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TICKET ARCHIVE -> MSN Messenger for OS X - where's the webcam?

RobinS - Apr 25, 2006 - 5:31 pm

Can one use one? I can't see anything in this program about a webcam. Or Yahoo. Messenger

dbrodbeck - Apr 25, 2006 - 6:23 pm

Yahoo IM can use a webcam. MSN cannot, but, aMSN can, you should be able to find it at sourceforge.

http://cmq.qc.ca/4w/amsn/

RobinS - Apr 26, 2006 - 10:03 am

I'm using a Logitech 3000. Yahoo doesn't see it. What do you suggest?

dbrodbeck - Apr 26, 2006 - 6:17 pm

Hmm, you have installed the quickcam OS X software right?

If not, and you have tried maccam, I will officially be at a loss. Let me know and I will reopen the question if that is the case.

Dave

RobinS - Apr 30, 2006 - 7:24 pm

I guess we're both at a loss. With Macam I can see the webcam picture (though it looks lousy at 320 x 240 - how can anyone use that when 640 x 480 is so much better? And even 640 x 480 must be lousy compared to a decently lit iSight.) What I'd really like to get happening is to use a firewired DV camcorder as a webcam. But there seems to be only Windows software for that. What else is new!?

dbrodbeck - Apr 30, 2006 - 9:27 pm

Yeah you pegged it, I am at a loss.... I am usually good at webcam questions, I swear :-).

I will see if any of the other techs have an idea.

Sorry I could not be more help

Dave

tomid - May 1, 2006 - 6:04 am

HI,
I have some suggestions you could try.
First there is a company offering drivers for usb and firewire cameras to work in os x, check it out:http://www.ioxperts.com/products/webcamx.html
Secondly, this one you propably now, but you can use your digital camcorder in ichat, without any drivers.

RobinS - May 1, 2006 - 8:15 pm

$20 US to get this lousy camera working? I don't think so. But at least its a solution - albeit a costly one for the value of the camera.

I would love to use my firewire DVcam in iChat IF iChat interfaced with Yahoo and MSN (where 95% of the world chats). Is there any way of connecting iChat with MSN or Yahoo?

tomid - May 2, 2006 - 3:03 am

Yes I agree 20 bucks is a bit much.
And it is a shmae that ichat does not really work with msn or yahoo.
Through Jabber (The protocol available in ichat) you can however have chat with the ones using msn, but I do not think it supports videochatting. To find out more how to set jabber you can find nice tutorial from here: http://allforces.com/2005/05/06/icha...hrough-jabber/

tomi

RobinS - May 2, 2006 - 10:09 am

Once again Apple refuses to get off its little island. Pride, pride, pride. Totally non-sensical. And they wonder why they are not more excepted in the business community. LOL!

Just imagine a virus free interface that would talk to AIM, Yahoo and MSN with any USB or Firewire camera sold. They are so worried abouit the little day to day profits they miss the big picture.

Its these tactics that keep the OS X86 movement going because they know that the pigheaded starched controllers can't let go of something that could so benefit the world (OS X running on generic computer hardware). Same reason why people pirate software and music when the prices are so ludicrously high.

tomid - May 2, 2006 - 10:58 am

As I understand this is not to completely apples fault but rather the fault of microsoft and yahoos willingness to co-operate to make multiplatform supported chat program. They do not have the interest or the team to develop it. Thus the incompatibility. And this is why Apple supports jabber, the open source multiplatform chat protocol.

I do not mean to say that it is not apples fault at all, sure they could do much better, but it is not completely out of ignorance.

RobinS - May 3, 2006 - 11:12 am

You bring up valid points. Apple is not creating Yahoo Messenger, Yahoo is. So if they don't put in audio support, I should be complaining to Yahoo. Still, you'd think they would if they could. What do they gain by alienating Apple users? I think the problem is still Apple. They must be blocking something. I've seen so many incompatibility issues with Apple hardware and software. It all has the same fingerprint of Apple refusing to interface to the world because they are afraid that they are going to lose some sales - generally hardware realted. I guess the real picture is much larger here. But this constant trend is such a pain with Apple. If they ever get there head out of sand and sell their OS for use on PC hardware they will make far more money than their piddly little computer hardware sales. The profit margin for a DVD far exceeds any hardware. And the potential market there is vast. But they are more concerned with selling hardware at total ripoff pricing for their bottom line. May places like OS X Project help them reconsider! Maybe if enough people steal the OS and use it they'll wake up.

RobinS - May 3, 2006 - 11:13 am

After reading my rant I realized I forgot to ask you about Jabber. What is it? It sounds like just the ticket.

tomid - May 3, 2006 - 11:15 am

Its a chat protocol.
read more about it from :http://www.jabber.org/
and to configure your ichat read this:
http://allforces.com/2005/05/06/icha...hrough-jabber/

cheers, tomi