Video chat Facts for Kids

Video chat is a cool way to talk to people online using the internet. It lets you see and hear the person you're talking to, just like they're in the same room! You usually need a camera and a microphone, which are often built into your computer or smartphone.

For video to look smooth and not choppy, you need a good internet speed, at least 2 Mbps (that's short for megabits per second, which measures how fast data travels). If your internet is slow or lots of people are using it at once (called network congestion), the video might get blurry or stop working. Sometimes, people turn off their video to keep the sound clear and stay connected.

Video chat is super popular today. People use it for many different reasons:

To chat with family and friends who live far away.
For business meetings, so colleagues can work together from different places.
For learning, like online classes or tutoring.

What is Video Chat?
Images for kids
See also

What is Video Chat?

Video chat lets you have a live conversation with someone over the Internet, where you can see and hear each other. It's like a phone call, but with pictures! You need a device with a camera and a microphone, such as a computer, smartphone, or even a special video phone.

How Does Video Chat Work?

When you make a video call, your device captures your voice and video. It then turns this information into digital data. This data travels very quickly over the internet to the other person's device. Their device then turns the data back into sound and pictures, so they can see and hear you. This all happens in real-time, meaning there's almost no delay!

Why Do People Use Video Chat?

Video chat has become a big part of how we communicate. It helps people stay connected, no matter where they are.

Connecting with Family and Friends

Many people use video chat to talk to family members or friends who live in different cities or countries. It's a great way to feel closer to them because you can see their faces and reactions. You can even celebrate birthdays or holidays together online!

School and Learning

Video chat is also used a lot for school. Students can attend online classes, get help from teachers, or work on group projects with classmates. It makes learning more flexible and accessible for everyone.

Work and Business

For grown-ups, video chat is very important for work. People can have meetings with colleagues or clients from all over the world without needing to travel. This saves time and money, and makes it easier for teams to work together.

A Brief History of Video Chat

The idea of video calls has been around for a long time, even before the internet! People imagined video phones in movies and books many years ago.

Early Ideas

As early as the 1910s, artists imagined what video phones might look like. They thought people would be able to see each other while talking on the phone.

First Steps

In the 1960s, the first real video calls started to happen. These were often very big and expensive systems, not like the small devices we use today. For example, in 1968, multiple people could video conference using special computer technology.

Mobile Video Calls

In 1999, the first mobile phone with a camera for video calls was released. It was called the Kyocera VP-210. This was a big step because it meant people could make video calls from almost anywhere.

Modern Video Chat

Today, video chat is easy to use and available on almost all smartphones, tablets, and computers. Apps like Google Hangouts (now Google Meet) and many others make it simple to connect with people instantly. It has changed how we communicate, learn, and work every day.

Images for kids

A telepresence system in 2007
Video telephony predicted to be in use by the year 2000, as envisioned in 1910 (artist's conception)
Multiple user videoconferencing first being demonstrated with Stanford Research Institute's NLS computer technology (1968)
The Kyocera VP-210 Visual Phone was the first commercial mobile videophone (1999).
A modern Avaya Nortel 1535 IP model broadband videophone (2008), using VoIP
USB webcam for PC
Dual display: An older Polycom VSX 7000 system and camera used for videoconferencing, with two displays for simultaneous broadcast from separate locations
A video conference meeting facilitated by Google Hangouts
Deutsche Telekom T-View 100 ISDN-type videophone meant for home offices and small businesses, with a lens cover which can be rotated upward for privacy
The Tandberg E20 is an example of a SIP-only device. Such devices need to route calls through a Video Communication Server to be able to reach H.323 systems, a process known as "interworking" (2009).
A mobile video call between Sweden and Singapore made on a Sony Ericsson K800 (2007)
A Tandberg T3 high-resolution telepresence room in use (2008)
Dr. Heywood Floyd in the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey calls his daughter on Earth
Video telephone booth, 1930
A deaf or hard-of-hearing person uses a Video Relay Service at his workplace to communicate with a hearing person in London (2007)