Friday, July 2, 2010

Convenience of Audio-Video

There is no doubt that audio-video conferencing software is a useful tool that brings people together. It is a convenient way to hold meetings and quickly get everyone in quickly in with each other. Investing in this software can be costly, though, and smaller companies just starting up might want to go for free audio-video conferencing software instead.

Free audio-video conferencing software is available in a number of web sites offering free software to download. Usually, these will be under the technical software category.

Once you find the software you are looking for, make sure you check it out before downloading. There are a number of things to give thought to. First, check if there are regulations on who can use the software. Make sure a whole organization is allowed to use it.

Then you have to research if the product is safe. You don't want to introduce a virus or spyware into your network, that's for sure. Take note of the product reviews and forum posts about the software. Get an idea of what others have to say about it.

If all is well then it's time to read about its limitations. How many people can join the conference? What can it do? Does it have other features like a chat interface, etc…? The product description is posted in the same page where you can click the link to download it.

Finally, make sure that your existing hardware can run the audio-video conferencing software. What are the hardware and operating system requirements?

If the size of the software is large, you might want to delay downloading the software until the end of the office day. Download time might range from a couple of minutes to a few hours so check it out.

If you chose trial software then beware. You might get used to using it but when the trial period expires, it could cause headaches on your part.

If your company really needs audio-video conferencing software, why not think of purchasing it instead? After all, even with the added expense, it could cause savings in other areas such as operating expenses and travel.

Perfect Audio Video

Audio-video conferencing software has become a common office tool for organizations striving to keep connected as their offices become more dispersed. Software of this caliber can be very expensive but smaller companies can take advantage of the free audio-video conferencing tools that can be found online. To search for free audio-video conferencing software, visit web sites that provide free downloads. This type of software most likely is under the 'Technical Software' category.

Once you find what you are looking for, be sure to keep these tips in mind before downloading it. Read on how the audio-video conferencing software can be used. Most of the time, as it is free, there will be some technical limitations such as the number of participants who can join the conference.

Another important thing to do before downloading is to make sure the software is safe and reliable. Read about reviews and ratings for the software. Take note of the comments made by users in forums.

Read the description that comes with the software. You'll probably also get an idea about its limitations which can help you decide whether it's a viable solution to your needs or not.

You'll want to know it is compatible with your operating system and the hardware requirements needed to run it, too. You'll obviously need a microphone and a webcam but a lot of office computers lack these. Check if you can still use this software even if these are missing.

It's good to know how long it will take to download the software too. If will take a while, then you can download it overnight instead.

If it is a sampler, then most likely it will have a time limit. If you and your team need to use this software beyond it's trial period, it might cause problems once it cannot be run anymore. If audio video conferencing is an essential tool for your organization, then it might be wise to just invest in a small scale and more affordable software rather than go for free trial software.

Video Conferencing

Back in the day, to have a meeting you had to ensure that all participants could be at a proposed spot at the same time on the same day. They had to be ready to go and get business done. This could easily take up half of a day. Thankfully that is no longer the case.

Now, meetings are much easier both to host and to attend. They're not as boring and dull, and they are also quicker. This is all thanks to something called audio conferencing.

Sometimes audio conferencing is called teleconferencing, or teleseminar. This is a method for holding conferences via technology, generally through telephone or computer.

More than five people can all be ‘together' in a meeting, with each person attending from a remote location. This is because it can be held by a simple device being attached to a phone.

This is the biggest advantage to this meeting technique. If you have access to a phone, you can be part of a audio conference. You don't have to be on site. Because of that, you don't have to look business ready. You can be at home, even, and still ‘make it' to the meeting.

Obviously there are great applications for this technology. One huge one is the ability for businesspeople who have to travel from the home office to still be present for urgent meetings. If the boss is away, he or she doesn't have to be out of the loop. People who need to work from home can also attend meetings this way.

While most of the time audio conferencing is used for work, it isn't solely limited to that use. People also use the technology to chat with family and friends who are in different locations of the country, or even in different countries entirely!

It works easily so long as a few guidelines are met. One important one is for all participants to have the correct time for the conference and the correct dial in number. Without these, they will not be able to participate. It's also important for participants to know what the meeting will be about before it starts, so they can come prepared. Audio conference meetings should not be allowed to drag on.