iChat, MAC's video chat interface is ready for real time live chats. It could be used for:



1) Musical Lessons
2) Musical chats, improvisation etc.
3) Technical issues of an instrument
4) Coffe Shop talks.

iChat is the most advanced video chat interface currently available. I don't say this because I'm a MAC purist. I work with Pc's too.

But watch this movie, and you get an idea what it is all about and how good the quality is!

Here is the Movie[/b].

Let me know what you think!

For more technical info click HERE[/b].

It's impressive. And as soon as the technology becomes affordable for the average student and teacher, I'll get interested.

I've been contemplating an upgrade to OS X Panther to take advantage of this iChat AV feature... I think I'll take the plunge soon.

The cost of iChat AV, starting from scratch, I'd peg at a G4 system (I suppose a $800 eMac would do), the software comes with the system with no additional cost, plus a $150 iSight camcorder -- that's the $950 fixed cost, not factoring in any student/faculty discount. Variable cost would be whatever it is you pay for speed Internet connection -- campus Ethernet, DSL, Cable, something like $40 a month, and a .MAC/iChat accoung ($100 a year???). That's pretty much all that's needed to do video conferencing with the iChat AV system. Whether that's considered a student/teacher budget depends on the student/teacher.

In retrospect, I bought my first Macintosh computer in college for three times the price of today's eMac, not even taking inflation into consideration, and it did not even have one thirtieth the MIPS and storage capacity of today's entry-level eMac.

Interesting stuff... thanks for the links.

This is a major improvement over iVisit, which I used for realtime video chats with a friend 3,000 miles from me. I used that program for five years and the image size on the screen was miniscule in comparison to this.

Also, the audio on iVisit could at times become quite garbled and distorted. This program is very impressive with it's clarity.

Live jamming: yes, that'll be more demanding on the technology. With the current Internet packet data technology, it goes like this: Simple data = easy, audio/video streaming = hard, real-time streaming (with strict delay/jitter bounds) = even harder! Using MIDI and cut away audio/video will make things simpler as it dramatically reduces the volume of data that needs to be transferred, but that means you'd be jamming digital and that has its limitations and just not how most present day musicians are trained.

As for "subscription fee," I think you would need Apple's .MAC subscription (something like $100 a year, not sure about the exact figure). But the audio/video life chat interface should go open standard eventually (if not "soon"), and it's basically a slightly beefed up version of AIM or MSN Messenger or Yahoo Chat type of technology, so I do not anticipate that to be expensive.

Affordability is still a considerable Factor. "Axtremus" said it right. By the way, the MAC account is $ 100.-- per year (subscription fee). That's correct. It's a vital component of a successful chat connection. I did several experiments with AIM but never reached iChat standards, not even close.

Simultaneous Jamming or playing is only possible on a limited basis, since even latency of 200 milli-seconds can irritate during a Jamming session. "Jazpianist" is totally right with his comment.

But sequential improvising is possible. Let's say one player starts with an idea, the other one takes it up and alters it. etc.

In the future maybe somebody writes a MIDI interface to iChat. Then two midi compatible instruments (even an acoustic piano with PianoDisc) could be interconnected.

It's also thinkable that for example Finale or Sibelius would implement a chat interface in which case two remote people could use a notation program simultaneously. This would be very helpful for music theory and composition classes.

Thanks "plays88keys" for the comparison with iVisit. I heard about the program but I'm not familiar with it.

Check out our home page once in a while http://www.panfluteforum.org

We have a forum part about "Video Conferencing".

There we keep people updated about VIDEO LESSON PROJECTS.