Video Conferencing - How to?

05 februari 2013

Video conferencing is becoming easier and has become increasingly successful in everyday business.

There is a good reason for this: video conferencing in 2013 requires actually no more investments.

Let me show you some tools.

Skype Group Video Calling

As you may know, with Skype Group Video Calling several people can meet trough webcam at once. For this, one of the participants needs an paid Skype Premium Account (€ 6.99 / month or € 42/year): the others can participate with their free Skype account.

In principle, up to ten people, but they do have the Skype software installed on their computer.

But Skype uses a number of limits – up to 100 hours a month, 10 hours a day and 4 hours video call – but I think this is quite acceptable. Caution! Who joins with his mobile phone to a video conference through Skype Group Calling will participate, only through voice without picture until further notice. (for some reason)

Google+ Hangouts

Also through Google+, the social network from Google, you can meet through webcam. After creating a free Google Account (or simply login with your Gmail account), you can add other people (through friends) and assign them to certain “groups”, like colleagues, customers, suppliers, …

Then select in the left menu bar (under the drop down button More) option Hangouts and then click Start a hangout. You may need to install a quick plug-in and you can get started.

Unlike Skype, video conferencing group meeting with Google+ is totally free (up to ten persons): the only requirement is that each participant has an Gmail or Google Account.

During a meeting, you can also chat with each other, share Google Docs, work on the Docs, share (a part of) your screen with the others and watch YouTube videos together. Also participation from a mobile device is possible.