Mac to MSN Messenger?

February 19, 2006 7:47 PM

Is there a way I can communicate via an iSight on my Mac (10.4) with someone who insists on using MSN Messenger 7.5?

Such googling as I've done doesn't leave me very hopeful, but I'd be overjoyed if it could be done. Thanks!

posted by Wolof to computers & internet (8 comments total)

No.

Ichat with Aim.
Yahoo with Yahoo.

Unfortunately no MSN.
posted by filmgeek at 7:53 PM on February 19, 2006

I am dealing with this too. Yahoo to Yahoo or iChat to Yahoo offers video only, no audio.

AIM to iChat (which is really AIM to AIM) is good-quality audio and video, but the pc user can not re-size the video of the Mac user any larger than about 1.5 square inches.

Whatever — free is still cheaper than calling Korea to Oklahoma and back.
posted by Brittanie at 8:06 PM on February 19, 2006

Yahoo for the video, Skype for the audio? (since the Mac skype client doesn't do video yet)
posted by reverendX at 9:16 PM on February 19, 2006

No. MSN Messenger's audio/video chat is based on the Windows Media architecture, which Microsoft has refused to port to the Mac OS (or to any non-Windows platform). Ironically, programs that use QuickTime can work on both Mac OS and Windows (see "iTunes"), but programs like Messenger that use the Windows Media API are restricted to Windows.

(The free Windows Media players that Microsoft has released over the years just play back stored and streaming media formats - they don't implement the whole architecture.)

iChat video chat works with AIM for Windows, so that may be your best bet.
posted by mdeatherage at 9:46 PM on February 19, 2006

Thanks, guys.
posted by Wolof at 10:43 PM on February 19, 2006

Wolof, try aMSN. I haven't tried it myself but it does support webcam video (but not voice I believe).
posted by cwhitfcd at 10:46 PM on February 19, 2006

Thank you so much! I'll try it very soon -- all I need is video, the audio hookup will be via landline.
posted by Wolof at 11:12 PM on February 19, 2006

We use aMsn as well (link above) and it WORKS! I can't believe this went under the radar for most mac people. The camera works actually better than MSN's client. Have fun!
posted by _zed_ at 6:45 AM on February 20, 2006