Video Phones
Oct 28th 2003, 2:49 pm
#1
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Video Phones
I know their a lot more expensive than web cams but I am going to buy my mum and myself a video phone each.
Does anyone know anything about them. Do you have to buy the same make? Do you have to be on the same telephone system i.e. Broadband or Highway or standard line?
Do you know of any good makes at reasonable cost? I know its expensive but the hasle my mum and dad have had with my brother when using webcam once a week and only ever succeeding to get visual, I think it will be worth it.
Does anyone know anything about them. Do you have to buy the same make? Do you have to be on the same telephone system i.e. Broadband or Highway or standard line?
Do you know of any good makes at reasonable cost? I know its expensive but the hasle my mum and dad have had with my brother when using webcam once a week and only ever succeeding to get visual, I think it will be worth it.
Oct 28th 2003, 4:17 pm
#2
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if you are talking about these 3g video phones i would give them a wide berth, my brother has one and it is pathetic at best.
from what he tells me it will only work within 1/2 a mile of motorways or major cities and even then they are slow to send and receive data they are also very expensive to run.
the thing is though with technology in 12-18 months this will probably be the industry standard and the cutting edge would of moved on to the next thing.
good luck though whatever you decide.
from what he tells me it will only work within 1/2 a mile of motorways or major cities and even then they are slow to send and receive data they are also very expensive to run.
the thing is though with technology in 12-18 months this will probably be the industry standard and the cutting edge would of moved on to the next thing.
good luck though whatever you decide.
Oct 28th 2003, 4:53 pm
#3
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by welshboybilly
if you are talking about these 3g video phones i would give them a wide berth
I think she means the type of phone which looks like a speakerphone with a flip up screen with a built in camera ... there are two types - Internet Based where you need to someone half-way techno savvy on each end, or the far simpler type which you just plug into the phone line. It's simple and there's no worries about keeping a static IP address for your oldies, but you need to pay for international telephone calls.
I'd like to know how well the latter works too, as if I'm going to pay for international calls anyway, it would be good to be able to see family more reliably than with voice-over-IP and a webcam.
if you are talking about these 3g video phones i would give them a wide berth
I think she means the type of phone which looks like a speakerphone with a flip up screen with a built in camera ... there are two types - Internet Based where you need to someone half-way techno savvy on each end, or the far simpler type which you just plug into the phone line. It's simple and there's no worries about keeping a static IP address for your oldies, but you need to pay for international telephone calls.
I'd like to know how well the latter works too, as if I'm going to pay for international calls anyway, it would be good to be able to see family more reliably than with voice-over-IP and a webcam.
Oct 28th 2003, 7:49 pm
#4
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Yes I am talking about the type with a flip up screen, you have giving me a point in the right direction, I keep searching and tell you anything I know CHnj
Oct 28th 2003, 7:57 pm
#5
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Re: Video Phones
Originally posted by Surfer Chick
I know their a lot more expensive than web cams but I am going to buy my mum and myself a video phone each.
Does anyone know anything about them. Do you have to buy the same make? Do you have to be on the same telephone system i.e. Broadband or Highway or standard line?
Do you know of any good makes at reasonable cost? I know its expensive but the hasle my mum and dad have had with my brother when using webcam once a week and only ever succeeding to get visual, I think it will be worth it.
I know their a lot more expensive than web cams but I am going to buy my mum and myself a video phone each.
Does anyone know anything about them. Do you have to buy the same make? Do you have to be on the same telephone system i.e. Broadband or Highway or standard line?
Do you know of any good makes at reasonable cost? I know its expensive but the hasle my mum and dad have had with my brother when using webcam once a week and only ever succeeding to get visual, I think it will be worth it.
no no no dont buy one...we have now gone through all the models as they keep NOT working! they dont work in the uk let alone across the continents! stick to webcams......take care
Oct 31st 2003, 6:52 am
#6
Tyke and now an Aussie
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: Bondi, Sydney
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Re: Video Phones
Yup, complete waste of money.
Spend the money on an apple mac for mummy and an apple mac for you and get an isight for each.
Oh, you'll need each need to be on broadband too.
Quality is fantastic though and you can talk all day long every day and it's FREE.
Spend the money on an apple mac for mummy and an apple mac for you and get an isight for each.
Oh, you'll need each need to be on broadband too.
Quality is fantastic though and you can talk all day long every day and it's FREE.
Originally posted by salonit
no no no dont buy one...we have now gone through all the models as they keep NOT working! they dont work in the uk let alone across the continents! stick to webcams......take care
no no no dont buy one...we have now gone through all the models as they keep NOT working! they dont work in the uk let alone across the continents! stick to webcams......take care
Oct 31st 2003, 7:01 am
#7
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I have an imac, I could get a basic one for my mum I know they where around £600 at the time, I won't be giving her a present EVERY christmas, birthday etc., so its the least I could do being that I leaving her
Where I live there is no Broadband, I'll have to find out about my mums area, probably not and we want to live a little rural in New Zealand so I don't know if I can have it over there. If that's the case is there a second best option?
Where I live there is no Broadband, I'll have to find out about my mums area, probably not and we want to live a little rural in New Zealand so I don't know if I can have it over there. If that's the case is there a second best option?
Oct 31st 2003, 7:43 am
#8
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Posts: 160
Re: Video Phones
Yep I agree DONT BUY ONE!!! hubby used to work for 3. We both had free video phones from his company and they are PANTS!!!
dropped calls all the time, no coverage etc etc. They didnt do enough testing before putting them out on the market although this is new technology!
In a few years time things will be better and everyone will have one.
Nice ringtones though ....................
dropped calls all the time, no coverage etc etc. They didnt do enough testing before putting them out on the market although this is new technology!
In a few years time things will be better and everyone will have one.
Nice ringtones though ....................
Oct 31st 2003, 7:50 am
#9
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Originally posted by welshboybilly
if you are talking about these 3g video phones i would give them a wide berth, my brother has one and it is pathetic at best.
from what he tells me it will only work within 1/2 a mile of motorways or major cities and even then they are slow to send and receive data they are also very expensive to run.
the thing is though with technology in 12-18 months this will probably be the industry standard and the cutting edge would of moved on to the next thing.
good luck though whatever you decide.
if you are talking about these 3g video phones i would give them a wide berth, my brother has one and it is pathetic at best.
from what he tells me it will only work within 1/2 a mile of motorways or major cities and even then they are slow to send and receive data they are also very expensive to run.
the thing is though with technology in 12-18 months this will probably be the industry standard and the cutting edge would of moved on to the next thing.
good luck though whatever you decide.
yes my mate is the main man in running the software side of 3g and he has the next generation phone already..pretty much a palm pilot with phone/video etc installed
(i think the one after that -guess end of 04- will be the one to go for....)
i had a quick 'go' last week when we were watching the eng/sa rugby match (he's a s.a'er) and i was quite impressed with the video technology.really was like a mini t.v
the coverage is still an issue -ie he can't use the phone at his home just outside newbury (international HQ of vodaphone) as there isn't a signal.
voda are working like mad on their version of 3g -most of the 3g phones that were sold in newbury when they first came out was to vodaphone workers....
as was said within a few years full -decent quality- realtime video calling will be pretty much industry standard....till then leave it a few years and then buy
cheers
richard
Oct 31st 2003, 7:52 am
#10
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Can we be clear about which kind of videophone we're talking about. I know people say the video mobile phones are crap just now, but Surfer Chick and I mean a landline based device. Salonit, which type do you mean?
Oct 31st 2003, 10:48 am
#11
Tyke and now an Aussie
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: Bondi, Sydney
Posts: 62
I think handheld video phones have been pretty conclusively trashed by all and sundry here. My folks back in England tried the dial-up webcam option to reach me in Sydney ( i'm on broadband) but I think they found it too unwieldy and slow. Both of us now being on broadband has made a huge difference, i mean a real quantum leap. The thing's fun to use now. And on the mac it's parent-proof. A bit of surfing should be able to tell you how ADSL compliant your local excchange is. Certianly the bt.com site in the UK you just have to type in your phone number and it tells you. Hopefully NZ is the same. They seem pretty switched on about broadband out here.
Originally posted by CHnJ
Can we be clear about which kind of videophone we're talking about. I know people say the video mobile phones are crap just now, but Surfer Chick and I mean a landline based device. Salonit, which type do you mean?
Can we be clear about which kind of videophone we're talking about. I know people say the video mobile phones are crap just now, but Surfer Chick and I mean a landline based device. Salonit, which type do you mean?
