| |
 |
Wondering
how all this works and whether it might be for you? |
| |
Use
the questions and answers below to learn more about
how webcasting works. |
| |
|
What
is a webcast?
An
audio or video broadcast over the Internet in which viewers
“tune in” from their computers.
Who
can view a webcast?
Anyone with a compatible computer, media player software,
and network connection.
How
large of an audience can I reach?
Typical webcasts target 50 to several hundred viewers,
but thousands are possible. As the audience grows, so does
the cost, because each viewer uses bandwidth, which is metered.
How do I decide if a webcast is a good solution for my
project?
- Do
you need to reach a large group of people spread around
geographically? Think of a webcast like a television
broadcast -- a video program that comes from one place
and reaches hundreds (or thousands) of people. But instead
of a television antenna or a cable system, Webcasting
uses the Internet to transmit your message. And like a
live call-in television program, your audience can interact
with the people on the program, by submitting questions
and comments electronically.
- Does
your audience have modern computers with speakers and
Internet access? The faster their Internet access
and computers, the better the experience will be for them.
Newer computers and high bandwidth connections work the
best, but just about any audience can be accommodated.
- Can
Webcasting save you money? If your communication,
training or marketing activities require travel by any
number of people, Webcasting can almost always save you
money. The expense of travel, lodging and meals and just
as important, time away from the office, can be quite
considerable. If your audience can receive the same message
while remaining at their desk, the returns can be considerable.
Just as important, once the webcast is over, your audience
can immediately return to work, ready to act on the information
provided.
Once
you determine that webcasting is an appropriate venue for
your message, AEP Studios will work with you to answer the
following questions:
- Do
you want a live event or a prerecorded program for viewing
on demand?
- When
will your webcast be, and what will be its duration?
- Will
the webcast originate from AEP Studios in downtown Columbus
or a remote location?
- How
large is your audience, and what type of Internet connections
(dial-up, cable/DSL, LAN) and computers (Windows 95/NT/2000,
Mac) do they have?
- Will
you use PowerPoint slides, pre-recorded video, or other
presentation aids?
- Do
you wish to take live questions from your audience?
- Will
your audience need follow-up access to your webcast or
other information?
- Do
you need to restrict access to your presentation?
How
do I get started on a webcasting or streaming media project?
Call
or email any of the AEP Studios management team. They'll
work with you to understand your goals and explore the best
approaches.
Nate Caplin (614) 716-1993 ncaplin@aep.com
Tim Nicholson (614) 716-1672 tsnicholson@aep.com
Monte Sanborn (614) 716-1991 mlsanborn@aep.com
How
much lead time is required?
Ideally, 2-4 weeks for a well-organized, professional
presentation.
How
much does it cost?
Pricing is based on many factors, including the size
of your audience, the duration of the webcast, whether it’s
live or on-demand, and the number of staff needed to prepare
for and execute your webcast (which relates to the number
of cameras, presenters, the set, audio-visual aids, web
page development, etc.). Once these variables are settled,
AEP Studios will quote you a clearly explained and competitive
price, and if needed, offer alternative options that will
fit within a fixed budget.
To put
it in some perspective, though, webcasts can ranges from
around $1,000 for a simple 30-minute one-camera video webcast
to 50 viewers to several times that for a longer 3-camera
webcast to a much larger audience with live audience Q&A
and synchronized graphics and PowerPoint slides. For on-demand
video, it is simply a charge for encoding and hosting, with
a charge based on length of video and number of viewers.
SPECIAL
INTRODUCTORY OFFER
If you think webcasting and streaming video might be
right for you, but you are not sure your audience will have
a good experience, let AEP Studios help answer that question.
Give
us one of your pre-produced company video programs, let
us encode it, put it on our streaming video server, and
prepare a web page. We will send you the address of the
webpage and you can have your audience check it out. AEP
STUDIOS will do this at no cost or obligation. We're confident
once you see how well it works, you'll find many uses for
streaming video and live webcasts.
|
|
