Instructional Video News

Video Conferencing Setup 101

With the rising price of oil in the world market, companies have to cut down on certain expenses in order to show a profit. You can cut down the number of times that an employee travels on business trips and instead have a video conferencing facility setup that accomplishes the same objective.

But how do you setup video conferencing? The easiest way of saying it is simply by buying the equipment, having it installed and letting someone in the office take care of it. But it is not that simple. There are things you have to aware of first so you are able to purchase the right system.

Let’s first talk about the devices that are used to make this work. There are three types namely desktop, small group and learn group. Naturally, the prices of each one varies but the common denominator is the fact that they can be used over ISDN or IP.

When you have chosen which of the three you want, the next hurdle is to work on the bandwidth. A T-1 for instance fives you only one line of communication. What if you need to speak with different offices simultaneously? For that you will need a T-3 or higher.

If you are having problems with your IP network since it is not able to handle the additional traffic, the best thing for you to do is to get circuit switched networks or to deploy additional IP bandwidth capacity.

Earlier, we mentioned ISDN and IP networks. What is the difference? ISDN stands for integrated services digital network. IP on the other hand stands for Internet protocol.

Video conferencing through ISDN happens as you are able to integrate both analog or voice data together with digital data over the same network. This means you are able to encompass frame relay service for high speed data in large bursts.

This can also be done using your IP network which is very similar to how you are able to browse the web. In the US, more people use IP’s compared to ISDN but in Europe, this is the exact opposite because it happens to be much cheaper than IP’s.

When you are budgeting how much will be needed for video teleconferencing setup, you have to break down the fixed acquisition costs from the recurring costs. The fixed cost depends largely on how many units you will be ordering. There is also the license that you have to get that is $250 to $40,000 each and if you are a very large company, you might just exceed $100,000 per package since you also have to consider the hardware and software components needed.

Is it worth all that just to have video conferencing? A lot of people say yes because their employees are more productive, decisions are made quickly and the company saves money.

In fact, private companies are not the only one using it as the government, the education and the healthcare sector have also taken advantage of this to conduct hearings, teach children and help patients.

If you want to know more about video teleconferencing setup and how much it will cost, go look for vendors and ask them for an estimate. After comparing the quotes from various companies, surely you can find the right one that fits within your budget.

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. If you are not sure yet about getting such a system, you can check out venues that offer this kind of service.

Soar High With Media Sponsorship

One integral part of creating the right kind of exposure for your business is through the use of multi media. Through radio, television and the like – product and/or brand circulation becomes widespread and typically popular.

This use of media as a medium for brand dissemination is called media sponsorship. The challenge of setting up and publicizing an event are what marketers always face. With limited budgets, the reality of buying airtime exhausts the resources of an organization, most especially to those of which have small businesses.

It is through media sponsorship that an organization gains the opportunity to get their event aired through media forms. This kind of support allows for stretching a marketing budget, print placement and more commercial airing coverage. Most often, media sponsorship is applied through the following – radio, print, television, webinars and outdoor advertising.

How to land a media sponsorship

In order to get a media sponsorship, several measures have to be considered before reaping the benefits of exposure through media. First, there is a need to find out who are the eligible media partners one can work with. When choosing a partner, it is essential to look for an outlet that has a similar target audience as the business.

If the business is locally established, the best candidates for media sponsorship would be through local radio and television stations. Finding a common ground with sponsor prospects is beneficial in that it would align with a company’s vision and business interest.

It also serves to be cautious with the type of media sponsorship an event may have. Questions to ask in evaluating a sponsor are typically the same with that of corporate sponsorship. These questions may include the type of exposure that will be given; whether or not the publicity will result with a positive or negative feedback; and the like.

As with every lookout for sponsorship, a proposal is needed to be developed and passed to a potential media sponsor. It is with the sponsorship proposal that a donor will look and decide whether or not a business and/or its event is ‘worthy’ of a sponsorship.

Lining a business or event up with a media sponsor is considered as a powerful way to attract attendees, volunteers, and/or donations. In order to stand out, the time it takes to build a good proposal may be extensive, but in the long run, will also prove to be most beneficial.

It is also important to tickle a media sponsor’s fancy in order for them to sponsor an event. The reason for such is that media is everywhere, and every opportunity that can involve the media’s participation, will almost always be sponsored.

Media sponsorship’s goal

One has to also note that media will use sponsorship as their own gain. One reason is because participation in event leads others to see the media as fully-informed, and earns a good image reputation in the community.

Another note is that the media considers any publicity as good publicity. Since they are the leaders in television and radio - the opportunity to spread products of the media is made possible.

As with advantages to the sponsee, media sponsorship helps save money for the sponsee since advertising will be taken care of through radio, television and/or print. This will also give the sponsee more credibility since it is sponsored with a ‘public’ organization in which people will come to associate one with the other.