Video Chat - anyone know anything?

[Marker]

Anyone out there have any experience with video chat? My new laptop has a built in webcam. I haven't really looked into it much. I know Yahoo! messenger has a webcam feature that allows you to transmit a live picture, but no audio.

I've heard about Skype, and others but am wondering if anyone has tried anything, or what they thought about them. As with everything there are no doubt good choices and bad choices.

I'm always a bit cautious about free internet tools, not wanting to invite a flood of spam, or other undesirable consequences.

So, who has some insite into these things?

[VWL Mom]

DS17 and his friends use ooVoo. He has downloaded it to both my mac & netbook and it has not generated any spam or viruses.

[tazlikesrobots]

I use my webcam and microphone with Yahoo messenger and it works great! The only catch is that the person at the other end needs to have yahoo messenger also. I've heard of a program called pidgeon that supposedly will work with any messenger service, but never used it...

[jodijo]

My family uses Skype. In fact, my husband and I went away together on a business trip last month and left the kids for the first time. We used Skype to sit and talk with the kids every day. It was awesome. The kids loved it and we were able to see them and make sure they were ok.

I made 2 accounts with Skype (one for each computer). Then, I added the accounts to the Skype contact lists. I also made sure to check in preferences that they could only chat with people on their contact list. It worked great and we have not gotten any spam or unwanted people on our chat lists.

[MNNHFLTX]

My family has started using Skype too--even my 83-year-old father. It is a really neat to talk to my sisters, brother, father, etc. "face-to-face", since they live so far away. And we find Skype very easy to use.

[Tink1]

We used Skype when my son was in Japan. Worked great.

For Christmas, we set the laptop up on a chair and he was with us while we opened gifts with the extended family . I had sent gifts for him to open with us as well

We then put him on the end of the table where he normally sat and he had dinner with us.

Not quite the same as being there in person, but it worked.

Nanc

[jerrywilborn]

I use Skype as well. My old PC couldn't keep up with the high resolution video, but my Mac does fine.

[PirateLover]

Seems like Skype is the popular choice. I know several people in long distance relationships who use it, as well as bloggers.

[Lakin]

I use Skype. No real reason, really, it was just already on my computer. No problems really, the only problem I've had is that it would suddenly go black and I had to show the camera to a light in order for the picture to work again. Weird.

[Magic Smiles]

We used Skype when my son was in Japan. Worked great.

For Christmas, we set the laptop up on a chair and he was with us while we opened gifts with the extended family . I had sent gifts for him to open with us as well

We then put him on the end of the table where he normally sat and he had dinner with us.

Not quite the same as being there in person, but it worked.

Nanc

What a great idea. Reading it actually almost brought tears to my eyes.

[DisneyOtaku]

I just use Windows Messenger. It comes on every computer that has Windows on it (lucky me, none of my friends have Macs). I have heard of Skype, but I already had a program that worked fine--no need to download another.

Best thing about using the webcam is just the talking, really. For example? Last Saturday I spent about 6 hours talking to my best friend via the webcam. He lives in South Korea. You know how much that would have cost me in phone calls? Plus, I got to see him as well.

So yes, I am a fan of webcams

[DisneyWizard]

Definitely recommend Skype!

[scooterca42]

Skype for certain. It can be used just as a web phone, or as a video chat system, either way it's amazing for keeping in touch. And it doesn't cost! A key thing when we're calling down from Toronto to Canberra for forty five minutes to an hour at a time.