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More testing of Video4Skype

May 31, 2005 12:50 PM

Topics: Developer Zone | Products | Yet More News Topics | counterpoints | design | software

Video4Skype is clearly a hot item. Slashdot picked up the story today. According to a spontania representative: “we had 3000 downloads just in 24hrs and our server got colapsed. Right now it is up and running so you can proceed to download it.” In my experience that makes it the hottest Skype add-on ever.

The product also received coverage on the PRZoom Newswire.

Nicolas asked me to remove his Skype User ID form the pic in my previous post because he was getting too many requests for authorizations. (Girls… he is happily married.)

I have tested with about a dozen users now. So just how good is it?

CPU utilization is very low.

It appears to be dependent on where you set “Quality”. With Quality set to mid-scale, Video4Skype used 8 KB/second upload bandwidth and my AMD XP 3000+ processor was humming along at 6 percent. At the highest “Quality” setting of max, the bandwidth was about 20 KB and CPU went to 16 percent. Several other video conferencing systems I have tested consumed 50 percent of my CPU so let’s give a big applause for the Video4Skype development team.

Colour is great.

Colour rendition is the best I have every seen, but frankly I am not the best judge of that. I am colour blind, so maybe someone else can render an opinion in this area. Or make your own call with this colour pic.

Colour Flowers test pattern

Resolution: B+.

I use a simple “Eye Chart”...

Eye Chart test pattern

with three lines of text in Times Roman typeface. 12 point, 11 point and ten point. Buddies who test with me are asked to read it. All can read the 12 point, a few can read the 11 point. I have only found one other video conferencing system (SkypeSee and it is not on the market yet) where the 10 point type could be read. I also use a Video test pattern, 1956 vintage. Tests patterns show Video4Skype can resolve lines at 250 to 300 lives per inch. More applause.

Check Your Bandwidth.

What’s your upload bandwidth? To get the best possible enjoyment from this product start by knowing the upload bandwidth for your Internet connection (and your buddy’s). If you set the Quality to max you will be uploading at about 160 kilobits per second. This will overload anyone with a 128 kilobits per second connection. Voice quality will degrade and the picture will be pixilated (breakup). It would be nice if the developers would add some automatic bandwidth management. If you don’t know your upload speed go to pcpitstop and run the test.

So yes Video4Skype is hot. But it deserves the attention it is getting. Very well done, Spontania. Keep up the great work.

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Comments

Posted by: fredrikw at June 1, 2005 4:18 AM

There seems to be no option to choose between several video input devices, so I can not get Video4Skype to pick up my Webcam, only insisting on trying my video in card, which I do not want to uninstall...

Posted by: ashod at June 1, 2005 5:20 AM

Ive tried out v4s, and it really is a
very nice client. The using of a television
test pattern, is such a good idea too Bill.

keep up the good work spontania !...

Posted by: 9skype at June 1, 2005 6:31 AM

good plug in for skype，and maybe the best one。

Posted by: Robert at June 1, 2005 7:21 AM

Greetings:

Here is a tip for the people who are having trouble making V4S work.
You must disable all video drivers, except the Webcam's driver.
This way V4S will default to the webcam's driver, and you will have beauitful colorful video.

Regards Robert

Posted by: Frank at June 1, 2005 3:29 PM

Not to nit, but in one part of your excellent review you specified KB, as in:

"the bandwidth was about 20 KB"

and elsewhere you referred to kilobits. I could live with the latter "kilobits", but the former KB is confusing somewhat, because it's conceivable that you could be referring to either kb or KB.

Did you actually mean kb (i.e., kilobits), instead of KB? KB would ordinarily mean Kilo Bytes (equiv to 8 bits per byte x number of bytes = bits?

Thanks, Frank

Posted by: Bill Campbell at June 1, 2005 5:20 PM

Hey Frank!

Thanks for helping out. You make a good point. I got sloppy.

20 KB = 20 kilobytes/second = 160 kilobits per second

Your math is correct. I meant to do it all in kilobits, which make the most sense since ISP usually express what they sell you in kilobits per second.

Keep coming back. Keep me honest.

Regards, Bill

Posted by: chri at June 1, 2005 11:43 PM

sounds very nice. has anyone tested the thing too?

Posted by: Bill Campbell at June 2, 2005 8:01 AM

Hey Ashod!

Thanks for dropping by and for your kind comments. I am anxiously awaiting the next vesion of your SkypeSee product to test.

Regards, Bill

Posted by: Tom Gerlach at June 2, 2005 8:20 AM

Nice Idea, but useless for users with multiple video devices. There is no option (why not Spontania? ) to choose the video source. And i'm not going to disable all video drivers anytime a make video calls.

Posted by: tindrum at June 2, 2005 10:13 AM

I dont see any invite button. How do I make my freind on the other end of skype chat to view my webcam. he doesnt have a webcam, so has not downloaded this stuff.

Posted by: Bill Campbell at June 2, 2005 11:11 AM

Hey Tindrum!

Your friend must download Spontania. Your friend will then be able view your cam.

I have tested this with several buddies.

Thanks for your question.

Regards, Bill

Posted by: Wesha at June 4, 2005 4:46 AM

The only little problem: it tries to install ActiveX or XPI component to your browser (IE/Mozilla). Raises red flags...

Posted by: Spontania Support at June 8, 2005 10:35 AM


Dear Bill
Users are making the Video4Skype launch a success; 200,000 download in the first week.

"Our aim is to make video an essential part of the communications experience by providing users with a easy to use solution perfectly integrated in the world's most successful VoIP company, Skype", said Enrique Dominguez CEO of Dialcom.

We are continuously looking improve and based on helpful feedback received from spontania video4skype users, we have improved the download process: ActiveX (users most common complain) is out and we promise no adware or spyware. We will also soon released an upgrade including the following features:

• better webcam performance : we support all video capturers windows drivers, so most of webcam models will be supported.
• multiple video source selection: users will be able to select even during a call, different video sources on their PCs (i.e. webcam, tv card, video capturer, etc)
• optional auto start-up when skype launches: no longer needed to start spontania video4skype. It will automatically start up when skype launches.
• and much more…..

This new version will be available in the next few days.
Keep informed on www.video4skype.com

Posted by: Marco taramona at November 23, 2005 5:52 PM

Excelente por que no encontre otro que me ofrezca agrandar la vista de la cam, pero seria genial que trabajaran en la resolucion de full screen, que por ahora es muy pobre y seria de gran utilidad, muchas gracias.

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