My ichat won't let me video chat!

Don't know if it's related, but I just tried a screenshare, and then audio chat (no camera on my machine), with two separate Macs (on the same ip connection), both iChat connections I've successfully used several times before, and with both, I'm getting messages suggesting they've "refused" the request when they have in fact accepted it. Same vice-versa. However typed 'chat' messages are flowing both ways fine. Skype is also working fine, so it's not the internet connections either end. And no changes to software my end, and we think not their end either, so I'm wondering if there's a problem, or maybe protocol change, with the servers handling the audio/screen data transfer (think it's AIM's servers, not Apple) - came here to see if anyone else was having problems.

Going to try a different connection with someone else (that also usually works fine for me) a bit later, and if that's up the spout too I'd say there's definately a problem with the servers ... I'll report back, if this thread is still unresolved.

Andy.

Hi ellejelly87,

This can be about the way your router is set up.

iChat uses one port to login to whichever server you are logging in to.

It uses another for the Visible Invite.

It then moves to another for the connection process.

The Connection Process involves another invite and both ends also PING each other to confirm that where the Visible Invite came from and went to are the same places that are responding in the Connection Process (it's a feature to stop what are called "Man in the Middle" Attacks).

Testing between my iMac and MacBook Pro I can say the iMac's green light does come on before the Invite arrives. The Preview (video Pic) at the receiving end is there but currently hidden in the Invite until you click on it to then Accept or Not.

Can you test ?

When someone sends you an Invite and the light is On, does the Window Menu list the Invite.

Uploaded with Skitch!

This may tell us whether the Invite just happens to be Off screen for any reason (Normally on a Second Monitor that may not be present).

In iChat Menu > Preferences > Alerts, when you have the first item drop down set to Video Invitation do you have the Auto- Accept AppleScript active ?

If this is iChat 5 or earlier do you have the Chax Add-on that can also be set to Auto-Accept (by Buddy)

9:24 PM Thursday; January 26, 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 AndyWilde,

If this is iChat 5 or 6 do you have the items for relaying through the AIm server enabled ?

iChat Menu > Preferences > Accounts > Security (Applies to AIM Logins Only)

9:27 PM Thursday; January 26, 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,

I will presume for the moment that iChat is getting the Invite (which come in on Port 5678) as the green light comes on and something must be triggering that.

That means something is up with the app itself.

Lets try the simplest thing first.

IF this is Lion then make sure the Finder is the current "front" app and use it's Go Menu

In here hold down the ALT key and then select the Library item from the menu.

Once the Library is open then navigate to the Preferences Folder and find com.apple.ichat.plist

Drag this and the .lockfile of the same name to the Trash.

Restart iChat.

6:14 PM Friday; January 27, 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

Ralph Johns (UK) wrote:

f this is iChat 5 or 6 do you have the items for relaying through the AIm server enabled ?

iChat Menu > Preferences > Accounts > Security (Applies to AIM Logins Only)

Hi Ralph, thanks for looking.

No, I'm iChat 4.0.9 on a 10.5.8 PPC Mini. Under Server Settings I'm logged into 'logon.oscar.aol.com' over port 443.

The two machines the other day were a brand new Mini on Lion, and a Macbook on Snow Leopard (both on same broadband ip, though in Montserrat in the Caribbean, where the connection can be a bit temperamental). Both these connections were working fine for audio and screenshare a couple of weeks ago. And I've just tried another connection within the UK (Intel Macbook still on 10.5.8) that was also working fine last time I tried, maybe a couple of months ago, and that's giving me the exact same problems for screensare and audio, with an extra interesting glitch this time, in that initially, an IM attempt was giving me an "Aim Server error" message, but then started working after 5' or so. I've never had a problem sequence like this before, over years of (occasional) iChat use.

What I'm wondering, perhaps you'd know, is if with the advent of Facetime et al, the AIM route is becoming legacy, and that new Macs come default configured for iChatting over Apple servers ? Or maybe the preferred port has changed ?

Any thoughts very welcome,

Andy.

Hi,

It is not so much that iChat and AIM are being side lined it is more about the fact Apple are promoting FaceTime more.

As iChat can do so much more than FaceTime I doubt it will be sidelined.

FaceTime = Capt Kirk calling up from the Planet.

iChat with iChat Theatre = File Transfers alongside Video Chats to Star Fleet over sub space (it really is so much more)

I must admit to having issues logging two of my AIM logins today.

I have had one of them logged in in Boot Camp on my other computer and now it will not login on this one.

EDIT:- now On line.

My First thought on this is it is the AIM end (I got a Message about a Feedbag error on another account)

Buddies are Food - Food is kept in Feedbags. Therefore a Buddy List is a Feedbag and trying to add a Screen Name only is an AIM server issue.

I notice that my Main AIM name login has less Buddies today so possibly other people are having the same issue.

I would guess there well may be a new AIM for PC version or something similar.

9:36 PM Friday; January 27, 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

So we wait to see if the probelms resolve over the next few days ?

Hi elliejelly87,

As AndyWilde joined the thread very near the beginning it was not clear that he has a different problem to you.

Due to this there are two conversations within this one thread.

9:47 PM Friday; January 27, 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,

This sort of thing does normally sort itself out in a few days.

9:47 PM Friday; January 27, 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 Ralph - I'll go away now and stop getting in Ellie's way 😉.

Andy.

hi,

Thanks

(part of it was my fault for not making it plain early on)

9:53 PM Friday; January 27, 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,

Did you delete the com.apple.ichat.plist (drag it to the Trash) ?

It is late where I am and there will be a delay before more replies

10:40 PM Friday; January 27, 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