Introduction
I compared several web base webinars and video conference tools, anymeeting, GoToWebinar, Webex, TrueConf, Skype, with their screen dump example as below.
Testing
I tested WebEx between HK & PRC, which we can have meeting with video, audio, screen sharing. However, the video display is not stable as below screen dump because of low bandwidth.
I found another VC Tools, called TrueConf from http://trueconf.com/ . I tested its performance of cam video, voice, share picture file between HK & PRC, and I found it was better than WebEx on Cam display because it will not show a blank screen while it display a Cam picture during low bandwidth network. However, when sharing desktop, its screen was bad.
TrueConf desktop sharing had latency problem as below:
GoToWebinar is a webinar tools for presentation, but not a video conf tools. We can share video only from host to client, but no display from client to host.
The audio from AnyMeeting is bad, so that it is not a good choice, neither. Although the audio from WebEx is good, using the voice through WebEx consumes more bandwidth and it affects the video display.
Base on my experience in past, Skype is a good tool for audio communication, but not good from video. I always use it for audio conf, so that I did not test it this time.
I rate my testing result as below table:
WebEx | GoToWebinar | AnyMeeting | Skype | TrueConf | |
Audio | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
Video | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
Chat | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Desktop/File Sharing | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
User Friendly | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
Usage Cost | $99/month | $99/month | $78/month | Free | Free |
Remark | Sharing video only from host to client, but no display from client to host. | I estimated the score of Skype base on my experience in past. I do not test it this time. |
Note: I estimate the score from range 1 to 5 where 1 for bad, and 5 for excellent.
Conclusion
WebEx is the best among other VC software but its video function sometimes has problem. Although WebEx have intermittent problem on camera video, its desktop sharing screen still can work during low network bandwidth. Hence, WebEx is the best VC solution from our testing.
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