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iCheated by iSight?

J

JOEJOETHEJOEY

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Ok ok, well not really sure whether I've been done for. Well it's my girlfriend. She recently brought an iSight hoping to be able to use video conferencing etc. She's got a G4 powerbook running OSX 10.2.8 (Jaguar).

When she brought the cam, it said on the box that requirements are OSX 10.2.7 or later and iChat AV.

So her having 10.2.8, we both thought it would work fine. However, on connecting the iSight, we tried to test the camera first with iMovie. But it wouldn't work, it kept saying that no camera was detected. We then read the manuaul, (as you do when you get stuck), it said that you have to have iChat AV (purchased separately according to the instructions) installed to be able to use the iSight with any other applications.

Therefore, we thought, might as well spend the little extra money for the iChat AV app, so clicked on to the Apple website to try and download the latest version of iChat AV. To our horror, we found out that iChat AV will only run on OSX 10.3. What confuses me most is that, iChat AV comes bundled together with OSX 10.3, so why would there be a need to purchase it separately?

So we feel totally cheated that we were told that the iSight would run on OSX 10.2.7 + and iChat AV, but it failed to mention that iChat AV would only run on OSX 10.3 +.

Am I wrong in thinking there's no other way other than to purchase OSX 10.3? Someone please show us the light................ 😕
 
You're in something of an unfortunate Catch-22. iChatAV was released as a free standard part of 10.3, but though the regular iChat was free with 10.2, if you wanted a copy of iChatAV after the beta period you had to buy a seperate copy.

The Catch-22 comes in because very recently (last couple of months, if memory serves) Apple stopped selling the 10.2 version of iChatAV completely. I assume that with the pending Tiger updates it was getting to be too much of a hassle to support it on 10.2, which probably lacked some built-in low level features that make it easier to program.

A pretty nasty situation for you, of course. You've got three options that I can think of (though there may be shareware that'll help you out, too): Find a copy of the 10.2 version of iChatAV on eBay or something similar, buy a copy of 10.3 (which personally, I'd HIGHLY recommend, as runs much better than 10.2 for almsot everybody and isn't all that expensive), or give up and return the iSight.

If you don't want to fork out for 10.3, you might check out other video chat applications--some might support the iSight.
 
I was afraid it would be like that. I'm actually quite dissapointed in Apple for not rectifying the requirements list on their iSights since I'm sure I'm not the only one using 10.2.8 and wants to use an iSight. 🙁 It's just that we're prolly the only ones who can barely afford the iSight itself at the moment and not the extra money for 10.3 etc. Heehee.

Oh well, if anyone else has any recommendations on other clients to make it work then please let me know. 🙂 Or even better, let me know where I can grab the ealier releases of iChat AV.

Thanks Makosuke!
 
I would have to say if you need it now, buy 10.3. If not, I'd save the money and buy Tiger when it comes out and take advantage of the multiple video conferences and audio conferences.
 
haiggy said:
I would have to say if you need it now, buy 10.3. If not, I'd save the money and buy Tiger when it comes out and take advantage of the multiple video conferences and audio conferences.
Click to expand...

Ic. Will we be able to just upgrade the OS to OSX 10.3 and keep all the appz and data intact? Or will it require a format of the HDD?
 
You'll be able to upgrade from 10.2 to 10.3 without losing your data or having to reinstall your applications. You'll get an option to choose what sort of installation you want to perform when you start the installation process—I forget the name of the option you'll want, though, I think it's something like "upgrade and install".
 
I'd complain to Apple if I were you. It said it would work, and it doesn't. They didn't keep their end of the purchase, and while I don't think it's fair for you to get a copy of Panther, I think you are entitled for it (I know, I'm contradicting myself). Or at least a discount. Good luck!
-Chase
 
rendezvouscp said:
I'd complain to Apple if I were you. It said it would work, and it doesn't. They didn't keep their end of the purchase, and while I don't think it's fair for you to get a copy of Panther, I think you are entitled for it (I know, I'm contradicting myself). Or at least a discount. Good luck!
-Chase
Click to expand...
I agree with rendezvouscp. If it said it would work with 10.2.8 then it should work with 10.2.8. Apple os very good at making things right. Even if they say that it still wont work you might at least get something from it. maybe even a discount on Panther. But it would be ashame if you bought Panter and a month goes by and Tiger comes out. That would be upsetting to say the least.
 
How will I go about complaining to Apple though? To be honest, I did feel very cheated at first, but since 10.3 is supposed to be better, I thought it was worth the upgrade, but if I can get a discount or something, then I'd be able to get it sooner. Heehee. Thanks for the replies btw guys.
 
I'd call them up and say that you were really bummed. They might ship you a copy of Panther, who knows? I mean, they DID have an issue with their software requirements.

EDIT: Just be polite
 
If you two are college students, I would check and see if you get any deals on upgrading. I got 10.2 and 10.3 free though my college. And an iSight at half price too.
 
varmit said:
If you two are college students, I would check and see if you get any deals on upgrading. I got 10.2 and 10.3 free though my college. And an iSight at half price too.
Click to expand...

On the education site for either educators or students of college or higher ed you can pick up Panther for $69. yeah, I would call and complain...cause it is sort of a rip.

good luck
 
varmit said:
If you two are college students, I would check and see if you get any deals on upgrading. I got 10.2 and 10.3 free though my college. And an iSight at half price too.
Click to expand...

Cool, that's excellent news!! 😀 How did you manage to get 10.2 and 10.3 for free? Did you call them or through their website?
 
well at my school for example I have to sign in though Eraider (Texas Tech thing.) and it give me access to a long list of software. Most of it Microsoft software and then an Nortain corpate edution.

No Apple OS's it all depends if they collage made a deal with complainy and if they get a good enough deal. MS is pretty dirt cheap for the schools to get for all there software. Apple not known to be a nice and normal are fewer and farther bettween
 
Calling Apple (there's probably a number on the iSight box somewhere) is definitely worth a shot, though since I don't think Tiger will ship in January, I'm not sure I'd personally wait for it--there's a lot to be said for Panther as it is.

The edu discounts even if your school doesn't have any kind of special discounts are quite good, or you can check a place like OWC and see what kind of deals they have; depending on the computer you own, they've got legit copies for as little as $50.
 
Timelessblur said:
well at my school for example I have to sign in though Eraider (Texas Tech thing.) and it give me access to a long list of software. Most of it Microsoft software and then an Nortain corpate edution.

No Apple OS's it all depends if they collage made a deal with complainy and if they get a good enough deal. MS is pretty dirt cheap for the schools to get for all there software. Apple not known to be a nice and normal are fewer and farther bettween
Click to expand...

Let me guess- youre not an English Major are you? 😀

only joking btw, so please don't take offence.
 
as before, just call apple and be really polite and say that you would like to get a nice solution instead of sending the iSight back, I don't know if you would do it but tell them and be polite...

*maybe they have read already your thread and are waiting for the call of the little b*st*rd 😛 J/K 😉
 
crap freakboy said:
Let me guess- youre not an English Major are you? 😀

only joking btw, so please don't take offence.
Click to expand...

You are correct, I am not an English Major. I am Civil Engineering major. Now math, deflections, Elgations, fluids and stuff like that I can explain
😀
 
JOEJOETHEJOEY said:
Cool, that's excellent news!! 😀 How did you manage to get 10.2 and 10.3 for free? Did you call them or through their website?
Click to expand...

Penn State has a school store on campus and has a special license with Apple and other venders. Students get OS X for free and other Apple things at a discount. We use to get Windows and Office for free too but Penn State drop the license with MS. Teachers on the other hand, had to pay 5 dollars for it to compensate for the expense on the CDs.
 
Thanks for all the valuable comments ppl!! My girlfriend is gonna see what she can do from her campus coz I graduated last year so not a student anymore, (boohoo). Hopefully there'll be a solution. 😉

Thanks again and please let me know of any other possible solutions. 😀
 
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