iChat crashes after beginning video chat.

Question

iChat crashes after beginning video chat.

I installed snow leopard and my iChat ***** now. I use my video chat feature all the time and it has never worked really good. In the past I have had to try like 12 times with 7 restarts to get the thing to connect. Obviously, apple has fixed that problem because now I can connect on the first try every time. The only problem now is that ichat crashes within 30 seconds of starting a video chat every time. Please tell me that there is some fix for this problem. Maybe I am doing this wrong.

Macbook (Black), 2.16 GHz, 4 GB SDRAM, Mac OS X (10.6), iPod Nano 2nd Gen, iPod Touch 1st Gen, Wireless Mighty Mouse, Airport Extreme

Posted on Sep 13, 2009 8:22 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 14, 2009 1:25 PM in response to JakeThaSnake919

Exactly what do you mean by "Crash" ?

Do you means the Application Unexpectedly Quit ? (produce a Log for you to Send to Apple)

Or do you mean the Chat Quit/Failed and iChat could still be used ?
(you may or may not have got a Pop Up with a details button to show a Log)

9:25 PM Monday; September 14, 2009

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Answer 2

Sep 14, 2009 1:28 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

It produces a log to send to Apple. I always choose relaunch which I believe sends to Apple.

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Answer 3

Sep 14, 2009 2:57 PM in response to JakeThaSnake919

Go to your Home Folder/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/iChat and grab the last one.

It will open Console if you Double Click it.

Does it report Thread (12, 13, or 14) Crashed with Video.ToolBox being listed in that thread ?

If you have a Core 2 Duo go to the Applciations folder and Click on iChat
Go to the File Menu and Use Get Info.
Set iChat to open in 32 bit mode in the Info panel that appears and restart iChat.

10:57 PM Monday; September 14, 2009

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

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Answer 4

Sep 14, 2009 3:05 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Process: iChat [350]
Path: /Applications/iChat.app/Contents/MacOS/iChat
Identifier: com.apple.iChat
Version: 5.0 (741)
Build Info: iChat-7410000~1
Code Type: X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process: launchd [304]

Date/Time: 2009-09-01 21:38:07.593 -0400
OS Version: Mac OS X 10.6 (10A432)
Report Version: 6

Anonymous UUID: ED8ED389-7541-407C-9CD8-5222218AC106

Exception Type: EXC BADACCESS (SIGSEGV)
Exception Codes: KERN INVALIDADDRESS at 0x0000000200d26c0f
Crashed Thread: 14

Hope this helps.

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Answer 5

Sep 15, 2009 11:21 AM in response to JakeThaSnake919

Hi,

What does Thread 14 read ?

IS your Processor a Core 2 Duo (as opposed to a plain CoreDuo)

The Core 2 Duos can run the OS in 64 bit mode.
Some people report that setting iChat to run in 32 Bit helps.

Go to the Applications Folder.
Click once on iChat to Highlight.
Use the Apple (SMD) key and I together (Get Info).
In the info panel that pops up (if you have the 64bit Processor) it will offer Start in 32 Bit mode. Select that and restart iChat.

7:21 PM Tuesday; September 15, 2009

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

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Answer 6

Sep 15, 2009 11:32 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Thread 14 Crashed:
0 com.apple.VideoToolbox 0x00007fff880b0d29 MC_Copy8x8UV4 + 290
1 com.apple.VideoToolbox 0x00007fff880b319f DumpDecoded263MB3S16 + 3041
2 com.apple.VideoToolbox 0x00007fff880ac437 H263DMPR_GOB + 6714
3 com.apple.VideoToolbox 0x00007fff880acda5 H263DMPR_Decompress + 2237
4 com.apple.VideoToolbox 0x00007fff87c9a407 VCH263VideoDecoder_DecodeFrame + 1064
5 com.apple.VideoToolbox 0x00007fff87c2da43 vtDecompressionDuctDecodeSingleFrame + 542
6 com.apple.VideoToolbox 0x00007fff87c2eb27 VTDecompressionSessionDecodeFrame + 184
7 com.apple.viceroy.framework 0x00007fff839f658c VideoPlayer_ShowFrame + 1388
8 com.apple.viceroy.framework 0x00007fff839da3ea Conference_ShowFrame + 394
9 com.apple.viceroy.framework 0x00007fff839e05f5 Conference_VideoAlarm + 725
10 com.apple.viceroy.framework 0x00007fff839f17db SoundPlayer_AlarmThread + 411
11 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff836e906e pthreadstart + 331
12 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff836e8f21 thread_start + 13

I have a Core 2 Duo

I have changed it to 32 bit but have not really had a chance to test it. I used Skype the other day and it looks like much better video quality. I don't really understand that since it is the same cameras. Thanks for your help so far.

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Answer 7

Sep 17, 2009 11:43 AM in response to JakeThaSnake919

Hi JakeThaSnake919,

These logs are read somewhat in reverse.
What is at the top was the last thing to load in the process.
The VideoToolbox holds the Video codecs Quicktime X can now handle.
iChat uses Quicktime to produce both ends of the Video Chat.
viceroy.framework is the part of iChatAgent, an iChat Support app, that handles the interface between iChat and Quicktime.

As you can see part of what the iChatAgent stuff is doing is playing the sound to say a Video Chat is starting.

Could you check which sound you are playing in iChat Menu > Preferences > Alerts for Video Invite ?
IS it one of the iChat Sounds (Normally the Telephone bell) ?
(I use a few bars sampled from "Purple Haze")
If yours is also a custom sound can you do a Get Info on it and find out the sample rate please ?

Try changing the Sound choice.

7:41 PM Thursday; September 17, 2009

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