Cross platform video-chat software.
February 24, 2006 2:45 PM Subscribe
I have a Mac (10.4.5), my Dad has a PC (XP Home). We both have cable modems. We want to video chat. What apps can we use together? Bonus points if I can continue to use iChatAV.
I've been playing around with my firewire-equipped camcorder this week, and got a one-way video conference going with my Mom some 75 miles away. (She's got a PowerBook). Now my Dad wants to join in the fun and see the grandchildren.
What apps exist for us which are cross platform and decent quality? I've read conflicting reports about AIM for PCs having poor video quality with iChat, when it works at all.
Yes, yes, I know I should just convince Mom to get an iSight, but is there hope for Dad?
I've been playing around with my firewire-equipped camcorder this week, and got a one-way video conference going with my Mom some 75 miles away. (She's got a PowerBook). Now my Dad wants to join in the fun and see the grandchildren.
What apps exist for us which are cross platform and decent quality? I've read conflicting reports about AIM for PCs having poor video quality with iChat, when it works at all.
Yes, yes, I know I should just convince Mom to get an iSight, but is there hope for Dad?
Response by poster: Anyone have experience with iVisit?
posted by Wild_Eep at 2:53 PM on February 24, 2006
posted by Wild_Eep at 2:53 PM on February 24, 2006
iChat is AIM. Try that first, if that's your preferred software. Reports about low quality are likely to be largely reports about misconfigured PCs.
posted by majick at 2:55 PM on February 24, 2006
posted by majick at 2:55 PM on February 24, 2006
Some people have reproted that Trillian Pro works.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 3:28 PM on February 24, 2006
posted by Armitage Shanks at 3:28 PM on February 24, 2006
If you don't mind the 'adult rooms'... ICUII works well - or so I've heard.
posted by matty at 3:38 PM on February 24, 2006
posted by matty at 3:38 PM on February 24, 2006
iChat + AIM gets 10fps (decent) + audio. The picture is small on the PC.
Yahoo/yahoo gets no audio and so-so video
Thread from earlier this week indicates that possibly aMSN will work too.
posted by filmgeek at 3:51 PM on February 24, 2006
Yahoo/yahoo gets no audio and so-so video
Thread from earlier this week indicates that possibly aMSN will work too.
posted by filmgeek at 3:51 PM on February 24, 2006
Skype 2.0 for Windows does video chat. Skype for Mac is still at 1.x, but when it gets to 2.0 it will (presumably) do cross-platform video chat.
Obviously this doesn't help you right now, but it's something to keep in mind for the future.
posted by danb at 3:53 PM on February 24, 2006
Obviously this doesn't help you right now, but it's something to keep in mind for the future.
posted by danb at 3:53 PM on February 24, 2006
We do the AIM - iChat thing here. If you are not a member of AOL the view window is rather small on the PC side.
Waiting for Skype to update!
posted by qwip at 4:30 PM on February 24, 2006
Waiting for Skype to update!
posted by qwip at 4:30 PM on February 24, 2006
Gotta second the Trillian. Most of the grandparents use XP, we're mac people, the quality is about the same for AIM and Trillian, but the size of the AIM video window is impossible to deal with. Trillian has made it possible for the little one to see his GP's and (more importantly) for the GP's to see the little one a little bigger.
posted by provocateur at 5:40 PM on February 24, 2006
posted by provocateur at 5:40 PM on February 24, 2006
Try the open source Jabber. I haven't seen it but supposedly it's compatable with iChat. I tried AIM before but it has adverts and AIM itself actually installed spyware on my PC. Try finding Jabber thru Wikipedia.
posted by neuron at 11:31 PM on February 25, 2006
posted by neuron at 11:31 PM on February 25, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by spinko at 2:52 PM on February 24, 2006