Comments on: Cross platform video-chat software.

Question: Cross platform video-chat software.

Wild_Eep — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 14:45:14 -0800

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?

By: spinko

spinko — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 14:52:09 -0800

I think Ichat is Mac based only, so your pretty stuck. The only other way around is to aquire a copy of OSx for x86 machines.

By: Wild_Eep

Wild_Eep — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 14:53:12 -0800

Anyone have experience with iVisit?

By: majick

majick — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 14:55:13 -0800

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.

By: Armitage Shanks

Armitage Shanks — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 15:28:24 -0800

Some people have reproted that Trillian Pro works.

By: matty

matty — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 15:38:22 -0800

If you don't mind the 'adult rooms'... ICUII works well - or so I've heard.

By: filmgeek

filmgeek — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 15:51:09 -0800

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.

By: danb

danb — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 15:53:25 -0800

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.

By: qwip

qwip — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 16:30:55 -0800

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!

By: provocateur

provocateur — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 17:40:45 -0800

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.

By: _zed_

_zed_ — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 06:28:17 -0800

aMSN is a godsend and it WORKS!

By: neuron

neuron — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 23:31:10 -0800

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.