any one here uses ichat?

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Tho X. Bui - 22 Dec 2004 16:20 GMT

Hi there.

I'm relocating a long distance away from friends and family, so I'm
thinking about setting up an ichat system.
Any advice, comments?

My last attempt of doing this was using a webcam on one of my Windoz
boxes and it was pretty complicated because of the DSL service that I
had and connectivity issues.

In my new place, I'll be getting cable internet. Right now I mainly use
a 600Mhz ibook, OS X.1, and I have a few USB cameras, but I can upgrade
if needed.

Thanks,

Tho

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matt neuburg - 22 Dec 2004 17:25 GMT

> I'm relocating a long distance away from friends and family, so I'm
> thinking about setting up an ichat system.
> Any advice, comments?

What's to set up? iChat just works. m.

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Tho X. Bui - 22 Dec 2004 17:57 GMT

> > I'm relocating a long distance away from friends and family, so I'm
> > thinking about setting up an ichat system.
> > Any advice, comments?
>
> What's to set up? iChat just works. m.

Mmmm....Let me try again:

* what os do I need (I don't think my 10.1 works)
* do I need a fixed address?
* can I connect with PC users?
* any other firewire camea
* any kind of subscription fees?

Since I haven't done it yet, it's kind of hard to figure out what I
don't know. It certainly wasn't straight forward with the PC when I was
trying to set up a webcam or a Dlink eye2eye.

Thanks,

Tho

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matt neuburg - 22 Dec 2004 18:18 GMT

> > > I'm relocating a long distance away from friends and family, so I'm
> > > thinking about setting up an ichat system.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> * what os do I need (I don't think my 10.1 works)

iChat is certainly part of Panther. I don't know if it was part of
earlier systems.

> * do I need a fixed address?

No.

> * can I connect with PC users?

I don't know and I don't care. :) But I suppose it's possible, since AIM
is xplat.

> * any other firewire camea

What's the camera for? Chat is text-based. Did you mean to inquire about
iSight?

> * any kind of subscription fees?

No.

Why not just read about iChat if you're interested in iChat?

<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25748 >

m.

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Bob Harris - 22 Dec 2004 21:50 GMT

> > > I'm relocating a long distance away from friends and family, so I'm
> > > thinking about setting up an ichat system.
> > > Any advice, comments?
> >
> > What's to set up? iChat just works. m.

I concur. iChat AV just works. If my Mom can do it, anyone can do it
(after you set them up that is :-)

> Mmmm....Let me try again:
>
> * what os do I need (I don't think my 10.1 works)

You need to upgrade to Panther. There was a beta version of iChat AV
for jaguar, but that was removed from the Apple site, so you really do
need to upgrade to Panther. You will have the added bonus that Panther
does run much faster than 10.1, so it is a good idea to upgrade anyway.

> * do I need a fixed address?

No. iChat AV will use either a .mac account or a free AOL Instant
Messenger account as a means of exchanging your ISP assigned IP address.
Rather cool way of doing the initial connection actually. You don't do
a thing, just click on your buddy in the IM list and iChat does the rest.

> * can I connect with PC users?

There is a version of AOL Instant Messenger for PCs that is suppose to
allow iChat AV and PCs to work together, but I have never tried it.
http://aim.com

> * any other firewire camea

You can use most Firewire cameras, or a Firewire Digital Video camera
(remove tape so that it does not auto shutoff).

You can also use some USB video cameras via iChatUSBCam
http://www.ecamm.com/mac/ichatusbcam/
I used this before I got my iSight.

> * any kind of subscription fees?

Only your DSL or Cable modem connection. If you are just going to do
audio, you might be able to do that over a dialup line, but not video.

Another thing about video is that your high speed internet connection
needs a minimum of 128 kilo bits per second up load speed. Most high
speed services only tell you how fast you can download, but not how fast
you can send. Sending video with iChat AV needs at least 128Kbit/sec.
If you have more even better as you will send even better pictures.

> Since I haven't done it yet, it's kind of hard to figure out what I
> don't know. It certainly wasn't straight forward with the PC when I was
> trying to set up a webcam or a Dlink eye2eye.

Minimum performance for iChat AV is G3 600MHz or better or any G4 Mac.
But you can convince a slower Mac to work with iChat AV if you install
iChatUSBCam (used iChatUSBCam to allow my 500MHz Pismo to work with
iChat AV).

Upgrade to Mac OS X 10.3, as well as any of your friends and family
members that you will be talking with.

Get a free AOL Instant Messenger account http://aim.com
Get a free AOL IM account for any family members you are going to chat
with if they do not have one now.

Add your buddies to your iChat buddy list (their AOL IM screen name, or
their .mac account name)

Get your high speed internet connection.

Plug in your camera.

Click on the camera icon in your friends/family name in your buddy list
and iChat AV will do the rest.

> Thanks,
>
> Tho

Bob Harris

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Tho X. Bui - 22 Dec 2004 23:19 GMT

Thank you! That was very helpful.

Tho

>...[snip]..
> > > > I'm relocating a long distance away from friends and family, so I'm
> > > > thinking about setting up an ichat system.
> > > > Any advice, comments?

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Mac Forum / General / Portable Macs / December 2004

any one here uses ichat?