[jamesl]

HI

I am looking to purchase a webcam for my ibook, which will also be used on either my imac or emac when i get it. I know that there is the isight camera, which looks cool, but I am looking for something cheaper if possible.

ALso, does anybody know if there are plans to add webcam support to MSN for mac?

Thanks, James

[MilkmanDan]

Try the search feature there are tons of threads on this subject.

Get an iSight.

[OreoCookie]

Originally posted by jamesl:
HI

I am looking to purchase a webcam for my ibook, which will also be used on either my imac or emac when i get it. I know that there is the isight camera, which looks cool, but I am looking for something cheaper if possible.

ALso, does anybody know if there are plans to add webcam support to MSN for mac?

Thanks, James

Nope, M$ won't do that for political reasons. But you could use iChat + AIM (on Windows) for video chats.

I have a Logitec Webcam which has good (enough) image quality. Not a 30 € cheapo one, it was 10000 ¥ (about 100 bucks). Good enough = who cares about 30 fps if you can get 10-15 tops with your internet connection (at lower resolution).

[Wiskedjak]

Originally posted by OreoCookie:
Nope, M$ won't do that for political reasons. But you could use iChat + AIM (on Windows) for video chats.

I have a Logitec Webcam which has good (enough) image quality. Not a 30 € cheapo one, it was 10000 ¥ (about 100 bucks). Good enough = who cares about 30 fps if you can get 10-15 tops with your internet connection (at lower resolution).

What are the political reasons?

The AIM side of an iChat video chat is quite pathetic with a 120x90 pixel video window.

[OreoCookie]

Originally posted by Wiskedjak:
What are the political reasons?

The AIM side of an iChat video chat is quite pathetic with a 120x90 pixel video window.

Technically, a Mac is fast enough to handle video compression, but MS doesn't want to offer features so that the Mac becomes a fully viable alternative to a Windows PC.

If you know of any better video chat program available for both, Mac and PC (and even Linux), please let me know. Yahoo IM is not what I consider an alternative (about 1 fps! no sound! no sound planned by Yahoo).

[billybob128]

so will 3rd party web cams work on a mac with msn?

[Grrr]

Originally posted by OreoCookie:
If you know of any better video chat program available for both, Mac and PC (and even Linux), please let me know.

iVisit? Although it has a horribly outdated interface. it does at least work between Mac's and PC's.

[Wiskedjak]

Originally posted by OreoCookie:
Technically, a Mac is fast enough to handle video compression, but MS doesn't want to offer features so that the Mac becomes a fully viable alternative to a Windows PC.

If you know of any better video chat program available for both, Mac and PC (and even Linux), please let me know. Yahoo IM is not what I consider an alternative (about 1 fps! no sound! no sound planned by Yahoo).

I haven't tried it yet, but apparently Trillian (http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/learn/) is a good alternative AIM client and the Pro version ($25) appears to offer better video chat than AIM

[OreoCookie]

Originally posted by billybob128:
so will 3rd party web cams work on a mac with msn?

There is no video or audio chat on the Mac version of MSN messenger. I'm not aware of a third-party messenger that does audio/video chat via MSN possible.

[Wiskedjak]

Trillian works amazingly.