Spatial Chat

Spatial Chat is a nice video conferencing tool to organise conferences, presentations, informal group chat, meetings, and online audio broadcasting.

The user interface is very intuitive, and very conference oriented with different types of meeting rooms, lobby, and auditoria. Few options have to be configured by the user. The application is well built, and adapts wel to the different conference roles (administrator, host, guest). Graphics, audio, video are working well, also on a smartphone.

WMBE and WMNL are using it to organise virtual activities and conferences.

While a presentation, or a (restricted) meeting is running in the auditorium, people can still communicate freely in the lobby, independent from the other meeting rooms.

Functionality

The system has a very clear and simple interface (no documentation required, not for participants, not for presenters, not for administrators). The application automatically shows more or fewer options depending on the user rights, and the type of room. When entering the conference, the mike and camera can be put off (for privacy reasons).

Common functionality

• It runs in the browser, nothing to install, no authentication required.
• It supports full screen mode (F11)
• It adapts well to small screens and smartphones
• Hands up to request going on stage, or to talk in the audio conference
• Chat:
  • Chat is available in all rooms (sharing short messages, URLs)
  • Private chat is possible amongst any two participants
• Sound:
  • To talk to another user in the lobby, move your avatar close to that person; the closer you come, the better you hear each other
  • Megaphone to talk to all participants
  • Broadcast (only available to the coordinator)
  • Silence a user (in your own session)
• Navigation:
  • To visit a room, click on the name of the room
  • You can drag the background in all directions
  • You can zoom in and out (use scroll wheel)
  • To locate a participant you can search for, and /or click on the name
  • Move your avatar
• Diverse:
  • Send e-mail invite

Guest functionality

A guest can only listen to, and watch a conference, except in the main lobby where talking, small video, megaphone, and screen sharing is possible.

Host functionality

• Have access to closed rooms
• Remove chat messages
• Remove users
• Disable sound, microphone, and camera of other users

Administrator functionality

• Configure the rooms
  • Set background pictures to all rooms
• Promote a user to host; demote hosts
• Remove all chat messages
• Disable emoticons for rooms
• Disable megaphone, uploading, screen sharing, chat, audio, video for the lobby

Type of rooms

Lobby or meeting room

The lobby has aspects of an intercom.

• Intercom functionality (talk to each other in small groups)
  • Speaking to other depends on the distance, except in megaphone mode
  • You can have separate/parallel groups/discussions/languages at the same time
• There are tables and chairs (to take distance from other teams) - the admin can upload another background image
• This room is always open (no access control; can't be closed)
• Users can share their screen
• User can post messages on the wall
• Miro Whiteboard (separate account required)
• Play video's
• No emoticons

Auditorium

The auditorium can be used for large presentations, but also for (restricted) meetings.

• Only hosts can come onto stage and present (share screen)
• It can be easily used for a general assembly, or another meeting
• You can only listen, unless you are promoted to host
• The room can be made invisible
• Meeting can be restricted to hosts
• The admin can set a password
• Play video's
• Emoticons can be disabled by the host

Audio conference

An audio conference is a conference without video, so requires less bandwidth.

• Only hosts can come onto stage and talk
• Participants can't speak, unless allowed by a host
• To talk, you need to ask for authorisation
• The room can be made invisible
• Room can be restricted to hosts
• The admin can set a password
• Emoticons can be disabled by the host

Privacy

Participants can connect via easy e-mail authentication. This makes it easy to setup a meeting but it introduces a certain risk for disturbing the meeting by hostile parties.

• The chat function is allowed in all meeting rooms
• One can prefer to only enable audio (video is optional)
• When participating to a presentation participants remain invisible (mike and video are enabled only for presenters "Go on stage")
• There is no central recording

Security

• Authentication via a one-time code that is sent to the user's e-mail address
• Additional users can be invited by e-mail
• Subsequent connects rely on session cookies

Pricing

There are different prices available. Since 2023 the Free Plan does not allow to share screen any more. It allows for 5 participants.

Known problems

No sound no video

Possibly caused by having the session open for longtime.

• Restart the session in a new browser tab (possibly "Duplicate the Tab")

Free plan runs out of time

• Come and see tomorrow
• Upgrade to a paying plan

External links

• WMBEchat