Ichat won't allow me to initiate video chat

Hi,

Check these places

1) the Video Menu (May read Audio)

In here check the Microphone Enabled and Camera Enabled are ticked (if on Lion they read Audio Chat and VIdeo Chat)

2) the View menu (of iChat)

In here the Show Video and Show Audio Status items need to be ticked.

These are the ones that say if the green Video or Audio Only iCons show.

Technically if you highlight a Buddy the grey icons at the Bottom of the Buddy list should still work (AS should the Buddies menu and right clicking the Buddy)

If 1) and 2) are set then open the Connection Doctor from the Video menu and check the capabilities

It maybe it thinks your Internet connection is too slow.

11:06 PM Saturday; February 25, 2012

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

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.3)
 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'm having the same issue. I believe it is some settings. When using your settings above under the iChat "VIEW" menu most of those items are greyed out and not selectable.

My iChat just stopped working on my 2010 i7 Quad iMac (iSight with 10.6.8) about a month ago.

About the same time I bought two new iPhones and configured Facetime on them, which works fine.

IChat on my iMac:

All my Buddies are grayed out.

I followed your advice and made sure all the correct boxes are ticked and not grayed out, all okay.

I can use video preview and the camera starts and works as normal.

When I click 'New Chat' it only allows Text.

Do I have an iPhone vs iMac interaction?

Thanks...

i have same problem...do i need specific headphone for that? 😟

Hi todd1010,

It depends which windows is "Front" as to which menu items go dark.

The Contents of View Menu > Messages only go dark when a Chat window is "Front"

The Show Video And Show Audio Status need a Buddy List to be "Front" (and if using separate Buddy list you need to select them in turn to Adjust/set the Show Status items).

7:46 PM Monday; February 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 10.7.3)
 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 is not an interaction between Phone and Mac or even FaceTime and iChat if on Snow Leopard.

If all the Buddies are Greyed out it sounds more like an issue with Parental Controls (moving all buddies except one or two the Block List - or the reverse of allowing only a couple od Buddies effectively excluding the others)

See iChat Menu > Preference > Accounts > Security Settings on the AIM Login accounts you have.

This happens even if you test Parental Controls in another Mac User Account on the computer but use the same iChat details as it flags the Buddies at the server.

7:50 PM Monday; February 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 10.7.3)
 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,

Whilst you do need an Input device (Mic) and an output device (Speakers) (or a headset that does both) you do not need anything too specific.

Having said that the Line-in Option that could take a 3.55mm jack does need any mic connected here to be a Hi Line-In device. (As opposed to Lo Line-In devices suitable for PCs)

8:00 PM Monday; February 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 10.7.3)
 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 did just set up one of my old PowerBooks for a grandkid to play with and used Parental Controls for it.

When I checked security in my iChat it all looked okay, but I was not sure.

So, thinking I'd made some sort of Parental Controls error, I deleted my iChat .Mac account.

When I went to create a new iChat account I hit the wall, you can't.

I was sent to an Apple page with the title of:

iChat's "Get an iChat account" no longer works in Mac OS X v10.6.x.

So, I suppose I'll just use Skype until I shift to iCloud - if ever.

Thanks for your help Ralph.

Best, Dave

Hi,

@mac.com regidstration page is here

You need to link an existing email but you cannot use one that is linked to an Apple ID already.

Despite not telling you the password needs to be 16 characters or Less (AIM Limit).

AIM registration page is here

This needs a Confirmation email address (And for password recovery) but is not hard linked like the @mac.com one. (you can use the same email again and again)

Parental Controls > iChat Limits.

Lets say you create a test Mac User Account on your Mac (System Preferences >Accounts in Snow Leopard)

You set it to be a a Standard account.

You then Enable Parental Controls and then set the iChat Limit.

As soon as you do this all your Buddies get blocked if you have enetered the same iChat detail in the New Mac User Account > iChat set up.

If you now log in as your regular Mac User account and go to iChat no Buddies show up as being On Line

If you go to the iChat Menu >Accounts > Security all buddies will be in the Block List (Any attempts to Undo things from here will be overridden by the Text Account's settings for iChat unless you specifically un-did them)

Lets presume we go back to the test Account > Parental Controls and the iChat limit and now add One Buddy to be allowed.

This then Flags that Buddy (if AIM) as being in the iChat Menu > Preferences > Accounts > Security > Allow Specific Buddies list.

Although not listed all Other Buddies are effectively Blocked.

Adding or allowing more Buddies just moves them from being blocked to being Allowed.

Like having several Logins using the same iChat details/Screen Name in both User Accounts means that the flags set via Parental Controls still effect the regular iChat Login.

Example pic

Uploaded with Skitch!

It may pay to limit iChat this way

Uploaded with Skitch!

9:48 PM Monday; February 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 10.7.3)
 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 there,

I could not make the iChat @mac.com or MobileMe iChat work and I was not willing to make yet another Apple ID. With iCloud, Lion and Mountain Lion, less Apple ID's are better.

Finally got around to using AIM registration for iChat, it was easy and is now up and running.

I have to add the Buddy list and tell all those folks the new iChat address I have.

Thank you for your time, it is appreciated.

-- Dave

Hi,

Fair enough.

If you happen to have all the Buddies "Real Names" in the Address Book then you can drag all the IDs in one go from the Address Book to the Buddy list and they will get added.

I have previously moved 292 Buddies this way from one list to another.

8:22 PM Tuesday; February 28, 2012

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

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.3)
 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 have similar problem on two systems, a MacBook Pro and a Mac mini with Apple Cinema Display.Both systems were OS X 10.7.4 with Messages Beta.

I can initiate video chat to some partners but not others. We had been video chatting daily for many months. Approx a week ago, around 10 Aug, we suddenly could no longer initiate video chats with some partners but could with others. We could participate in video sessions if the partner initiated the session.

Suddenly connection errors and bogus session terminations during session setup started ocurring. The problem was asymmetrical in that the partners were able to initiate sessions with us but not vice versa.

Partners were iChat users and we were Messages Beta users. Three partners with the issue had various systems and software configurations: one had a iMac with Lion and iChat, one has a MBP and an iMac with Lion and iChat.

These partners have not changed their settings, made no changes to their ISP, made no operating system version changes, nor did we.

Problem appears to be with iChat partners on OS X 10.7.

We can initiate video chat sessions with Messages Beta partners on OS X 10.7 and partners with Messages on OS X 10.8.

Updating our Mac mini from OS X 10.7.4 (Lion) using Messages Beta to OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion) with Messages did not change the symptoms.

Hi,

Can you text chat with these Buddies ?

If you and they are using AIM Valid name can you both use the setting to Relay though AIM (iChat/Messages Menu > Preference > Accounts > Security tab on AIM accounts) option.

10:56 PM Saturday; August 18, 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

Downgraded one of the affected European systems - the MBP with (Lion) OSX 10.7.4 and Messages Beta to iChat. Result was that the problem persists.

As noted above, updating the other European system, a Mac mini from OS X 10.7.4 (Lion) which was using Messages Beta to OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion) and using Messages did not change the symptoms.

We are able to text chat with the US partners (who are using iChat on Lion). We can initiate and hold video chat sessions with other US partners, but they have upgraded to Mountain Lion and are using Messages.

For each AIM account, the setting to "Allow AOL's server to relay video chats" Is enabled (box is checked) on both European systems trying to initiate a video chat session. At least one of the US partners have same settings. Due to time zone differences will have to come back with the other US partner's settings in new reply.

HI,

IN that case if the "Enable AIM Relay" was ON I would try it with it Off.

If ISPs have not changed, the service they supply has not changed including ports then the issues is either something else about the network at one end or the way they connect.

iChat 5 and later has the option to either connect natively or use the AIM server relay.

7:16 PM Sunday; August 19, 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