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A Full-Time 2-Way Video Link To Grandparents?

Posted by timothy on from the picturephones-with-voip dept.

uid7306m writes "We have elderly parents who live a long way off. However, my technological radar tells me that it's possible to set up a 24/7 video link between our kitchen and theirs. It'd be good for our kids and good for the parents, and we can now get pretty cheap nearly unlimited broadband connections at this end (UK). What's the best way to do it? Has anyone tried it? On the far end, it ought to have, in Dilbert's(TM) immortal words 'One big button on it, and we push it for you in the factory.'"

8 of 240 comments (clear)

  1. hmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    24/7? Guess no more going out to the kitchen in your undies for a late night snack.

    1. Re:hmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      That's not an issue. In the UK, it's pretty chilly most of the year, so there's very little incentive to wander around in much less than a furry bathrobe.

  2. Bad idea by ArcherB · · Score: 5, Funny

    Unless you want your kids to see grandpa giving it to grandma over the kitchen sink, I wouldn't recommend it.

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    1. Re:Bad idea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Wait. I think there's a channel dedicated to that kink.

  3. Simple by hax0r_this · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't see why everyone is recommending complicated video conferencing setups. Just set up apache on each end to stream from your webcam and use iptables to block connections from any IP except the one on the other end. If you don't have static IPs write a little script to update iptables on the other end every time the local IP changes. Then use dyndns so you never lose track of the other end (only apply the whitelist on the streaming port so ssh doesn't get blocked. Then use ssh keys). Then all you have to do is point firefox to their dyndns address/port.

  4. Re:Skype... by entrylevel · · Score: 5, Funny

    I told you never to call me on this wall!

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  5. Re:Apple iChat by Z34107 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just because you ask: I think some of us don't like a 12MB encrypted binary executable file running on our system that nobody except the creators know what it does.

    Well, if disk space is an issue, just gzip it or something. But, gosh, for 12MB... You should delete a few things, man.

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  6. Re:Imagine the trauma your kids will suffer... by seanellis · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is the UK. Grandma and Gramps are probably, what, 32? 33?

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