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iSight Questions

A

Alfie

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 22, 2004
147
26
South Dakota
Hi, All,

I'm thinking about buying iSight cameras for a couple of family members and me for Christmas, but before I do, a couple questions...

1. Does the iSight work on a Windows XP machine with a firewire card installed? The Apple website doesn't say anything about this, but it seems like I've read that some have made it work. I'm wondering if anyone here would be willing to share their experiences with this. I would prefer to buy a iSight for the XP member of my family so I can use it to help convince him that Apple makes good products...trying to recruit another switcher!!

2. Has anyone experienced any problems with video conferences between Macs and XP machines? I know that the XP user needs to use AIM 5.5, but does anyone have any other tips for holding conferences between the two OS platforms?

3. Has anyone heard any rumors about a newer version of the iSight camera coming out anytime soon? I'd hate to by 2 or 3 iSights and then have the "iSight 2" or whatever come out the next week. I'm excited about the new iChat coming out with Tiger next year, but I'm wondering about the camera itself...


Any other tips or suggestions from iSight users would also be helpful. I have no experience with it other than playing with one at a local Apple Store.

For the record, the computers in our family that would be using iChat/iSight would include:

G4 iBook 1Ghz (mine)
G4 iMac 800 Mhz
Dell Dimension 4600 (yeah, I know...I'm working on it)

Thanks for your help.

Alfie
 
J

JzzTrump22

macrumors 65816
Apr 13, 2004
1,229
0
New York
Everyone around here is fairly sure that a new iSight will be released shortly because apple has cancelled mass orders of them. Which can really only mean a new product is on it's way.
 
LeeTom

LeeTom

macrumors 68000
May 31, 2004
1,581
291
Alfie said:
Hi, All,

I'm thinking about buying iSight cameras for a couple of family members and me for Christmas, but before I do, a couple questions...

1. Does the iSight work on a Windows XP machine with a firewire card installed?
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure it will not work with Windows.

Alfie said:
3. Has anyone heard any rumors about a newer version of the iSight camera coming out anytime soon?
Click to expand...

I've heard a few different rumors, and here's the one I hold most stock in: The will be no new iSight (as the current model is great), but it will be repackaged to include the magnet adapter so it can magnet onto the back of the new aluminum monitors. Currently, this adapter is only available for $29 extra in the iSight kit. I highly doubt they will update the iSight.

Lee Tom
 
MacUser1

MacUser1

macrumors 6502
Aug 23, 2001
335
2
New York, NY
LeeTom said:
I've heard a few different rumors, and here's the one I hold most stock in: The will be no new iSight (as the current model is great), but it will be repackaged to include the magnet adapter so it can magnet onto the back of the new aluminum monitors.
Click to expand...
that's not even a "rumor" as Apple, since the introduction of the new displays, posted that new packaging for the iSight will come this summer.

Apple - Displays
middle of page, on the right hand side
 
jsw

jsw

Moderator emeritus
Mar 16, 2004
22,910
44
Andover, MA
AFAIK, the iSight will work with XP, but only as a camera - I don't think the audio works, but that's just from some quick Google searching, and could be wrong. If true, then it makes no sense to spend $150 on an iSight, since the big plus to it is the sound quality.

For the mac, it's a nice camera - and the one I use while chatting - but the Apple drivers keep it rather dark during iChat - using it with other Mac video software shows that it requires much less light than you'd assume based on iChat.

And, yes, AIM 5.5 is all you need. I iChat with a few XP/AIM users, with no problems.

As much as I'd like to see you give people Apple products, I'd make sure the mic worked before doing so.
 
jsw

jsw

Moderator emeritus
Mar 16, 2004
22,910
44
Andover, MA
Oh - in case it wasn't clear, it's a no brainer to get iChat and AIM working. Just use the AIM login in your buddy list, and you're set.

However... audio-only chats don't work (for now, at least) with AIM/iChat conversations - i.e., you can't just talk. Which is odd.
 
A

Alfie

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 22, 2004
147
26
South Dakota
Thanks for the tips guys...keep your ideas coming. I've already learned a lot. I probably will wait awhile to make sure the aren't any knew developments with the camera (new camera or packaging).

JSW, if you're right about audio not working, I probably won't be getting the iSight for the XP user...I think the seperate mic would be a pain.

Just a side note, LeeTom mentioned a magnet adapter for the camera to mount to the monitor. I've always thought that magnets and monitors didn't go well together...what's up with that? Just a very weak magnet that doesn't cause damage to the monitor?
 
LeeTom

LeeTom

macrumors 68000
May 31, 2004
1,581
291
Alfie said:
Just a side note, LeeTom mentioned a magnet adapter for the camera to mount to the monitor. I've always thought that magnets and monitors didn't go well together...what's up with that? Just a very weak magnet that doesn't cause damage to the monitor?
Click to expand...

Good point! As far as I know, magnets are only damaging to CRT monitors, and not LCD monitors. They provide a sticky mount for the CRT iMacs and eMacs.

Lee Tom
 
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