Virtual User Group Options

The SLCDUG (Salt Lake City Delphi Users Group) is going to do some of it's meetings on-line.  

I started researching many options of what technlogy to use, with the following factors playing into my decision:

1. Cost, since we don't collect dues the cost needs to be small enough that I can personally handle it if there is not a sponsor willing to pick up the tab.   
2. Options are available to make this more like a local users group meeting than pre-scripted webinar presentation. 
3. We have attendance in the past year at anywhere from 4 people to 50 people.    Because our virtual meetings will be available to everyone on the Internet, we need a solution that supports at least 100 people.

I was surprised to find that there is not a ton of un-biased reviews.   For example the most compressive review of GoToWebinar was done by a Cisco employee the company that produces Webex.    With that in mind I knew I could not depend on others research.   So I setup multiple computers in my home all signed up for the trial offers of the following companies and this is what I found in my comparision.

GoToWebinar
Price: $99/Month
Max Attendees: 100 @ $99 * 500 @ $399  *  1000 @ $499
OS Supported: Windows, MAC
Trial Length: 30 Days
Pros: 

• Interface was easy to use.
• Control windows are not broadcast
• Ability to view only one application instead of the entire desktop.
• Support for VOIP and Telephone conferencing for presenters and/or Attendees
• May unmute either option quickly via software.
• Up to 25 People could be unmuted.
• Good registration and Tracking of who attended.
• Was able to show a small video clip without slow down.
• Ability to share or hide Attendees List
• Easy to schedule future meetings
• Ability to make someone else the presenter without reconnecting

Cons:

• No support for Web Cams
• No Support Linux
• Can not be run from a virtual machine

WebEx 
Price:  Contact Sales (Scared here as 25 users is $49/Month but I have sent an email request)
Max Attendees: 500 (Meeting Center Product) 3000 (Event Center Product)
OS Supported: Windows, MAC, Solaris, Unix, Linux, 3G Enabled Smart phones (IPhone, Blackberry, Nokia, etc)
Trial Length: 14 Days (Meeting Center) unable to trial Event Center
Pros:

• Control windows are not broadcast
• Optional support to allow attendees to chat with each other.
• Ability to Share or Hide Attendee List
• Ability to make someone else the presenter without reconnecting
• Easy way to schedule future meetings

Cons: (Based on Meeting Center)

• No way to register for a meeting.
• No way to see reports on who attended after meeting.
• Interface seemed to get in the way more than I wanted.
• Had Problems starting a 2nd Meeting after first trial meeting.
• Users Joining meeting were prompted to join 14 day trial (Our attendees are not their customers!)
  

LiveMeeting
Price:  $22.50/Month  ($4.50 per user per month min 5 Users)
Initially this was confusing but figured it out.  Each Organizer need a license, attendees don't so the minimum license count will work for our situation)
Max attendees: 250 (Can get up to 1250 if you pay $16 per User)

OS Supported: Windows, any Java supported OS (Java Version does not support VOIP)

Trial Length: 30 Days (It's all of Microsoft on-line services, not just LiveMeeting)
Pros:

• Price is very good.
• Ability to Show or Hide Attendee List
• Ability to allow Users to Create own Personal Recording
• Optional Pre Registration 
• Embarcadero Uses it for CodeRage so people are familiar with it.

Cons:

• Organizers are required to use a Sign In Application, that reconfigures Outlook.
• Most Difficult (As an Organizer) to get setup initially
• Web Version does not support VOIP / Clients must Download Live Meeting to get VOIP
• Only supports External Phone Conferencing Providers, not provided by Default.
• If I allow all attendees to have MIC access, I can't control the Mute.   They can unmute themselves at will.  You can mute everyone but yourself but they can turn around and unmute immediately.

DimDim
Price: $75/Month (DimDim Webinar Version) (There is a Free version for 20 or less attendees)
Max Attendees: 1000
OS Supported: Windows, Mac, and Modern Browser that supports Flash.
Trial Length: 30 Days

Pros:

• Optional Public Group Chat
• Poor Support for Question and Answers, Private Chat was the only option.
• Registration Support
• Phone or VIOP Support
• Price for smaller meetings
• Cool count down timer and Registration Widget to embed on site later
• Open API for setup of Meetings. (although: Lacked in Meeting API controls)
• Will host Recordings
• Shared Browsing Feature

Cons:

• Speed of switching content views.
• Only can share whole desktop.  Annoying Red box around screen.
• No built in Polling
• Registration Required Field are not changable (I don't care about phone number but DimDim makes it required)
• Several Support Forums, with no clear direction where to go.  They were confusing at best.
• Recording will not record everything, currently does not support white board or shared browsing

Common Problems regardless of option:

• Unable to Broadcast PC Audio without setting up, Sound Mix and disabling your Mic or using a second PC/Mixer Board.   

Right now I am leaning to LiveMeeting because of price, but my favorite is GotoWebinar, its features are far more robust and would go along way in making the session seem more like a local user group meeting.

I am interested in feedback on those that have experience in using these technologies or other options I did not review.

Update:  Added DimDim to the list of products reviewed