AVChat Software Product Blog

Today we’re releasing a small update to our AVConference software, an update that finally implements some of the low hanging features we’ve had on our plate:

1. We’ve added a way to specify which language files AVConference should use ( languageCode option in avc_settings.xxx ) . This will allow webmasters to keep 2 or more AVConference translations available at the same time.

2. We’ve added the ability to change the color of the windows and of the send text button (windowsColor and sendColor options in avc_settings.xxx).

3. We’ve removed the small keyboard icon that was annoyingly showing up above the text chat input area.

AVConference screenshot showing changed colors and no more keyboard icon

Where to get the update:

The new AVConference archive (build 46) is now available for download from your private clients/trial area.

How to update an existing installation:

Only the .swf files and the avc_settings.xxx files have been changed so is is enough to overwrite the old ones with the new ones (also clear your browser cache in the process).

It’s been a while since we officially updated AVConference but over time we’ve actually silently added a few features and fixed some issues. Today we’re officially announcing all those improvements in build 38. Here’s what’s new:

• Fixed issue witch new webcam windows appearing over the old webcam windows
• randomVar flash var added to the HTML embed code, this var is sent over to avc_settingx.xxx
• cleaned up HTML files
• Flash Player 8 is needed to run AVConference in the browser
• new video-chat-only mode in which the users list, text chat and file sharing panel disappear
• new floating mode user interface where the text chat, users list and file sharing area occupy the both 50% of the video conference area
• various small bug fixes, comments and in line documentation updates

You can download the new build from your client area, you have received a link to it when you purchased AVConference, if you don’t have the link anymore just email us at contact@avchathq.com .

To update your installation just overwrite your old files with the new ones (including the media server files) and restart the media server. If you want to do a clean install the installation instructions for AVconference are here.

Adobe has released yesterday Flash Media Encoder 2.5.

FME 2.5 adds support for pushing high quality h.264 video streams to the Flash Media Server (or to CDN’s).

You can also push AAC audio streams if you purchase this AAC Encoding plugin for FME from MainConcept.

FME 2.5 also adds a few neat features like command-line control, auto-restart after system restarts and a auto-adjust feature that enables you to maintain a high-quality video stream in uncertain network conditions.

FME 2.5 can be downloaded for free from the Adobe website but it is currently only available for Windows.

Also I want to remind you that AVConference can display a video/audio stream coming from FME via FMS. Users will see the video stream coming from FME just as another user in the users list. You can read more details about this feature here.

Using FMS3 and FME 2.5 you will now be able to push high quality video streams to your users logged into AVConference. Some of our customers are using a similar setup to push video feeds from classrooms, training sessions and studio interviews.

More links:
FME product page on the Adobe website

AVChat 2.1 and AVConference 1.1 are now fully compatible with the free open source Red5 media server. Absolutely all the features in both softwares are implemented in the new Red5 versions.

Red5 is a free, open source, Java based, alternative to Adobe’s Flash Media Server. Altough the server is in pre-alpha there are many production-ready applications that work on Red5 and many have chosen to use Red5 because its free and open source.

To install Red5 you need a dedicated server. You can not install Red5 on a shared hosting plan. Red5 is available for both Windows and Linux. You can find more info about it here:http://osflash.org/red5

Until now AVChat 2 and AVConference worked only with Adobe’s Flash Media Server.

To purchase AVChat 2 or AVConference on Red5 email us after the purchase and let us know you want the Red5 version.

If you have already purchased AVChat 2 or AVConference email us and we will send you the proper Red5 files for your licensed domain.

All tutorials and support material on the website will now be updated to include Red5 specific info.

We have listened to your requests and the new versions of our main software products include a lot of requested features:

Most important AVChat 2.1 features:

• all elements on all screens align (login,main screen,etc…) to center when resized
• gender option in login screen can be disabled
• all audio/video streams can be recorded in .flv files on the FMS server for logging/later viewing
• you can limit the admin features (disable ban, disable kick, disable viewing private PM’s)
• xml users and rooms list is generated on the web server
• plain text file with number of logged in users is generated on the web server

Full list of bug fixes and changes in the change log.

For more info on AVChat 2 you can check the AVChat 2.1 product page.

Most important AVConference 1.1 features:

• all elements on all screens align (login,main screen,etc…) to center when resized
• gender option in login screen can be disabled
• all audio/video streams can be recorded in .flv files on the FMS server for logging/later viewing
• you can limit the admin features (disable ban, disable kick, disable viewing private PM’s)
• xml users list is generated on the web server for each room
• plain text file with number of logged in users is generated on the web serve

Full list of bug fixes and changes in the change log.

For more info on AVConferece you can check the AVConference 1.1 product page.

Upgrade information for previous customers:

All previous customers of AVChat 2 or AVConference please contact us at contact@avchat.net and ask for the upgrade, you will receive the new versions for free within 24 hours.

We’ve got a lot of emails on these topics recently so we decided to clarify the issue here.

Adobe announced support for h.264 video in Flash Player in August 2007 in this press release.

Adobe announced Flash Media Server 3 and Flash Media Encoder 2 in September 2007 in this press release.

Prerecorded h.264 video

Right now the latest Flash Player Beta Update available on Adobe Labs only supports playing/decoding of prerecorded video files encoded with h.264 and delivered using progressive download.

To deliver prerecorded h.264 video files to Flash Player applications (video players, etc…) using streaming we need to wait for Flash Media Server 3 due to be released in Spring 2008.

Flash Media Server 2 can only stream prerecorded .flv files encoded with ON2′s VP6 or with Sorenson Spark.

Live h.264 video

FME2-> FMS3 ->Flash Player apps

To deliver live h.264 video to Flash Player Applications (live video players, AVChat, etc…) we need to wait for Flash Media Encoder 2 and Flash Media Server 3 to be released. At that time we will be able to push live h.264 video feeds from FME2 to Flash Player Apps via FMS3.

Flash Player apps-> FMS3 ->Flash Player apps

If Flash Player will ever support encoding live video with h.264, then we will be able to deliver live h.264 video feeds from Flash Player applications (video chat software, etc.) to Flash Player apps (video players, etc.) using FMS3 as a streaming server!

Right now Flash Player can only encode live video using the older Sorenson Spark (h.263) video codec.

Here you go guys:

AVChat 2 articles:

• Creating default rooms in AVChat 2.0 and dropping users directly into them

AVConference articles:

• Pushing better quality video into AVConference with the Flash Media Encoder

Articles that apply to both AVConference and AVChat 2:

• Making AVConference and AVChat 2 automatically resize and fill the browser window
• Making AVConference and AVChat 2 open up in pop up windows

You can find them all in the documentation & tutorials section of our website.