The Song Fight Bulletin Board

Does anyone know how to use the iChat thingy on the new Macs?

I got a Macbook with a camera on it, and so has my brother - we were just trying to work out how to talk to each other with video - but we kept getting error messages.

I have been trying to convince my mother-in-law in Sydney to get a Mac so that she can talk to her granddaughter with video - but I can't make it work.

Can any Mac-gurus out there (Fluffy?) help me with this?

My AIM name is caravanray(at)aim.com

You all have AIM accounts? If that doesn't work, you could try signing everyone up to Skype. I haven't tried iChat/AIM video chat, but I've tried Skype video chat and that works great from a MacBook to a MacBook Pro, or even to a Mac mini with a third party USB video camera.

iChat's video protocol is pretty crappy behind a firewall. Lunkhead's suggestion (use Skype instead) is probably your best bet. Either that or try putting one of the computers directly on the Internet instead of behind a router (or if your router has the option, set the Mac in question to be the "DMZ" system).

iChat isn't really that good anyway, though. Adium is much better for text-only (although it doesn't support voice or video at all, unfortunately). Even the guy who originally wrote iChat uses Adium now.

Caravan Ray wrote:I have been trying to convince my mother-in-law in Sydney to get a Mac so that she can talk to her granddaughter with video - but I can't make it work.

Wouldn't it be cheaper for her to use a PC for this?

Well, now Caravan Ray has to make it happen on the Mac because talked his whole family into buying Macs, because he couldn't stop bragging about how great his is and what an expert Macsman he is.

obscurity wrote:

Caravan Ray wrote:I have been trying to convince my mother-in-law in Sydney to get a Mac so that she can talk to her granddaughter with video - but I can't make it work.

Wouldn't it be cheaper for her to use a PC for this?

Probably - but i don't know of any pc's that come with a built-in camera. This is a 75-year-old woman we are talking about, with plenty of money but zero computer skills. The solution needs to be as simple as possible.

Sony Vaios also come with a built-in camera, although its quality is way worse than the Mac one and Vaios are just as expensive (and come with a shitty OS to boot).

Lunkhead wrote:You all have AIM accounts? If that doesn't work, you could try signing everyone up to Skype. I haven't tried iChat/AIM video chat, but I've tried Skype video chat and that works great from a MacBook to a MacBook Pro, or even to a Mac mini with a third party USB video camera.

My brother has a .mac account. I just signed up to AIM yesterday - it was the first thing that came up on a google. We could chat by text - but not video. I will try skype - thanks.

fluffy wrote:iChat isn't really that good anyway, though. Adium is much better for text-only (although it doesn't support voice or video at all, unfortunately). Even the guy who originally wrote iChat uses Adium now.

Well, that pretty much misses the point.

We use iChat video with no problems, so I don't have an trouble-shooting advice at this point, Ray. I agree that putting an elderly person in from of Windows is insane. CoPilot allows you to take control of someone's machine remotely in a cool way. Maybe you can help things out that way. Check it out.

Go the Skype route, I got my mother (in the states) set up with it on her PC and, talked my aunt in in Wales through setting it up over the phone (she has a PC) So far they've had no problems and talk almost daily. Skype worked pretty painlessly on both the PC and on my Mac.

Skype's been working fine for me and my family, and it's at least as easy to use as iChat. So far my dear 73 yr. old mum and also my sister who has a PC have all been able to use it without any problems (other than that we occasionally get disconnected or have issues with the video signal).

Off Topic:
C-Ray, our avatars should form a band.
We'll be called the Avatars
We only sing about avatars
Our fans will be called avatards
Cha Cing!

OK, carry on my wayward son's.

roymond wrote:

fluffy wrote:iChat isn't really that good anyway, though. Adium is much better for text-only (although it doesn't support voice or video at all, unfortunately). Even the guy who originally wrote iChat uses Adium now.

Well, that pretty much misses the point.

Well, that also misses the bit where I said that for video chat, Skype would probably be better.

fluffy wrote:

roymond wrote:

fluffy wrote:iChat isn't really that good anyway, though. Adium is much better for text-only (although it doesn't support voice or video at all, unfortunately). Even the guy who originally wrote iChat uses Adium now.

Well, that pretty much misses the point.

Well, that also misses the bit where I said that for video chat, Skype would probably be better.

Jesus Goatfucking Christ. Get a room, you two.
(I was just looking for an excuse to say 'Jesus Goatfucking Christ', sorry)

I think we're over that. Thanks.

You monkey-spelunking cookiegobbler!

That's Goatfucking monkey-spelunking cookiegobbler to you.

OK - I have loaded skype. I'll try to get my brother to do the same. My name is "caravanray" - if anyone wants to call and show me how this works.



BTW: I'm not sure that "monkey spelunking" is actually physically possible. You would need a particularly large monkey.

Or a small spelunker.
-bill

Caravan Ray wrote:OK - I have loaded skype. I'll try to get my brother to do the same. My name is "caravanray" - if anyone wants to call and show me how this works.

It says it couldn't find caravanray or you have blocked my call

Incidentally, the OSX 10.5.2 update (released today) supposedly addresses some of the video chat problems in iChat, so you may want to give it another go.

I found you, but you are not on line. I guess I can wash the makeup off.

SPUD