Completely non-boaty PC question

[Rob_Webb]

Using Netmeeting with a webcam to communciate with parents using voice and pics - both of us dialled up via ordinary modem. Experiencing jumpy images, lag and echoes which diminish enjoyment - if one or both of us switched to broadband service would we enjoy a much better experience? It would seem logical that we should but before splashing out on 2 x ADSL packages I wondered whether anyone else can confirm this? Would hate to find out that its actually more a performance issue with Netmeeting itself and not just bandwidth!

Thanks for any help or experience with this.
Rob

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[johnsail]

Quality will be dependent upon the weakest link in chain - so both need to change to broadband (or a faster link that 56K modem)

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[Tantalus]

To add to that..
It's going to depend on the volume of traffic through the smallest bottleneck on the route between you and them. I've had quite satisfacory conversations with people all over the world using voice over the internet..Just have to expect some glitches..not like telephone

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[Ohdrat]

Re: Broadband

You should also consider the fact that you effectively are only buying Broadband to your nearest tel exchange.. what happens between your two exchanges is a all a bit hit and miss and almost certainly down to BT (as they own most of the data coms infrastructure in the UK.

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[h4nym]

Re: Broadband

Rob

ADSL would certainly make the biggest difference... but there's a few more things to consider:

1. If both of you are gonna get ADSL, then ideally they should be with the same company - BT only provide the "final mile" for non-BT ADSL. Quick explain: My company is, amongst other things, an ISP. We have a big circuit between us and BT. So - even my ADSL at home is linked to the BT network over my phone line, then from there it goes into our network. If I'm Netmeeting with a colleague or a client, it's excellent because it all within our network. This one may be a bit tricky if you're going to New Zealand!

2: As powerful a PC as you can afford !

3. If you're gonna do it seriously, then get a headset/mic for your comp - will eliminate any problems with feedback squealing etc

4. If you can't get ADSL, then consider ISDN (eg home highway). Not much faster - 64k as against 56k, but I guarantee you've never actually got 56k, and also the upstream is still only 33.6k. ISDN is 64k both ways and - by being digital all the way - also avoids the delay introduced by the modem translating analogue in digital and vice versa...

hth

H

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