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Level 5

6,407 points

FaceTime for Mac

I'm trying to contact someone from my Mac to an iPhone 4. The person is unavailable. If the phone is on, what else will make it unavailable.

iMac 3.06 GHz Intel Core Duo 2, 21.5" 4GB Ram/1TB HD,, Mac OS X (10.6.4), iMac G4 15" FP 800 MHz, Airport Extreme/Express, iLife 09, iPhone 4, Mobile Me

Posted on Oct 20, 2010 2:11 PM

Best reply

Tamara

Level 6

13,738 points

Posted on Oct 20, 2010 2:15 PM

They may have Facetime disabled or they may not be on a wifi network.

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47 replies

Oct 22, 2010 1:16 PM in response to Horstbert

Hi Horstbert,

That could very well be the cause. What's interesting to me is other iSight dependent apps work fine (PhotoBooth, iChat, etc.) And FaceTime on the Mac displays the iSight feed, it just doesn't seem to send it outbound.

To make things more interesting, I tested a nearly identical MacBook Pro at work and it had the same issue. However, I deleted every launchagent and preference file I could find related to FaceTime, logged out, fired FaceTime up again and it worked. I have not been able to recreate that success on my own MacBook Pro, though. This makes me think it's a software issue.

I did log through the FaceTime feedback panel.

waders

Level 1

8 points

Oct 23, 2010 5:55 PM in response to Joe Gramm

I have Facetime installed and cannot call from my iPhone to my Mac or from my Mac to my iPhone. All either does is ring. I get no indication from either that there is an incoming call. Both are on the same wifi network. I saw some postings about a preference pane for Facetime. I didn't get one. Should I reinstall?

kulak18

Level 1

0 points

Oct 23, 2010 5:57 PM in response to Joe Gramm

I downloaded the facetime app. I have it going through my email address. Now my wife has Iphone 4. When we first bought her phone, ATT gave her a dumby number for the reason of switching from another carrier. After her contract was up, we ported her number to the iphone. Dumping the other number for her orignal.

So when I tried facetime by calling her phone it would not connect. I was puzzled. I tried it a few more times and still nothing. I decided to take her phone and call me and it worked. I was confused when another number showed up. After pondering this for some time, I then noticed the number was the dumby number ATT gave her. This number was dumped 2 1/2 months ago.

Now I know facetime for Mac is just a beta version, but does anyone have an idea *** is going on here?

Joe Gramm Author

Level 5

6,407 points

Oct 24, 2010 5:41 AM in response to waders

There is no Preference Pane for FaceTime in System Preferences on the Mac. The only Preference on the iPhone is Settings/Phone/On-Off. Obviously it should be set to On.

Joe Gramm Author

Level 5

6,407 points

Oct 24, 2010 5:46 AM in response to kulak18

Make sure the number is correct on the iPhone/Settings/Phone. If it isn't correct there - tap the number/Edit to correct number.

Otherwise, it seems like an issue on the ATT side. The local ATT (company Stores) are helpful for issues like that.

Oct 24, 2010 6:14 AM in response to kulak18

That's not weird and has nothing to do with facetime for Mac. Apple uses your phone number to register your device on the facetime servers. When your wife first activated facetime, the iPhone obviously used the dumby number. If I'm right, all it takes to use the new number is de- and reactivating facetime in the iPhone preferences.

kulak18

Level 1

0 points

Oct 24, 2010 6:25 AM in response to Horstbert

Thanks that did the trick. I do appreciate the help.

bogopogo

Level 1

0 points

Oct 24, 2010 9:13 PM in response to Joe Gramm

Just wondering if Facetime on the Mac will only work on models with built in cameras - or you can use a third party webcam on something like a Mac mini.

gatdecor

Level 1

0 points

Oct 26, 2010 7:21 AM in response to bogopogo

I have a problem, when I switch the camera on my iphone to the back camera the mac I am connected to crashes and has to to a restart. any help please?

Oct 29, 2010 1:40 PM in response to Joe Gramm

Hey my facetime won't sign in. I have the right username and password but it just gets stuck while signing in.

Dec 16, 2010 9:16 PM in response to Joe Gramm

I have installed Face Time on my MBP, and it works great on my iPhone 4 as well. I am having problems helping my family back east installing Face Time. My dad is having issues with the "setting up an account" he says that he can't use apple id...anyone else with the issue, and how did they resolve it.

My Uncle has the latest version of S.L., but Face Time software tells him he needs 2010-005 When he tries to install this it tells him he can not install it. Since I buy everyone Mac's it is hard to "support" them when I don't understand why this is happening. Anyone?

EZ Jim

Level 7

22,590 points

Dec 16, 2010 10:38 PM in response to Contessa Grigia

Welcome to Discussions, Contessa Grigia

Contessa Grigia wrote:
I have installed Face Time on my MBP, and it works great on my iPhone 4 as well. I am having problems helping my family back east installing Face Time. My dad is having issues with the "setting up an account" he says that he can't use apple id...anyone else with the issue, and how did they resolve it.

Create a different iD for Dad to be used ONLY for activating FaceTime.

https://appleid.apple.com/

Note that this iD must be a working email address. You can create any free email account to become Dad's new iD.

My Uncle has the latest version of S.L., but Face Time software tells him he needs 2010-005 When he tries to install this it tells him he can not install it. Since I buy everyone Mac's it is hard to "support" them when I don't understand why this is happening. Anyone?

Have Uncle use his Mac's Disk Utility to repair permissions:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=DiskUtility/11.5/en/7070.html

Then download and install the 10.6.5 Combo Update: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1324

Immediately after the restart that completes the update, *repair permissions again*.

Then try FaceTime.

Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz Mac OS X (10.6.5); MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.5)
LED Cinema Display; G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11); iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9); External iSight; iPod4touch4.2.1

Dec 17, 2010 6:52 PM in response to EZ Jim

Thanks so much EZ Jim.

I already told my dad he could get himself another free email account, but he is new to Mac, and doing anything on a computer. I will walk him through setting up another email account.

My Uncle is just new to the Mac enviro., so I think he just was an email, and word processor kind of guy before getting his Mac. I emailed the directions to him, and told him to follow them slowly and methodically. If he gets stuck I will have to call him on Monday to help.

I will let you know how it all turns out for the two of them. Thanks again, I really appreciate the help!

EZ Jim

Level 7

22,590 points

Dec 17, 2010 7:46 PM in response to Contessa Grigia

Contessa Grigia wrote:
Thanks so much EZ Jim.

I already told my dad he could get himself another free email account, but he is new to Mac, and doing anything on a computer. I will walk him through setting up another email account.

You're welcome.

Depending on how much help Dad needs, you could even make the new free email accounts and use them to create a new iD for him. All you would then need do is to somehow transmit them and their associated passwords to him so he could enter them into his Settings.

My Uncle is just new to the Mac enviro., so I think he just was an email, and word processor kind of guy before getting his Mac. I emailed the directions to him, and told him to follow them slowly and methodically. If he gets stuck I will have to call him on Monday to help.

I will let you know how it all turns out for the two of them. Thanks again, I really appreciate the help!

We will watch for your status update.

Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz Mac OS X (10.6.5)
MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.5)
LED Cinema Display; G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11)
iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9); External iSight; iPod4touch4.2.1

Spark 1

Level 1

0 points

May 7, 2011 10:58 PM in response to prof paddle

I also have a macbook pro 17 inch. I installed Facetime and when I call my IPHONE4 there's no indication its ringing. Then when I cancel the call, I have a missed call on my iphone stating I was trying to facetime. *****. Any fixes???

FaceTime for Mac