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Video Chat -- Who Has the Best Quality Picture?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the crystal-clear-and-smooth-as-glass dept.

Milo_Mindbender asks: "There are lot of PC based video chat programs out there now, but every one I've tried lately seems to have pretty low-quality video even when both participants have cable-modem and high quality USB2 or Firewire cameras. The recent 'Windows Live' update was advertising better quality video, but it doesn't look any better to me. Now, I'm asking the Slashdot crowd: of the programs you've tried which ones have the best quality video? I'm mainly interested in low-cost or free Windows PC solutions, but for the benefit of all the readers maybe we could come up with 'best Windows', 'best Mac' and 'best Linux' recommendations?"

3 of 79 comments (clear)

  1. iSight with iChat on Mac by zygote · · Score: 5, Informative

    I think the iSight (non built-in) generates a pretty good image. It has a rudimentary auto-focus and handles less than optimal lighting.

    The amount of compression applied -- which I imagine is a product of the bandwidth available -- is probably a bit factor in image quality as is image size.

    The camera built into the MacBook, iMac and Mac Book Pro also performs pretty well.

    All in all, like everything else, there are alot of variable that will affect your mileage.

    --
    the future is here, it is just not evenly distributed - w. gibson
    1. Re:iSight with iChat on Mac by ssuchter · · Score: 5, Informative

      I definitely agree, iSight w/iChat is the best. A few months ago for Mother's Day, I set up videoconferencing for my daughter's two grandmothers, we're spread out across the USA. I tried MSN Messenger, Skype Video and iChat. iSight+iChat was *so* superior to the others in terms of picture quality and video quality (slightly different considerations) that I ended up upgrading my Powerbook to a MacBook Pro, giving the hand-me-down to my parents, and setting up my in-laws with an iSight for their Mac Mini computer they were planning on getting rid of. The quality is simply in another class from the other solutions, in my experience.

  2. My solution by AndrewStephens · · Score: 5, Funny

    Many people of commented that I, in fact, have the best picture from video chat software. I put it down to just being very good looking. Have you tried getting a better hair cut?

    --
    sheep.horse - does not contain information on sheep or horses.