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iChat video conferencing RULES!


Dave Bryce

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Yup. Me and my sister use it when ever she has the time. It's nice to she her face even though she is away at collage.

 

Only thing is, we still have G4 iBooks and those old external iSights, so the picture is kinda slow. I heard the intel macs video conference much much faster. I Video conferenced with my friend who has a macbook pro and his picture was so darn nice...

 

Gona have to get me one of those one of these days.

GIGO
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Originally posted by gliderproarc:

Only thing is, we still have G4 iBooks and those old external iSights, so the picture is kinda slow. I heard the intel macs video conference much much faster. I Video conferenced with my friend who has a macbook pro and his picture was so darn nice...

I have an external iSight (G4 PowerBook) and also a newer Intel iMac (built in camera), and while I always liked being able to video chat with the wife and kids when I was travelling, the improvement with the new machines is significant.

 

Dave and I were both on Intel Macs today, and is was very clear and responsive.

 

In fact, right after that I tried a 4 person video conference with my co workers, and that works perfectly too, right down to the reflection in the "conference room" tabletop.

 

Very fun.

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Originally posted by RABid:

Is there any usage cost involved? How many people can connect at once?

 

Robert

No usage cost.

 

Up to 4 people for video conf (you + 3 others)

Up to 10 people for audio only conf (you + 9 others)

 

:thu:

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Can iChat communicate with AOL IM or any other IM client? If so, I'm ready to rock & roll. :thu:

 

Ummmmm, I take that back. Most of those people on AOL IM are perverts. :rolleyes:

 

It's a cool idea among people you know/trust though. :)

"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo
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Originally posted by Is There Gas in the Car?:

Can iChat communicate with AOL IM or any other IM client? If so, I'm ready to rock & roll.

I think it will work with AOL IM if AOL IM is on a PC.

 

I don't think the Mac version of AOL IM supports video. (that was the case as of about a year ago)

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Originally posted by steadyb:

I don't think the Mac version of AOL IM supports video. (that was the case as of about a year ago)

Thanks steadyb.

 

Yup. I'm on a PeeCee. Videoconferencing can be cool, but it can also have some real tech headaches. If Apple has made this work easily, that's great. It takes a broadband connection and attention to suppressing audio feedback (and good lighting).

"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo
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Originally posted by Is There Gas in the Car?:

Originally posted by steadyb:

[qb]If Apple has made this work easily, that's great. It takes a broadband connection and attention to suppressing audio feedback (and good lighting).

Well, don't take my word for it... ask Dave. No tech issues at all, just click on the little "camera" icon in iChat and that's it, you're audio/video conferencing.
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Originally posted by steadyb:

Well, don't take my word for it... ask Dave. No tech issues at all, just click on the little "camera" icon in iChat and that's it, you're audio/video conferencing.

Why shouldn't I take your word for it, steadyb? You've never lied to me before. :)

 

If Apple has made it this easy, then that's very cool. +1 for Apple.

 

I figure that sooner or later Apple's going to make enough money that they can afford to pay Steve Jobs to buy some new threads. Can you imagine opening his closet door only to find 1 rack with 1,000 black t-shirts and another with 1,000 pair of jeans? :eek:;)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Stevejobs_Macworld2005.jpg/360px-Stevejobs_Macworld2005.jpg

"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo
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iChat actually works on AIM. You can have either an AIM account or a .Mac account and and chat with people on either. This includes audio and video. (iChat also supports Jabber, the open source IM protocol, but I don't know if you can do audio or video on that. Jabber does allow you to use iChat to IM with people on Yahoo and MSN - see http://www.jabber.org.au/ichat )

 

I've had an iSight on my iMac G5 for ages, but I think I've done maybe two or three video chats with it, and only once with more than one person. My friends suck. :(

"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck

 

"The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI

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Originally posted by steadyb:

Well, don't take my word for it... ask Dave. No tech issues at all, just click on the little "camera" icon in iChat and that's it, you're audio/video conferencing.

True. No issues at all. Signed up, entered my info, made a buddy list, and I was good to go.

 

Video conferencing on the wireless laptop...way Star Trek geeky. :cool::thu:

 

dB

:snax:

 

:keys:==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <==:rawk:

 

Professional Affiliations: Royer LabsMusic Player Network

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I figure that sooner or later Apple's going to make enough money that they can afford to pay Steve Jobs to buy some new threads. Can you imagine opening his closet door only to find 1 rack with 1,000 black t-shirts and another with 1,000 pair of jeans? :eek:
Removes having to decide what to wear (and, for us geeks, what shirt goes with which pants. Don't even talk to me about socks).

I'm all for a stress-free life!

Botch

In Wine there is Wisdom

In Beer there is Freedom

In Water there is bacteria

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Originally posted by Is There Gas in the Car?:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Stevejobs_Macworld2005.jpg/360px-Stevejobs_Macworld2005.jpg

What's scary is I recently showed up at a dealer training in a long sleeved black pullover shirt, and a couple of people told me that wearing my glasses and standing behind my black Mac Book I kinda looked like Jobs... :eek:

 

dB

:snax:

 

:keys:==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <==:rawk:

 

Professional Affiliations: Royer LabsMusic Player Network

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I do it on Skype, AIM and iChat every day for work (I live just south of Chicago, my company is based in Raleigh, my boss lives in Atlanta, and out client is in DC). All platforms perform just fine, but iChat is definitely the easient to use. Unfortunately, the only large scale corporate partner using OSX is Lexis Nexis.

"For instance" is not proof.

 

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Originally posted by Is There Gas in the Car?:

It takes a broadband connection and attention to suppressing audio feedback (and good lighting).

Suppressing feedback is as easy as wearing headphones, and a nifty little plugin like iGlasses makes lighting a little less of a headache. The other iChat hack that I really REALLY dig is Chax . iChat/AIM/etc... are amazingly handy little apps.
A ROMpler is just a polyphonic turntable.
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Originally posted by Dave Bryce:

Originally posted by garrafon:

Skype has worked great for me :thu:

How do you make it work on Skype? I have an account, but I've never looked for video conferencing capabilities...

 

dB

I dont have it in front of me, so I can't give a step-by-step, but I know you are computer savvy enough to figure it out.

 

Go ahead and download Skype and pop it open. I seem to recall that when I first installed it, it looked for video capabilities.

 

But, click here for more info:

 

http://www.skype.com/help/guides/howtoskype_video/

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Thanks, Garrafon!

 

I already have Skype...but I can't find anything about video anywhere in the program. Are you running the Mac or Windows version? Is it possible the Mac version doesn't support video?

 

'preciate the help...

 

dB

:snax:

 

:keys:==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <==:rawk:

 

Professional Affiliations: Royer LabsMusic Player Network

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Originally posted by Dave Bryce:

Thanks, Garrafon!

 

I already have Skype...but I can't find anything about video anywhere in the program. Are you running the Mac or Windows version? Is it possible the Mac version doesn't support video?

 

'preciate the help...

 

dB

Here is what Skype says about using Skype when you already have iChat:

 

"Why would I use Skype when I already have iChat?

Skype is built from the ground up for voice communications across platforms and around the world. You can use Skype to make calls to any regular telephone number all over the world at very low prices. Skype also allows you to easily talk for free to anyone else using Skype whether they are on Mac, Linux, Windows or Pocket PC."

 

As for the video issue, it is in the works. Here is what Skype has said about using video on the MAC OS:

 

"Is Video available for Mac OS?

 

Yes, if youre brave

Weve released a preview version of video for Mac, which can be found here:

http://www.skype.com/download/skype/macosx/videopreview.html

 

Preview means that weve only tested it under specific conditions, and that we cant guarantee its quality for users on different hardware or operating system. System requirements for Skype for Mac Video Preview can be found here: http://www.skype.com/download/skype/macosx/videopreview.html."

 

Hope that helps!

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Originally posted by DIALTWISTER:

Yeah iChat is great... Im living in Berlin now and I chat with family back in NY and its flawless.

Yep, Seattle to L.A. to NYC to Albequerque to Grass Valley to London to ...anywhere.

 

it works .

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Originally posted by steadyb:

Originally posted by DIALTWISTER:

Yeah iChat is great... Im living in Berlin now and I chat with family back in NY and its flawless.

Yep, Seattle to L.A. to NYC to Albequerque to Grass Valley to London to ...anywhere.

 

it works .

It's funny seeing Grass Valley listed in context with larger metropolitan areas, but I think I understand why.

 

How is Dave Smith these days?

 

Best,

 

Geoff

My Blue Someday appears on Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon

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BTW, before clicking on this topic, I kind of half thought that this thread might be about laying down some ground rules for a new forum iChat feature.

 

This is the second time iChat has come up for me this week an engineer I know wanted to send me some audio files via iChat. Is that sort of thing easy to set up?

 

I have a .Mac account but I've never used iChat.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

My Blue Someday appears on Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon

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