webcam streaming

[Toby Goodbar]

i'm trying to find out how to privately stream a webcam session between a mac and pc. normaily the popular instant messengers allow this but it doesn't seem to be working. MSN and AIM don't support webcams for mac. yahoo is giving us problems as far as webcam goes and we cant get more than a black screen. we're going to be apart for awhile and that is why we got them. she has hers already and is on windows.

so in a nutshell, wha i'm looking for is a free way for us to video conference or at least send a webcam stream over the internet to each other

...i always assumed it was a simple built in process

 

[teleromeo]

Mercury messenger is MSN compatible an supports webcam. Also skype should work (audio+video)

 

[i.shaun]

try using iChat for AIM and her using Windows AIM

 

[richard.mac]

definately try AIM in iChat but also give Skype a whirl. youll need to set up Skype on you Mac and create an account, same for your girlfriend.

i dont video chat but i set up Skype for my Mum to chat to her friend in Belgium and it worked wonderfully.

Skype recommends 384 kbps of bandwidth to video chat. to check if you have enough bandwidth to video chat in iChat run the Connection Doctor from the Video menu.

 

[Toby Goodbar]

first off, i would like to thank everyone who replied. much appreciated.

after taking your advices i'd like to share my experience.

-using either aim or ichat it wouldn't allow her to connect, it told her i didn't support that function

-MSN messenger DEFINATELY didn't work. they havent even released an update for mac since 2004

-MERCURY, however got the job done and was pretty straightforward and allowed me to connect with her through MSN network. much thanx teleromeo. it let me get me first view of her!

-Skype also worked excellent. so to those of you who mentioned it thank you! i'm not sure yet because it was late, but she was having a small problem on her end with skype accessing her webcam. so i viewed her on mercury while she viewed me on skype. but we both agreed i looked better than her as far as picture quality. not sure if the apps had anything to do with that or if it was a difference in webcams which supposedly have the same specs.

-i would also like to point out to anyone mac users reading this who are having problems getting a logitech webcam to be recognized by they mac to dload MACAM. very easy to install and do a test, and worked perfectly for me.

PS framerates are averaging about 5 fps. i know this usually depends on the internet connection but what are yall usually seeing?