Typical public chat rooms are based in only one thing: text. While some chat rooms might also throw in a few other methods of communication, most popularly the emoticon, (everyone loves those smilies), the fact is that traditional public chat rooms are essentially confined to the realm of text. Audio and video are just not readily available in what we think of as public chat rooms.

The newest in videoconferencing technologies is changing our conception of online public chat rooms. Nowadays it is not too difficult to find public chat rooms that allow people to communicate not via text but with video and phone quality audio all in real time.

These new video chat rooms have started to become very popular in the world of online dating, as well as just among people who want to get out there and connect with others through the Internet in a very real and powerful way that was not possible 10 years ago in the Internet's earliest heyday. Many of these new video chat rooms even offer free membership to encourage people to sign up.

One great example of the sorts of companies offering these new video public chat rooms is CUWorld. Whether you’re seeking to run business meetings, communicate with friends and family or meet new people CUWorld can be used to operate video public chat rooms. CUWorld promises video with TV speeds of up to 30fps (frames per seconds) as well as phone quality audio for the best in real time video chat.

There is no better way for people to go out and meet new people. Companies like CUWorld offer the free use of profiles so you can search out people whom you might be interested and meet up with them in the company's video public chat rooms. Other companies that are jumping in on the videoconfering revolution include CupidCams and Loveline Personals.

Imagine talking with someone in real time, being able to both see and hear them. No more playing e-mail tag. No more looking at a picture and wondering if this is what they really look like. No more depending upon text-based instant messaging. Video public chat rooms are the real McCoy.

While these new video public chat rooms are generally web based and thus require no special connection other than an Internet connection (almost all also require broadband Internet access as dial-up connections are just no powerful enough to keep up with the flow of audio and video streaming), there is some hardware that you will require before you can get involved in this new revolution.

If you want people to be able to hear you in a video public chat room, you will have to have a microphone. In order for you to hear them you will also need a pair of speakers. These are two obvious pieces of hardware that you will require before you can get involved.

But you don't just want to hear the people on the other end of the line. This is video chat, you want to be able to see them and you want them to be able to see you. Thus you will also require a webcam in order to send out real-time video of yourself. Many digital cameras and digital video cameras double up as a webcam so there is a good chance if you own one of these devices that you are already able to get hooked up with a webcam right now.

Video public chat rooms are a very exciting addition to the world of Internet dating. Don't get left behind, this is the future of online matchmaking. If you want to get in on the game now is definitely the time. Videoconferencing technology is stronger, faster and more affordable than ever.