Cannot video chat with AIM in Messages Beta or iChat.

Question

Level 1

45 points

Cannot video chat with AIM in Messages Beta or iChat.

I am trying to make a video call between a Mac with OS X 10.7.3 to a PC running Windows 7.

On the Mac I am using Messages Beta and on the PC I am using the latest version of AIM.

I can text chat fine between the computers but I cannot video call.

I cannot video chat using Google Talk either but I understand that Google Talk video chat is no longer supported in iChat/Messages while AIM video chat is.

The button and menu item for video chat are both greyed out.

I thought this might be a problem with Messages Beta, so I went back to iChat but ran into the same problem, hence why this is posted in the iChat forum.

Any ideas?

MacBook Pro (13-inch Early 2011), Mac OS X (10.7.3), 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM

Posted on Apr 29, 2012 9:45 AM

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Answer 1

Apr 29, 2012 12:42 PM in response to ThinkSimilar

Hi,

At the very beginning iChat was an AIM client (App that worked with the AIM service)

iChat 2 introduced us to Video Chats and these did work to the AIM 5.5 version that was out at the time.

Although they don't match update for update ichat and iChat 3 cover most of the period that AIM on the PC was at version 5.5 and 5.9

This site http://www.mvldesign.com/video_conference_tutorial.html

And one called Panflute, which no longer exists, used to have the most detailed explanations to get things going.

At AIM 6.0 the Software changed significantly and has done so again with the last few months to a new numbering system.

Each one of these seems to make it more difficult to get it to work when it does not (some people do find they have no issues)

I have Bootcamp and can run XP in that.

I did have AIM 7.2.x and this seemed to work for the most part (Some Arcsoft add-on was an issue) if I started the VIdeo chat from the AIM end.

I have just updated to version 7.5 and do seem to have lost the Ability to video between Messages and AIM found the Start option in a different place.

This does seem to freeze after a couple of seconds. The Messages Connection Doctor (Video Menu) suggesting there is no Frame rate despite showing a Bit rate.

I would need a longer period to work at this and check out any settings in the AIM App that might improve this.

I have no info on the latest version.

If the new version has the "Real Time" option this may need turning Off.

It is in fact Send as You type but crosses over to effect Video chats when connecting to iChat/Messages

8:42 PM Sunday; April 29, 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

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Answer 2

ThinkSimilar Author

Level 1

45 points

May 3, 2012 9:13 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

I tried using an old version of AIM and it still didn't work. I couldn't find a Settings menu at all, so I don't know if there's a Real Time option. Any other ideas?

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Answer 3

May 3, 2012 12:27 PM in response to ThinkSimilar

HI,

Real Time on the AIM for PC version appears around version 6.5

If I remember correctly this version has the Menu bar header that reads File, Edit and so on across the top.

I think it is in the File Menu.

Modified Users Tip

8:27 PM Thursday; May 3, 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

Reply