iChat AV on 500mhz G3

**Foxman26** · June 24th, 2003, 06:14 PM

So I have a 500mhz Pismo. What is wrong with apple making it so I cannot do video with iChat AV. Its not like my system couldn't handle it. There are other video chatting programs that will work with my computer. Why not iChat.
Is apple turning towards the way of PCs? I mean jees, they used to make it so everything they made was compatable with all their current processors. And now its not. Thats what PCs do, they come out with something new, so something thats not quite up to top of the line anymore gets shoved out even though it can still hang.
Is anybody else having this problem? I cannot believe apple shoved me out. I wonder if theres a way to trick iChat into thinking im on a compatable machine.

**mr. k** · June 24th, 2003, 08:06 PM

This is just a beta release, I think when apple releases the GM version, and charges people $30 for it, it should work on all the somewhat recent apple computers.
But who knows, mabye by then apple will upgrade powermacs to the G5 and iBooks to the G4...

**adambyte** · June 24th, 2003, 09:31 PM

One of the subjects that's been brought up about this requirement is processing power... Apple's requirements say a 600Mhz G3 or any G4. Apparently the video encoding that iChat does requires a lot of horsepower. Maybe this is how they get it to look so good... sophisticated algorithms that require a lot of processor speed.

**ApeintheShell** · June 24th, 2003, 09:46 PM

It's time to buy
Their backwards compatibility for Jaguar suprised me, i thought my computer would left out because i only had 8 mb vram. But now I suspect it is the end of the ride for me. Obviously, iChat AV is going to be more integrated into Panther and the new mac's.
I can upgrade to a G4 but how long before that is fazed out...1-2 yrs.
Apple can't be there for all its old hardware.

**hulkaros** · June 25th, 2003, 04:10 AM

Originally posted by Foxman26
So I have a 500mhz Pismo. WTF is wrong with apple making it so I cannot do video with iChat AV. Its not like my system couldn't handle it. There are other video chatting programs that will work with my computer. Why not iChat.
Is apple turning towards the way of PCs? I mean shit, they used to make it so everything they made was compatable with all their current processors. And now its not. Thats what PCs do, they come out with something new, so something thats not quite up to top of the line anymore gets shoved out even though it can still hang.
Is anybody else having this problem? I cannot believe apple shoved me out. I wonder if theres a way to trick iChat into thinking im on a compatable machine.

While I can understand your problem you must take seriously in mind what you are trying to do:
-You want to surf that amazingly huge but beautiful wave of the sea with no surf board at all...

Still, keep in mind that we are talking about Beta software here and the final version may as well give you what you like...

Also, have you tried to install new/updated/other drivers for your webcam? And if it isn't webcam, what are you using to enable the AV part of iChat? Let us know, please!

Boom

**Captain Code** · June 25th, 2003, 07:19 AM

Just think about what it has to do:
Convert a DV stream(most likely DV. Definately if you are using a camcorder) on the fly to probably MPEG4 and stream that over the internet. Plus decode the MPEG4 from the other person you're talking to. That's going to take a lot of CPU power for sure.

**rkowal** · June 28th, 2003, 09:19 AM

I have an iBook700, but my old folks (1000 km away) have an old iMac 400. Like Foxman26 I'm totally gutted to see that the system requirements for iChat AV are G3 with 600 MHz. That just sucks!
There are still A LOT of people around running Jaguar, but under the G3 600 barrier, and they're left out.
If Apple don't do it themselves, HACKERS!, please come up with a hack that makes iChat AV run on slower machines!
I mean, there must be possibilities to slightly reduce processing requirements.
I don't care if the video is not fullscreen, for example, or if I need to buy more RAM.

**Captain Code** · June 28th, 2003, 09:28 AM

I just tried out iChatAV with my camcorder on a G4 400MHz. The video size was the default size and I didn't chat with anyone. I just plugged in the camera to see how the video was.
It was pretty good. It was a bit jerky at times, and sometimes it would freeze and then come back. It'd probably be a bit slower/jerkier if it was streaming it over the net.

Unless Apple makes a lower resolution option for the video, I can't see it working on anything less than a G3 600 as their specs require. My G4 just barely meets the specs.