By Cade Metz
The inaugural version of SightSpeed Video Messenger impressed us a year ago, proving to be one of most effective desktop videoconferencing tools on the Internet. Its latest incarnation, known simply as SightSpeed 3.0, is even more impressive. The new version handles multiparty conferences in addition to one-to-one calls. It sends video voicemail messages to almost anyone with an e-mail address—whether they're SightSpeed users or not. And it's easier to use than previous versions.
The first version of the product worked very much like an instant-messaging client. You weren't able to connect with someone unless both of you were online and both of you had the app running. Now SightSpeed works more like a telephone. If you try to ping someone and, for whatever reason, they can't take the call, you can always leave them a message.
The SightSpeed client is available for free from the company's Web site. But before you sign up, make sure you have the proper hardware. Naturally, you can't use the product without speakers, a microphone, and a webcam (it supports over 100 USB, FireWire, and DV models). And you'll probably need a PC that's on the newer side. We used the client on a 266-MHz desktop with only 128MB of RAM, but video and audio quality was spotty at best. The company recommends an 800-MHz processor and 256MB of RAM, and we had very good results on a 2-GHz system with 512MB of RAM.
To sign up for the service and install the client, you simply supply your name, an e-mail address, and a password. Installation may take several minutes as the client checks your network configuration. And there's always a chance you'll have to make changes to your firewall or router settings. But once the app is installed, you'll need no more than a few seconds to make a video call or leave a video voicemail message.
If you know other SightSpeed users, you can key their e-mail addresses into the client app's Contact list, and from then on, you can call any one of them simply by clicking on their name. Once a connection is made, their image will show up in a modestly sized desktop window, and your image will shrink to a small box in the window's bottom right-hand corner. If you like—and if you have the bandwidth—you can expand the window to full-screen. Even on faster systems, you'll see some motion artifacts—especially when you switch to full-screen—but considering that this is a software app operating over the Internet, performance is quite impressive.
If your contact is offline or unavailable when you call, the app immediately gives you the option of launching a separate window where you can record and send a video voicemail message. The message is stored on SightSpeed's servers for 30 days, and the recipient can view it at his or her leisure right in the SightSpeed client.
Alternatively, you can send video voicemails to any ordinary e-mail inbox. Such a message will show up as a URL inside the body of the e-mail message, and when the recipient clicks on the link, the video pops up in their Web browser. This works well enough, but we do have a quibble with the setup. The e-mail message will say it's from you, but your address is listed as sightspeed@sightspeed.com. Considering the Internet's virus and spam problems, more than a few recipients may be wary of opening the link. The "From" address should be yours instead. That said, if someone replies to the message, the reply will show up in your in-box.
You can just as easily make a multiparty call with up to three other SightSpeed users. Once all four of you are connected, each will occupy a corner of the client window, and here too, you can blow things up to full-screen. In our testing, video and audio quality on multiperson calls was passable, but performance decreased significantly compared with one-to-one calls. And even on a fast system, performance slowed to a crawl when we switched video to full-screen.
Unless you purchase a subscription, you'll be limited to 15 minutes worth of video calls and one video voicemail message a day, and you won't be able to make multiparty calls. For $4.95 a month (or $49.50 a year), you get unlimited one-to-one video calls, 15 minutes of multiparty video calls a day, and 100 video-mail messages a month. Need more than that? Other plans give you unlimited multiparty calls and up to 1,000 video-mail messages a month. And if you purchase a subscription plan, your minutes can be applied to any video call—whether you call someone else or they call you. Thus, you can easily purchase one subscription to talk with your entire extended family.
SightSpeed is marketed as a consumer video phone, but there's no reason it couldn't be used for business as well. Naturally, it can't match a high-end, hardware-based videoconferencing system. But it's just as good as, if not better than, most low-cost software clients—and trying it out is free.
Showing posts with label Review Sightspeed. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Review Sightspeed. Show all posts
Saturday, April 7, 2007
SightSpeed 6.0 Review by PC Magazine
By Davis D. Janowski
Version 6.0 further cements SightSpeed position as the top provider of free Internet video calling. This release features some subtle but noticeable changes to video quality, Windows and Mac compatibility, and a new, streamlined interface. Under the hood, it boasts totally revised code, which is now fully SIP-based. These improvements to SightSpeed already excellent service are more than enough to garner the app an Editors' Choice
SightSpeed is available in both Basic (free) and Pro (paid) versions. Basic users get unlimited computer-to-computer video and voice calls, free access to the SightSpeed community (where you can find other users), unlimited chat sessions, and unlimited 30-second video e-mails to other service members. In order to take advantage of the app's brilliantly clear free video calls, all you'll need is a broadband connection (at least 128 Kbps of available bandwidth) and a webcam.
Setup is simple. After downloading the client, new users complete a short registration process (name, e-mail address, and password). If you already have a webcam, make sure it's plugged in and installed. SightSpeed has tested dozens for compatibility, so any reasonably new big-name manufacturers' models should work fine. Do make sure that your webcam supports 30 frames per second, however; otherwise you can't take advantage of SightSpeed main claim to fame: full-motion video. A frame rate of less than 30 fps will look jittery and jumpy. All that's left is to log in and go through the six-step wizard that helps you test your webcam, speakers, and microphone and optimize your video. Once you're finished, the client makes contact with the SightSpeed service, and you'll see either your list of contacts (if you're already a SightSpeed user) or a button giving you the option of adding some. You can always call the Fish Tank demo or SightSpeed technical support if you're lonely.
An even greater portion of the app's QoS monitoring and control has been moved away from the server side and is now handled by the downloaded client, which means less dependence on remote central servers. Another key improvement to SightSpeed video quality is the app's ability to recognize when backgrounds don't change. When backgrounds remain constant, the video is required to do less refreshing and less bandwidth is consumed, resulting in a smoother stream.
Long-time SightSpeed users will notice tweaks to the service's text-chat feature. Text chatting takes a more prominent place in this version of the app, boasting an improved look and feel similar to that offered by Skype. The most welcome improvement is the ability to open multiple chat windows at once, a glaring omission from earlier versions. The instant-messaging function is nowhere near as powerful, however, as that of dedicated IM services such as those offered by AOL and Yahoo!. Still, it's reasonably good, and users will appreciate being able to run as many types of communication as possible through one app.
Another minor but noteworthy improvement is the ability to watch video-mail playback from the comfort of the SightSpeed video window, instead of the added pop-up required to view mail in past versions. Recording and viewing video e-mails is simple and requires no more than a couple of mouse clicks. You'll also receive e-mail notification (at the e-mail address you used to register for the service) when you have video mail waiting. Users of the free version should note that, for them, video mail is retained on SightSpeed servers for just 30 days.
Version 6.0 also introduces SightSpeed TV, a feature similar to the popular Slingbox device and Orb online service. Users with a TV tuner card in their PC can log into their SightSpeed account and stream television content to other Internet-connected devices. The video isn't HD-quality, but it can, under optimum circumstances (a connection with more than 128 Kbps bandwidth, the minimum required) look as good as standard-definition TV.—Next: Going Premium
Version 6.0 further cements SightSpeed position as the top provider of free Internet video calling. This release features some subtle but noticeable changes to video quality, Windows and Mac compatibility, and a new, streamlined interface. Under the hood, it boasts totally revised code, which is now fully SIP-based. These improvements to SightSpeed already excellent service are more than enough to garner the app an Editors' Choice
SightSpeed is available in both Basic (free) and Pro (paid) versions. Basic users get unlimited computer-to-computer video and voice calls, free access to the SightSpeed community (where you can find other users), unlimited chat sessions, and unlimited 30-second video e-mails to other service members. In order to take advantage of the app's brilliantly clear free video calls, all you'll need is a broadband connection (at least 128 Kbps of available bandwidth) and a webcam.
Setup is simple. After downloading the client, new users complete a short registration process (name, e-mail address, and password). If you already have a webcam, make sure it's plugged in and installed. SightSpeed has tested dozens for compatibility, so any reasonably new big-name manufacturers' models should work fine. Do make sure that your webcam supports 30 frames per second, however; otherwise you can't take advantage of SightSpeed main claim to fame: full-motion video. A frame rate of less than 30 fps will look jittery and jumpy. All that's left is to log in and go through the six-step wizard that helps you test your webcam, speakers, and microphone and optimize your video. Once you're finished, the client makes contact with the SightSpeed service, and you'll see either your list of contacts (if you're already a SightSpeed user) or a button giving you the option of adding some. You can always call the Fish Tank demo or SightSpeed technical support if you're lonely.
An even greater portion of the app's QoS monitoring and control has been moved away from the server side and is now handled by the downloaded client, which means less dependence on remote central servers. Another key improvement to SightSpeed video quality is the app's ability to recognize when backgrounds don't change. When backgrounds remain constant, the video is required to do less refreshing and less bandwidth is consumed, resulting in a smoother stream.
Long-time SightSpeed users will notice tweaks to the service's text-chat feature. Text chatting takes a more prominent place in this version of the app, boasting an improved look and feel similar to that offered by Skype. The most welcome improvement is the ability to open multiple chat windows at once, a glaring omission from earlier versions. The instant-messaging function is nowhere near as powerful, however, as that of dedicated IM services such as those offered by AOL and Yahoo!. Still, it's reasonably good, and users will appreciate being able to run as many types of communication as possible through one app.
Another minor but noteworthy improvement is the ability to watch video-mail playback from the comfort of the SightSpeed video window, instead of the added pop-up required to view mail in past versions. Recording and viewing video e-mails is simple and requires no more than a couple of mouse clicks. You'll also receive e-mail notification (at the e-mail address you used to register for the service) when you have video mail waiting. Users of the free version should note that, for them, video mail is retained on SightSpeed servers for just 30 days.
Version 6.0 also introduces SightSpeed TV, a feature similar to the popular Slingbox device and Orb online service. Users with a TV tuner card in their PC can log into their SightSpeed account and stream television content to other Internet-connected devices. The video isn't HD-quality, but it can, under optimum circumstances (a connection with more than 128 Kbps bandwidth, the minimum required) look as good as standard-definition TV.—Next: Going Premium
SightSpeed 5.0 Review by PC Magazine
By Davis D. Janowski
Want brilliantly clear video calls? SightSpeed 5.0, the part peer-to-peer, part server-client communications application, can provide them. Just meld it with your broadband connection and any of dozens of webcams on the market, call another SightSpeed user, and you'll soon be making cross-country family video conference calls part of your daily routine. That's exactly what I've been able to do with my in-laws in California and parents in Florida; it's allowed them to visit easily with their granddaughter and has (somewhat) curtailed the complaints about the infrequency of our visits.
I'm awarding it an Editors' Choice as the best free video calling service, based on its unrivaled ability to produce real-time, fully synchronized calls. That quality is due in large measure to the real-time network and quality-of-service (QoS) monitoring performed by the application and SightSpeed servers during calls. At its core, SightSpeed's video service is based on the H.263 codec with a great many added proprietary enhancements, mainly in the area of identifying where and in which direction the media stream is being hindered (the technical term is constrained).
* Skype Offers Free Outbound Calls
* Skype 2.5 (beta)
* Introduction
* Talk Is Cheaper
* VoIP Glossary
I continue to believe that Skype is the most well-rounded overall communications client, but its video quality is still considerably behind that of SightSpeed. That goes for the other free messaging communications client services from the big guys (AOL, Microsoft, Skype, and Yahoo!, among others) as well. Of course, your friends are more likely to be on the much better-known Skype already, but I think it's worth the effort to talk them into at least trying SightSpeed. If they're interested in video, I think one demonstration might be enough to seal the deal.
There aren't many entirely new features in this finalized 5.0 version. One change is that the advanced video codec that was an optional setting in the beta release of 5.0 has been fully integrated into this version. One very interesting feature that's available now is SightSpeedTV, which can be likened to the popular Slingbox device and the Orb online service. Once you've installed a TV tuner card in your PC at home and installed SightSpeedTV, you should be able to watch TV remotely at no cost from anywhere by logging into your SightSpeed account.
The only other change users might notice to the beta interface will be the ability to sign up for SightSpeed In, whereby users can, for a monthly fee, receive incoming calls to their SightSpeed account.—Other Newish Features >
Want brilliantly clear video calls? SightSpeed 5.0, the part peer-to-peer, part server-client communications application, can provide them. Just meld it with your broadband connection and any of dozens of webcams on the market, call another SightSpeed user, and you'll soon be making cross-country family video conference calls part of your daily routine. That's exactly what I've been able to do with my in-laws in California and parents in Florida; it's allowed them to visit easily with their granddaughter and has (somewhat) curtailed the complaints about the infrequency of our visits.
I'm awarding it an Editors' Choice as the best free video calling service, based on its unrivaled ability to produce real-time, fully synchronized calls. That quality is due in large measure to the real-time network and quality-of-service (QoS) monitoring performed by the application and SightSpeed servers during calls. At its core, SightSpeed's video service is based on the H.263 codec with a great many added proprietary enhancements, mainly in the area of identifying where and in which direction the media stream is being hindered (the technical term is constrained).
* Skype Offers Free Outbound Calls
* Skype 2.5 (beta)
* Introduction
* Talk Is Cheaper
* VoIP Glossary
I continue to believe that Skype is the most well-rounded overall communications client, but its video quality is still considerably behind that of SightSpeed. That goes for the other free messaging communications client services from the big guys (AOL, Microsoft, Skype, and Yahoo!, among others) as well. Of course, your friends are more likely to be on the much better-known Skype already, but I think it's worth the effort to talk them into at least trying SightSpeed. If they're interested in video, I think one demonstration might be enough to seal the deal.
There aren't many entirely new features in this finalized 5.0 version. One change is that the advanced video codec that was an optional setting in the beta release of 5.0 has been fully integrated into this version. One very interesting feature that's available now is SightSpeedTV, which can be likened to the popular Slingbox device and the Orb online service. Once you've installed a TV tuner card in your PC at home and installed SightSpeedTV, you should be able to watch TV remotely at no cost from anywhere by logging into your SightSpeed account.
The only other change users might notice to the beta interface will be the ability to sign up for SightSpeed In, whereby users can, for a monthly fee, receive incoming calls to their SightSpeed account.—Other Newish Features >
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