calling in the show

[Ozbrewer]

gday world

I was wondering if you guys can hook up away that we can call in via out computers, MSN and Google talk have good voice chat features, so im thinking can this be used via the studio? this will save on you having to maintain the 1888 number?


google talk is the best of the best, and its free if you have a google mail account.......google mail is the best of the best of web based email, but i think its not public yet so you need an invite, im happy to invite whoever needs it, but everyone is limited to 50 invites, so i can invite some, the some can invite others, yada yada yada




what you think, good/bad idea?

[BeerPal]

gday world

I was wondering if you guys can hook up away that we can call in via out computers, MSN and Google talk have good voice chat features, so im thinking can this be used via the studio? this will save on you having to maintain the 1888 number?

I think it's a good idea but I also believe the 1-888 number should be maintained as well. Not everybody is as technologically hip as Oz and it would be shame if I... I mean, if some people couldn't call in because they could only manage a land line.

[Lufah]

I think it's a good idea. Especially for those over seas. I've also got a bunch of invites. Another thought is to give out a regular number. I used my cell and I have free long distance. Free minutes after 7 so it would cost me nothing. I think a lot of people (at least in the US) have plans like that with there cell.

Don't try it with your OZ. I've called out of country on mine a couple of times and almost had to sell the house.

Travis

[Ozbrewer]

well anyone needs an invite, email me at ozbrewer@gmail.com

then anyone wants to add me, download google talk and follow the instructions

[Lufah]

I just checked I have 100. So if anyone needs one.....

[Ozbrewer]

hey all

brewcasters...is there anyway that you can patch in a call from the computer into your system?

[Brewcaster J]

Hey guys, sorry for the delayed response. And Oz, I got your e-mail invite as well. I've been down in Los Angeles for a week...I hate that place.
Anyway, I definitely appreciate the google talk invites, offers and info here but I'm afraid we are unable to use it at the moment. However, our phone is the very least of our expenses right now and is in fact very cheap so its not an area we need solutions. Also, in order to carry the voice over the air, and at the same time have the listener hear all of us in the studio as we speak, we have to send the signal through a phone hybrid to place all the audio in its proper place. That piece of equipment is the only expensive part of the phone process, which also explains why our phone quality sucks on occasion because we use a budget hybrid. A true broadcast quality hybrid is somewhere in the tune of $5000 (yikes!).

With all that said, google talk (or similar) is a solution for us in the future when we can find a way to free ourselves from the hybrid, and be able to take on mulitple callers, etc. So your invites have sparked me to begin looking into that more. Thank you again for that.

And, as always, all money saving ideas are well recieved here so please keep the wheels turning.

Prost,
Justin

[Lufah]

I hadn't thought about it till now, but what kind of equipment do you need? I've got a friend that works for CNN in LA. Tech guy (gal actually). I could give her a call and see what she can come up with. Maybe some free stuff they were going to junk.

Travis