Chat software comparison. Your opinion please.

[Alfa1]

I am in need of a full featured chat room solution that offers vb integration, a good interface and chatting experience to 25 - 60 concurrent users. I do not want a hosted solution. I do not think a chat room should cost more than a few hundred bucks.

Flashchat or IRC are not an option.

I found these solutions:

cometchat
Arrowchat
Avchat
Gchats
phpopenchat
Gagalive
v3chat
Prochatrooms
Flasherize
123flashchat
Addonchat
Realchat
Parachat
Flashcoms seems extremely expensive.
Digichat
sparkweb
Blab IM
Mibbit

Logician explains his views on Digichat, Flashchat, Realchat, Parachat in his blog: http://www.logician.org/8-chat-appli...lchat-parachat

What are your opinions on the above? What chat room would you recommend and why?

[Jah-Hools]

Addon chat RULES IMHO.

1) Living breathing tech support that is keen and courteous.
2) last update was not way back in 2002 or something..
3) isn't messing with your database / server
4) seems to be an ongoing 'in development' product

Further on that, I don't think its criminal to have developed a software and to just leave it as it is - cool... you sit back and just count the money...but dont expect any interest from me.. With 40,000 + members - I cant be dealing with abandoned software or 'distant' tech support..:erm:


But I am still in a trial period so...

Features missing from Addonchat IMHO are:

Filesharing (that was fun in Flashcat)
Being able to visit the chat in invisible mode (good for Admins to be able to do this IMHO)

So I am still open minded

[Videx]

You forgot to include "None of the above". Or at least "Other".

I'm on a shared server so my chat couldn't handle too many people anyway. For some odd reason my users seem to prefer a shoutbox.

[Ohiosweetheart]

I use FlashChat

Originally Posted by Videx

You forgot to include "None of the above". Or at least "Other".

I'm on a shared server so my chat couldn't handle too many people anyway. For some odd reason my users seem to prefer a shoutbox.

My members actually prefer a shoutbox as well.

[Alfa1]

I used flashchat as well, but I got tired of it getting hacked again and again. Was a real headache.
Upsides: The functionality of flashchat is nice. My members surely liked it. Price is good.
Downsides are the lag, it can't take too many chatters, security keeps being a problem.

Now i want to spend up to 300 bucks for a good chat system.

[vividbreeze]

I would like a chatroom that allows voice, is there such a program out there that would work with Vbulletin??

[Alfa1]

AV Chat and Gchat do that, but I am sure that there are more of the above. Just click on the links and review the features. Please post your findings here.

[8ballstudios]

I'm looking for one that allows you to display photos during chat. Any ideas?

[Mum]

I installed Sparkweb - members love it, and works fast and simple. As it uses jabber you can also use a client.

[abrecher]

Originally Posted by Mum

I installed Sparkweb - members love it, and works fast and simple. As it uses jabber you can also use a client.

Do you have it set up with VB integration sharing member logins ?