People can see me but mic crossed out, no sound with iSight in Face Time

Hi,

One thing with have not discussed is apps like SoundFlower.

These can access the Audio in one place and make it available somewhere else on the Mac.

I can not see anything on that Linked page to say where or not it works In Lion (the closest is version 1.5.1 requires at least OS 10.5

My understanding is that it gets set up in System Preferences as an "input device""

This is then availble in other apps and may turn up in Face Time.

This apps is free so there is little to lose on that score.

I will point out that we did have issues with Soundflower in iChat around the iChat 2 and 3 change over (Relase of Tiger OS 10.4) and with at least one update after that.

7:51 PM Monday; September 26, 2011

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

 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb( 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

donbo wrote:

EZ Jim:

Thanks to you and Ralph for all the info. ...

You're most welcome, Don.

Here follow my thoughts on your latest comments.

... The iSight mic ... shows up and checks out fine in Lion's Sys. Prefs. and works normally when I do video chats with either Skype or iChat.

This is proof that your iSight and its connection to your Mac are working properly.

It seems to me that Apple is needlessly punishing Mac Pro and Mac mini Lion upgraders...

It does not seem so to me. Rather, this seems like normal growing pains that accompany introduction of every major System Software upgrade.

Many apps, including FaceTime, that worked in earlier versions of Mac have at least some functionality problems after upgrading to Lion. If you notice problems with any other apps, info from this link can help you determine if the problem might be related to compatibility with Lion:

  http://roaringapps.com/apps:table/tags/_f/index_tags/_f

... couldn't Apple update FT software to enable it to work with Face Time? ...

Probably. However, because I am merely a Mac user like you, I have no official Apple information on either whether an update is possible or, if it is possible, whether such an update will eventually be offered.

The best I can suggest is to check the information provided with future OS X Lion updates to see if FaceTime compatibility is one of the subjects included in future updates. In the meantime, adding a microphone that is compatible with FaceTime is the best alternative I can suggest.

... I ordered the recommended Logitech USB mic ($22 at Amazon), but am not happy at having to do so. I realize that Firewire is on the way out and that external iSight cameras haven't been sold by Apple since 2006, but Mactracker shows that these cameras are still "supported."...

If the Logitech USB mic was the best alternative your Apple Retailer recommended for your Mac mini, I would think you would like that choice better than any other available to you.

As you note, iSight is supported. However, not every element of every system is compatible with every software app (or with each other.) It may not be true for everyone. However, even though external iSights work with many other apps, FaceTime Version 1.1 (258) is NOT compatible with iSight Firewire mics, at least on your system and mine.

Like many in this discussion I was irritated when my isight sound no longer worked with facetime after the lion upgrade. Many have suggested workarounds and also others have stated that it is just part of system and software upgrades that things are no longer supported. Bottom line for me, however is the fact that Apple said that the isight was supported in facetime for lion and as far as I can tell has not commented in this thread or anywhere else if they intend to keep this commitment or abandon the isight in this app. Saying it is an old and out of date hardware item is not the issue. The issue is, has been and still is that Apple officially stated it was supported. Where is their reply? Some have started a support ticket, has anyone received a reply??

Count me in as another FT user with audio issues....

MacPro w Snow Leopard, an iSight cam and FT 1.0.2 (purchased). My wife has an iPhone 4 running IOS 5.

I had downloaded the beta version which seemed to work fine - never had a single an audio drop-out. The beta expired and I purchased FT from the app store. Some days we can chat for 5 minutes or more before the audio drops out.... most of the time it drops out after a couple minutes. We tried at different times of the day thinking it might be bandwidth problems but there doesn't seem to be any pattern to it.

This is VERY frustrating.... FaceTime is unuseable like this.

Apple.... are you listening? Recognition of the problem would be a good first step.

Cheers!

Rob

Sorry EZ Jim,

Didn't mean to step on any toes.... just wanted to add my name to a seemingly growing list of people with the same problem. I was under the impression that Apple folks do watch these boards...

If I find a solution to my instance of this problem I will post it here for all.

Cheers!

Rob

I am having the same issue as everyone else. It seems to be intentional but i don't understand why. The external isight is a good camera, it makes no sense to have to go buy another because of facetime.

Apple please bring back the ability to use the isight mic with Facetime in Lion.

Thanks

Hi,

Apple send people who write apps and stuff (Developers) early copies of the next update.

They have signed Non Disclosure Agreements.

However there have been two posts that have suggested that this will be fixed in OS 10.7.3

Both posts have been removed which is the custom by Apple in these situations.

Not everything that is tried out during the trial-before-relase-period makes it to the Final release so that would make this thread Speculation and that also is not allowed under the Terms of Use. (This post may disappear)

9:05 PM Monday; January 16, 2012

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

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

I understand Apple would love everyone to be on Lion.... I'd love to be running it too however there are a few pieces of software I use that would require re-purchasing and that's just out of the question right now. That said, is it possible that any fixes that may or may not be coming will also be present in a update of Snow Leopard. Hint hint....

I've been wondering if having a USB headphone plugged in at the same time as my FireWire iSight may be causing the problem. I will try some testing and post my results here when I get a chance.

Cheers!

Rob

HI,

I seem to have missed something.

Are you saying that you have no Audio from the external iSight Mics (there are two) when using Face Time in Snow Leopard ?

I was under the impression that this worked but as of yet it does not in Lion

7:51 PM Tuesday; January 17, 2012

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

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Hi Ralph,

Yes, it's happening in Snow Leopard. I can get it to work for a short while... sometimes it will be OK for 3 or 4 minutes then the audio will drop out.

Let me set up my situation... I'm on a MacPro 1,1 Dual-core 2.66, 6GB RAM, Snow Leopard 10.6.8 with an iSight FW camera, FaceTime v.1.0.2. I had the trial/beta version of FT originally then purchased it when it came out.

My wife has her iPhone 4 IOS 5 (whatever the latest version is). We will try to FaceTime - either she calls me or I call her doesn't seem to matter which, and although the video stream seems fine, my audio out will drop out after a couple of minutes. I can hear and see her fine. She can see me but not hear me.I do not have my end muted - I checked that the first time. The only way to get the audio back is to reinitialize the call. I usually will quit FT on my end and restart it although that doesn't seem to make any difference either.

I have had other apps running - Safari, Mail, Contactizer Pro and had none running - again do discernable difference. I also have a Logitech USB headphone which is usually plugged in. I run FT with the iSight set as audio and video device in preferrences.

I haven't had a chance to run more extensive testing to eliminate the headphone or the pref settings with or without it plugged in. I have no other FireWire devices plugged in.

I have sent this info to Apple already but of course have not heard back from them (not that I expect to hear from them). 😀

Cheers!

Rob Coleman

Ahh !!!.

OK in Lion and Face Time the Ability of the App to even select the external iSight mic(s) is not possible (at least up to 10.7.2 at time of writing).

This will be despite the setting in System Preferences > Sound > Input being able to select the device.

In some computers that have the Ambient Noise Reduction box in the Sound > Input pane people have reported seeing the slider moving Left (reducing) during iChat Video chats.

In Leopard this was somewhat "solvable" by removing a System Side .plist regarding Audio device settings.

(In Hard Drive/Library/Preferences/com.apple.audio.DeviceSettings.plist

In Snow Leopard it is one folder deeper. the Folder is called Audio).

It was less "Solvable" by this method in Snow Leopard for some reason.

Deleting both .plists in that /Library/Preferences/Audio folder also does not seem to work.

I know that my iMac and my MacBook Pro (ver 1,1) both have this Ambient Noise Reduction as the mics are in the casing of the computer and likely to pick up on hard drive and other internal sounds.

I am not sure your MacPro will have the setting.

As the Mic (and Camera) can be set in Face Time separately (In the case of the Mic) form System Preferences > Sound I would check the settings.

10:03 PM Tuesday; January 17, 2012

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

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Thanks for letting us know you got what you needed.

You're most welcome, Don.

Well said!

10.7.3 fixes this issue