing as students who want to earn a degree through distance learning can use this medium. Instead of just listening to the lecture being given by the instructor, students will be able to ask questions thus enabling visual participation.

Video conferencing can also be used to transmit files and documents. There are companies that can provide what is known as real time information exchange so you don’t need to use the fax machine anymore or send these through email.

The healthcare industry can also use this technology to their advantage. This allows both the doctor and the patient to review the examinations that have been done and also send this information to colleagues in other places if the hospital or clinic where this was conducted does not have the proper facilities.

The law can also benefit from video conferencing as witnesses can give their statements before the court without compromising their safety. A good example of this was used a few years ago when some Afghans gave their testimony regarding a military inquiry into an alleged incident.

In all of these examples, you can see that it increase productivity and saves the user both time and money.

The only thing you need are the equipment to make this happen and the technical support that goes with it to make sure everything is working.

There are a lot of companies that provide this service. In fact, you can even download one into your computer as there are a few free services available like Yahoo messenger and Skype. Corporations on the other hand need something better as the free ones mentioned have limitations in what they can do for the person.

This new technology has evolved after years of research and development. Given that there are a lot of advantages associated with video conferencing, we have to make the most of it. If you haven’t tried it yet, perhaps conferencing especially video conferencing or web conferencing should be introduced where you work especially if it has offices in other states.

MegaMeeting a 100% browser based video and web conferencing service which requires no downloads.


MegaMeeting provides flexible web conferencing software, video chat server and webinar software wherein participants can communicate by voice, chat through instant messaging and view others through video conferencing.

Save on travel costs by having virtual meetings with clients, employees using MegaMeeting Video Conferencing, Web Conferencing.

MegaMeeting Video Conferencing allows up to 16 simultaneous video windows.

MegaMeeting is easy to use and at the same time extremely powerful that can be used by small/medium and large organizations.

MegaMeeting has low start up prices.

Try before you decide to buy MegaMeeting - Free Trial 30 Day Money Back Guarantee.

Online Video Conferencing

Online video conferencing can only work after you set up your computer with an Internet connection and a few other items. These include camera, microphone, speakers and teleconferencing software so you are able to talk to each other and send data files.


The ability of this technology to share data enables both sides to see the same thing and input revisions instantaneously. This is known as document sharing or collaboration that happens to be a standard feature in most online video conferencing packages today.

For those who want more than point to point document sharing, there is multi- point document sharing. This means having three or more participants work on the same thing all at once. The best part with point to point or multi-point is the fact that the users do not have to stop what they are doing during file transfers so they can carry on with the rest of their work.

Another feature with online video conferencing is real time chat. You may already be familiar with this if you have ever used IRC or yahoo messenger in the past as it allows you to send short text messages. If you are speaking to one party and have to respond to someone else, you can use this without cutting anyone off.

Similar to document sharing or collaboration is whiteboard. Here, you can share documents, edit texts, make graphical diagrams and a whole lot more. You can make corrections by clicking or writing something so everything is accurate.

Other features of online video conferencing programs include online directories, special dialing options, and address books. Again, this depends on the package you choose to get if your company is willing to invest in such a system.

The most expensive thing to buy when you are looking for an online video conferencing system is the audio and video system. This is because you want to see and hear the other person clearly. Also, the more expensive versions don’t use that much of your computer’s processor.

When searching for the ideal system, talk to different companies and providers. This will enable you to compare their prices and what comes with their packages.

The best part about online video conferencing is that it is easy to use after it has been installed. Just be sure that your processor surpasses the minimum requirement so the software is able to run properly without any glitches.

As for your network connection, make sure the company is using LAN (local area network) or a high speed cable modem. After all, you want to talk to the other party in real time as well as send and receive files.

Last but not the least is the online video conferencing software you will be using. If you choose one system, make sure it is compatible with those provided by other companies so there are no limitations to what you are using.

Surprisingly, compatibility issues extend to the hardware category as well so keep that in mind when you are shopping.

Online video conferencing allows you to work from different locations without having to pay for airfare and travel expenses that cost a company thousands of dollars a year.

The Aim of Video Conferencing

What is video conferencing?

There was a time we had to send a telegram so someone will receive our message. Eventually, the telephone was invented until we now have a web. As you can see, the development of technology has made it easier for us to communication which happens to be also the aim of video conferencing.


Video Conferencing is a technology that enables users to see and hear one another in real time so people can convey their message and get a response. For this to work, you will need a camera, microphone, speaker, a processor and the software. You can buy each one separately or get a set that offers this in one package.

The aim of video conferencing is different depending on what industry this will be used in. For instance, those in education use this medium to promote distance learning to those who can’t afford to attend regular classes to get a degree.

The justice department has used this to get the testimonies of witnesses so they no longer have to be brought to court to testify against a suspect. Hospitals use video conferencing to talk about the condition of a patient so something better can be done to help them recover from an injury or illness. While corporations use this medium to make business decisions.

Firms that conduct market research can tabulate the responses that have been given out by the respondents so the results will be released quickly.

Surely, you have heard of online dating. But video conferencing takes it another step forward as you get to see and talk to people that have potential instead of just reading their profile and looking at their picture.

Aside from talking, you can also do file sharing so two people can view the same document and make changes instantaneously. If something is unclear and you have to write it down, you can use the white board thus making this technology work for you as a virtual board room.

But in order for more people to enjoy video conferencing, more research has to be done to make it better than it was before. You have to remember that 10 years ago there were not that many people who were interested in getting it because it was too expensive to purchase. Now, you can get a reasonable package for less than $10,000 and use it as often as you need.

Just to show you how far video conferencing has gone, people can now use it to playback previous sessions, browse the web, send SMS messages and view slide presentations.

Regardless of how it is used, the aim of video conferencing is still the same and that is to get in touch with someone that could be in another state or country. It builds and fosters relationships, increases productivity and reduces the cost often incurred when an employee has to travel on a business trip that costs the company money.

Given that it video conferencing has benefits those who have not taken advantage of this technology must do so but this can only happen if they are able to determine the aim of video conferencing that is applicable to their setting.

The Definition of Video Conferencing

The definition of video conferencing is simple. This allows two parties to talk with one another and send data. The system enables you to see and hear the other person which is as some say, the high tech version of using the telephone.

Video conferencing can be used for a lot of things. Private corporations can use it to make their employees more productive, schools can use it to train students who can’t come to school and can only learn through distance education, build relationships with people you have never seen for a long time and so forth.

If you think that video conferencing goes from just one point to another, you are mistaken as you can talk to others at the same time. This enables you to spread your message globally and get to see who you are talking to.

Perhaps the beauty of video conferencing is the ability to communicate with others in real time. It is like watching the news as it happens but this can only happen if you use a higher bandwidth so the feed is not interrupted.

You will also need a higher compression system to transmit and receive which also varies depending on the kind of system that you will be getting.

But in general, video conferencing itself takes places in the internet from PC to PC. You don’t have to buy an expensive one if you are using this at home. All you need is a camera, a microphone, a modem and the software that can easily be downloaded for free from the web.

There are two types of video conferencing systems. The first is called proprietary and the is standards based.

If you choose to use proprietary, applications can only work through a single vendor since it can only be accessed through closed API’s. This means that it is not compatible with the applications of other vendors. The standard on the other hand is more flexible making it better to use compared to the latter.

The network connection is done through a integrated digital services network (ISDN) or through Internet protocol (IP) lines. ISDN is very common in Europe because it is much easier and less complex than the IP’s but those of us who live across the Atlantic think differently.

Many of us see that using this network connection is more convenient because you are assigned your own IP address so you are sure that information that is sent or received is secure.

You just have to get one from your internet service provider (ISP) so this can be made. You then hand this over to the other party that you will be talking to or vice versa so you can get in touch with one another.

The definition of video conferencing is simple and it is new way of talking to another person or party since you don’t only hear them but also get to see how they look like.