If you have graced my page before then odds are you know I love my N900. This past Wednesday Nokia released the PR 1.2 update for the N900 and one of the features they added was support for the front facing camera to make video calls. Video conferencing via services like Skype, Google Talk and Allstream Business Communications are a fantastic advancement in technology.
I made my first video call this evening on my N900 and it works quite well! The GUI for Skype video calls is fairly simple and looks as such:
I made my first video call this evening on my N900 and it works quite well! The GUI for Skype video calls is fairly simple and looks as such:
The video feed fails to appear when I use the screen shot function built into the N900, but I marked the locations of where the feeds appear. In order to make a video call simply open the Skype contact and select "Video Call":
You can also start a video call from a normal Skype call by selecting it from the call's menu:
I would like to note that in order for the video call options to appear I had to first receive a video call on my N900. After this I had no trouble initiating a video call from my device.
The quality from the front camera isn't the best, but it is more than enough to do basic video calls with. I recorded a short video that displays a video call between my N900 and a laptop:
Video calls such as this are by far the way of the future! Hopefully we will see more devices follow in the N900's footsteps and start adding this functionality.
~Jeff Hoogland
me & my bf downloaded this update for both of our n900, the problem is whenever we use the video call the video that appears on my fone is "my own" video there's no chance of seeing the person im talking to the other line, what have gone wrong, can anyone please help me in order to make this update thing useful somehow..thanks..
ReplyDeleteHow cool is this phone? I just picked mine up a few days ago after reading so much good stuff about it online (including your blog!).
ReplyDeleteHaven't tried the video call option yet but I love it to bits!!!
So what you are saying is that you only see your own video feed when trying to video call each other? Is this issue present on both your phones or just one of the devices? If you are only seeing your own feed does it appear in the same location I mention above?
ReplyDeletesame problem here.... video calls on my N900 I can see me in the top right corner, but no pic of who I am talking to and they can't see me either.
ReplyDeleteAre you doing N900 to N900 or N900 to PC?
ReplyDeleteHi, I have no problems doing a skype video call from N900 to N900. However, I have not been able to do one from N900 to Laptop. Could you provides some details on how you did your call shown above? Details on Skype version on laptop, or any specific settings would be very helpful. Thanks,
ReplyDeleteangelo
Interesting post thanks. I have the video call option appearing on the N900 but only the image of me is displayed when calling to a laptop. On the laptop the option to enable video is no longer available.
ReplyDeleteSame here. On the PC, Skype tries to open the video, but suddenly closes. Maybe it's it seem to take long time until N900 really shows my face
ReplyDeleteYou need to install latest skype version on PC to have everything working.
ReplyDeletei purchased my n900 last sunday of 30 of May 2010.. but until now i cant use for video call,i didnt see a video icon or any options to make a video call. do i have to install? or update my n900? please help me.
ReplyDeleteFor those having issues getting the video feeds working - have you initiated a video call from a PC with the latest version of Skype? Also be sure you have PR 1.2 install on the N900
ReplyDeleteIt works amazing on my phone, calling n900 to n900 or n900 to PC. Need to make sure that the Skype on PC is the most current version for the video call to work.
ReplyDeleteHave NOT been able to make video calls from N900 and macbook. Something is not right.
ReplyDeleteMy problem is same as what others have reported.
I did not try N900 to N900. GTalk video call works like a charm.
Any clues why Skype Video Call is broken?
Thanks,
Ramana
i cant seem to make a video call from my n900 to another skype user, and i couldnt try it with antother n900 yet
ReplyDeleteFor those having issues making a video call over Skype - I recommend you try doing a clean flashing of PR 1.2 from a vanilla N900 PR 1.0 (reflash EVERYTHING). One of the problems with you being able to tinker with EVERYTHING on the N900 is that you can break things and not realize it in the process.
ReplyDeleteSkype video calls seem to only work with Windows and not OSX.
ReplyDeletevoice calls using skype on 3 (UK network) is free of charge. is video calling free using skype on 3 free of charge as well?
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteI updated my N 900 with the new update 20 days back. everything worked smoothly and well. i could make video calls with ease to a pc.
after about 4 days of using the new version...skype on my phone stopped recognition of my phone being connected to the internet....both using wifi and the sim data plan.
everytime i want to make a skype call or skype im it tells me that an internet connection is reqiuired although i am connected and can surf the net. Can someone please help as the one of the main reasons i bought this phone is to be able to use skype. Thanks
Did you add or remove any software from your n900 on that day you recall? While it is nice that the user has full control of their n900 it does mean they can break things if they are not careful.
ReplyDeleteAs a matter of fact i did add the Tune wiki lyrics widget and the anglometer. In fact i removed the wikilyrics widget yesterday thinking that may be the reason and now my msn is doing exactly the same thing as my skype.
ReplyDeleteHi Guys,
ReplyDeletejust to let u know how did i solve this problem without doing a reflash or so...
1. Let your partner install the latest skype@4.2
2. Test if their webcam is working on their side.
3. Ask your partner to do a video call request to u.
4. Automatically when u answer the video call request, your user interface will change as the above & when u end your call, you can see the Video Call Option in your contacts.
Make sure your partner check their webcam is working 1st before doing the video call to you...If not only they can see you and u wont have the Video Call Option even after u end the call...I dont know if this is a bug or what...
Cheers & good Luck
Hi all,
ReplyDeletecan anyone please tell me how to get video call option on my Nokia N900, I only have skype IM and Skype call, No video call. though I remember I have had it before in there. I think I should be able to make a video call right from the phone to my contacts that are on the skype. I can only do video call on my nokia now if people start it but I can never take the initiative and do so and the reason as stated above I dont have the video call option anymore. So please how do i get it back. Thanks!
LOVE IT LOVE IT SIMply loving it <3
ReplyDeletethank you so much! loving it! :)
ReplyDeletehaven't tried n900 to n900...hope that would work... :)
is there an option to use the primary camera for the video call????
ReplyDeleteNot that I am aware of.
ReplyDeleteHi! Previously, i can used my skype video calling feature in my n900. but tonight, the video call option suddenly disappear. The only option left is "skype call". IM and video call were gone. can you help me with this?
ReplyDeleteHI... can anyone please tell me how to get video call option on my Nokia N900, I only have skype IM and Skype call, No video call.
ReplyDeleteHow kan I update my N900? please help my
I would recommend everyone with skype video questions on their n900 check out talk.maemo.org
ReplyDeleteWe are fully of useful information and insight.
how to remove skype option frm my phonebook? cz ol d contacts go dere as well...n i dnt want dem 2 appear
ReplyDeleteHi all ; From my standpoint it would appear that Skype video call is broken on all platforms *except* on the N900 :) I can initiate video calls, and see myself in the small monitor inlay. But on the other end (Asus EeePC 901 w/ Mandriva, WinXP, meego, every OS I can try) the video call fails. Very strange, given that on all systems (well, MDV & WinXP) the webcam works, skype sees it and uses it (as per the "video settings" window) but nope, any way I try it (Laptop=>N900, voice 1st and then "turn video on"), (N900=>Laptop, voice 1st and then "turn video on"), (N900=>Laptop, video 1st and then "answer with video"), etc, I can't make a real call.
ReplyDeleteIt's not that big of a deal. Maemo is great, the ergonomy and usability seems to be made just for me, and AFAIC, N900 is the phone to end all phones.
It's amazing how technology has evolved. Aside from having video calls possible through computers, it's now more handy via phone.
ReplyDeleteIn fact in the office, we conduct some of our conferences with the use of DC meeting space
and meeting rooms (Washington DC-based). These have been the new face of conference rooms for us. Less time consuming for we can do it even while multi-tasking and less expenses for there is no need for us to travel. Thanks for posting such communication innovation!
i update my n900 and now it support video calling for skype and google contacts...
ReplyDeleteDoes someone know if video calls can be made with nokia N900-Asus videophone?
ReplyDeletevideo call from n900 not working. iam working in middle east any solutions are there, when will 3g video calling will be ok from n900
ReplyDeletehi
ReplyDeleteThe video piece are working for me, but not the sound?
ReplyDeleteelo could anyone help me...
ReplyDeletei can use the skype on my fone but the problem is there is no video call. i was so frustrate. where could i find the PR1.2 that u where talking about? i see my fone version is 20.2010.36-2.003. could it be that my fone version is low or something?
thank u....
I heard something about Flash 9.0 is no longer operating on Skype, in order to make a video call from skype you need Flash 10. But here is the problem that Linux doesn't have signed with Adobe to update to a newer version, so video function on N900 is no longer available... :( hope this is not true
ReplyDeletei just made a video call through skype on my n900 had a friend call me via his laptop.i am on the latest firmware pr 1.3 which i just updated today
ReplyDelete