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Ralph Johns' iChat Pages

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Before You Start

Big Notice

This page is a saved sample of an old layout. I have made sure the Menus work. You need to be aware they are on the other side to the current layout where the MAIN MENU is on the right !!


Well Actually I have just changed them back to the left. March 2007

What iChat can do

For some people it is simply a question of being on-line and starting iChat AV. If you are reading this it is likely that this is not the case for you. Or you want to make sure of things before you start.

What Will iChat AV Do ?

It will Chat /Instant Message in text to multiple users, both iChat and AIM and access AIM chat rooms.

  1. It will Audio and Video chat to one other user of iChat AV or Video to AIM 5.5 running on Windows XP (Home or Professional).

    NOTE: They must be using AIM 5.5 or above and must be XP

    EDIT 02/02/05: There is a new appliaction for PC users called Trillian that also uses the AIM system that allows Audio only chats from PC to Macs.

  2. Depending on the capabilities of each user (which are displayed in the form of green icons in iChat) you can also Audio or Video chat one way.
    (i.e if you have a camera and your Buddy only has a microphone you can start a one way chat and he/she will see you, whist you will only hear them.)

Depending on the capablilites of the receiver, you can exchange files; including movie clips, put pics in the text chats as well as Text, Audio or Video Chat.

If this is not what you want then return to iChat Discussion Pages or choose another page from the menu items.


Before you Start

What you will need

This list will be in addition to a G3/600 or better Mac running Panther. There was a version of iChat for Jaguar but Apple disconutined it around the end of September 2004. (This earlier version of iChat AV worked on 10.2.5 though to 10.2.8). iChat comes free as part of the Panther install. It is currently updatable to ver. 2.1 through Software Update or direct fom the Apple site.

  1. Either an AIM name (AN AOL or Netscape screen name counts already) It is free here, AIM.com. Navigate to the screen name application by clicking on the Download button.(NOTE: Don't bother with a download after getting a screen name. You will get an email to confirm.)

  2. Or a @mac.com name. This can be free if you sign up for a trial .Mac account here, .Mac HomePage. The name will continue to work after the trial period.

  3. A Firewire DV Camera (not Sony MicroDVs) or method of inputing DV from an another Camera. I use a Hollywood Dazzle DV-Bridge converter (Also works with iMovie) like this, Hollywood DV Bridge (Not the Manufacturers Site but nice pics) and I can input from an Canon analogue camera.
    (NOTE: price may not be current)

  4. A spare Firewire port on your mac. Cameras work at 200Mb/s and do not work well with other devices working at different speeds on the same cable.
    This means don't daisychain cameras with other devices

Mine from System Profiler

FireWire Bus:
Speed: 400 Mb/sec Speed
Hollywood:
Manufacturer: Dazzle*, Inc.
Model: Hollywood
Unit Spec Id: 41005
Speed: 100 Mb/sec Speed
Unit Software Version: 10001

Note the lower speed of the input in the second from last line. This may cause problems with other Firewire devices using different connection speeds.

  1. A DSL broadband link to the internet with at least an uplink speed of 100kbps.
    (Audio chats are possible over Dial-up and other lower speed connections

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© 2005 Ralph Johns