The top three new feature requests from Skypecasts users are:

* Recording a Skypecast
* Private Skypecasts (with ticket entry)
* Multichats for Skypecast participants

We'll be working on all three in the near future. Let me know how you would prioritise these three features (I've created a poll).

Our current priority, while Skypecasts is in "preview", is to drive participation: more visitors, and make it easier for people to find relevant, popular Skypecasts.

Perhaps another way to cast my vote(s), ranking would be:

1). Multichats for Skypecast participants
2). Private Skypecasts (with ticket entry)
3). Drive participation
4). Recording a Skypecast
, for the consideration of requesting our inputs into the Skype product offerings and enhancements.

I would like to vote for,

5) End this Skypecast (remove it from the list)
6) Extend this Skypecast for xx minutes (keep it on the list)

My top item is not on the list:

Ad the ability for the moderator to display visual aids for the conference (may only be feasible for private because of potential for misuse).

(1) mini browser to display a web page to all participants
(2) I've seen other web conferencing software allow powerpoint slides
(3) Maybe an image
(4) White board capability (might be an add on)

[quote=tdadigital]Perhaps another way to cast my vote(s), ranking would be:

1). Multichats for Skypecast participants
2). Private Skypecasts (with ticket entry)
3). Drive participation
4). Recording a Skypecast


One additional request, which would really be my #1 request, and that would be; when within a room of people, the person speaking his/her icon would "Flash" to let everyone else in the room comprehend who the speaker is.

Thanks,

I think features drive participation. If functionality is too limited people will use something else.

RB

These are all good suggestions, keep them coming. I can't promise to please everyone, but I'm actively looking for trends in what everyone is asking.

Dave, for the visual presentation aids, have you tried Webdialog's Unyte? They're a partner of Skype's:

http://skype.unyte.net/skype/en-us/download.html

If you have an opportunity to try this, I'd love to hear how it goes. One thing that would support this, is a way to add a link to the Skypecast listing, and actually show the link in the control window. This link could point to e.g. the Unyte conference start page.

It would be nice to know what the preferred language will be used within the room by the moderator and desired attendees. This can me usfully positioned under the "keywords" for the room's topic when displayed on:

https://skypecasts.skype.com/skypecasts/ongoing.

Just an idea?

1) Mac support

Mac is supported v1.4 or later

Unyte looks like an interesting service to be used with Skype, but I'm not sure how anyone can sign their agreement if you read it. First, as usual, the very long agreement is in a very small window that can not be enlarged and must be continually scrolled. Second the agreement states that it is a legal contract and we are liable for prices and fees including those incurred where we did not actually authorize the use. However - nowhere are the prices and fees described - in the ageement (states the agreement is the entire contract). This may be a free product, but the user agreement sure does not sound this way.

"All prices are given and must be paid in U.S. dollars. All prices exclude applicable taxes, duties, and similar charges, which will be charged to and paid for by You. You agree to pay all amounts due under this Agreement and to be responsible for all activity in your account for the Services, including payment of fees incurred at the direction of any user(s)."

"You agree that all use of passwords and access keys to the Services will be attributed to You, even if You did not actually authorize the use, including uses that incur additional fees."

Perhaps someone from Unyte would care to comment ???

I say you make it possible to add Skypecast to existing forums - like a plugin for phpbb. Skypecast is the new thing that will replace the forums (hopefully) so it is logical to show the people who use the later how great the new thing is. Mixing them will not be hard and will prove usefull.

I don't think that SkypeCast will replace text message board forums - just like interactive text chat where participants are there in real-time has not replaced text message boards where people can leave text messages by subject when they are available.

I do think however, that SkypeCasts can be a great complement to text message boards.

Dave, I've passed on your feedback on Unyte to the team at Skype who works with them.

I like the idea that Skypecasts could replace the forum, but I tend to agree with Dave: it's a great complement, offering a richer, more personal experience, but perhaps better for "events" rather than on-going discussions, like forums.

From Unyte team to all Unyte users (and Denver Dave in particular):

WebDialogs has no intention of charging our users hidden fees or taking anyone to the court. The purpose of Service Agreement is to protect the company from misuse or legal allegations.

Unyte is free and always will be such. In the upcoming versions we will draw more distinction between Unyte and Unyte+ (which will be a premium -- paid product).
We also hope to work with Skype team on making Unyte more integrated with Skypecast.

Please keep in mind that while software is done by developers, Service Agreements are written by lawyers who make their living by making things to look more complicated than they are


[quote=Denver Dave]Unyte looks like an interesting service to be used with Skype, but I'm not sure how anyone can sign their agreement if you read it. First, as usual, the very long agreement is in a very small window that can not be enlarged and must be continually scrolled. Second the agreement states that it is a legal contract and we are liable for prices and fees including those incurred where we did not actually authorize the use. However - nowhere are the prices and fees described - in the ageement (states the agreement is the entire contract). This may be a free product, but the user agreement sure does not sound this way...[/quote]

Thank you for the Unyte reply. It will be interesting to try the Unyte with SkypeCasts where it appears to be only one other person on the call, but yet a SkypeCast of others.

It would be nice if a small chat window would be included in the skypecast browser. Sometimes it's easier to share URL's by posting a link rather than spelling it out.

I agree it would be nice to have the text chat built into SkypeCasts. Meanwhile, it is common to open a Skype Chat window by clicking on the I for each SkypeCast member and then dragging each person's picture to one common window (just pick one to be the common window). Took a couple of tries to get it right, now pretty easy.

One thing that is interesting is using this method, we can multichat with people that are not in the SkypeCast to the text chat.

I have a few suggestions to improve skypecasts.

1. Gain control for each participant (possibly in the host's gui??). It seemed to me that some participants were too loud/overdriving their mics, while others were very faint. I would think that Skype's AGC logic could help, but a slider or equivalent would be a good addition.

2. Echo control. I think the Skype's AEC engine is weak, and during Skypecasts, 10 and more participants sort of amplify this weakness. I am not sure how to address this. I know that on the host's end, more attention to the mute functions is helpful.

While we focus on the areas for improvement, I would like to thank the Skypecast team for putting this solution together. The product is well thought out and executed.

Cheers,
sk

[quote=spud5]I would like to vote for,

5) End this Skypecast (remove it from the list)
6) Extend this Skypecast for xx minutes (keep it on the list)[/quote]

Another vote for the above.
Abort/End Skypecast option desparately needed, the ratio of "ghost" (no host) rooms to active ones is about 9:1

Also ticketed/invite-only chats.