Video Conference Tutorial for AIM 5.9

Video conferencing is easy to use once it is set up correctly. With the right equipment video and audio quality are surprisingly good. This video conferencing tutorial will show you how to set up AIM 5.9 to allow you to audio or video conference with a Mac running iChat or a PC using AIM.

Included are step-by-step instructions for getting a free screen name , downloading free software, installation and use, video conferencing camera recommendations, firewall port settings, VoIP interference tips, and a troubleshooting guide. (Solid underlined links open in a new page while dotted underline are within this page or web site.) Information for iChat is on my Mac iChat video tutorial specific page or my full video conference tutorial.

To video conference with you will need an AIM (AOL Instant Messaging network) screen name. It is free. You do not need to sign-up for AOL to get the screen name for video conferencing. BEWARE: The newly available AIM Triton will not audio or video chat with iChat. See below for how to get AIM 5.9.

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AIM screen name

To register for an AIM screenname go to my.screenname.aol.com. Click on then “Create one FREE now" link. Follow the instructions and fill out the information requested. After you register, AIM sends you e-mail, allowing you to confirm your registration request.

You can also get a screen name the first time you start AIM by pressing the "Get Screen Name" button. Still free.

Windows XP users

If you are using MS Windows XP (Pro or Home) then you can video conference via AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), version 5.5/5.9. You do not need to sign-up for AOL but can use any Internet connection. If you do not have version 5.9 go to go to www.aim.com/get_aim/win/other_win.adp and upgrade your current version (Upgrade). Do not press the New Users Click Here button even if you are a new user as you most likely will be sent to the link that gives you the wrong version of AIM. New users may find it easiest to get the screen name at link listed at the top of this page and then get AIM 5.9 from this link: ftp.newaol.com/aimgen/73010/Install_AIM_5.9.3861.exe.

BEWARE: The newly available AIM Triton will not audio or video chat with iChat. If you click on the Download Now button that is on the AIM homepage (www.aim.com) you will get this new, advertising-ridden, incompatible software mess that is called AIM Triton. So on the above page ignore the part that states: "Windows XP users download the new AIM®Triton."

Once you have downloaded and installed AIM 5.9, connect your camera to your PC. I recommend a USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, (not just "Full-Speed) instead of a cheaper USB 1.1 camera. (Apple's iSight is not available for PCs) I've chatted with people using either and the difference is noticeable. If you have a Firewire connection on your PC your DV camcorder should work, though you may have to leave a tape in or the door open so it does not shut off. Anyway get the highest quality camera available. Fifty dollar web cams may seem like a good deal but most often look and sound like... well... less than great.

Typically, AIM users connect to me at 100 to 150 kpbs and at 10 fps. So make sure your connection is at least that fast. AIM cannot display video in full screen.

Alternately to AIM, use Trillian, which is an all-in-one chat client that can also connect with iChat. For video conferencing you need the $25 Pro version (a two-week free trial is available.) One neat feature is the video screen can be "resized." It is not as clear as the video iChat provides nor is the fps as high, but it is much better than AIM's fixed video window.

XP Pro cannot use Apple's iSight. Drivers have not been written for the iSight to run properly on Windows XP Pro. Video displays but the microphone is not supported.

 

AIM tutorial - If you upgraded XP to Service Pack 2 then open up internal firewall ports and change other settings before doing anything else. Turning off the firewall may not be enough so just go through the step-by-step process.

Begin AIM by selecting the AIM icon from the bottom right task bar and select the Sign On menu item. Once you are connected select the Setup button toward the lower right hand of the AIM screen. Then click on the Add Buddy button on the lower left. Type in the AOL screen name of or .Mac member name (ending in .mac).

To initiate a video conference go to your buddy list and click on the name of the buddy you wish to invite. (If your just hover over their name and a pop-up window shows their status and mentions if their camera is on.) An IM session window will open. Toward the bottom of that screen is the video button. Click it to invite the buddy to a video conference. Once they accept and you are connected select the My Buddy tab in the video screen area. You will see the other person in the small, non-resizable, screen. Press the pip icon to see your screen in the corner of the window.

To accept an invitation to a video conference first press the Accept button. Then select the My Buddy tab in the video screen area. You will see the other person in the small, non-resizable, screen. Press the pip icon to see your screen in the corner of the window.

To adjust your video quality click on the small image on the right side of the My Camera window that looks like... well... this and another winow will come up allowing you to adjust video quality.

To adjust your microphone click on the small microphone in the My Camera window. Another window will come up with a slider you can move to adjust the microphone input level.

To disconnect press the Disconnect button in the My Buddy window.

To send an SMS message to a cell phone start a new instant message, enter the phone number with a plus sign in front of it in the "To" area, (+12345551212) type and send your message. Or place the phone number into your buddy list as a screen name.

 

General AIM troubleshooting: Most problems involve around these simple things: Internal XP Pro firewall settings after upgrading to SP2 (check that out first), external firewall settings in a router, camera not "seen" by AIM (camera driver issues), or no video/low frame rate (install patch below). Finally, make sure your speakers are turned on. :-)

Low frame rate / one frame per second: If you are not getting a good frame rate or cannot even connect to AIM you may need to Auto Configure. Open up a new chat window by clicking on one of your active buddies. This window has "File" "Edit" "Insert" and "People" on top. Click > "File" then > IM Preferences then> Sign On/Off. Then click > Connection > "Auto Configure" > OK > Check to be sure your connection speed is on LAN and not modem then click OK. This automatically configures your connection. AIM Preferences can also be found in the pop up menu in the status bar.

2nd step For many users the AIM Live Video patch (also called the RTC fix) needs to be installed to get good video conferencing results at decent frame rates. (or even to be able to connect at all) You can download the patch from: ftp.newaol.com/aim/win95/aimrtc12.exe Save it to disk and follow instructions as it installs onto your system.

Black screen in My Camera window: AIM cannot compete with other programs for use of the camera. If you can "see" that the PC user's camera is connected but they cannot see themselves from AIM then there is a conflict with other software installed on the PC that is trying to access the camera. The PC user will need to quit any other application that could be trying to use the camera before AIM can have access to the camera.

No camera icon in buddy list: If the PC user can see themselves with their camera in AIM but you cannot "see" that their camera is connected (in iChat it is the camera icon next to their name) then there is most likely a firewall issue. If opening local router ports does not help (see below) move the equipment to another location to see if you can then connect. If so, then there is a firewall or other hardware device blocking access at the original location. Some universities regularly block access to video conference ports.

Cannot connect using wireless: Half the people who now contact me with connection problems are using a wireless router. I am using a wireless router on our network but since it is an Apple Airport it "just works" with no fuss. Other wireless routers may have to be set up so the router to modem section is not blocking video conference ports AND the wireless to computer section is not blocking video conferencing ports.

The easiest way to tell if it is your wireless router to computer section is causing the problem is to temporarily bypass it by plugging in your computer to the wired part of your network. Then if it works you know you have a firewall port issue with the wireless connection.

Mac user did not respond error message: If you are trying to connect to a Mac user running iChat and an error message comes up saying they did not respond don't feel bad. They are not ignoring you. It is most likely that they really did click the Accept button AND they go an error message stating that they did not respond! But why? Simple answer: firewall ports. 90% of the time it is on your side, not on the Mac.

Go through the entire process listed below to for firewall settings for best results. While you are doing that have the Mac user update their system to the latest as the version of iChat that comes with 10.4.3 upgrade (free from Apple) fixes this issue in some instances. If you then still get this error message start looking at other places (your router, ISP or corporate network) that could be blocking the ports listed below.

Mac user can not initiate video conference: If your buddy name has a space or an uppercase character then tell them to update iChat to version 3.1.1 (v429) which comes with the 10.4.4 update. That'll fix that problem.

Configuration settings: One problem regularly seen with AIM 5.5 and video cameras is the configuration settings in the video/audio tuner don't "stick" and have to be re-run each time. I have yet to hear of a solution for those with this "feature."

Still not working: If after trying everything above and opening Windows XP internal firewall ports you still cannot video conference then move your computer off of your router and plug it directly into your modem. Or move it to another location and try from there as some ISPs have old routers that block video conferencing.

I do not have my PC hooked up for video conferencing so I cannot answer specific questions regarding your particular set-up.

Recommendations

Here are a few recommendations and an easy way of purchasing the recommended items through Amazon.com. I base these recommendations on 100s of different video conferences the past three years, 20+ years experience using, teaching and developing on many computer platforms, and the firm belief that quality pays for itself in the short and long run. MVLDesign.com is an Amazon associate and using the below links to purchase from Amazon helps support this tutorial.

Camera for PCs with AIM - good: Logitech QuickCam Communicate STX and FlexStand.

Camera for PCs with AIM - better: Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000.

Camera for PCs with AIM - portable: Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks is OK to use. The Logitech QuickCam Fusion is much better and connects at USB 2.0 Hi-Speed. For the ultimate get a QuickCam Ultra Vision.

Notebook for PCs with AIM: Though all the Apple Macs below can run Windows natively and PC World Magazine said they run Windows Vista the fastest, here are two notebooks with built-in video cameras. Sony VAIO 15.4" and Sony VAIO 14.1 ". Only get this if you already have and can only use a PC running windows. DO NOT get this for your parents or grandparents... get them an Apple iMac, they can run Windows on it if absolutely needed, though this link will be helpful.

Camera for Mac: Most new Apple Macintosh computers have a web cam built-in. If you get one that does not (Mac Mini or Mac Pro) then any USB web cam that supports USB Video Class will work with iChat. Most of the latest Logitech web cams work on a Mac and quality can be quite good since they also support USB 2.0 Hi-Speed. (see links above) I recommend Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro for Mac.

Software for Macintosh: iChat 4 comes with Mac OS X 10.5.

System for Home: If you have a keyboard and monitor you like then get a Apple Mac Mini with Intel Core 2 Duo, a Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro for Mac and The Mac OS X Leopard Book. If you need an entire computer system get the 20 inch Apple iMac Core 2 Duo.

System for Grandparents: Take my advise and you will get a computer that is simple to set up, easy to use and provide stunningly clear video conferencing to best see your children and grandchildren (life-size and very-clear if they have a good Mac). You'll be able to initiate multi-video conferences. With this you will get the best computer software for video conferencing, editing video, sorting photos, making DVDs, reading email, safely surfing the Internet, listening to music, watching movies and more. Plus no chance of automatically installed malware, spyware or Windows viruses. Don't waste time, get the following: Apple iMac with a 20 inch screen which comes with the iSight built-in. (optional - 24 inch screen iMac with iSight built-in)

I recently took my own advise, clicked on the above link, and ordered this system for a family member. Squeals of joy and many thank you's every day. Definitely a gold-star, multiple-point generating, well-received gift. :-)

System for Students: with an Intel processor, built-in iSight camera this is the best for running iTunes, video conferencing with the family back home and getting school work done: Apple MacBook.

System for Traveling on Business: with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, built-in iSight camera and much more, this is the finest portable computer ever made: Apple MacBook Pro.

System for Traveling: with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, built-in iSight camera this ground-breaking portable computer has everything you need: Apple MacBook Air.

Firewall port issues and router set up

The main roadblock to video conferencing with a PC is firewall or network router ports not opened, disallowing the video information to get through. Although you may not realize it, firewall software may be used by your Internet Service Provider, your company, your Windows XP operating system or even in the hardware in your home that connects you to the Internet. If you have a home network or broadband router, there is likely a firewall built into it. If you upgraded XP to Service Pack Two then open up the internal firewall and change other settings before doing anything else.

 

Windows XP internal firewall: Updating a computer running Windows XP to SP2 (Service Pack 2) may cause Mac iChat AV to AIM 5.5/5.9 PC video and audio connections to fail because, by default, the firewall created by SP2 blocks UPnP communications from the Internet. If the SP2 firewall is enabled: Go to Start > Control Panel > Security Center > Manage security settings for: Windows Firewall > Exceptions tab> add or check UPnP Framework as an Exception. Select UPnP Framework and click the Edit... button. Be sure that both the TCP 2869 and UDP 1900 ports are checked and listed as 'Any' under "Scope."

If the Scope of each port is listed as 'Subnet,' click the Change scope... button, and select the 'Any computer (Including those on the Internet)' radio button. Do this for both ports, and then save the changes by clicking the OK buttons. Simple, right?

External firewall / router settings: Click on the image on the right to see a typical Linksys router setting for opening the ports that iChat and AIM uses. For a more complete description see the page on Apple's web site Using iChat AV with a firewall or NAT router or the page that shows each port and what it does. If you want the short version: open ports 5060, 5353, 5678, 16384-16403 for UDP and 5190, 5297, 5298 for both UPD and TCP. D-Link router set up.

Once you have manually opened the correct ports (if you actually need to) video conferencing is quick and easy. Please note: I have my system behind the above pictured Linksys router and do not have any ports "opened" (even though the photo indicates I do) and have no problems connecting to PCs with AIM or Macs with iChat AV.

The AIM web site states that if either you, or the person you want to video conference with are behind a firewall and are having problems getting it to operate, "work with your Internet Service Provider, your company's system administrator or modify your firewall software yourself to open ports 1024 through 5000." Though opening all those ports seems excessive it is what AIM suggests so is mentioned here for completeness. Also, I don't understand why they say to open only those ports as the 16384 and 16385 are the two most likely to be used for audio and video.

If opening local router ports does not help move the equipment to another location to see if you can then connect. If so, then there is a firewall or other hardware device blocking access at the original location. Some universities regularly block access to video conference ports.

My current home network settings: Currently I am using the following as my home network to connect for video conferencing and VoIP telephone. Cox Cable Modem >> Apple Airport >> Linksys Ethernet Hub (model NH1005) >> PowerMac G4 / Windows PC / Lingo VoIP / Vonage VoIP. An iMac G5 with built-in iSight camera is connected via wireless through the Apple Airport and a USB printer is connected to the Airport USB port. ZERO firewall port set-up was involved and I only used the Airport setup wizard to name and secure the wireless access point. I can have all three computers accessing the Internet at the same time, with the two Macs engaging in separate video conferences while both VoIP lines are being used. Even I was impressed how easy it was to set up.

VoIP Interference

Vonage - One potential conflict with iChat and AIM is Vonage VoIP. Vonage uses the some of the same ports as iChat. (Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) port 5060 could be one.) I have a Vonage box set up in their "alternative method" and it works well.

Previously, I hooked it up in their standard configuration and found that the Vonage box was not good at letting through all the data my computer needs. Even checking email was not reliable. The standard Vonage configuration is Cable modem/DSL >> Vonage >> router >> computer(s).

The alternative way is Cable modem/DSL >> Router >> Mac / Vonage / PC connected to the router. The downside to this method is that the Vonage box can't "steal" bandwidth to maintain highest audio quality and you cannot use your browser to change settings. The good news is I hadn't noticed conflicts in over a year and a half.

Lingo - I also have Lingo as they offer unlimited calls to Western Europe as part of their regular home service. See my Lingo page for more information.

First I got a D-Link DVG-1402S/L with Lingo VoIP. I tried to set up the router and open ports using their standard configuration. Only after ALL firewall ports were opened did video conferencing work well. However, once the phone is picked up the D-Link router stole almost all the bandwidth for the phone call and to top it off still gave terrible sound quality and an echo. Avoid the DGV-1402.

Next I got a regular Lingo box and set it up in the "alternative method". That is Cable modem (or DSL) >> Router >> Mac / Lingo box / PC connected to the Linksys router. Peace at last. Sounds great and I can video conference at full speed. Unlimited calls to Western Europe!

I ran a few test to see if the Lingo box could be set up in the normal method and still video conference. I opened ports in Ports Forwarding, turned on DMZ and limited the IP Pool (so the connected computer had a known IP address) and I achieved limited success.

Web Conferencing Camera set up

I have received many comments about how natural I look while video conferencing. It is as if I am looking right into the camera while chatting. No, I did not drill a hole in my LDC monitor to get the camera at eye level. It is all a matter of careful camera placement.

Get the camera lens as close to the top edge of the monitor as physically possible. Place the video conferencing window just below it. Then you can look your camera, and the person you're chatting with, right in the eye.

I have a few tricks I use that brings that camera right to the edge of my screen. And if I can do it you can too as my monitor's borders are a huge 2 inches wide.

My iSight video conferencing camera is connected via a SightFlex, which is a small gooseneck Firewire cable with a weighted stand. The weighted stand sits right on top of the middle leg of my original Apple 20 inch LDC Cinema Display. Then the gooseneck with the iSight camera is bent over the top of the monitor and placed upside down. (see photo) This places the camera lens right at the edge of the LCD display. With the back of the camera resting against the front of the display's border everything is stable and wiggle-free. Finally, the Upside Down setting in iGlasses is used to flip the camera output back right side up.

Final Comments

I hope you find this tutorial useful. It was originally written in Winter of '03 and has been continually expanded and refined. (Last update: 16 October, 2008 ) If there is anything you have discovered that I should correct or can add please let me knowby emailing me at ichat@mvldesign.com. Thanks!

Finally, if you want the very best video conferencing experience then get an Apple iMac running iChat 3 with an iSight already built-in. It will be easy to set up, you'll never have to deal with spyware, adware, worms, malware, Trojan horses, email viruses or, to a great extent, email spam and your Word, Excel and Power Point files will still be compatible; you'll save time (= money) in the long run. You'll never know how hard it is to use Windows until you get a Mac. Heck... look how much attention to detail and ease-of-use Apple puts into a simple music player with the Apple iPod—their computers are even better. And Mac OS X is even better than the hardware, see more here. Included software for managing your digital life is first-rate, integrated and beyond anything you will see for XP. And your video conferencing experience will be much more rewarding at 640x480/20fps. I can't really share the thrill you (or your family) will have when you click the full screen button while video conferencing. Get a Mac and leave 2.5 inch video conferencing behind.

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Happy video conferencing!

 

Also, see our Enhancing Your Podcast For iTunes tutorial and the MVL Design.com Alkaline & Maharishi Ayurveda Store.