Conferencing.

Why Conference ?

Many organisations today are increasingly challenged by the time, costs and distance of business travel. Consequently, education, business and government leaders are increasingly adopting conference solutions. The global enterprise, remote customers and suppliers, aggressive time-to-market schedules and the drive to reduce costs are making conferencing not just a luxury but a necessity.

What types of conferencing are out there ?

Audio Conferencing.

The term teleconference or audio conference indicates an audio connection via a telephone or network connection. Having an audio connection is the minimum requirement for meeting at a distance.

Data Conferencing with a SMARTboard.

With a SMART Board interactive whiteboard, data conferencing can be more collaborative than videoconferencing alone. Because the SMART pen tray integrates with third-party conferencing applications (such as Microsoft NetMeeting), you can simply pick up a tool and write or erase just as you would on a regular whiteboard. All notes can be viewed and edited at the other sites, and you do note have to perform any complex procedures to share material with team members in other locations.

When using a SMART Board interactive whiteboard to data conference, local participants can take advantage of the large display area and interact with applications from the touch-sensitive surface. Users can also write over top of any application and, depending on which conferencing system is being used, participants at all sites can view these annotations.

Effective data conferences gather ideas and opinions from all participants and keep a permanent record of these ideas. With the SMART Board interactive whiteboard, all of your team’s great ideas can be saved permanently to a computer file and distributed them after the session. Even more importantly, with the SMART Board’s ease of use, there is almost no learning curve.

Using NetMeeting

Available free from Microsoft’s Web site and included in Windows 2000, Microsoft NetMeeting provides much of the functionality that most users need to transmit data, voice or video over the Internet.

When you conference using the SMART Board interactive whiteboard with NetMeeting, the electronic ink and an image of the application that you annotated over are immediately sent to all participants so they can view exactly what you have written. Using the pen tray tools, you can also write or draw directly into the NetMeeting whiteboard. Learn how to use your SMART Board interactive whiteboard in your next NetMeeting conference.

Video Conferencing

When videoconferencing, your SMART Board interactive whiteboard and projector can act as your display device for both video and data. Take advantage of the Board's large surface to view an image of up to 72” diagonal. With the SMART Board interactive whiteboard, you don't need an additional monitor to display your videoconference.

When integrating a videoconferencing system with a SMART Board interactive whiteboard, you can increase productivity by viewing both video and data on the same screen. You can control the video and data together from the SMART Board interactive whiteboard to brainstorm and diagram as if you were at a whiteboard, and dedicate a portion of the Board to displaying video of your remote team members.

Some videoconferencing systems offer video alone while others integrate data conferencing tools like NetMeeting along with video. These systems can connect video and data at the same time when calling a remote site.

Because the SMART Board driver is optimized to work with NetMeeting, users benefit from a totally collaborative environment. While in a video and data conference, users can annotate on their SMART Board in electronic ink and share those annotations with remote sites. At the same time, users can view live video.

Integrating a SMART Board interactive whiteboard with a videoconferencing system provides a truly collaborative environment for your teams and can enhance their productivity.

Which method of Conferencing is best for you?
Data	Video	Audio
You require collaborative input from several people on a document.	Your dealing with a contentious issue or cultural differences where seeing people's reactions is important.	Your objective is to follow up on documents you have already discussed.
The participants are familiar with each other.	Your presence will help participants focus on what you are teaching or training.	It is an impromptu meeting.
You need input on a document right away.	Your meeting with customers, clients or a potential employee whose reactions you want to measure.	You need to include only one remote participant.
You need to react to others suggestions when possible confusion or disagreements will waste time.	You are discussing an item that needs to be seen or a piece of equipment or a physical process.	You are wanting to save time and money.
Choose to Data Conference	Choose to Video Conference	Choose to Audio Conference

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