[midwinter]

Hi all.

I'm considering buying my father an iSight so he can chat with both me and my (much) younger sister, who's about to head off to college.

The problem is that he's only got my old iBook 500 mhz (dual usb). Will the iSight work with this? Isn't there a hack somewhere?

My sister has an iBook as well (I think it's the 700 mhz). She can use it with no problem, right?

I just want to make sure that the thing will work with his equipment. He and I will use it a great deal, but I'm also assuming that my sister will use one to keep in touch with the family when she's gone.

Any comments?

Thanks in advance.

[PCTek]

"Requires iChat AV Software (not included), Mac OS X v.10.2.5 or later, 600MHz G3 processor or higher, Broadband Internet connection."

Self-explanatory? I mean, if the minimum is 600MHz, what do you expect with 500MHz? Will it even be usable?

[midwinter]

Originally posted by PCTek:
"Requires iChat AV Software (not included), Mac OS X v.10.2.5 or later, 600MHz G3 processor or higher, Broadband Internet connection."

Self-explanatory? I mean, if the minimum is 600MHz, what do you expect with 500MHz? Will it even be usable?

As I said, I was under the impression that there was a hack that would bypass the hardware detection in iChat AV.

As anyone who's been using Apple hardware for a while knows, Apple often uses things like this to prompt people to buy new hardware (one of the downsides of their gear having such longevity).

I thought I was pretty clear about this.

And, really, what's the difference between a 500 mhz G3 and a 600 mhz G3?

Cheers
Scott

[-Q-]

Originally posted by midwinter:
And, really, what's the difference between a 500 mhz G3 and a 600 mhz G3?

100 Mhz?

Apple also does this to ensure that a person has a good experience with their hardware. Heck, any vendor does it. Every software developer lists a 'minimum system requirement' but I don't think the results are acceptable to most people (Trying to play UT2K3 is horrible using min. system req.). So even if you could get it working, I don't think it'll work well.

But here's a link to using iChat with a USB cam:
http://www.ehmac.ca/cgi_bin/ultimate...c;f=1;t=003649

[bmhome1]

Good grief. Just get iChatUSB from ecamm.com and ANY USB cam will work with ANY Mac and iChat. Who cares about a few frames slower rate anyways, just throw a few thousand dollars at it?

[midwinter]

Dear ****ing god.

I want to know whether or not an iSight can be made to work with an iBook 500 mhz, and, if so, whether or not it will be usable. My assumption is that there is a hack that will make it work.

Please, anyone who has any experience with this, let me know.

Cheers
Scott

[bmhome1]

Yes...iSight works...with 500mz...with iChat...using... iChatUSB.

[midwinter]

Originally posted by bmhome1:
Yes...iSight works...with 500mz...with iChat...using... iChatUSB.

Thank you.

Do you have any idea how well it works considering differences in the video cards on the 500 mhz vs the 600 mhz iBooks?

Cheers
Scott

[bmhome1]

I've used an iSight with a G3 400 Powerbook and thought the frame rate was pretty good, the smaller the window size the better, of course. Just don't expect 30fps. But certainly useable.

[midwinter]

Originally posted by bmhome1:
I've used an iSight with a G3 400 Powerbook and thought the frame rate was pretty good, the smaller the window size the better, of course. Just don't expect 30fps. But certainly useable.

Thank you. That's exactly what I needed to know.

If the fps were going to be pretty poor, I'd just give my father my old quickcam and be done with it. But I think anyone who's seen an iSight in action will know what I mean when I say that no USB cam can come close.

Thanks again.

Cheers
Scott

[NYCFarmboy]

How were you able to connect the isight to a 500 mhz ibook?

I have a isight and a 500 mhz ibook (g3) and it will not work. (I have to use Yahoo Messenger on the ibook to be able to video conference when using my ibook.

What is the work around? (I dont care about frame rates, just want to be able to use my isight with my ibook (500 mhz g3)

[midwinter]

Try iChatUSB.

If you can't find anyone to iSight chat with, PM me and we can test it out.

Cheers
Scott

[bmhome1]

You also need iChat, the iSight driver is included in it.