Skype for Mac 1.5 Beta and video preview now available
This is one of the happiest posts I’ve ever written here. We now have [Skype for Mac 1.5 BETA](http://blogs.skype.com/sites/mac/2006/07/skype_for_mac_15_is_here.html) available, and there’s also a (http://blogs.skype.com/sites/mac/2006/07/video_has_arrived_if_youre_bra.html).
The two versions are otherwise the same, but the video preview just has video and the BETA doesn’t. If you are adventurous and don’t mind one or two bugs, feel free to [download the video preview](http://blogs.skype.com/sites/mac/2006/07/video_has_arrived_if_youre_bra.html) and let us know what you think. Mind you, it’s a preview, so it’s even before beta. We don’t support the video preview, but we welcome all the feedback and video-related bug submissions. [See the video feedback instructions](https://developer.skype.com/MacSkype). Otherwise, if you just want to get the latest and greatest changes in the 1.5 BETA but prefer to give the video a bit of time to become more stable, [pull the 1.5 BETA](http://blogs.skype.com/sites/mac/2006/07/skype_for_mac_15_is_here.html).
I’m happy to write this because video has been the number one thing requested in Skype for Mac since… well, pretty much ever since we released Skype a few years ago. It’s great to see the energy and enthusiasm in the Skype for Mac community about video, and we’re happy to bring you this first official public preview. As said, not for the faint of heart, but you’re welcome to help us get it even better than it already is.
upapuero!
Thanks, that’s a big improvement, much sleeker, cleaner and more intuitive too, on first impressions. Glad about video too – mega happy – though it seems a bit confusing to call it preview; ‘preview’ seems to have become the new ‘beta’. Anyway, thanks again to the team on an excellent new release, a lot of hard work I’m sure.
aitäh
wow i dont use “mac” but it sounds amazing
Ohhhh!!! Finally a decent cross-plataform video alternative!!! Thank you! I’ll endure any bugs until a final release comes along!
BTW, the new interface is slick! You guys rock!
Hmmm… Here is one good question: what happened with the dropdown that allows you to change online status??? It seems that it has migrated to the text chat window, instead of the contacts window. So, if I close my macbook it goes offline and then I’m required to use the Account menu!! Not cool. It would still be handy to have the status changing in the contacts window… Unless I’m missing something…
Celopes, you are missing it. Look at the top of the Contact List, it is right there – right below the toolbar.
Naaahhh… Forget it. Can I delete a comment?
I realize now that it moved to right next to the user’s name on te top of the contacts list. That is A-OK. Sorry about that guys.
YES! Finally! I cant wait to get home to my mac to try this video preview! I will report like crazy (if it is very buggy that is). Anyways I tried the video on my work computer (PC) and it rocks.. The company firewall blocks the MSN video but not the skype one! Thats not your fault I guess but another reasong for using skype! I’ve been waiting for this I hope it wont let me down by not even starting or somthing stupid like that! Youll hear from me soon again!
One thing I’d like is to be able to see my Skypeln telephone number when I have Skype running. Being able to put that in my profile would also be a useful option in some cases.
;o) Yeah!!! Rock’n Roll. THX Mac Skype Team we have wait for a long time, but really it’s a gooooooooooood job. THX4all. Anyone know where to find the list for all emoticones like or ?
And please don’t forget – we look for an addition for our Mac UI developers team. If you are a Mac developer – please consider this job (and moving to beautiful country Estonia, nice and crazy Tallinn). Have a look http://jobs.skype.com/2006/07/mac_ui_developer.html.
Awesome! Just set up a crazy webcam. Trackback will follow.
Really happy to have now webcam. Some declination due to this new update, there are some new things which have disappear and it always misses some tools.
Happy and disppointed.
Michel Minot
and the skype sms?
when it will arrive at skype for mac?
G’Day from Down Under
video is fantastic, Yes we have waited a long time.Thanks heaps to the mac team at skype…..keep up the good work.
To all you mac people out there who are now using Skype video with an “isight” webcam you should check out this software called iglasses, it gives you total control over your iSight, adjust and manipulate your iSight video settings from within Skype. iSight too dark? It just needs iGlasses. Apply easy preset settings and fun effects to your video conferences and recordings.
It will cost you just $8 (USD) & can be downloaded from this link
http://www.ecamm.com/mac/iglasses/
Greeeeat, i am very happy with the video version for mac!
It works great! Thanks!
Marianne
Yeah,this Skype is great!!But i like to have more emoticons on Skype!!!then our text will be more exciting!!
Great job, guys. I’m sure it’s a huge relief for you to be able to prove to us who’ve been hammering on you every blog post for not talking about a new version of skype for OS X that you were staying the course!
My only complaint right now is that I still have the problem where usb mics such as the Samson C01U when used with skype cause the input volume control slider to jump to max volume, making podcasting with skype and usb mics impossible. Since this doesn’t happen in Gizmo (you can turn off auto-gain in gizmo but not in the OS X version of skype) I may have to use Gizmo from now on.
Still, a great milestone for skype to have this beta out for us!
Thanks for skype*smiles*
I cannot get the BETA version to launch. It ran once but after I quit and re-started the app it just bounces the icon in the dock a few times and stops. If I cannot get it to work I will have to download the other version and start again.
I will try on another machine and see it is computer specific or not.
From the limited amount of time that it did run the UI looked very good though. Like the ability to search out your address book contacts’ Skype usernames is a nice feature.
awesome. Works so well with what i have already (built in mic and isight). This is how all things should be.
So cool with video, this will be the first good cross-platform video-tool, and I’m sure you will up your market share because of this. It’s not working perfect yet, but all in all I’m amazed how well it works for a preview. Looking forward to the comming releases.
The GUI changes you’ve made are spectacular! Definately on a roll to creating a total Mac experience, yet still maintaining the unique aspects of Skype. Keep adding the polish, but please don’t make another big UI leap away from this one as I love it.
As for the video preview! I cannot wait to begin using it when it is stable so that I can use it cross-platform. However, this version (as you know) has it’s challenges is being stable, as well as delivering a sharp image to the other end. There is one other well known IM tool out there that is attempting to deliver voice/video in a cross-platform manor, however the quality of that is so horrible even on PC-PC that you have the chance to be THE cross-platform standard!
I just wish more of my “information” about me were kept on the server and I didn’t have to type them in for each client I install.
At last! Cheers Skype peeps!
I have one issue however:
I’m experiencing slow frame rates being sent to another party who are using Windows. Their frame rate is very smooth, but mine is a little choppy.
I have a 1meg upload speed (which is not being used other than Skype) so it is not that that is the bottle neck.
I have a 1.67 ghz Powerbook and have NO other applications running, and Skype causes the CPU to zip up to 100%. I checked the CPU usage with ‘top’
Is my frame rate being limited by my CPU here?
Has anyone else experience this?
Cheers,
Rob
Great preview in video, but if i do full screen a can’t come back in normal view!
Who knows the key to come back in normal view?
greetings and go on with this.
press ESC!
Hi, this is this the first time I’m trying to do a video call with my wife back home. My home computer is running on XP skype 2.5 and I’m using Mac ibook. No problem with voice call but whvery happen try to use video has some problem…I cannot see them…anyone here can help to direct me how can I on the video call. Tks for the assistant.pls help tks.
It’s good you finally have ‘some’ kind of video for Mac but *very* disappointing it’s still in development, after such a long wait.
Sightspeed has had video for Mac for a long time now, and is free, just like Skype. It also works with older versions of the Mac OS, is 100% cross-platform with windows and the video and sound quality are just phenomenal.
I like skype because many of my friends use it, but I want to know if your version, when released, will match Sightspeed’s quality?
Just found 2 bugs,
The first one occurs doing this:
1- go to “preferences” then click on “Advanced” then click on “keep call windows in front”
After this 2 things happen:
1- if there are no active calls at that moment, then once the check box is selected and the “preferences” window closed, you can go back to the “preferences” window and see the checkbox unchecked. (the setting is not saved).
2- if you have an active call and set that box, then when closing the “preferences” window the app works as expected, it floats on top of any app window, but if at that moment you want to get in and change the check box “keep call windows in front” to unchecked, and close the prefs window, the app will still be the top most window so the setting is ignored, only until the app is restarted you get the desired behaviour.
Ok the second bug, has to do with the dial pad inside the current call window.. if you call a regular telephone and are asked to dial some digits (like when navigating a phone tone driven menu) then after dialing the numbers the phone call will go mute from the computer side, meaning that you can still hear the sound of the receiving party but the receptors don’t hear you. This happens 80% of the times, however I have been lucky sometimes and after dialing being able to speak, sometimes this also makes the call sound become cracked (meaning it comes and goes intermittently.).
Hope this helps develop a better OSX beta.
Best wishes,
Daniel Taylor.
I’m trying to use the video feature in skype 1.5.0.61, and i’m using macam 0.87 (the last version) and i’m using the web cam of Trust WB-1400T, that is “supported” in the list of the macam webcams.
What’s happen?
Simply the webcam is recognized by skype app. and is possible to see in the preview windows the video, but when i made a call isn’t working, in my windows i see all white ( insthead of my face) and the called see nothing.
i hope that with the oofficial release will be work.
Fabio
TOP STUFF!!!
WOW! i’m so pleased we finally have a half decent ‘cross platform’ app for video chatting. Before this I used ichat via AOL and it sucked!! The dreaded 10 min freeze just got right on my T**s!! I don’t really blame them for taking so long, i read that apple only have a 5% share in the worldwide computer market, so I think we should all rejoice at the effort to please us ‘diehardpchatingmaclovin’ peeps!
Now all we need is the sms service!!
Well done team!!
Richie
I downloaded 1.4 today and am investigating Skype. I was astonished to learn that it is not possible to send SMS. Surely Skype is a technology driven company ? I would have thought there would be no difficulty financing this kind of development, as it basically pays for itself. Does Skype publish a roadmap of its development plans ?
Hey this version is working great and video-chatting is really great fun… but as always people want more Now I have a question about text-messaging… will we soon be able to send SMS via the Skype-Mac-Version???