Sharper Skype video chat

Video chats using Skype, eBay's popular Internet telephone service, are about to become sharper and more lifelike, at least for those who have high-end new computers and webcams.

Logitech International has released driver software for three webcams that allows them to connect Skype chatters at a resolution of 640 by 480 pixels, the same resolution as a DVD.

Frame rates of up to 30 pictures per second, the standard for TV broadcasts, are possible with the cameras. That's up from around 15 frames per second in typical Web chats and should cut down on jerkiness and blurring of moving subjects, the companies said.

Getting the maximum image quality requires the latest, "beta" version of Skype's software and computers with the latest dual-core processors on both ends. The processors are needed to compress the video signal to fit it on a standard broadband Internet connection, then decompress it on the other end.

Other webcams are theoretically capable of the same resolutions and frame rates, but Skype and Logitech said the hardware, drivers and Skype software all need to work together to achieve the maximum quality, and "extensive work" by their engineers was necessary to get the three recommended cameras working at their best.

Jonathan Christensen, Skype's general manager for audio and video, said a quarter of all Skype calls have at least one talker on video. The service claims 246 million users.

Logitech's drivers are not available for Macintosh computers, but these have been able to use high-resolution video for some time using Apple's iChat software, at least on the fastest broadband connections.

AP