Online Video Conference Platform

With this idea in mind, our client who is an IT services provider for the Media and Entertainment Industry approached ValueCoders to develop a web RTC based video conferencing platform which would enable users to connect and invite others for starting an audio-visual conference call.

• To make a call, the users have free access to login where they can invite/add and find their contacts
• Depending on the contact’s presence (Available/Offline) information the application then allows the logged in user to call his contact
• In case the user wants to connect to a non-user then she can share a unique URL specifically created for this to connect and set up a conference

It is a hosted unified communications service based on client-server architecture as well as support for peer-to-peer architecture which includes video and voice as well as chat, file sending, screen sharing, presence, and more. The application makes the use of Web RTC as the core technology. All the communication takes place using web socket messages. The following diagrams would help understand the system better.

Meeting App:

This is a web application which is completely separate from browser or native client application. It provides the Web RTC connection when opened. This meeting application is implemented with the help of Easy RTC libs which uses socket.io as signaling server. The chat, file sending, adding peer in call, screen share features are provided in this web application.
Some of the main features of the meeting app are as follows:

• Sharing Files: Easyrtc file sharing API allows users to send and receive files. We can drag and drop or select files to send. The check box on the left can be marked to send the files to all the connected users in the meeting room.
• Screen Sharing: Easyrtc screen sharing API is used for sharing screens. This also helps in presenting the sales proposal virtually. This function requests that screen capturing should be used to provide the local media source rather than a webcam.
• Medical Journal – Objective, peer-reviewed evaluations of new FDA-approved drugs, and new information on previously approved drugs.
• Shared Browsing: Just like screen share, this feature helps to show your browser tab to other users while browsing. You can also pass control to other users to click and navigate the browsing too.
• Group Chat: This feature enables up to a maximum of four people to join in a group chat and have access to the files and other media shared in that particular chat window.
• Image Capturing: Image capturing is done by making use of the setting’s menu available on the dashboard.
• Recording of Video/Audio : The chat conversations between peers can be easily recorded for future use.
  
  RESULTS
  

  ValueCoders tried to engage the services of an expert team of engineers which can work closely with the client to research and develop a gear top of the line Peer-to-Peer video conferencing platform/application with the use of the latest web RTC based technology.

  Some of its main features of the application are as follows: –

  • Web RTC is integrated with Socket.io and also with Easy RTC for implementing peer-to-peer based chat rooms
  • Implemented a native thin client app for windows operating system which works similar to Skype and allows users to communicate with other users who can connect via their web browser

  • Backend was implemented using Node.js and MongoDB which helped in maintaining contacts, status and other such information about the users

  • Implemented the ability for creating unique URLs which could be shared with non-system users for allowing them to connect and conference
  • Integrated with Twilio APIs to allow users to set up call forwarding which then routes the call to their smartphone
  • Use of Express.js framework on top of Node.js and Jade/twitter bootstrap for the templating engine together with Stylus for styling
  • Setup STUN/TURN servers which will handle the connection between the peers.

  Finally, once we had the basic web version running we then rely on Open Source web RTC libraries and therefore is implemented like a C++ app for windows desktops.

  ValueCoders successfully executed the video conference system/application development well within the time frame. The client achieved its target of making a user-friendly video conference system/application and adding custom functions for better customer experience.

  It was a learning experience for ValueCoders to work on this development project that has helped the client and brought in repeat business as well. We ensured that the client and the development team were on the same page by frequent collaboration and regularly making use of project reporting tools. Agile methodologies were used throughout the time to discuss, improve and implement solutions before the final delivery of the application.