From Nancy White's Online Facilitation email discussion group:

"I need to identify two video conferencing technologies with the following characteristics:

1) a low-end (i.e. inexpensive) desktop solution for giving or taking courses and/or for small meetings. Yes, I know about Netmeeting and LiveMeeting but I want to look at other options, too. Plus, LiveMeeting seems kind of expensive for the small business/individual facilitator. I do not want to use a technology solution that uses a PC for video and a conventional phone line (POTS) for audio. What I'm really after is your experiences with different products.

2) A medium-scale setup for a small classroom (around 12 participants). What sorts of tools have people used? PC with camera? Sony, Panasonic or Polycom systems? Something else? Also, what server "bridges" are popular and affordable? The main application for this classroom is to join larger online meetings/sessions point-to-point, maybe along with other small classrooms."

Here my humble suggestions and advice:

Question 1) "a low-end (i.e. inexpensive) desktop solution for giving or taking courses and/or for small meetings."
Robin Good: It's difficult to answer this type of question with little information about actual application, number of attendees, typology of computers used and bandwidth available to each participant. But I'll try anyhow.

Before I do that, let me clarify two small items. NetMeeting is not anymore among the tools that you would want to consider for delivering a smooth, trouble-free real-time presentation online. Agree.

I also agree with your assessment that Microsoft Live Meeting is not a cost--effective solution, and that using the telephone for a web-based conference is pretty anachronistic.

Here are a few excellent solutions that I have personally tested and which I think qualify your initial requirements. These are all "multi-party" videoconferencing solutions (systems that enable only one video stream -e.g.: WebEx - are not listed here):

a) InstantPresenter
InstantPresenter is a new live cross-platform (PC, Mac, Linux) presentation technology that allows non-technical users to upload and deliver PowerPoint presentations online, supported by VoIP, video and maximum ease of use. InstantPresenter integrates audio and videoconferencing technology based on the Flash Communication Server which allows the presenter to show a live audio-video stream while presenting. Price is USD $ 74.99 for a 10-person conferencing room.

b) Convoq ASAP
Convoq ASAP is a new pioneering Web conferencing and live presentation tool integrating new cutting-edge features and leveraging to its best the concepts of presence, interoperability with major instant messaging networks and modular access to conferencing facilities. Completely based on Flash, this new live presentation, collaboration and conferencing technology has indeed lots to offer as it integrates VoIP, video, high quality PowerPoint-to-Flash presentation facilities, and full screen sharing. PC only. Price is USD $ 199.95/year or $ 0.15/minute. A free 14-day try-out is immediately available here.

c) SightSpeed
SightSpeed is a popular multi-party video conferencing solution that wors across multiple operating systems. It does not integrate any additional facility outside of text chat. PC, Mac, Linux. Price starts at $ 14.95/month for unlimited multi-party videoconferences. Free try-out here.

d) Virtex C3 Collaborator
Similar to InstantPresenter, Virtex C3 offers a lot more features, including recording, full moderation facilities, branding and more. VirtexC3 line of different solutions fits the small to medium-sized organization and a wide range of possible applications. Cost is sensibly higher but not publicly available. A live demo is immediately accessible here and a free try-out account can be requested here.

e) VoiceCafe has a number of low-cost videoconferencing solutions that also integrate good VoIP, co-browsing, text chat and other optional features. VoiceCafe strength is the good diversification of its product line offering a solution for every type of need. Pricing is available online. No direct access try-outs are available. Need to request one personally to one of the many VoiceCafe resellers. PC only.

f) Flash-based video conferencing solutions.
Flash-based videoconferencing solution offer quite a range of options that are very cost-effective. There exist both ready-made solutions that can be used right-away, as well as custom solutions that can be set-up, at relatively very low costs by specialized companies. All operating systems supported.

g) QNext
Potentially, QNext is the Convoq-killer tool. Sporting a competitive feature set as well as a strong foundation built around a multi-protocol instant messaging communication center, high-quality video, and shared workspaces (something Convoq does not have) QNext breaks new grounds among desktop videoconferencing solutions. QNext is a 100% Java-based technology with versions presently available for both PC and Linux computers (Mac version coming). QNext is free. Download it now here.

h) Live Conference Pro
The newest kid on the block has lots and lots of interesting features at a hard-to-believe price. One major advantage Live Conference Pro provides is the ability to create multiple private rooms. This is a fast-evolving product with a small and responsive company behind. You need to go and see for yourself how much good stuff Tom Eagar has put into this tool (even a Mac version is coming). A 25-seat conferencing room costs USD $ 24.95/month. A free 7-day try-out is immediately available here.

Question 2) A medium-scale video conferencing setup for a small classroom (around 12 participants). Sony, Panasonic or Polycom systems? Something else? Also, what server "bridges" are popular and affordable? The idea would be for this classroom to be primarily used to join larger meetings/sessions point-to-point, maybe along with other small classrooms.

Robin Good: You need not worry anymore about expensive hardware based systems, MCUs and server bridges. If you want to join-in into larger meetings that utilize hardware-based traditional video conferencing systems, you need only to adopt a system that supports conferencing standards.

a) One such tool is WaveThree Session and I invite you to give a good run to their free try-out solution while engaging their customer support in better understanding whether the whole range of larger meetings hardware you want to join in is fully supported by their newly released version 3 software. Wavethree is at the forefront in its effort to provide interoperability with legacy videoconferencing systems. Wavethree Session supports the SIP protocol allowing it full interoperability with telephones, softphones and PSTN Gateways. By adding a SIP to H.323 gateway capability Session can call directly into traditional hardware-based video conferencing systems. PC and Mac.

b) Another interesting solution, that performs like a rock and which integrates all of the key conferencing facilities you may need, is the excellent Linktivity WebDemo. In its Enterprise version 4, this technology powerhouse integrates everything from videoconferencing to polling, while providing one of the industry best screen sharing and remote controls facilities. This is a server-based solution that starts just above a thousand dollars for a few concurrent users. This is a perpetual license, and for the a class of 12 this may run around USD $ 4,500 to 5,000 plus a yearly $ 800-900 for software updates. Windows only.Go try it out now.

c) GRCLive has a very interesting and promising videoconferencing technology that gest better by the day. The guys at GRC have done a tremendous amount of work in the last 18 months and I think that some of you may find what they were looking for in this very cost-effective conferencing and full collaboration solution. On top of videoconferencing GRCLive integrates multi-protocol IM, application sharing, remote control, whiteboarding and full text chat abilities, polling, recording, AES security, dial-in from landlines and cells (and dial-out to them as well) and more. Cost start at $ 29.95/month and go all the way up to $ 449.95/month for 25 concurrent users. Your 12-people classroom should cost around $ 200/month with all features included. Windows only.Free 14-day try-out is immediately available here.

d) Viditel
Viditel is among the more established players in the desktop videoconferencing market. Viditel integrates application sharing, remote control, text chat and IM among other features. Viditel is Windows only. A free 30-day try-out is immediately accessible here. Pricing is USD $ 29.95/user/month.
In the Asian market Wivitel markets the same technology under its own name. Pricing model is different: USD $18/user/month + 0.10/minute.

e) VIA3 from Viack (now in its version 4), is also a very effective videoconferencing desktop tool, which integrates high security, screen/application sharing, file cabinets, IM, chat and a well-designed interface. The price may be getting out of your reach here, as this is a tool primarily intended for all those applications where high quality, total reliability and total security are essential. Performance is excellent. A free try-out is immediately available here.

f) Polycom itself, a long-time leader of the traditional video conferencing market, has been offering a very interesting desktop video conferencing solution. WebOffice is in fact a capable conferencing and live collaboration system that integrates a full feature set as well as some uniquely innovative controls while guaranteeing access and interoperability with legacy systems (H.323) and POTS. This is a server-based solution. Price starts at USD $ 2000 for 10 concurrent users. A free 7-day try-out is immediately accessible here.

g) Last but not least I would suggest that you give a good look at Marratech. It is a cross-platform solution (works across PCs, Macs and Linux machines), it integrates high-quality multi-party video conferencing and it sports a professional set of collaboration facilities. Marratech runs in multiple languages, can be hosted on your servers, integrates security, and Marratech is one of those companies that "listens" and truly cares to learn about its customers, so I have one more reason to recommend them on top of their cutting edge technological solution. A free 30-day try-out is immediately available.

h) Worth an honourable mention is a brand new tool that arrives from China: V2Conference from VTech. Nonetheless there is a new US-based office to support VTech overseas, the reselling company is yet too young and understaffed to offer yet adequate service and support. Nonetheless, I have remained very impressed by my initial tests run on V2 Conference. The server-based V2 integrates a full conferencing feature set that includes: Co-
browsing, application sharing, VoIP, videoconferencing, presentation facilities, whiteboarding, markup, text chat, polling, file transfer, recording, instant messaging and moderator controls. Up and coming support for XMPP/SIP/H323 open standards, effective use of HTTP tunneling, optional Multicast abilities, automatic Web installation not requiring separate download of a client make V2 Conference a truly cutting-edge solution. V2 Conference employs the MPEG4 video compression and it is the only software-based videoconferencing system I know of that supports the display of 16 remote video channels. Windows only. Pricing start at $ 1000/user with a one-time license. A fully working demo version, hosted from Chinese servers is already accessible online.
Download: http://tinyurl.com/3llpk
More info
More info English/Chinese
Tech details

I have personally tested and tried each and every tool listed above.

To find out more of the possibilities and the tools that become available on a weekly basis, I invite you to check my Official Online Guide To Best Web Conferencing Tools, Kolabora's home page, my weekly newsletter and/or the Kolabora RSS feed.

Check out also this recorded visual presentation with audio that I recorded in May 2004. (Do not pay attention to the titling saying Voiceconferencing - this is really about Videoconferencing tools only).

One small favour: when you contact anyone of these companies, say it clearly where you have found all this information. With your help, they may give me a little less hard time when I gently ask to test, try or find out more about their tools.