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Audio/Video Conference with iChat and AIM
JHromadka writes "Apple and AOL released today new versions of their instant messaging software that allows audio and video conferencing between Mac iChat users and Windows AIM users. " Anyone else think we're nearing the end of the analog phone system?
Anyone else think we're nearing the end of the analog phone system?
Not anytime soon, as long as (1) IP-based applications remain best-effort solutions, (2) IP stuff remain significantly more insecure than phone connections (that's quite a low standard to achieve, but still) and (3) any relevant part of the rest of the world doesn't want to switch to VoIP (i.e. everybody who doesn't enjoy the standard of living found in the 5-10 most developed countries in the world).
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
FYI-- the new version is not available from Software Update. it's a beta v.21 available from here.
I just tried it and it doesn't seem to support audio. Only video is also mentioned at Apple's website.
Would be great if they implemented audio chat also, but hey this is just a beta.
Ciryon
It doesn't. AIM for Linux is like using AIM for Windows 95. It kinda sucks. GAIM is much better, IMHO. There are others out there, too. It'd be interesting to know if any of the OSS guys plan on rolling these video chat features into their clients, though.
The Linux version has never supported audio/video. I would like to think that they would start supporting us now, but I'm not getting my hopes up. About the only comprable tool for this on Linux which will allow us to at least have video chat with Windows users is Gnomemeeting.
Dilaup wont go away any time soon, I work for a small ISP who's nitch is the little country towns who can't get DSL or cable because their population make it not worthwhile.
So I predict dialup will be around for at least another 5 years.
-G
A man, a plan, a canal, panama
(aim,icq,msn,yahoo)
While I'm not sure about other platforms' options, if you're on Mac OS X, Fire is an excellent multi-protocol client, covering AIM, ICQ, Jabber, MSN, Yahoo, and irc in one package.
I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
From the Apple iChat "iChat AV uses patented anamorphic resizing techniques so that the video of the person you're chatting with fills the entire screen without distortion"
How exactly do you propose that they "lower" the price to $99 from "free with the OS"?
difference in DSL and cable prices ? Where...same cost where I am, an arm and a leg, plus your first born, and both rising, like 15 % in the last year, GO BUSH GO, let's deregulate some more to save consumers money and drive competition.
errr....umm...*whooosh* *whoosh* Is this thing on ?
Except that this technology already works very well with most home NAT and firewall boxes. I've sucessfully used iChat AV from my home (using NAT on an old Linksys 802.11b router) to the in-laws, also behind a linksys broadband router of some sort and using NAT. Worked first time, no configuration.
This is true for most home hardware nowadays. Perhaps you should go read the specs for how iChat AV works? They are publically available.
Wow, that's just flat-out untrue.
If both iChat users are using iChat AV (the software, not the iChat delivered with Jaguar) you can do one-way video chat if the other machine is missing a camera. I do this all the time (ok, just to test and go "hey this is cool" but it does work)
No idea if AOL will support that on PC, but it is a feature of the iChat AV network.
Nope. Its still Mac only. The new AIM client just provides support for Windows-compatible webcams.
iChat does better than phone quality audio with 30kbps. It does pretty reasonable video quality (obviously not broadcast quality or anything, but still very nice) with a 400MHz G4 and an extra 100kbps on top of that.
Mod down posts with a "Free Mac Mini/iPod" sig, they're spam!
Body language. Sarcasm, jokes, lies, tones, undertones. Communication!? Text cannot replace voice and body language, I'm sorry.
Cordless phones will not (for obvious reasons). Poorly-designed phones with fancy features like Call Display/ID will not work at all.. the better designed ones will continue to do basic telephone functions.
But a simple, basic phone will always work -- they don't even plug into the wall.
Really, the only electricity needed for a phone is what's provided down the line.. (I believe) 48V to drive the bell/electronic ringer, and some small amount to power the speaker on the other end..
Yes, they were, until last August. They key here is that AOL couldn't offer this kind of stuff until "it could prove that it was no longer the dominant player in free, public IM, or unless it opened its systems to interoperate with competitors." That 'or' gets them the leeway they need, along with the newer, more business-friendly (read: Republican) FCC board. They can probably show that they're no longer the dominant player by quoting Microsoft's own Messenger numbers back at them, which probably includes every XP installation out there as a user.
- The Amazina Llama
The telephone company has huge batteries, suitable for powering submarines, that provide power to their own equipment and the subscriber's telephone. If you measure a phone line with a multimeter, you should see about -48V on the line. This is all you need to power a standard telephone. The problem is that many of the telephones being sold today will not work without an AC adaptor. The FCC should make the manufacturers put large "Will not work during a power failure!" stickers on these telephones.
Mea navis aericumbens anguillis abundat
You can use iSight with Windows just fine. "Knight explained that Apple and AOL were able to bridge the two online communities by incorporating standards-based technology in their respective software applications. Because the iSight is also a standards-based camera, Knight said that AIM users should be able to use it as their video device if they want to -- he added that Windows users would also need an external microphone or another source of audio if they were using the iSight on a Windows PC, unlike their Mac counterparts." http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/2004/02/05/ich ataim/index.php?redirect=1075980632000
Have you ever used iChat AV?
I tried it for the first time a couple of nights ago. FireWired my Sony Digital-8 video camera to my TiBook 667 running Panther. iChat recognized the camera with no configuration and immediately offered a video-chat button for a friend in my AIM buddy list -- he has a Power Mac G4 and an iSight.
Talked for an hour with a constant two-way frame rate of 15fps over a cable modem / sub-optimal AirPort signal. Plenty good for visual conversation.
The iChat interface is great, too.
In a way, it doesn't surprise me, although it is sad. The ex-Bell telephone companies have been dumping experienced employees and cutting corners for decades. Reliability costs money, and the telephone companies are run by bean-counters, not engineers. Like the railroads and steel companies, they are letting their core business deteriorate, investing the profits in non-regulated businesses that are more attractive.
If you want reliable, universal and affordable telephone service, you have to be willing to apply political pressure to your state government and its utility regulators. They are the ones who can force the telephone company to live up to its service obligations.
Mea navis aericumbens anguillis abundat