[I Have Questions]

I'm looking to find out how much bandwidth iChatAV uses for audio only and video chat in a typical use.

Reason - I'm moving to a country with "capped" bandwidth next year and want to know if I should be handing out iSight cameras for Christmas! My internet use will likely be limited to 3 or 6 GB of bandwidth per month. How much iChat AV will this get me?

Thanks.

[mitchell_pgh]

Well, it's going to vary... depending on many things, but for a rough estimate...

Worst Case for a LOW quality video chat.

500kbps for a 352 x 288 video iChat image (roughly)
8195 kilobits in a megabyte... 8195/500 = 16.39 seconds per megabyte.
1024 MB per GB... gives you 16783.36 seconds per GB or 279.7 minutes per GB
4.66 Hours Per GB

Voice
56.6 kb/s - 144.73 seconds per MB = 103 days/gb
(remember, this would be a low quality audio chat... not 128kbps which is a standard CD rip.

You need to remember that you could talk to someone in 192kbps CD quality audio only (which you would NEVER do with iChat) for 4 minutes... and it would only be around 5MB.

[I Have Questions]

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
Well, it's going to vary... depending on many things, but for a rough estimate...

Worst Case for a LOW quality video chat.

500kbps for a 352 x 288 video iChat image (roughly)
8195 kilobits in a megabyte... 8195/500 = 16.39 seconds per megabyte.
1024 MB per GB... gives you 16783.36 seconds per GB or 279.7 minutes per GB
4.66 Hours Per GB

Voice
56.6 kb/s - 144.73 seconds per MB = 103 days/gb
(remember, this would be a low quality audio chat... not 128kbps which is a standard CD rip.

You need to remember that you could talk to someone in 192kbps CD quality audio only (which you would NEVER do with iChat) for 4 minutes... and it would only be around 5MB.

Thanks! That is exactly what I was looking for. Now, being a poor Jaguar user and having not experienced iChatAV, what would your "LOW quality video chat" look like in terms of FPS? I get the 352x288 part... does lowering the size of the chat also lower your framerate? Even so, it might be enough to keep the parents and in-laws happy when we have kids! Also, how is the integration with AIM? They don't have Macs, and would have to use AIM on the PC.

If all else fails, the audio chat sounds like a great option. Free international calls!

[I Have Questions]

Anyone have any idea on that last question?

[mitchell_pgh]

Originally posted by I Have Questions:
Thanks! That is exactly what I was looking for. Now, being a poor Jaguar user and having not experienced iChatAV, what would your "LOW quality video chat" look like in terms of FPS? I get the 352x288 part... does lowering the size of the chat also lower your framerate? Even so, it might be enough to keep the parents and in-laws happy when we have kids! Also, how is the integration with AIM? They don't have Macs, and would have to use AIM on the PC.

If all else fails, the audio chat sounds like a great option. Free international calls!

There are settings that will limit your bandwidth (100kbps, 200kbps, 500kbps etc.) The FPS will change depending upon many things (primarily bandwidth)... but it's usually somewhere between 1 and 15 fps at the lowest quality. Audio is given priority from what I've noticed.

iChatAV is integrated in to AIM very naturally. If you and your friend have cameras, and have enabled both video and audio, an icon will show up indicating that they are available for video chats. You click on that icon, they accept and you are video chatting. Simple.

iChatAV to PC has proven VERY tricky. I've gotten the audio to work OKish, but video is hit or miss. 99% of the time it's due to the PC user having a crap video camera, not knowing how to set up a router or now knowing about their firewall.

[villalobos]

Originally posted by I Have Questions:
Thanks! That is exactly what I was looking for. Now, being a poor Jaguar user and having not experienced iChatAV, what would your "LOW quality video chat" look like in terms of FPS? I get the 352x288 part... does lowering the size of the chat also lower your framerate? Even so, it might be enough to keep the parents and in-laws happy when we have kids! Also, how is the integration with AIM? They don't have Macs, and would have to use AIM on the PC.

If all else fails, the audio chat sounds like a great option. Free international calls!

I do that routinely between Europe and the US. You will get a very satisfactory picture and sound with 200 kbps EACH way, so around 400 kpbs. Note that you can indeed limit your broadcast bandwidth down to 100 kbps wich really is the minimum to get a decent picture with about 15 fps. Note also that iChat is pretty demanding. I.e. on a connection going ~200 kbps each way an iBook G3 MHZ is running at 90-95% and gets hots pretty quickly.
Sounds alone will take maybe 25-30 kbps, and will sounds better than a phone.

Dont hesitate to get cameras to your friends and family, iChat is a godsend for those of us whose family is far far away.


Edit : oops did not see the question about AIM. I do iChat to iChat. This alone is worth having a mac and convincing my parents to have a mac.