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Apple Media Conference
Price : Bundled free with PowerMacs. -- not sold separately
Bundled with QuickTime Conferencing Kit - $295
Operating system : System 7.5 or later
Network connection : Ethernet, ISDN, or T1 A modem connection is not
sufficient .
Platform : Macintosh computer only
"First provided for the Power Macintosh 7500 and 8500 in 1995. Capabilities
include videoconferencing, whiteboard collaboration, the ability to take PICT
"snapshots" during sessions, and recording sessions. The software
works with the PlainTalk microphone (included with the Power Macintosh 7500
and 8500), and a user-supplied NTSC analog output camera.
With Apple Media Conference, users can call other videoconference participants
over their existing LANs, and enjoy new productivity tools such as whiteboarding.
This refers to two or more participants collaborating on a story, advertisement,
datasheet, image or other project." (Source: Apple QuickTime Conferencing
Web Site)
Features (Source: Apple QuickTime Conferencing Web Site)
- Provides shared white-board capability for:
- Sharing of text, images, sounds, and movies
- On-screen annotation of document images
- Allows editing of shared white-board objects
- Supports point-to-point and multipoint videoconferencing sessions
- Supports video broadcasts over LANs and the Internet
- Records conferencing sessions as QuickTime movies
- Permits any combination of connection types, such as:
- Audio and video both directions
- Audio and video one direction, audio only the other direction
- Audio and video one direction, video only the other direction
- Audio only
- Video only
- Includes an interactive, on-screen tutorial
- Supports file exchange, enabling two or more users to share files
- Provides automatic redial with QuickTime Conferencing calling cards
System requirements (Source: Apple QuickTime Conferencing
Web Site)
- One of the following Macintosh systems:
- Macintosh 660AV, and 840AV (Quadra AV owners will need a separate power
adapter -- 12-volt, 1.9 watt AC adapter), Power Macintosh AV computer, or
Power Macintosh computer with AV card upgrade
- Any Macintosh Performa with the Apple video-capture card
- Memory : 16MB of RAM, with additional 8MB for Timbuktu or Netscape Navigator
CD-ROM drive for software installation
- Audio input : PlainTalk microphone or VCR
- Optional : External powered speakers
Evaluation notes
(+) pluses
- Unique indicator for each person when sharing the white space. The color
of the 'hands or pointer' is different for each person, allowing them to easily
distinguish between themselves and the other person. Cursor type and color
may easily be changed to suit the individual user.
- The whitespace uses a "paint program' which allows 'visible' erasing
and correction of the shared material.
- Screens may be easily captured under the shared settings menu. It should
be noted that 'capture screen' does not capture the shared window, but captures
the actual screen shown behind (or underneath) the 'Apple Media Conference'
program.
- A snapshot of the video screen is easily taken by clicking on the 'snapshot'
button of the video window.
- The user may record the video transmitted.
- Video window size is also easily manipulated with menu choices for 'half
size', 'full size' and 'double size'.
- The shared window also has a 'translucent' mode to allow a graphic to be
drawn in the 'background'.
- On-line help is availble under the ? menu.
(-) minuses
- Initial set-up is rather difficult due to the hidden preferences that must
be set. It would be better is an initial screen opened with the critical parameters.
- The file menu has the 'call', 'broadcast' and 'watch broadcast' modes. This
breaks with the classic Macintosh interface approach where 'new', 'open' and
'save as' functions are typically found.
- Does not have a 'phonebook' to record information on frequently called people.
- Does not have a chat log.
Menu design
The pull-down menu structure is shown below
File | Edit | Windows | Settings | Sharing
The menu structure is inconsistent with CU-SeeMe, Enhanced Cu-See and BeingThere
3.01 Pro. Users familiar with the other three programs may find it ackward to
adjust to the Apple Media Conference menu design. The conferencing functions
are placed in an unusual place (under the File menu) - normally Apple
reserves the File menu for those functions related to files.
The Settings menu is too complex - difficult to differentiate between
preferences and settings. Also, too many preferences submenus are provided.
It would be better to let the user access this information from just a few large
screens. The Settings menu choices are shown below:
- Preferences -> General, Conference, Broadcast, Notification, Recording,
Sharing
- Media set-up
- Video settings
- Sound settings
The 'user name' is hidden under Settings/Preferences/Conference menu
and new users will have trouble finding it. The 'connect via' selection is also
hidden under the Settings/Preferences/Conference menu. The Conference
menu allows you set you connection to 'AppleTalk' or 'TCP/IP'. AppleTalk is
the default, so as part of the initial set-up it must be immediately changed
by the user to 'TCP/IP'. This selection needs to more visible for the user.
It would be more helpful to limit the number of options under the Settings/Preferences
menu. For example, the information under Settings/Preferences/Broadcast
and Settings/Preferences/Conference could be integrated and moved to
the Settings/Media Set-up level since both the Broadcast and Conference choices
are relevant for Media Setup. Alternatively, Broadcast and Conference could
be brought up to the Settings level of the menu to increase their visibility
and since they are frequently used.
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