[iBook] iChat trouble

[gooddog at interlync.com]

Hello group;

Questions about iChat and iSight

1) The first part deals with a 14" iBook with these specs: 1.2 GHz,  
L2 512. VRAM 32, Memory 1.25 GB, Bus 133MHz.  We're doing a video  
conferencing class with a friend, and we're wanting to work the bugs  
out before we officially start. My Arizona friend is on a new
iMac with Intel, and the instructor is on a 17" powerbook with new  
guts, so it's the current specs for the Powerbooks.

Since we have the slower machine, we are participating, not hosting.  
So far, we have been told the following:

A) Internet Connection: We've been told that we should get cable to  
replace oun dedicated dsl line.  When we add a third person, that  
person gets degraded in quality. I've been asking around at the Apple  
Store and AppleCare, and there is mixed information about the  
problem. For instance, it could be our internet connection: we are on  
dedicated 1.5 mbps dsl and my two friends are on cable.  My dsl  
service provider, a very cool guy, monitored my upload and download  
speeds, and said we had plenty of whatever we needed. He said he  
thought it was a matter of processor speed. I've been to  
www.speakeasy.net and tested my upload/download speed, but I don't  
know what to make of it. I max out at about 1250 kbps at best on the  
download, and 350kbps at best on the upload. My cable friend is  
getting 6 or 7 gbps download, and 350-500 or so upload.

B) Processor speed: we've been told it's that we have an older  
machine (when we try with our 17" desk lamp iMac (1.25 GHz 1 GbRam,  
64mb VRAM, we get the same results), and we need to update to newer  
models.

C) Video Cards. A guy at the Apple Store here in Chicago said the  
Video Card might be too slow. My iBook is 32mb and the iMac is 64mb.  
But the AppleCare guy said I should be fine with either because I'm  
not hosting. He said whenever a third person is added, the video is  
degraded, but with a better video card, it's less noticable.

  Can anyone clue me in? I'm baffled and not good at this type of  
discernment yet.

2. iSight Accessory Dept.

We're also looking to get recommendations on accessories for the  
iSight camera. In particular we're looking for any suggestions on a  
wide-angle lens to go into the Kaidan iSight Accessory Kit lens  
adaptor that is reasonably priced, or one that isn't reasonably  
priced if the quality is great, but still not a wallet breaker.


Can someone help with either or both of these perplexing difficulties?

Thank you in advance,

Mark
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