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08/03/06 RSS Audio Feedback
I’m really glad to release these first screenshots of CommentCasting to you! I’m very very pleased with the system so far, and it’s only got a ping server left to code, some tidying up around the edges, customisation features (i.e. allowance of custom voice greetings to commenters), and we’ll have ourselves a fully operational RSS Audio Feedback system.
I’m now begining to think about this going into production also, and wondering how you could opeate it. Oviously you’d need a local number and server in every country. Or it could be operated by VoIP… but thats not what I want, I want people out with their mobile MP3 device to be able to press pause, instantly ring in a comment at the heat of the moment on their cell phone.
The two three costings models I have identified are either A) Charge the podcast owner a monthly fee, or B) have the server on a premium number to charge the commenters. What I want to know, is which would YOU prefer, and how much would you pay? C) Advertisements being played on the phone before a comment can be recorded, or mixed in with comments in the feed.
Tags: CommentCasting, Final Year Project, General
4 Comments
hrrrm… good question
My first thought is that a premium number would be too much of a barrier for me. I think I just wouldn’t bother commenting if I knew it was gonna cost me…what? 50c? a few quid? I’m stingy like that. :)
So I’d go for option A, though I’m not a podcaster so not really qualified to comment on that. You’d give them a couple of free goes obviously….
I dunno. Looking foward to hearing what a comment feed sounds like.
heh… I’m of the same line of thought. But there can always be incentives to the callers too, best comment winning something, hence a 50c call worth while. But really you want to maximise comments on the system.
What would an average amateur podcaster pay for this service, €30 a year?
I have added a third costings model on top of this too, see above.
27/03/06 Robert Smith
Do you have an idea of the actual costs that you could share? How about a premium service where a podcaster could buy a dedicated number? That way it looks a bit more like they are getting something for their annual subscription.
Is this an open-source project, or licensable? Is the Asterisk PBX setup extensible to multiple incoming numbers? Can you use other VOIP providers besides Blueface (like Skype) ?
@ Robert,
>Do you have an idea of the actual costs that you could share? How about a premium service where a podcaster could buy a dedicated number? That way it looks a bit more like they are getting something for their annual subscription.
Me: yes, I want to provide an invisible service. Eventually offering direct line numbers to commenters, branded with customised voice prompts uploadable as MP3’s though the admin interface.
>Is this an open-source project, or licensable?
Me: Unsure of the direction it will take. I have until August until I jet off to work for Reuters in Canary Wharf to pass it on, sell, license, share, who knows at this stage.
Is the Asterisk PBX setup extensible to multiple incoming numbers?
Me: Yes unlimited. But does have a limit on concurrent callers by the processor, RAM and broadband line. Early calculations on my system would lead me to believe on my current setup I could easily handle 5 concurrent callers (even all on the same number).
>Can you use other VoIP providers besides Blueface (like Skype) ?
Me:Yes of course… anyone who supports SIP Session Initiation Protocol which is becoming the industry standard. Skype don’t though theirs is a closed service, only skype to skype. Unfortunately there SkypeOut dial tones don’t seem to work with Asterisk either. I’ll look into how http://www.evoca.com are doing it though.
