Microsoft Portrait

[Jeff]

Anyone checked out Microsoft Portrait? It's a low-bandwidth video conferencing tool created for PocketPCs. It works with MSN Messenger and apparently can also be used on Windows 98, ME or 2000 PCs as well.

Here's the description from their web site:

quote:
Microsoft Portrait is very low bitrate video conferencing software supporting MSN Messenger on PCs, Pocket PCs, Handheld PCs, and Internet Locator Service (ILS) on PCs. It runs on local area networks, dialup networks and even wireless networks with bandwidths as low as 9.6 kilobits/second. Microsoft Portrait delivers portrait-like black/white video which can work in bandwidths so low that full color video could never work. The portrait video is so small that it can even be transmitted through an HTTP proxy as text. Microsoft Portrait provides basic chat/voice/video functions almost anytime, anywhere, on any device.

The real kicker is that it works through most NATs and proxys!

Read more at http://research.microsoft.com/~jiang...it/default.asp

Jeff Hester
BigBlueBall.com

[Jeff]

Ok, I took a look at MS Portrait, and here are my initial findings:

Did some testing on two systems:

• System 1: Dell Pentium III laptop running Windows 2000 Pro and an Intel Deluxe webcam.
• System 2: Gateway Pentium II desktop running Windows ME and a Logitech QuickCam Pro.

Installation was a bit of a pain. I had to download the installer (as described in the README) and the application. Two installs and two reboots later, everything was up-and-running.

You can setup Portrait to automatically scale the video quality (frame rate, color vs black & white, etc.) automatically, or if you know what your bandwidth is, you can specify it. It will actually do video even at speeds below 10kbps!!! Not very good video, mind you, but it does work!

Connecting with other users is easy if you are both running MSN Messenger. Portrait provides a list of your online buddies. You send them a request to start a Portrait session. The message they get includes a link to click. If they already have Portrait installed, it'll launch Portrait and connect the two. If they don't have Portrait installed, there's also a download link provided.

You also have the option of connecting via an ILS server (ala NetMeeting) or directly by IP.

Once you connect, it just works. It basically functions like NetMeeting, but with just three features: video, audio and text chat.

I tested at DSL speeds, and the audio and video quality was excellent.

If anyone is interested in testing, look for me on MSN Messenger as jeff@bigblueball.com

Jeff Hester
BigBlueBall.com

[mumbo]

I installed it on my iPaq 3835 w/ PCMCIA sleeve and 802.11a card. Works pretty well with a couple of annoying bugs (doesn't save .net password, doesn't seem to refresh buddy list). Still it was pretty cool to have a handheld video walkie-talkie

-Mumbo

[dglp]

I'm looking for a page that details System Requirements for Portrait. A friend with W98 is interested in trying it. Any tips?

Never mind... found it, both in the overview above (doh!) and the Readme page: http://research.microsoft.com/~jiang...it/readme.aspx

Now for the download. 11mb?

[rekcah]

Where can I download MS Portrait

[MartinBradley]

quote:Originally posted by rekcah

Where can I download MS Portrait

Go to...

http://research.microsoft.com/~jiangli/portrait/

...and there's a download link underneath the large image.

[rekcah]

tried going to the link .. but its seems to be droken .. anyother ....place for download.

[MartinBradley]

The download link works fine with me, however clicking on it does bring up a popup window with a license agreement in it, which you obviously have to agree to. Upon clicking yes, the download will start.

Do you have a popup blocker enabled? This may have prevented the popup from appearing, thus making you think that the link was broken.

[rekcah]

Tried ... all what you told ... but still cannot download
is there any other source of getting it

[MartinBradley]

Not that I know of, which browser are you using? I tried it with Netscape and Internet Explorer and it works with both of those.