Been researching video conferencing solutions lately. Polycom seems to be the global leader for professional TV set-top box solutions that support ISDN and a ton of other features. For lower-end Internet video conferencing, of course there's Microsoft NetMeeting for Windows PCs. Yahoo Messenger supports very basic video conferencing (well, at least video exchange) and their solution works between PCs and Macs. I have come up with the following list of Internet video conferencing solutions that I'll be testing with Eric Lin, our IT manager in Taiwan:
There are probably many more Internet video conferencing solutions but I've tried to find ones that work with both PCs and Macs (NetMeeting and CUseeMe don't).
I have also been researching webcams to use with the above software as well. And since I'm using Mac OS X, I've been trying to find ones that work on that.
2 sources for Mac OS X webcam drivers:
FireWire (rather than USB) webcams seem to be the way to go. Video quality is better.
I love the looks of the iREZ KritterDigital but unfortunately it's impossible to buy in Hong Kong or online and it's very expensive. Also, the company seems mainly focused on the OEM market.
Orange Micro's iBOT seems the most popular FireWire webcam. Apparently it works well and was one of the first FireWire webcams in the market. Sadly, it's so ugly! The standard model is selling here for HK$1180 and the Pro model is selling for HK$1380.
Right now I'm leaning towards getting the PYRO 1394 WebCam by ADS Technologies. This is selling for HK$980.
Oh, there's also Unibrain's Fire-i FireWire webcam. Specs look good and it has 2 FireWire ports. Cost online is US$119 which is cheap for a FireWire webcam. It doesn't look to pretty though!
Unfortunately for me, prices here for those webcams are 30-40% more than online prices.
UPDATE 20021019@2:48pm: After reading several poor reviews on Epinions.com of the iBOT webcam and PYRO 1394 WebCam, I've decided not to buy any of the existing FireWire webcams on the market. Given the consistent reports of only mediocre image quality, the over-US$100 price tags don't seem worth it. Faster video but same quality video as USB webcams costing less than half the price? No thanks.
UPDATE 20030814@10:20pm: For a TON more info on Mac OS X video conferencing I refer you to John Kenn's excellent Mac OS X Videoconferencing page. I'm sad to learn that Apple's new iChat AV (Public Beta) video conferencing application only works with FireWire cameras. I ended up buying a Logitech QuickCam for Notebooks Pro camera which is USB-based but is high quality, looks cool, has OS X drivers, and works with Yahoo! Messenger. I'd certainly purchase Apple's new and very cool iSight camera if I didn't already have the Logitech one!
UPDATE 20030815@12:05am I just got my USB-based Logitech camera to work with iChat by installing iChatUSBCam (US$9.95 shareware with 7-day trial). Would love to do some testing soon. Too bad iChat only works with Macs.
Hi,
I found your site while trying to resolve a problem i am having. Perhaps you can help.
I am running a Mac with OS X. i want to communicate with my family on the other side of the country (Canada) . they are running Windows netmeeting. I have downloaded squidcam and have it working but it doesn't want to connect to their netmeeting.
Any suggestions?
Thanks for your help
david mills. ontario, canada.
Posted by: David Mills on March 3, 2003 5:27 AMHi David,
Hmmm... I have not actually tried Mac OS X to Windows video conferencing. I found this on SquidCam's FAQ page so it looks like you won't be able to use that with NetMeeting.
Q ) What are the system requirements?
A ) Any Macintosh computer running MacOS X (minimum of 10.1.5 recommended; compatible with MacOS X 10.2) with access to a TCP/IP (LAN and/or Internet) connection. A microphone and camera are not necessary, but obviously allow you to send audio and video during your communications session. At this time, SquidCam will only communicate with other SquidCam clients.
If just video (no audio) is OK with you, I have tried the latest version of Yahoo Messenger and it works between OS X and Windows clients. http://messenger.yahoo.com
If I find anything new on this, I'll get back to you.
Cheers,
Derek
hi derek,
google brought me to your video conferencing page... i'm currently facing a similar decision: recommending hard- and software for a simple, low cost video conferencing system that runs on both mac os x and windows xp.
after doing some research, i currently tend to recommend squidsoft's squidcam (even though the windows version is still beta, but it's working) and orangemicro's ibot firewire webcams.
i just wanted to ask you if you did any additional research into that video conferencing thing or if your weblog entry from last october is your final saying on that matter.
since we're gonna use the conferencing mainly for work, i looked into more expensive, more professional solutions like polycom's viavideo too, but all the systems i came accross tended to be windows-only.
reading your october entry was very informative indeed... i looked around on some other of your pages too and must tell you, i admire people who maintain extensive weblogs full of personal/professional/etc information like you do.
thanks a lot!
dev.
Posted by: dev on April 19, 2003 1:20 AMHey ya derek,
I recently came across your site checking out the reviews on the web camera applications currently available for mac osx platform,One thing that grabbed my attention was your interest in a Firewire Kritter Digital web camera,I can highly recommend them as I have one an I purchased it from the United Kingdom in pounds:-) I can send you the address url etc if you are still in the market for one,they are the only distributor I know of who are sanctioned by irez,The australian one closed down,Anyway if you want it then contact me on
PS: i hear that ichat has got somthing coming in the not too distant future ,fully comprehensive video conferencing in the new panther platform for mac,they are working on technologies that will make it a true 30 frames per second application an excellent voice codecs,possibly mpeg4 aac,not sure ,but much is circulating about it...
rick.c@ihug.co.nz
cheers
Nice blog
Posted by: ip address on May 4, 2003 4:56 PMHi Rick,
Thanks for taking the time to write. I would've gotten back to you earlier but apart from my usual office work, the OS X boot partition on my main computer, a PowerBook G4, got hosed. I've already spent many hours backing up all my data and am resinstalling the system from scratch now. I'm typing this right now on my Win2K PC!
Anyway, I actually ended up buying a Logitech QuickCam for Notebooks Pro webcam. It only has a USB interface but the quality of the unit itself and the video quality is great. It uses a CCD image sensor - not the cheaper CMOS-type sensor. I only used it a few times with Yahoo Messenger using IOExpert's OS X drivers and it worked well. Thanks anyway for the offer for the contact info of the irez distributor.
When I have the time, I must catch up with the latest in video conferencing solutions for Mac. Good to hear that iChat has some exciting developments. Let's keep in touch.
Cheers,
Derek