Built-in iSight -- how many megapixels?

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Level 1

8 points

Built-in iSight -- how many megapixels?

Hi, everyone. I have futily scoured the web trying to find out the specs of the built-in iSight on the new iMac. (I plan to buy the 20", but I'm sure the iSight is identical on all Apples.) Can anyone tell me how many megapixels it has for both video and stills?

I am trying to compile a comparison list to prove to my boyfriend that a PC roughly equivalent to the iMac would cost at least as much or more, considering all the peripherals required for the PC... such as a webcam. (He thinks it's frivolous to spend $1500 when I could get a "perfectly good PC for less than a thousand." Sheesh! He has no clue!)

I can't figure out which would be a comparable webcam if I don't know the specs of the built-in iSight. Does anyone know what they are? Is it pretty much the same as the iSight peripheral device? If so, that's a pretty expensive built-in. The peripheral costs $150!

Actually, I need the same info for the built-in speakers. Do PCs have built-in speakers? Oh, hmm, they must. PCs play music and whatnot. I mean... right? They don't have to buy peripheral speakers just to play basic sound, do they?

I would appreciate any help in getting this info, so I can figure out which speakers and webcam might be comparable to the iMac built-ins. Thanks in advance. 🙂

G3 BondiBlue Mac OS 9.2.x I need to upgrade!

Posted on May 27, 2007 12:52 PM

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Answer 1

EZ Jim

Level 7

22,590 points

May 27, 2007 7:40 PM in response to ColoradoRuby

You're welcome, ColoradoRuby

"apples-to-apples" - hehe I like it! ☺

Congratulations on your decision to go with the beautiful new iMac. Your boyfriend may be hard to convince because he must use software that only runs in Windows. That is certainly possible, but it does not mean that you should not have your iMac. So enjoy!

Who knows, after you get accustomed to your new iMac and he sees what you can do with it, your boyfriend may be more tempted. Two of my PC user friends recently switched after seeing a couple of four-way iChats and watching me put a video on DVD.

You are being thorough in gathering your "evidence." You may also want to consider the benefit of the Mac OS and software that comes bundled with your great new iMac.

For the functions I do with my computer, I choose Mac because I find its bundled software easier to use and more productive than PC software, even extra-cost PC software.

If your boyfriend must use PC applications for work (or just likes PC applications better), he certainly has a valid reason to use his PC. However, if your boyfriend wants the best of both worlds, he can always use Windows via Boot Camp on a new iNtel Macs. Of course, he could also choose to add a Mac and keep his PC, too. Apple's "Switch" pages should give him access to all the info he needs:

http://www.apple.com/getamac/movetomac/

Have fun with your new iMac.
Jim

Mac OS X (10.4.9) G5 DP 1.8 External iSight

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Answer 2

EZ Jim

Level 7

22,590 points

May 27, 2007 4:22 PM in response to ColoradoRuby

Welcome to Apple Discussions, ColoradoRuby

All iSights, both built-ins and the externals are 640x480 resolution. That makes them all 0.3 megapixel.

However, there is a lot more to digital picture quality than pixel count. Good quality lenses operated with good quality software will always give better images than bad lenses and software generating huge numbers of poor quality pixels.

I suggest you go to a store that will let you demo the machines that interest you. Test video, listen to speakers, and buy what looks, sounds, and works the way you want. I know from my home theater experience that the picture and sound are MUCH more important than the numbers that manufacturers publish.

Sorry but I cannot help you with specific PC info. Don't use 'em anymore, but surely, just like with Macs, some have built-ins and others do not. Maybe someone else knows the specs. If not, just ask which is which when you are shopping for your new one.

Even for the neat new iMacs, good headphones or accessory speakers can add to your enjoyment if you listen to lots of music, watch lots of movies, or just like it extra loud. Some of the more popular accessory brands are reviewed here:

http://www.consumerreview.com/befid-1721/sf-6/pgnum-1/nm-20/productlistcrx.aspx

(There are many others that you might like. Shop around.)

I chose the Klipsch ones, but I have several friends who use and swear by the JBL Creature Speakers and the Harmon Kardon SoundSticks.

Speakers often sound different at home than they do in the store. Buy from someone who will let you try them in your room to be sure you like them. Most good stores will let you trade them for a different model if you do not like how they work when you get them home.

Hope this helps you,
Jim

Mac OS X (10.4.9) G5 DP 1.8 External iSight

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Answer 3

ColoradoRuby Author

Level 1

8 points

May 27, 2007 5:02 PM in response to EZ Jim

Thank you, EZ Jim, for the welcome and the advice! I searched for my answer in the forum before starting this thread, and noticed many of your posts. I was hoping you'd be among those who answered my questions. Lucky me!

Just to clarify, I have already decided to buy a 20" iMac with a 1GB RAM upgrade, iWorks pre-installed, and a wireless keyboard and mouse. That'll do me just fine; no other peripherals will be needed. It'll come to around $1800, which my boyfriend finds an appalling amount.

That's the only reason I am trying to find comparable PC peripherals. I want to show him an apples-to-apples (no pun intended) comparison so he can finally understand that an iMac is really nothing like an average PC. He needs to see a real world example of all one would need to buy in order to cobble together a system that would be somewhat equivalent to that particular iMac. Otherwise, he will never comprehend what could possibly cause it to cost so much more than the average PC (which he keeps pushing me to choose instead). And he'd give me a hard time about spending all that money until the end of time!

I've tried to tell him the cost is because the average iMac is a whole lot more sophisticated and efficient than the average PC, but he doesn't believe it. He thinks if that were true, Apples would outsell PCs. sigh So, I now abandon reason and logic in favor of research and evidence. He can't deny it if it's right in front of his face in black and white!

Thanks especially for the answer about the iSight. I think I'll be choosing a webcam that would produce a similar quality image to the iSight, even though it would probably be a 1.2 or so megapixel. I've looked quite a bit, and it'll probably be in the range of $40 to $60. Just strengthens my point that a PC user would have to spend a lot to get something similar to what comes built-in with the iMac.

I'm just not going to tell him that Leopard is coming out soon and I'll want to buy the upgrade! LOL!

NOTE: I'm going to leave this question open a little while, in case anyone else has some info to share. 🙂

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Answer 4

ColoradoRuby Author

Level 1

8 points

May 29, 2007 11:11 AM in response to EZ Jim

Yes, he's a petroleum engineer, and the massive databases he must use are not available in Mac format. His employer provided his home PC, so he couldn't easily change it even if he wanted to, which he doesn't. He's well a established PC user, and I don't mind him staying where he's comfy. I only wanted him to accept that PCs only seem to be less expensive than iMacs, so he wouldn't get a knot in his stomach every time he saw my computer.

Just FYI, this is the list I compiled showing items that would make a reasonable PC-version facsimile of the 20" iMac that I want (which would include a 1GB RAM upgrade, pre-installed iWorks, and the addition of a wireless keyboard and mouse):

HP Pavilion m7760n TV Minitower: $1099.99

Optiquest Q20wb 20-inch Widescreen LCD Monitor: $249.99

Windows Vista Premium, Upgrade to Ultimate: $179.99

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X3: $399.99

Creative Labs WebCam Live! USB Webcam: $44.99

Creative Labs SBS 260 PC Multimedia Speakers: $19.99

That HP actually comes with more hard drive space, more installed RAM, a wireless keyboard and mouse (which is extra for the iMac), and a much fancier DVD superdrive than the iMac. But it's the least expensive HP I could find with the same processor and processor speed -- Intel Core 2 Duo, 2.13 MHz. I think the processor is the most important part of the comparison.

Based on a perfunctory look at the different versions of Vista, I decided an upgrade from the pre-installed Premium to Ultimate would be necessary in order to approximate the Tiger environment and features.

I was pleasantly surprised to find what I think is a fine LCD flat-panel monitor for a decent price. It would probably be just as good as the iMac's. And the other three items round out what the iMac offers and what I need in a computer.

Add it up, and the total pre-tax price of the above PC system would be $1995. The total pre-tax price of my desired iMac is $1813.

Sadly, after all that, he remains less than fully convinced. Apparently, I put him into information overload, poor guy! He didn't even really read the data.

The bottom line is that he'll leave me alone to get what I want and won't complain, even though he doesn't understand why I want it. I guess it's a pyrrhic victory, considering the amount of research and effort I put into convincing him. Oh well! Mission mostly accomplished. 🙂

Message was edited by: ColoradoRuby

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Answer 5

EZ Jim

Level 7

22,590 points

May 30, 2007 4:24 AM in response to ColoradoRuby

Congratulations on your victory, ColoradoRuby

You provide an analysis fit for an engineer!

Enjoy your iMac,
Jim

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