Video Calls PPM

PaidVideochat turnkey site solution implements advanced private video calls with HTML5 Videochat.

Live Demos: Test VideoCall App

The turnkey site edition involves registration roles. The apps are also available in some simplified demonstrative setups, for quick testing without registration:

• Video Call Demo w. P2P WebRTC  * – Access a room as caller and share link with a client for a 2 way video call. Simple standalone demo setup, no registration required. This setup uses a P2P WebRTC signaling server with STUN/TURN for live streaming.
• Random Videochat Demo * – Access random videochat page and use Next button to get matched with other users (if available). No registration required.
• PaidVideochat Demo – Register as performer to setup video call rooms or client to request instant private calls.
  Includes ability to initiate instant calls or predefined locked call links, video/audio/text mode, free/paid calls with custom cost per minute.
• Video Call Demo w. Wowza SE Relay  * – Access a room as caller and share link with a client for a 2 way video call. Simple standalone demo setup, no registration required. This uses Wowza SE as relay for live streaming.

* Demos of video call functionality from same app in different integrations. Limited features are implemented/active in these demos.

PaidVideochat Video Calls

There are 2 ways of initiating private video calls:

1. Instant videocalls can be requested when performer is live in videochat:
   – live from webcam listings
   – during group chat
   User needs a wallet with tokens to request and participate in pay per minute video calls. All instant calls are pay per minute unless cost per minute is configured to 0 from solution backend.
2. Locked videocall links can be setup by performer from dashboard for specific users by username or email.
   • Each call is restricted to a client and can be accessed by link only by that logged in client.
   • Client can access a list of all available calls from Client Dashboard.
   • Performer can start or live switch room to Calls Only mode: only users with a call link can access.
   • Performer can setup locked call as Paid (pay per minute) or Free.

Performer Call Chat Modes

In addition to group chat modes, performer can Go Live in Calls or Locked Calls mode, disabling group chat.
Performers can use call only modes to take calls, without starting group / presale chat.
These modes are predefined in latest defaults.
In Locked Calls mode, room is only available for predefined call links, hiding from room list.

Private Chat / Call Modes

Private chat is available in 3 modes:
– video call (webcam, microphone, text chat)
– audio call (microphone, text chat)
– text chat (only text chat)
Call mode can be selected by client when requesting from listings menu (instant) or when setup by provider (locked).
Provider can setup both paid and free calls. Different paid call types can have different cost per minute (in tokens/credits using micropayments).
When requested inside group live chat, call inherits group chat mode (video or audio/text only).

Live Streaming Server Services

For web based video calls, 2 live streaming server types can be used:

• P2P WebRTC signaling server with STUN/TURN (recommended for 2 way web video calls), available with:
  • Turnkey bundles and complete hosting plans, on request (as alternative to Wowza SE)
  • P2P WebRTC Only plans, with FREE developer plan available for testing
  • Own VPS  or dedicated server, installed by VideoWhisper or own administrator from VideoWhisper WebRTC Signaling Server (free on GitHub)
• Wowza SE as relay (includes advanced live streaming features like 1 to many scaling, OBS support, recording), available with:
  • Turnkey bundles and complete hosting plans that come as default with Wowza SE live streaming server services
  • Remote HTML5 Live Streaming based on Wowza SE
  • Own dedicated server installed by VideoWhisper for higher price range (thousands per year, to get own Wowza SE licensing, Stream Session Control)

Video Call Features

• 100% web based, 2 Way, HTML5 live video streaming and chat
• Select camera, microphone, resolution with adaptive bitrate quality options. Users can toggle webcam and microphone as desired, when enabled. Call can included 2 way video, 1 way video, audio only or text only as users prefer. Streaming settings (resolution, bitrate, camera, microphone) are configurable at runtime and bitrate is also adjusted automatically by WebRTC protocol to fit connection capabilities.
• Wait lobby showing live status until other user is online, available and accepts
• Audio Only mode: website or user (if options are enabled) can be configured in Audio Only mode, meaning only microphone will be available for audio + text calls. Can be used for bandwidth restricted projects or professionals / advisors that don’t want to share webcam.
• Text Only mode: enables using only text chat, without webcam on microphone.
• Pay Per Minute (PPM): Optionally, Cost Per Minute (CPM) can be defined by admin or performer if allowed, for each webcam room.
  A grace time can be configured, in example free 30s for setup and warmup until paid session. Cost is displayed in webcam listings and room chat.
  Clients need to purchase prepay tokens from website. Multiple billing site options are available for setup.
  Billing features can be disabled on projects that do not require billing. CPM can be configured to 0 to disable pay per minute.
• Tips/Gifts: Participant can send gifts/tips (tokens) to room owner / performer.
  Predefine list of tip amounts with icons is configurable from settings.
• Recordings: Users can also record and send video/audio messages in text chat. Recorded messages are useful on text only calls and for users with low speed or unreliable connection that can’t stream live at good quality.
• Each user can configure Dark Mode / Light Mode preference for own interface.
  Preference is preserved, unless reset option is enabled from backend settings.

Reveal / Uncover Mode

Call can be started with microphone only (chat + audio) and a Reveal button activates after some warmup time.
User can reveal own webcam by choice after warmup time. There’s a timer showing time left until webcam can be uncovered.
Warmup time can be configured from settings or by user if options are enabled in chat interface.

Audio Only

HTML5 Videochat supports audio only mode where users can only broadcast microphone without camera video.
Audio only is effective for users with low internet connections.

When using simple interface (Broadcast, Playback, 2 Way) a special interface focused on chat shows for audio only.

All Features Live Demos

Have you seen enough to make a decision?

Interested in a simple HTML5 Video Call setup instead, without advanced features like pay per minute, tips ? See these alternative integrations that use same app (with same licensing and hosting requirements), included in the turnkey plans:

• Video Calls & Random Videochat – WordPress Plugin
• Standalone Videocall – Simple PHP Demo w. Wowza SE Relay