AVChat 2 and AVConference are compatible with both FMS 2 & 3 and Red5 .
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This page gathers all the questions that we frequently get by email. If you do not find your answers here please contact us using the contact page.
1. Can I install AVChat software on my web site?
If your web site runs ASP or PHP, or any other server side scripting language, and you have access to a Flash Media Server or a FMS account (or a Red5 server ), the answer is YES.
Read the AVChat requirements page for more details on this topic.
2. Do my users need any special plugin installed in their browser?
All AVChat software runs in Flash Player 8 or later, which is installed on over 97% of the computers connected to the Internet. Click here to view the official statistics from Adobe (former Macromedia).
3. Can I integrate AVChat 2 or AVConference with my users database ?
Yes you can.
We provide Joomla and Mambo Components and Drupal modules for both AVChat 2 and AVConference, and they will automatically handle the integration for you.
If your web site uses other content management systems than the 3 menioned above or it is custom made then the integration needs to be done by hand. There is an article the Documentation & Tutorials section of this web site regarding how to do the integration.
For such cusomt developed websites we also provide the integration service for an additional fee, details are on the Custom Development section.
4. How many users can connect at once, does AVChat have any restrictions?
AVChat Unlimited has no restrictions in what concerns the number of users that can be connected simultaneously. You can connect as many as your web site can gather!
AVChat 20, AVChat 40 and AVChat 100 each have maximum users limits: 20 , 40 and 100 simultaneous users respectively.
5. Will AVChat 2 or AVConference display any ads or other outgoing links on my web site?
No, the software is completely ads free, and has no outgoing links in it!
6. Is the AVChat software customizable in terms of looks and colors?
Yes, you can configure the background color, background image (only in AVChat 2 and AVConference), background image transparency level, and the way that the background image scales(no scale, tile, fit the flash area).
7. What are the differences between AVConference and AVChat 2 ?
You can see a comparison tabel here:http://avchat.net/comparison.php
8. What is the Flash Communication Server ?
Flash Communication Server is a media server (just like Apache is a web server) developed by Macromedia. Since late 2005 Flash Communication Server has been renamed to Flash Media Server (FMS). Link to the FMS section on the Adobe (former Macromedia) web site.
9. What is the difference between Flash Communication Server and Flash Media Server?
FCS is version 1.5 released in 2003. FMS is version 2 released late 2005 and has some new features.
10. My host does not provide Flash Media Server hosting, do I have to move my web site?
No, you do not have to move the web site to a new host. AVChat software will connect directly to the FMS wherever it is located.
11. What can I do to use the`Flash Media Server power?
AVChat software needs FMS to send the video, audio and text data between users. If you have never worked with it before, here's what you can do:
- You can use the free FMS Developer Edition (download from here, registration required) from Adobe. The Dev edition is free for commercial uses but you can only connect 10 users at the same time.
- You can purchase the FMS from Adobe (former Macromedia) and host the FMS on your own servers. Details about licensing and pricing you will find here. A Free Developer Edition (for commercial puprposes also) is also available here.
- Or you can purchase a FMS hosting package from one of the consacrated FMS hosting providers. Check out the requirements page for a list of FMS hosting providers.
12. Is the video and audio sent directly from one user to the other (Peer 2 Peer)?
No, all data is sent from user A to the Flash Media Server and from there to user B.
13. Can I change the quality of the video and audio?
Yes, both AVChat 2 and AVConference offer total controls over the quality of video/audio. Here's what you can change
- the resolution of the video stream,
- the number of frames per second,
- the number of keyframes per second,
- the maximum video bandwidth/second to use
- the picture quality
- the sound rate
More details in this article.
14.Can I view more than one video stream at a time using AVConference or AVChat 2
Yes you can, and as a webmaster with access to the configuration files you can also limit how many video streams users can view at one time.
15.Is our software compatible with Red5?
Yes, AVChat 2 and AVConference and teh AVChat Recorder work on Red5, separate Red5 files are provided with each purchase.
16. What is the Flash Media Encoder?
Flash Media Encoder is a free desktop application developed by Adobe which allows you to push live video directly to a Flash Media Server applications (AVConference for example).
FME encodes the video using the VP6 codec from ON2. This newer codec is generally considered to produce 30% better video quality than the Sorenson Spark codec used when the video is pushed directly from flash movies/apps running in the browser.
FME can be used in conjunction with AVConference. FME can be connected to your FMS server and used to push live video to people connected trough AVConference. , In the AVConference chat it would be seen like any other person sending video.
AVChat 2 can support FME too at request.
More info: http://www.adobe.com/products/flashmediaserver/flashmediaencoder/
17.If I buy AVChat 2 Lite can I upgrade later to the AVChat 2 Unlimited license?
Yes, you can upgrade any time later on by paying the price difference!
18. Can I pay by PayPal ?
Yes you can by sending the money directly to paypal@avchat.net .
19. Can I resize the AVChat or AVConference software to fit my website design/layout?!
Yes, after purchasing you should read this article.