iCHAT AV - G4 or G5

[sbb155]

I need to buy a video conferencing setup.
I am unsure if I should go with a G5 based system or a G4 (cheaper!) based system.

It would be mostly for one to one conferencing over cable modem lines.
My choices are:
2 imacG5s with 2 isights
OR
2 ibook 14 inch 1.33 G4s with 2 isights

The prices are remarkably similar.
What would performance differences be?

I would upgrade ram on my own to 512mb in either case.

One more question:
how would performance differ with a low end powermac g5 over the low end imac g5?

 

[Chaszmyr]

G5 iMacs have substantially better performance than G4 iBooks, but the G4 iBooks would still be able to video conference perfectly fine.

The difference in performance between the 1.8ghz iMac and the single 1.8ghz PowerMac is negligible. The only real advantages of the low end PowerMac seem to be its ability to use up to 4gb of RAM and its ability to drive a 30'' display... but for someone who needs either of those things, I'd advise them to spring for the dual processor PowerMac anyway.

On another note, if you're deciding between iMacs and iBooks does that mean you don't care much about portability? If price is your main concern, and you don't intend to use the portability, maybe you might want to think about Mac minis with cheap 17'' displays.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the 14'' iBook uses the same screen resolution as the 12'' iBook (1024x768), so the 17'' iMac has substantially more screen space than a 14'' iBook.

(I recommend the iMacs, but they will be your more expensive option)

 

[jsw]

FWIW, the upload speeds over the connection are likely your weakest link. My 800MHz 2.5 year old iMac handles iChat just fine, so most definitely any Mac you can buy will handle it just fine. Go with the solution that works best for you.

 

[jsw]

Cheapest overall solution would be two eMacs - well under $2K for both of them.

 

[Mechcozmo]

Cheapest overall solution would be two eMacs - well under $2K for both of them.

True. Unless you have some spare monitors and keyboards laying around. Then the Mini wins out.

But you can videochat on pretty much any G4, I think... any recent G4, in any case.

 

[markjones05]

Upgrading ram later may be difficult for you with the iBooks because I think there is a great deal of unassembling and reassembling required. Not sure what the situation is with the iMac G5.

 

[Counterfit]

True. Unless you have some spare monitors and keyboards laying around. Then the Mini wins out.

But you can videochat on pretty much any G4, I think... any recent G4, in any case.

 

[sjpetry]

The main question here is do you need portability?