iChat Leopard (Jabber to Jabber)

[Wild-Bill]

Good morning.

I was wondering if anyone here has tried video chat in Leopard between two Jabber clients (Google Talk to Google talk). I have never done a video chat before because I have a Powerbook.

After much convincing I got my sister to buy a Macbook. I'd like to use the screen sharing feature in order to show her how to use OSX and highlight some features, etc.... I also want to give video chat a try. I hooked up my Panasonic video camera through firewire and all seems ok.

QUESTION

I'm waiting for her to call me today so I can try this. I was wondering, for those of you who have tried video chat via two Jabber clients:

• Were there any issues you encountered?
• Did you have to change firewall settings on an external firewall (dlink, netgear)
• Are default video settings ok or should i expect to change them due to choppiness, etc?
• Is there a way to do a video chat "test" beforehand?

My sister is a little iffy on her new Macbook purchase, due in larger part to her own errors. After configuring her firewall to add the MAC address of her wireless, I had to hang up with her and leave for a meeting. 1.5 hours later when I called back she was mad because she couldn't find the iWork 08 and Office Mac 2004 trials, nor any user guides. This prompted her to re-install Leopard. Of course when I called her back I told her she should have just waited for me. And after the reinstall I showed her where all her applications were, and the users guides which she swears weren't there before. (yeah right)

Anyway, I want the video chat to "just work" the first time when I attempt it later today. I don't want to give her another bad experience, even though the first bad experience was entirely her fault. I figure a nice screen sharing session will do her some good as well so I can teach her how to use a Mac and stop thinking Windows.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. We are both on broadband, I'm behind a DLink DGL-4300 and she's behind a Netgear of some sort. If this will only work after changing router settings I won't do it because she is not comfortable messing around in the router configuration. I can just set it up for her when I go home for Thanksgiving.

Thanks!

 

[Wild-Bill]

Anyone??

 

[vansouza]

OK way over my head here,

however; I think the default settings of the Leopard firewall here is a plus; it should allow the traffic without an issue. Fingers crossed. I hope you sister's experience set improves so she can be happy with her purchase.

 

[Wild-Bill]

Anyone else??

Does no one use video iChat?? Is there no one who uses it between two Jabber clients (Google Talk) ??

 

[northerngit]

Anyone else??

Google is your friend. Apple provide 3 test accounts you can add to your iChat client to test live streaming video. This page tells you how to set it up: iChat Test Video

Here is the official Apple support page detailing how to set up iChat AV with your firewall Apple iChat AV port information

Also, here are instructions with screenshots on how to configure your DLINK router specifically for iChat AV. DGL-4300 iChat Configuration

Portforward.com should also have your sister's router listed, with the same detailed instructions: PortForward Router Config Index

These may also help - Personal accounts and experience on configuring iChat AV and firewalls from around the interwebs...

iChat AV #1
iChat AV #2
iChat AV #3

iChat in Tiger was always a pain with firewalls, I haven't had time to test it since I installed Leopard - with its annoying budget application firewall, but best of luck! As for wether GTalk supports voice and video through iChat - I doubt it.

 

[Decrepit]

Google is your friend. Apple provide 3 test accounts you can add to your iChat client to test live streaming video. This page tells you how to set it up: iChat Test Video

Here is the official Apple support page detailing how to set up iChat AV with your firewall Apple iChat AV port information

Also, here are instructions with screenshots on how to configure your DLINK router specifically for iChat AV. DGL-4300 iChat Configuration

Portforward.com should also have your sister's router listed, with the same detailed instructions: PortForward Router Config Index

These may also help - Personal accounts and experience on configuring iChat AV and firewalls from around the interwebs...

iChat AV #1
iChat AV #2
iChat AV #3

iChat in Tiger was always a pain with firewalls, I haven't had time to test it since I installed Leopard - with its annoying budget application firewall, but best of luck! As for wether GTalk supports voice and video through iChat - I doubt it.

You rule. That was a great set of hints. I was trying to get a friend of mine to help me test the webcam I just bought, but hadn't found a time that worked. Those test accounts are awesome!

 

[Wild-Bill]

Google is your friend.

Yes, I know Google is my friend. However, I did not find the answer to my question (video chat gtalk to gtalk) on Google.

I tried the test servers, but since I am using Jabber for Googletalk, I can't use the test servers. Adding them as buddies automatically assigns the test servers a gmail jabber e-mail address. I've tried repeatedly to change it to an AIM account but it won't stick.

So, it appears that using Googletalk I cannot use the test servers whatsoever.

 

[ingenious]

Yes, I know Google is my friend. However, I did not find the answer to my question (video chat gtalk to gtalk) on Google.

I tried the test servers, but since I am using Jabber for Googletalk, I can't use the test servers. Adding them as buddies automatically assigns the test servers a gmail jabber e-mail address. I've tried repeatedly to change it to an AIM account but it won't stick.

So, it appears that using Googletalk I cannot use the test servers whatsoever.

does anyone know of any GTalk-through-iChat testers?