Webcam advice?

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Hi everyone,

I'm just wanting to get some advice on how to chat online using a webcam, as I've never used one before. I have an eMac, 3.5 years old - so I need to purchase a webcam.

I am completely unsure as to how to use it!

What program is best for online chatting? (since MSN for Mac has no 'visual' functions as far as I know)
When I chat, is there sound also?
Will chatting work with my Dial Up connection, or do I need Broadband?

I am Australian, and will be travelling to the US for 3 months. I will be using the Webcam to keep in touch with my friends and family while I am away.

Thanks in advance,
Cryssie :)
 
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Mac Studio, M1 Max, 32 GB RAM, 2 TB SSD
Skype seems best - I have tried most of them, and found it to be the best. Computer to computer video calls are free and the quality seems very good.

For your webcam, you likely want to visit ecamm (http://www.ecamm.com). They sell the iMage USB webcam and the iChatUSBCam software package, both of which will allow you to connect their USB web cam to your Mac. I *hope* it will work on an eMac, but can't say for sure.

The iMage USB webcam doesn't have a microphone, so you will need an external mic as well.

All of the above because Apple no longer sells the wonderful iSight camera! So, we are left searching for alternatives. I am hoping that Apple closes this portfolio gap soon.

...of course there is always eBay. I am sure you could get an iSight there.
 
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With the microphone issue...would the internal inbuilt mic on the emac work? Cheers for the advice!
 
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I will have to defer to a forum member who has (or had) an eMac. I'm afraid my G5 is the first Mac I have used since I used to have a Quadra back in the mid 90s.
 
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Have You Tried Anything?

I'm thinking of buying the Image by ecamm. Have you tried it? Can you recommend any other camera/mic combo for Mac?

Thanks
 
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With the microphone issue...would the internal inbuilt mic on the emac work? Cheers for the advice!

Dont know about emac, but the old imacs with built-in mics had so much fan noise the mics were pretty much unusable due to vibration and noise.
Get a good USB mic.
 

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