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Q: How much does SightSpeed cost?

A: We have made SightSpeed very affordable. Please see our plans page for exact details about pricing.

Q: How is the FREE Plan limited?

A: SightSpeed's FREE Plan offers Unlimited PC-to-PC Voice Calling, Unlimited Video Calling and Video Mail capabilities. It does not offer the greater Video Mail storage and recording length, Multi-Party Conferencing, Call Recording, or enhanced My SightSpeed functionality that the SightSpeed PRO Plan provides.

Q: How can I get SightSpeed's PRO Service Plan?

A: SightSpeed's PRO Plan can be purchased here. You will also have the option to upgrade to a PRO Plan after signing up for SightSpeeed's FREE Plan.

Q: How can I cancel SightSpeed's PRO Service Plan?

A: You can cancel SightSpeed's PRO Service Plan through the Account Management section of SightSpeed.

To access the Account Management section, first download SightSpeed (if you have not previously done so), then open the SightSpeed application and log in. Next, click on My Account > Summary from the top title bar. On the succeeding page, you will see the Account Management section, where you can edit/cancel your current service plan.

Camera Issues

Q: My camera does not work or I only see a 'No Camera Selected' notification.: A: There are a few possibilities, either your camera is not supported (check out our list of supported cameras), you do not have the proper drivers installed, or SightSpeed was launched before the camera was recognized by Windows. Try exiting out of SightSpeed by clicking Actions -> Exit, then re-open SightSpeed.
Q: There are no cameras listed in the drop-down menu.: A: You do not have a camera plugged in, the camera you are using is incompatible with SightSpeed, SightSpeed was launched before the camera was recognized by the Operating System or another application is currently using the camera.
Q: I have installed a new camera after the program was initially started and now the My Camera View window doesn't appear.: A: You must restart SightSpeed and then choose the camera through the wizard by choosing Camera Options from the menu. Select the new camera in the 'Select your Web Camera' drop down box.
Q: The listing of Cameras only shows "No Camera - Test Pattern".: A: SightSpeed could not find any supported cameras on your system. Please check the Supported Cameras page for a complete listing of supported cameras.
Q: My local camera view is jumpy, but the CPU is not overloaded.: A: Your USB camera may be in conflict with other USB devices. This can be alleviated by plugging the camera into a USB port that is not shared. Also, USB audio devices such as the Logitech Microphone built-in to the camera can cause issues with the video.

Connection/Firewall Issues

Q: I have a firewall - What do I need to do?: A: Please see our firewall help page.

Video Issues

Q: When I connect using my 56k modem, the picture is jumpy and sometimes crashes.: A: If you are bound to a 56K connection you will need to make sure that you have 'Dial-up Modem' selected in the Internet Connection Settings menu. While SightSpeed will work over a dial-up connection, the video you experience will not be full-motion real-time, as there simply isn't enough bandwidth to support this.
Q: I am using broadband, but the picture still has latency, and appears jumpy.: A: You computer's processor may be overtaxed. SightSpeed requires a minimum speed 1GHz processor to correctly process and display high-quality video. If you have a 1GHz or faster processor, closing other applications will improve the performance of SightSpeed. In addition while you may have broadband, your connection might be slower during peak hours.
Q: I have a TV capture card and I don't see myself, see static, or see a green screen in the My Camera View window.: A: You need to select the right input on the TV capture card. This is done with the software supplied by the Card manufacturer. Open their software and set it to the right settings, close their software and then start SightSpeed.

General Questions

Q: How do I check which version of SightSpeed I am using?

A: In the SightSpeed application, click on Help -> About SightSpeed. A dialog box will open that contains the SightSpeed version number and build date. In addition, when the program starts up a version number is listed on the splash screen.

Q: Does SightSpeed use standards based connectivity, such as SIP?

A: Yes, SightSpeed is SIP enabled.

Q: Is SightSpeed compatible with any other video conferencing system?

A: SightSpeed is not compatible with any other Video Conferencing systems since none can support our high quality video, audio or real-time capabilities.

Q: I have a PC, but my friend has a Mac; can we make SightSpeed video calls to each other?

A: Yes, SightSpeed is interoperable with Windows and Macs. Mac SightSpeed users can make video calls with Windows SightSpeed users, and vice versa.

Q: Do you support Mac, Linux or other platforms?

A: SightSpeed currently supports Windows and Macintosh. SightSpeed initially ran on Microsoft Windows machines only. In January 2004, we added a version for Mac OS-X (10.3 or higher). Linux support is coming soon. The Linux version will require a recent Linux distribution such as RedHat 9.

Q: How can I watch TV through SightSpeed? What is SightSpeed TV?

A: SightSpeedTV is a television viewing feature that gives SightSpeed members with a TV capture card on their PC or a Windows Media Center PC the ability to view their home TV for personal use from anywhere in the world. SightSpeed TV comes complete with an intuitive “remote control” interface, enabling true channel surfing — from anywhere.

To view television channels through SightSpeed, install SightSpeed on your Windows Media Center PC or PC with a TV capture card, and from within the SightSpeed application, click on Settings > Camera Settings, then select your TV capture card as the web camera from the camera dropdown menu.

Then, from another computer, create another SightSpeed account, download SightSpeed, and make a Video Call to the computer with TV capabilities. You will then be able to view your television channels remotely.

For an optimal personal viewing experience, on the computer with TV capabilities, you may want to select the 'Auto-Accept Incoming Connections' option from the Settings > Optional Settings menu, to easily connect to that computer's TV signal, without requiring acceptance of calls when Video Call requests are made to that computer.

Voice Calling

Q: What is the difference between PC-to-PC Voice Calling and Phone Out/Phone In?: A: PC-to-PC Voice Calling is when you make a free voice call on SightSpeed to someone else on SightSpeed. Phone Out allows you to call regular telephones and cellphones from within SightSpeed at very low calling rates. Phone In allows you to receive calls on SightSpeed from regular telephones or cellular phones.
Q: What is Phone Out?: A: Phone Out allows you to call regular telephone numbers through SightSpeed. We offer very low calling rates for calls all around the world. Detailed instructions on how to start using Phone Out can be found here.
Q: What is Phone In?: A: SightSpeed Phone In gives you a phone number which people can call from any regular telephone or cellular phone to talk to you through SightSpeed. You can select either a local U.S. Phone In number for only $3.95/month, or a 1-800 phone number (where you pay only $1.00/month and $0.02/minute for incoming calls). Detailed instructions on how to start using Phone In can be found here.

Don't see your issue listed here? Please e-mail support@sightspeed.com.au