Setting up video chatting on your computer
Step 1:
Equipment
You’ll need a fairly new Macintosh
computer with iChat loaded.
A built in iSight camera (a web
cam) or a digital video camera attached to your computer with a
firewire cord.
Step 2: Get an AIM
Account
You need to register (it’s free and easy!)
for an AOL AIM account to get your “screen name.” Here’s how to do
that:
- Use Firefox or Internet Explorer and go to www.aol.com and
click on AIM.
- Click on “Get A Free Screen Name.”
- Fill out the form, type in the secret code thing
at the bottom, click submit. (It may take a few times with that stupid
secret code thing!)
- Upon “Congratulations!” go
ahead and quit Firefox. You’ll get an email from AOL with your screen
name info.
Step 3: Set up iChat
on your computer.
- From your dock, click on the finder (the square-headed guy)
and choose Applications.
- Find iChat and double
click on it to launch it.
- A welcome screen will
pop up. Click Continue. Set up your account by filling in the boxes.
Use your first name and last name. Account type is AIM Account. Account
name is your AIM Screen name and enter your AIM password.
- Click Continue (not “get an iChat Account”).
- At the Jabber set up screen just leave it blank
and hit Continue.
- For Bonjour Messaging just hit
Continue.
- At Set up iChat AV hit continue (you may
not see this if you are using a video camera).
- Click
done.
Step 4: Contact Someone
to Video Chat With.
- You’ll see you Buddy list. Click on the + sign at the bottom
to add a “buddy.” You need to know the person’s screen name. Click on
New Person, choose AIM account (probably), Account name is screen name,
First and Last name if you want. Don’t bother with email.
- When your chat “Buddy” is online, their name is in
bold print. To invite them to a video chat, click on the little video
camera icon right after their name on your list. When they accept your
invite, you’ll be chatting. To make it play in full screen, click on
the button with the two arrows on it.
Within the SPPS computer network iChat
works great! When chatting with buddies outside of SPPS you may have
difficulty. I’ll help it work within our network. Outside, you’re on
your own.
Any trouble? Email ivar.nelson at
spps.org
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