Live WebCasting

[Skylark]

This my not be a Videconference question but is very closly related.

I have been asked to com with a simple soultion for Live Webcasting a presentasion. What the caustomer whants is to have it as simple as possible for the user.

I have been lookin at SofTV.publisher and Producer for Powerpoint but both of them seem requer a bit of setup each time. If any one has as solution that is as simple as just pressing a button to start the webcast please let me know.

The only requerment is that the Webcast can do picture and powerpoint at the sametime in sync.

[tom9933]

Check out Media Site Live from Sonic Foundry. We played with one a it a while back and as I recall it’s about 25k but it was very easy to use and the quality is excellent.
http://www.sonicfoundry.com/systems/mslive.asp

[Jay Charles]

Funny... I find myself saying this a lot here...

The combination of a Flash application and the Flash Communication Server can do exactly what you want.

On the viewer end, it's as easy as going to the web page, sitting back, and watching.

On the presenter end, it's equally easy. For powerpoint slides, all you'd need to do is either:

a) export from PP to a series of .jpg images -or-
b) purchase a program that exports from PP to .swf (there's a few out there)

The costs would be as follows:

1. You'd have to hire a flash developer to build the application. Any flash developer who really knows his/her chops should be able to build it for you.

2. You'd need either shared Flashcom hosting (see http://influxis.com to compare rates) , or buy your won flashcom license and run it from your own server. This can be somewhat costly, depending on how many users you need to connect to the broadcast.

3. A regular httpd web hosting account, or your own web server. This will handle serving the ppt sildes and any other media you want to incorporate into the presentation. The httpd server does not have to be on the same server as the Flashcom server. On that note, since the application is completely web based, one can incorporate additional resources from websites.

The realy beauty of going the Flashcom route is that, if desired, the viewers can give feedback or even paricipate in the broadcast, at the presenters discretion.

More info on the technology can be found at http://www.macromedia.com/flashcom

[Skylark]

Sonicfoundry sounds like a good idea and im looking into it, but Im not geting how the macromedia solution could be easy to use?

Every time you have a new presenteasion you would have to convert your ppt and upload it on to a web page before you can start your presentasion.
that is if im understanding you correctly.

Im not looking for a solution thats easy to set up for the first time but somthing that is very simple to use when it has been setup (that meens diffrent presentasions)

[Jay Charles]

Every time you have a new presenteasion you would have to convert your ppt and upload it on to a web page before you can start your presentasion.
that is if im understanding you correctly.

Im not looking for a solution thats easy to set up for the first time but somthing that is very simple to use when it has been setup (that meens diffrent presentasions)

That is partially correct. Once the ppt file is converted, it would need to be uploaded to the httpd server, but it wouldn't have to be embedded in a web page. The Flash application will dynamically load the content.

For non-technical users, this can be handled with a simple online upload form, via PHP, ASP, Perl, or any other server side tech that has provisions for uploading files. For more technical users, a simple FTP transfer would do the job.

While not exactly the same, you can see similar functions in action in my meeting room application demo (link in my signature). This application supports images and .pdf's, which are uploaded into a user directory, and then dynamically loaded into the meeting window. Upload for the application you require would be very similar.

[STalker]

To embed your presentation to internet page you will need to convert your presentation to swf for ex.
I know the only way for converting presentation to flash:

At first ppt must be converted into avi...
And then avi can be converted to swf...

I know one prog which can convert ppt/pps to video. It's Presentation to Video Converter. It works well. I know cause I always use it. And google can easily suggest you the second program. So good luck!

[ChuckF]

OK - I am an engineer and I hate putting on my sales hat, but it looks like I have to in this situation again. My company has developed a product that will do as you request - Webcast a Picture and Powerpoint at the same time, broadcast live OR archive for On Demand viewing. It's simple because it uses your vtc endpoint as the audio/video capture device and its controlled by the same endpoint remote (uses dtmf tones).

See this link for more info - or PM me for more details.
http://www.appliedglobal.com/content/technologies/video_presenter.html

[pzielie]

Look at the Envivio mindshare

http://www.vsig.net/files/Envivio/Envivio/mindshare_brochure_composite.pdf

It looks a lot like the Sonic Foundry, but the underlying technology is MPEG4 multi object stream. It is virtually idiot proof from the presenter endpoint and does not limit you to powerpoint or screen grabs. Also there is no pre-authoring required. Plug in your laptop, smile at the camera and stream.

[Fiesta]

To embed your presentation to internet page you will need to convert your presentation to swf for ex.
I know the only way for converting presentation to flash:

At first ppt must be converted into avi...
And then avi can be converted to swf...

I know one prog which can convert ppt/pps to video. It's Presentation to Video Converter. It works well. I know cause I always use it. And google can easily suggest you the second program. So good luck!

The best way of converting ppt or pps to video format is doing it by Presentation to video converter:http://www.geovid.com/Presentation_to_Video_Converter/

[Answering Service]

I agree with Fiesta from a few responses above. That geo converter is a great converter.

[Fiesta]

Im glad that you liked this proggy :)
But you know that a new service was opened by geovid. You just send your video or flash file that you want to be converted, and they convert it on their server and send it back. I've already registered but not received the password back... Take a look here if you are interested in: http://www.vidflash.com/

[Oliver Black]

Of course you could buy an old Polycom iPower 9000 (someone should still have one lying around), get the Digital Recording license activated for it, and then just hit record. It records both the Powerpoint and the live video from the camera and creates the html pages and syncs up the audio, video and Powerpoint slides. You literally create a title, start streaming, and hit record. No editing, no syncing up, no headaches. We do this for most of our conferences and hand a CD to the folks when they are done.

[bugsbunny]

http://www.vidflash.com/

i was very surprised to know that vidflash is a FREE conversion service. i also tried it. and it can also convert powerpoint to a format you need.

[KillerCat]

I also use Presentation To Video Converter!!! :cheeky:

[bba01]

Try video converter for ppt to pps.thnaks for the link fiesta