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iSight Rant

N

niallerc

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 21, 2003
30
0
Dublin, Ireland
Ok seems to be me ranting all the time on here but just back from new york, visited the apple store in Soho, very trendy and loved the place so I spent a few hundred dollars there. Got myself new earphones for the iPod, iSight and some games for the kiddies, so fly back to Dublin (Ireland), bit of rest, unpack me stuff, games wont work on teh G5 (Sims and house party extension) works fine on the G3 laptop (10.2.x) Diva Starz (bloody classic app) works fine on the G3 didn't bother putting it on the G5 and finally I plug the iSight into the G5 up pops ichat (not AV I might add) so off I go to download it (beta no longer available) download some webcam software (still can't see the camera) needs AV to activate it, I'm not paying another $30 after paying $129 or whatever for the camera, first off it doesn't say anything on the outer packaging (which I might add are behind the counter there's nowhere you can check the specs in the store) about needing AV to activate the camera. Anyway better fill out my up-to-date form tonight to get panther so I can get iChat AV with it, becoming quite dissapointed in Apple at the moment.
 
That is absolutely rediculous that iChat AV doesn't come with the iSight.

I would be fairly upset about that as well. I suggest you give them some "feedback".

Good luck. Sorry to hear about your troubles.
 
Apple said from the start, Panther will have iChat AV and it will be a $30.00 upgrade for Jaguar users.
 
I understand that Lan but c'mon I spent $130 on the bloody camera only to find I couldn't use it as a webcam even I needed AV to activate it and not one of the people in the Apple store mentioned it, I think Apple should really bundle it with iSight or very large on the box that you need iChat AV to use it and have a look at the packaging next time it's on the base of the inner box, and apple have really peed me off in the last couple of weeks between the $20 for the upgrade to panther (ok I know it's shipping) but if Panther had gone gold then why wasn't it installed on the G5 dual that was delivered on the 3rd (Oct) to me after waiting 3 months for the thing other than that I spend 10 hours a day on a mac generally they're fine.
 
But you do realize that once you receive Panther, you will not need to buy iChat AV, right? So you miss out on using your iSight for a few days, annoying yes and I agree they should make it clear on the package, but not a huge long run issue. What Apple really wants is for everyone to upgrade to Panther, not to spend $30 on iChat AV.
 
Originally posted by niallerc
I understand that Lan but c'mon I spent $130 on the bloody camera only to find I couldn't use it as a webcam even I needed AV to activate it and not one of the people in the Apple store mentioned it, I think Apple should really bundle it with iSight or very large on the box that you need iChat AV to use it and have a look at the packaging next time it's on the base of the inner box, and apple have really peed me off in the last couple of weeks between the $20 for the upgrade to panther (ok I know it's shipping) but if Panther had gone gold then why wasn't it installed on the G5 dual that was delivered on the 3rd (Oct) to me after waiting 3 months for the thing other than that I spend 10 hours a day on a mac generally they're fine.
Click to expand...

It wasn't because it wasn't released yet and someone who ordered a G5 one day before it went GM would complain that they would have to pay to get Panther and if they waited a day they wouldn't. Then complain that they would have to wait until the 10/24 to actually get it as well.

They don't include the software because it is included in Panther and it was made clear the Jaguar users would have to pay for it. I guess they could have charged $160 for the camera and make the Panther users pay more for something that is included. The whole purpose of them selling the camera is to be used with iChat AV. That is true of any of the products, like the iPod; it is there to be used with iTunes.
 
Yup I know that chigacdan and I don't mind waiting the few days or whatever for Panther (thanks for the offer btw Tiaug) as for the Sims not running, runs fine on G3 powerbook and only dies when it tries to switch resolution on the G5 with the 20" cinema, I might try and put it into a normal 4:3 aspect resolution (though I think I've tried that already) and see if that works.
 
Originally posted by Lanbrown
It wasn't because it wasn't released yet and someone who ordered a G5 one day before it went GM would complain that they would have to pay to get Panther and if they waited a day they wouldn't. Then complain that they would have to wait until the 10/24 to actually get it as well.

They don't include the software because it is included in Panther and it was made clear the Jaguar users would have to pay for it. I guess they could have charged $160 for the camera and make the Panther users pay more for something that is included. The whole purpose of them selling the camera is to be used with iChat AV. That is true of any of the products, like the iPod; it is there to be used with iTunes.
Click to expand...

But iTunes is a free product and comes as an installer on the iPod itself so either way you're up and running in minutes. Anyway even my mac supplier and his supplier all have to order panther thru the up to date program so we're all stuck for the moment.
 
It doesn’t matter if it's free. They two still go together, like the iSight and iChat AV. Obviously Apple wants people to upgrade to Panther rather then paying the $30.00. There is nothing wrong with people being asked to pay $30.00 for software to get more functionality. iChat works with other FW cameras, so if they offered it for free, it would hurt the sales of the iSight. You get to use Apple software with a competitors product for free. So Apple charges for the software for Jaguar users.
 
I think the point the original poster was trying to make is, there is nothing that informs you before you buy an iSight that you can't actually do anything with it without buying Panther or the $30 iChat AV. You can't even use it with other software without having iChat AV installed to give you the drivers. A sticker on the box or something would certainly help.
 
While they did not clearly state that you needed iChat AV, it was implied. The beta expires on 12/31, Jaguar users would have to upgrade to Panther or pay $29.95. If a company had to clearly explain everything, there would be a book the size of a dictionary on every product.

Plus, right on the Apple site:
http://www.apple.com/isight/
"iSight Technical Specifications
Requirements Requires iChat AV Software (not included), Mac OS X v.10.2.5 or later, 600MHz G3 processor or higher, Broadband Internet connection."
 
OK Let me clear this up, I don't have a problem paying for the product, I knew the beta was available (I have it installed on my dual g4 in the office) hence me buying iSight, what I didn't know that iChat AV beta is no longer available for download and there's no way to purchase it until it does become available as iChat v1 for Jag or whatever, basically what I'm trying to achieve is test the feasibility of using iChat and iSight for Videoconferencing from home to office (I'm currently installing broadband to all senior people in the company).

I'm about to fill in the up to date programe anyway and register for one-click so it should be shipped from cork in a day or so (I'm only up the road).
 
Even though iChat is now officially at 1.0, the beta version still works until January 1st. I just received an e-mail from Apple that says:

Your iChat AV beta software will expire in January 2004, but you can upgrade now to continue chatting with friends, family, and colleagues in full-screen video with full-duplex audio. iChat AV is now part of Mac OS X version 10.3 “Panther” along with over 150 other new features, like Exposé for instant access to any open window or desktop file, and a new Finder for easy access to everything you need no matter where it lives. Mac OS X Panther costs only $129 and is available today from the Apple Store. Shop online or visit an Apple Store near you.

If you wish to continue using iChat AV with Mac OS X Jaguar (v10.2.5 and later), you can purchase and download the upgrade online at the Apple Store for $29.95.
 
Yeah I looked for it earlier this morning and it wasn't available so it is now, good stuff lads and your comments were interesting. But I'm going for panther anyway if I can get the up-to-date program working (keeps saying my 1-click billing address is UK when it's Ireland and the irish info site links to UK) not having a good day, I'll just take email my serial number to the office and sort it in the morning I've had enough and think I'll go do some severe killing in wolfenstein on xbox live (haven't played it in a week so me stats are way down.)
 
I would go with panther as well, basically the same price right? You get more bang for your buck with Panther then iChat AV only.
 
Yup it's the natural thing to do on the G5 and messed around with it in the apple store looks pretty neat lookin forward to gettin me teeth into it.
 
Ok just phoned the apple store and this lovely lady helped me out and did everything so it's sorted, funnily enough Panther is shipped from Taiwan or Cupertino they don't have software stocks down in Cork but she told me you can get a Dual G5 delivered in 7 days (I wonder why was there a 3 month delay when I orded). Again lads thanks for your input, soon as I get Panther runnning I'll let yiz know, played a full version of wolfenstein on it last night and I swear it looked way better than the xbox version of which I live and breath on so might give the single player mode a run for its money.
 
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