kichat: FAQ 1 - What do I need to start in iChat ?

Answers to very basic questions of getting started in iChat AV 2.1. (Edit 5/5/05) It mostly goes for iChat 3 as well.
Redrafted 30/03/2007

Glossary
Audio is sound only chats (called Talk on AIM )
Video is Sound and Pictures (where cameras and microphones allow)
account name is synomonous (the same as) with screen name

Basic Facts
iChat AV 2.0 did come with Panther and at this point is free. (Upgrade to 2.1)
iChat 3 comes with Tiger and supports Multiple person chats
You can chat to AIM based services as long as one of you has a camera. (Currently audio only chats are not possible). Windows users have to running one of the XP incarnations and AIM 5.5 at least to Video.

What you Need
OS 10.3.x for iChat AV 2.1
iChat ver 2.0 or 2.1 (Now Panther only)
OS 10.4.x for iChat 3.x
DV input device (camera or DV converter for analogue cameras) See also Exceptions further down.
Free Firewire port (not daisy chained)
An AIM (AOL & Netscape count) or @mac.com account/screen name. (Stick to passwords of 16 characters or less without Special Characters).

How to make Exceptions Work
Slow Mac or USB cam prior 10.4.9 or non USB Video class cam
1) Slow (G3/500 and less) computers and those with USB cams need this utility
iChatUSBCam which enables slower machines to connect and enables USB cameras to be seen by iChat. (lower limit 350Mghz)
2) Analogue cameras can be made to work with a converter like this one.
Hollywood Dazzle DV_Bridge<(not home page of Manufacturer but has pics).<br>

10.4.9 now allows for USB cams of the USB Video Class (UVC). Other will still need the iChatUSBCam utility

If your Exception seems to be Networking or Router based read this FAQ

Essential Reading
Although you don't need an understanding of Firewalls or Network Translation on Routers some backgound reading can help.
This link Apple Doc number 93208 can help with basic settings in the Mac's Firewall and the Router's settings.

Note 1 should read:
1. All iChat AV traffic is UDP except for ports 5190 and 5298, which need to be open for both TCP and UDP; and 5220, 5222, which need to be open for TCP only.


The page contains a link to a list of Routers that will work "Out-of-the-Box".
If your's does not appear, pay attention to Note 4, near the bottom, because you are going to have to search for more info about your router (or do that un-Mac thing and read the manual).
I found this ADSL GUIDE site useful for getting extra info by users of routers on DSL.
This site has an Apple Related Area in the Technical section which I have linked you to. It is searchable.
PortForward.com Has pics and instructions for many modems and routers for the Port Forward method of opening ports.

How to Start
After getting your account name, start iChat.
It will lead you through a assistant. Ryan's Pics and instructions on this bit

If you launched it before and are starting again make sure iChat is off line.
Go to Preferences in the iChat Menu item. Open the Acounts icon.
Select the type of account it is.
Type in your name (without the @mac .com suffix) and use tab key to enter password.

Server Options button (Server Settings tab in iChat 3.x) should be live at this point. Check that it reads login.oscar.aol.com and the port is 5190.
Close Server Options and hit enter.
iChat should now log on.
In iChat 3.x there is a check box in the accounts Information tab that says "Use this Account" to be checked to activate it.

Buddies
You now have to enter Buddies into the Buddies list
Use the "+" button at the bottom of the Buddy list window.
Add New Person or from your address book if you have recorded Buddies account names there.
The first account names you should add are the test accounts shown In Contact Testers or the FAQ here.





This is the 3rd version of this tip. It was submitted on 30/04/2007 by Ralph Johns (UK).