LEARNRT Round Table

Hi Everyone,

I've just gone through a few month process of testing various webinar platforms.  I decided to go with Adobe AcrobatConnectPro, so rather than share feedback on every product I thought I'd share why AcrobatConnectPro was the choice for me.

It is very full-featured and very affordable. I think it will meet our needs and provide a great, stable, intuitive interface for the participants. Specifically, here's what I like:

• Price: $425/year (discounted for non-profit, includes support and training; or you can go with monthly $55 charge which wouldn't include support/training).  Up to 100 in a room at a time.
• Low Bandwidth requirement
• No download for customer or presenter (they just need Flash--which is already on 98% of machines)
• Very stable, excellent VOIP and very fast screen update
• Recording/Playback feature: Rather than capturing the entire meeting as one long event that must be played back in its entirety for subsequent viewing. Viewers can use the meeting index to navigate to the most relevant content quickly — so they don't have to waste valuable time watching content that may not be relevant to them. (Note, this is from the website--haven't tested yet.)
• Interfaces for presenter and participant are highly customizable and easy to change on the fly--THIS IS PHENOMENAL!!
• Great interface for presenters--Can even view the notes field in Powerpoint--this ROCKS!!
• "Turbo Screensharing" -- Great sharing of multimedia/video.  I haven't seen anything even close to this good: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobatconnectpro/productinfo/features/turbo_screensharing/demo/
• Easy polls and breakout rooms
• Automated thank yous/reminders. 
• GREAT back end management
• Works on many OS including Linux (http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobatconnectpro/systemreqs/).  I already have one request from a Linux user, and AdobeConnect is the only one I've found that will work with Linux.

Downsides? 

• I think it will be a high learning curve on the management side, but nothing we can't handle, and the payoff in terms of the participant experience will be big.  Also, if you purchase the $425 annual plan you can take part in free live training any Monday between 2-4 PM.
• No phone included:  While AdobeConnectPro doesn't include a phone # there are ways to do a conferencing bridge to a 1-800 number.  Since the vast majority of our users are not using phone, and the VOIP on adobeconnect is solid, I'm not that concerned about offering a phone interface. 

 For more info, see: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobatconnectpro/faq/.

May this be of use to anyone.  So what webinar platform do you use?  What are the pros and cons?  Would you recommend?

It just so happened I sat through a very thorough presentation of AdobeConnect yesterday with the WJ Partner cohort. Kevin (I think) from the IL State Library is using AdobeConnect and he facilitated yesterday's webconference using AdobeConnect. I have to say it was very easy to use, no prelimary set-up required, clean interface, and all of the above that Pete mentioned. All the participants were promoted to presenter status so we could see how that worked, too. I really liked it!

Thanks for the review of Connect Pro, Pete.  My library currently uses Webex Training Center.  While I love the platform, the annual cost is hard to swallow.  We're trying to reduce our e-learning expenses here at Gwinnett, so knowing that there is a robust web presentation platform for $425/year is huge.  I'm going to contact an Adobe rep soon.