[JDEV] Videoconferencing with jabber

[Greg Boulter]

The only video conferencing I've seen using jabber is mine, but I might have
missed something. I use the Flashcom server for the audio/video part, you
can use the http port if necessary for that. It requires either running your
own flashcom server, free but a max of I think 4 connections, or buying
licences or using a flashcom server provider which can cost anywhere from 10
dollars a month on up. There are lots of people providing video/audio chat
with just the flashcom server, but the way I do it is to use the jabber
servers for my text communications and just use the flashcom server for the
video audio part of it, controlling the video/audio with commands sent via
jabber.

The only thing that you and the other person need to have installed is the
Flashplayer 6 which I might add also comes in Linux flavour so this jabber
video/audio chat also works on Linux, within Mozilla.

The "drawback" to my version is that it isn't installed on your computer,
you need to use your browser to visit the host's website instead ie it is
embedded into a webpage. However, Macromedia's new "Central" installs on
user's computer and then lets Flash use encryption and other security
features. I have a version of my client that doesn't include encryption but
does work within Central, thereby allowing jabber to access all sorts of
things from movie reviews to weather updates, etc.

You can contact me if you want a demonstration.