Facetime vs. Google video

[Psco2007]

My sister has a Mac with Facetime and I have Windows.
Two questions:
1. Can I use this video service from her Mac to my PC?
2. With Google Video, do I need a headset and microphone?
She says with facetime, she does not need it.


Thanks for any advice.

[MacDSL]

1, no but if she has a Google account, she can just log into that and use the google video there.
2, no your camera has a microphone built-in. No need for headset.

[Psco2007]

Thanks for the advice

[jman98]

2, no your camera has a microphone built-in. No need for headset.

Unless you can read minds, and if you can, please tell us, this answer may or may not be correct.

I think you are confused over who has the Mac. Macs come with a microphone and camera built in. Typically Windows PCs do NOT. So, most likely the original poster will indeed need some kind of web cam. You can buy them with microphones built it and not have to use a headset (assuming that you have speakers to hear what she says to you). Logitech makes a variety of models with microphones in all kinds of price ranges and the quality is excellent.

Do note that using non-Apple software such as Google Video may result in the camera on your sister's side dropping down to a smaller image than necessary. Apple likes to punish you for not using their own software. It will depend on whether or not her version of Facetime supports Google Video natively (I have no idea). If she has OS X Lion on her Mac, it has native support for Yahoo Messenger video. I realize you may not want to go to another IM client, but just keep it in mind.

[MacDSL]

Wait, PC's that come with Cameras might not have a microphone? I admit that my Mac kung-fu is much stronger than my PC kung-fu; but I don't remember ever coming across that, Thanks!

FaceTime only works with FaceTime, It's pretty specialized, it only works on Wired and Wi-FI, not 3G; it's a closed system but it's pretty cool. She will have to use Google Video like the poster for it to work, Hopefully she already has a Google Account.

But........

If she uses iChat instead of FaceTime; the built-in IM client on her Mac, it will work with Google Video. Just IM with her using iChat, and if she sees the camera in the picture next to your name, video will work, the bottom icon is multiple cameras, and she can have multiple people on a video chat.
iChat also supports .me, AIM, Yahoo Messenger, Jabber, and Google accounts.

[Psco2007]

Thanks for the info - appreciated.