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Eug Wanker · Jul 25, 2006, 10:46 AM

This is not that leaked alpha from before. This is a new beta version released today (July 25, 2006).

Skype Beta 1.5.0.47 Video Preview

System requirements
Macintosh computer with G4 800 Mhz processor or faster <-- Note: It's a universal binary.
Mac OS X v10.3.9 Panther or newer
512 MB RAM
40 MB free disk space on your hard drive
Microphone
Webcam: Suggested webcams include Apple iSight, Philips SPC900NC, or Logitech QuickCam Pro 400. Drivers for the Philips and Logitech webcams can be downloaded from http://webcam-osx.sourceforge.net/.
Internet connection (broadband is best, GPRS is not supported for voice calls, and results may vary on a satellite connection).

Stecchino · Jul 25, 2006, 10:55 AM

Yes, yes, and yes.

I love how the GUI is much more Mac-like, more like iChat.

And now with cross-platform video conferencing, iChat for Leopard had better offer the same thing (as well as Yahoo! and MSN Messenger integration) or it will suffer.

Landos Mustache · Jul 25, 2006, 10:56 AM

I hope Apple lets iChat make land line calls.

Bobblefroggie · Jul 25, 2006, 11:04 AM

woohoo! boy i hope this is the answer to our insufficient bandwidth prayers with ichat - just got worse and worse the more we kept upgrading until none of us macs could video conference anymore. every new upgrade seemed to make it worse! made me regret every cent i spent on apple promises (lies). never trust a salesperson at a mac store - oh yes, of course it will work. and if it doesn't, it's just a 10% restocking fee on that $2500 you just laid out. :-) if you have 2.1 and panther and need video conferencing - don't upgrade to anything new yet! well. thanks for letting me vent. i look forward to skype and hope it is, if not an immediate solution, somebody who is on the fast track!

Bobblefroggie · Jul 25, 2006, 11:32 AM

Okay - downloaded, installed and immediately was able to video conference with my sister (who is also on a macbook) ... and through two routers (a lynksis vonage and a netgear wireless) without having to do a thing. Set up was easy. No bugs yet. Sending files works, video is not quite as good as ichat but nothing to complain about. THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS LINK!!!!!!!

voodoo · Jul 25, 2006, 12:18 PM

Adium for chat, Skype for audio/video chat.

100% compatibility with the entire world. Free.

Can't see how MSN/AIM/iChat can compete.

V

Horsepoo!!! · Jul 25, 2006, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by voodoo

Adium for chat, Skype for audio/video chat.

100% compatibility with the entire world. Free.

Can't see how MSN/AIM/iChat can compete.

V

Let's put it this way...if MSN/AIM/iChat couldn't compete...Adium would simply vanish.

Eug Wanker · Jul 25, 2006, 12:39 PM

DailyTech says:

CPU load is very high when in a video call
Skype has to be restarted in order to detect a new camera
Problems when video preferences are opened during a video call
Delays when enabling video, and when video call is resumed
Pausing a call in full-screen mode closes the full-screen window
If video is stopped while in a call with a Windows user, the call has to be restarted for the video to work properly

Stecchino · Jul 25, 2006, 01:10 PM

Well, hopefully the DailyTech guys report the bugs to Skype as I'm sure Skype will fix this type of stuff in the final 1.5.

Landos Mustache · Jul 25, 2006, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by Eug Wanker

DailyTech says:

CPU load is very high when in a video call
Skype has to be restarted in order to detect a new camera
Problems when video preferences are opened during a video call
Delays when enabling video, and when video call is resumed
Pausing a call in full-screen mode closes the full-screen window
If video is stopped while in a call with a Windows user, the call has to be restarted for the video to work properly

So in other words a beta.

Axel · Jul 25, 2006, 02:06 PM

DailyTech just copied the known issues section from the official Skype beta page, so the developers should already be aware of those things

JellyBeen · Jul 25, 2006, 04:33 PM

Remember, its just a Preview version.

fallingman · Jul 27, 2006, 06:29 AM

Just a message on this version.

I've been watching for this for ages on the Skype site. Any recent Mac blog entry posted by them to do with any other skype feature received replies screaming "WE DONT CARE - WHERE'S OUR VIDEO!?!"

Their website basically explains how they were brow-beaten into releasing a "preview version" - which is not even a beta... Having said that, its nice to see how a community can get things done!

I've downloaded it and it worked like a charm (to a windows user) on my MBP - no configuration needed whatsoever. However I think there will be MANY issues with it, both bugs and GUI related. But it seems like thats part of the deal at this stage.

Just for those posting the pros and cons of this vs another "final release" of a chat program...

FM

siMac · Jul 27, 2006, 06:39 AM

Originally Posted by Eug Wanker

DailyTech says:

CPU load is very high when in a video call

And they're not kidding!

85% CPU on my 2.0GHz iMac G5, compared to 17% for iChat. A long way to go yet...

Disclaimer: I know, I know: BETA! I'm just saying is all.

Eug Wanker · Jul 27, 2006, 09:14 AM

Hmmm... I repeatedly tried dialing a friend and it refused to work. It only worked once I switched my own status to "Online" from "Offline". Does the release version do this?

Catfish_Man · Jul 27, 2006, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by Horsepoo!!!

Let's put it this way...if MSN/AIM/iChat couldn't compete...Adium would simply vanish.

<partisan> Use Jabber! </partisan>

markybigred · Jul 27, 2006, 04:06 PM

Question for those that have tried this video version of skype ... is it possible to "video chat" with someone who does not have a video camera? What I mean is could they see me and hear me, and I just hear them (no video coming from them). One way video chat?!

JellyBeen · Jul 27, 2006, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by markybigred

Question for those that have tried this video version of skype ... is it possible to "video chat" with someone who does not have a video camera? What I mean is could they see me and hear me, and I just hear them (no video coming from them). One way video chat?!

Yes, that works.

Eug Wanker · Jul 27, 2006, 08:59 PM

If video is stopped while in a call with a Windows user, the call has to be restarted for the video to work properly

Yep. Video seems to work, even if I start in the middle of an audio chat. However, it seems to cut out randomly, or sometimes the remote end can see it and I can't or vice versa.

Eug Wanker · Jul 27, 2006, 09:41 PM

CPU usage on a Core Duo 2.0 MacBook

Audio only:

With video:

^ Ouch ^

siMac · Jul 28, 2006, 10:13 AM

Wow, it's a 900lb video-chatting gorilla! Is this version Universal or is that related to the PPC emulation?

whiskerdisker · Jul 28, 2006, 11:10 PM

I did video chat with my dad (he uses PC, I use a 1Ghz RevA G4 17" Powerbook), and it worked quite well. The video isn't nearly as smooth as iChat to iChat, but as far as other IMs go it is the best I've seen so far (much better than the new Yahoo video one which is all but useless its so slow).

wd.

DeeKat · Jul 30, 2006, 01:10 PM

Wow Thank Skype

I just did a video chat with some friends in Shanghai. Woohoo. It work well but like they say the CPU usage is in the roof ( 98%!!!) on my 17" 1.5 Ghz PowerrBook. I cannot run any other apps and the video quality isn't comparable to iChat. But hey! I can't complain I can finally see my friend across the planet

. The telephone is slowly slippering in obsolecence! (lets give it another 50 years and it's gone...)

Gee4orce · Aug 1, 2006, 04:59 AM

Just for a comparison, I recently had an iChat video conference whilst in the middle of a game of World of Warcraft (why do people call at the most inconvenient times ?!). Neither app showed any noticeable slowdown on a Dual 1.8 G5 Of course, it helps that I have 2 monitors

!

I think iChat still has legs - if Apple had released a cross-platform version with Tiger they could be owning the IM/VoIP/videoconferencing market right about now......sigh.

siMac · Aug 1, 2006, 06:26 AM

Originally Posted by Gee4orce

if Apple had released a cross-platform version with Tiger they could be owning the IM/VoIP/videoconferencing market right about now......sigh.

As long as iChat depends on AOL's network that ain't gonna happen. Who would use AIM for Windows if iChat was available? AOL aren't stupid. Well, not that stupid, anyway...

ajprice · Aug 2, 2006, 03:40 PM

Question, i just downloaded it and had a video chat, i pressed the 4 arrrows icon on the video and it went full screen. How do you get it back to the desktop?

JellyBeen · Aug 2, 2006, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by ajprice

Question, i just downloaded it and had a video chat, i pressed the 4 arrrows icon on the video and it went full screen. How do you get it back to the desktop?

There is a bug in that version. The way its supposed to work is you hover your mouse over the cam window and like in Quicktime Pro, buttons appear on the screen to pause or minimize.
This version does not behave correctly.
Its just a preview, less than an Alpha or Beta.
There is the extreme cpu usage bug also thats anoying...but hey, at least we have that right now.