Ichat can't see buddy

i'm confused, i used to use ichat to video chat with friends regularly and for some reason recently cannot see the person i am chatting with when i attempt a video chat. the other user can see/hear me, but i can't see/hear them. help!

Hi,
As First step try changing the bandwidth in iChat > Preferences > Video section to 500kbps
Try getting your Buddy to then do the same (I.e. Not at the same time)
You can use the Connection Doctor (Video Menu) to see when the Bitrate settles as the iChat Buffering will try to smooth out the change.
8:21 PM Sunday; June 5, 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( 10.6.7)
 Mac OS X (10.6.7),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Similar Messages

Can't see buddy

I'm just starting ichat. Got signed up, can log in etc, picture and sound work fine. At this stage only have 1 buddy. He can invite me to video chat - it rings, I accept everything works fine. But, when I log in, my buddy list is grayed out, and I cannot invite him to chat. I created him in buddy list, but I still can't see him and cannot initiate a chat. I told him my log in info (he is in a different country) he logs in as me and can see the buddy list, but I can't. The only difference seems to be that I am using Airport Extreme router and he is just on internet direct via modem. Could the router be the problem. When I first tried to get on, I had to enable appletalk to make iChat work, so that is done.

Interesting one.
At iChat 4 in Leopard (10.5.x) or higher a Buddy (Or you ) can set them selves to Invisible.
Sending your details to your Buddy should eliminate this if he has his Own regular Buddy List Open as he would still s"see" himself as Off Line.
Next is you may have added him as An AIM Name when he is @mac. com or @me.com as you have to choose when adding a Buddy in iChat 4
Now as above as he can "See" himself in your Buddy List this does not seem to apply.
Nor would if you had Blocked him in iChat > Preferences > Accounts > Block Specific People > Block list or the two Allow Buddy List Only or Allow Specific People as these setting are passed to the AIM servers and those Buddies are Flagged so that they work when you log in somewhere else (as passing your details over has done).
Now iChat does login to the aIM servers on port 5190 using the TCP Protocol by default.
iChat also uses this port on the UDP Protocol, mainly for File Sharing and Group chats but also for Some Buddy List feedback.
Changing the port to get around some routing devices that don't like using the port Twice will only work if port 5190 is Open on the UDP Protocol if its is open and the PRotocol has to be Specified in any Routing device.
Defcom is right that the Mac Firewall is the logical place to Start making sure iChat is allowed through any and all firewall settings.
It is in System Preferences > Security > Firewall
Allow All and Allow Specific apps with iChat added to the list are the ones that work. (iChat is NOT an Essential App).
(In the Advanced Button, Stealth should not be On as it interferes with A/V chats)
In the Airport Extreme (Accessed with Airport Utility in Applications/Utilities) the Internet pane has a NAT Tab.
In here is Port Mapping Protocol.
This should be ON/Enabled.
I would ask if your Modem routes ?
If so is the Extreme set to Bridge (Off) Mode in the Internet Pane so that the Extreme is just a Wireless access Point to the LAN created by the Modem ?
9:40 PM Friday; January 29, 2010
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

Snow Leopard Parental Controls and iChat (Can't see iChat anymore)

I enabled Parental Controls on my daughters profile. I left applications to unrestricted access, and unrestricted access to web sites (but I still review the log)... I selected to LIMIT iChat and then added the people she can chat with (she's 8).
The problem is, it looks like iChat is online. It's in her dock. Has the little white light dot on underneath the app but I can't see the chat window. You know, where you actually double click on someone to chat with? What gives???
When I go to iChat preferences and on the Accounts tab, "enable this account" is not checked, but it's grayed out so I can't check it!!

It seemed to crop up in Leopard with the first Parental Controls and has yet to be "sorted" in Snow Leopard.
I tend to think it is because Parental Control Updates are out of Step with iChat ones but I have no real insight as to the cause.
11:13 PM Saturday; March 20, 2010
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

Can't see buddy on Video Ichat.

Recently I've encountered a weird problem with my Video Ichat conferences. The video connects to my buddy and I can hear them perfectly. They can see me, but my Ichat window only displays a photo of myself as if I was using photobooth. No smaller box appears and I only see myself.
I would highly appreciate help for this problem

Hi,
If you have either 10.4.11 or 10.5.6 and have Perian installed at version 1.1.3 then Disable/Uninstall it and downgrade to version 1.1.2 and mark it not to do Auto Updates.
http://perian.cachefly.net/Perian_1.1.2.dmg
8:59 PM Tuesday; February 10, 2009

Can't see buddy on video chat with PC user

I'm using a Macbook Pro and Ichat, my buddy is using a HP with a Logitech Quickcam Fusion camera and an AOL account. The problem is they can see and hear me (as well as view their own camera) but I can only hear them. The only video I see is my own.
Is there a way to switch the view from the Mac camera to the buddy camera?

Hi thoe,
Welcome to the Apple Discussions
In iChat go to the Video menu.
In here you will find the Connection Doctor.
Start a video chat with your Buddy.
Open the Connection Doctor.
Does it say they are actually sending you any video feed ?
It is likely they need to do the "Tuning" of their camera and mic to the AIM application. If they have done it before it is likely they have disconnected the camera at some point and it will need doing again.
Also see http://www.mvldesign.com/videoconferencetutorial.html
11:01 AM Tuesday; June 20, 2006

Can't see buddy AT ALL on list

when i add my brother, he appears briefly but almost instantly fades away and disappears. he doesn't show up on my "Offline" list or anywhere else, but he says that i am on HIS buddy list. since he doesn't appear on my list, i can't chat with him. when i am able to right click fast enough, i can video chat with him for 2 minutes tops before the lag takes over and we can no longer understand each other.
any help with this would be greatly appreciated! i'm leaving for college in a few days and i'd really like to be able to stay in touch with my family this way.
thank you =]

If his name is already in your Address Book add his Screen name to that card and drag him to the iChat Buddy List
9:00 PM Friday; August 29, 2008

Ichat can't open on UVC WebCam

My ichat version is 3.1.8(v445)
I plugin once webcam is UVC device , only report MJPEG format.
but ichat can't open it ,always show "Your camera is in use by another application" ,
Why?
1. ichat can't support MJEPG format?
2. Have any method can open MJEPG format webcam on ichat?

Hi,
I believe that UVC cameras are YUV format.
iChat can not "see" the MJPEG format.
9:25 PM Wednesday; March 4, 2009

Can I see how long an "away" buddy has been idle also?

Hi,
Is there a way for me to see how long an "away" buddy has been idle? It's long been a feature of regular AIM but I can't figure out if it's even available in iChat. A buddy may be idle for several hours when away, and it would be convenient to be able to see both idle and away status simultaneously. Please let me know. Thanks.

I can tell that wasn't helpful so here it is... Using iChat if the person simply leaves their computer (doesn't post an away message) you can then see how long they've been idle. Otherwise if they post the default Away or their own custom away message it does not additionally show their time away or idle time. I know!!! it should though (unless their is an add-on application out there, which I haven't seen one that can make this happen)... iChat doesn't show this information in this case. Sorry.

Connected w/ ichat, but can't see or hear other person

So me and my friend have been trying to get ichat working for days. I have a mac (just bought it...first mac), and he has a dell (new, also). We're connecting through aim because my .mac account won't let me sign on and my google one won't either. After I accept, or he accepts the invitation, it says that we are connected, but I can only see myself, and he can only see himself, and we can't hear each other. One time we connected we could hear each other but that's it. Please help!

Hi,
With newer versions of AIM for a PC there has been problems with AIM posting that AIM 6.5 will not Video to iChat.
http://www.aim.com/helpfaq/starting_out/getstarted.adp#608
AIM have yet to post any Support pages for AIM 6.8
Having said that some people do say they can get it to work.
The PC end certainly needs to to this though.
http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/page12.html#_Service To allow the app through the Windows Firewall as an Exception.
It also pays to go to the AIM Preferences (in the Buddy List Menu Bar under Edit) and then to Enhanced IM and reselect the camera.
The sound input devices needs to selected and calibrated in the relevant Control Panel to be used by the AIM App. (if it is disconnected it has to be done again)
iChat to iChat will Video chat with a GoogleID as it invokes the A/V Protocols iChat uses.
GoogleTalk itself is a Jabber server and uses different audio Protocols (Jingle) and therefore will not connect to iChat even with a Google ID
An @Mac.com ID currently has to be added as an AIM type Screen Name and the whole name including the @Mac.com suffix typed in as well
I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.
10:31 PM Monday; August 11, 2008

I can hear my buddy but not see in Video Chat...

Sort of. Its an odd situation. In video chats, I can see my buddy just fine, but she can't see me. On my side the only symptom of this problem is that "local video" refuses to appear. Any thoughts? I read a similar topic in the forums, but it dealt with Perian, which I've never heard of.

Hi,
Welcome to the  Discussions
Perian is a System Add-on that gets added to System Preferences that help Quicktime play formats it does not normally play.
Are you saying that if you click your own Video Icon next to your Buddy pic at the head of the Buddy List you do not get a Preview ?
And no pic appears in iChat > Preferences > Video section ?
I would do a PRAM reset first.
Shut down the computer.
Restart it holding down APPLE(or ⌘ )ALT(⌥)+PR Keys until you have heard three Start Up Bongs.
7:48 PM Sunday; April 18, 2010
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

Can't see video in iChat

When I add a buddy I do not see their video icon. We both have google talk. We can video conference in google talk. When I initiate an iChat session I only see my video.

Hi,
Most Jabber Apps that can Video and Audio Chat do so using a Protocol called Jingle.
GoogleTalk is a Jabber server and Google's version of Jingle is in their PC standalone apps that is also called GoogleTalk.
The Protocol is also used in the Plug-in for Web Browsers that you an get for Macs (Intel Only) and PCs
This will let a Mac Video to someone else using a Web Browser or the Standalone PC app.
The Google Version is not that compatible with other Jabber apps either.
Jingle is completely different from the SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) that iChat and AIM use.
Jingle and SIP will NOT connect together.
iChat CAN Video chat using Jabber or Google Names if both ends have iChat.
<
8:52 PM Thursday; May 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( 10.6.7)
 Mac OS X (10.6.7),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Can't see a specific buddy

I have PCs running AIM with two different screen names - let's call them screen names H and T.
My daughter has an Mac Book Pro running iChat with a screen name - let's call it screen name B.
H and T can talk to each other using either PC. B and T can talk to each other. In fact, B has a very long buddy list and can talk to lots of people. But H and B can't talk to each other. They always appear to be offline, even though T can see them both and talk to both.
We can't find any evidence of blocking, we've deleted and re-added to the buddy list, and I've searched the internet and this forum for help. But I'm stumped.
Any ideas? Thank you!

Well....
B must know the difference between adding AIM or @mac names - so we can rule that out.
We can presume that B has not blocked H
Blocking of B by H would produce the symptoms described.
Lets leaves Both B and H misspelling each others names (Very unlikely both would)
Possibly, one has Misspelt and then has "Only Allow People in My Buddy List" set so the other person is not accepted - Would also produce symptoms described.
One person is set to be Invisible (Less likely as T would not see H either)
B has exceeded the max Number of Buddies.
Options:
Delete/Change all Blocked Lists
Remove any setting to Allow Buddy List only
Remove extra/Spare Buddies.
Use B's Screen name on one of the PCs (Or in AIM for Mac) and see how Many Buddies are in the "Recent Buddies" group that iChat does not see and drag them out and delete others where required.
If T starts a Group chat, can they pull both the others in ?
B can then use the Buddies Menu to Add the Buddy by the Name or by Dragging to the Buddy List.
6:42 PM Sunday; September 2, 2007

IChat users can't see me in Messages

This last week my friends using iChat can no longer see me as active in their buddies list when I'm logged in and active in Messages. I'm not set to invisible, and after chatting them they can respond, but not send files, etc. I also have my Google Talk account in Messages and that works fine. All of my prefs show that my AIM account—the account that was previously working in Messages—is active and available.

Hi,
It is more like this:-
Messages in the name of the App
It can do IMs just like iChat used to and it can do iMessages to the iOS 5 devices.
So...
If yo have an Apple ID it could be used as the iMessages Account name (now Top of the List in the Messages accounts list)
And it can be "kept" as an AIM Login with said Buddy List.
You do need this if you want 10 way Audio Only Chats or 4 way Video Chats or Screen Sharing (only Possibly with Buddies and not Contacts - although they may in fact be the same people)
IF you are iMessaging someone, you are using your Address Book and the Apple IDs and iPhone Numbers rather then their Screen Names (from the Blue iCon Drop Down > Contacts options as opposed to the Buddies option)
Uploaded with Skitch!
This does mean that although iMessaging extends contacts to iPhones and iPads it does not take with it all the other iChat Features with it.
However as you point out it does Synchronise those messages across those devices you use and the Messages Beta (A bit like iPhoto and PhotoStream)
The first release of the Messages beta allowed you to grab all the "history" of any Chat via Buddy List or Contact list.
So where I have iChats saved going back to 2004 with some Buddies these were all grabbed and put in the "Previous Chat" part of the Messages window and I could - eventually - scroll back to 2004.
Mostly it depends on what the chats are about as to whether you really want several years of "history" showing up.
Apple modified it based on most people seeming complaining about it rather than giving us an On and Off option.
Remind me what sort of Notifications you are getting ?
The settings in Messages menu > Preferences > Alerts can change the sounds linked to certain actions the app is doing.
10:38 PM Saturday; June 2, 2012
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"
 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.4)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.7.4),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Buddy can see me, but I can't see him

I'm trying to chat with a buddy who is staying in a hotel. We both have macs and isight cameras. He can see me and can see himself on his screen, but I can't see him - it's just a grey screen. Could it be the hotel connection, or is this an ichat problem?

hi theresap,
Welcome To The Apple Discussion Pages.
Most likely it is the Bandwidth of the Hotel.
It could be ports but this is less liekly as he can see you.
He should check System Preferences > Quicktime > Streaming tab > Streaming drop down and set it to 1.5Mb. It is likely that the hotel is at least at T1 speeds if not faster. If he is on Automatic iChat does not work properly and lower speed cap iChat as do the settings in iChat Preference > Video > Bandwidth Limit drop down. This should be set to NONE.
8:24 PM Friday; March 24, 2006

I Can Video Chat but I Cannot see Buddy But I Can Hear Them, What Do I Do ?

I Can Connect with Video Chat but I Cannot see Buddy But I Can Hear Them, What Do I Do ?
kiChat ref (please)
For iChat 3 and iChat and iChat Sharing (iChat 4) Forums
This is for Mac users who are at either 10.4.11 or 10.5.6 and have Perian 1.1.3 Installed
It does not seem PCC or Intel Specific.
As Noted in the Question, the user can make a successful Video chat connection albeit without incoming Video being shown.
The Connection Doctor from iChat Video menu says there is a incoming feed.
Testing and work by Defcom proved this to be the Installation of Perian 1.1.3 from http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/video/perian_christopherforsythe.html
Perian 1.1.3 (a Quicktime add-on that uses a System Preferences like Flip4Mac) causes problems in both iChat versions when the OS is at either 10.4.11 or 10.5.6
This includes deliberate installs and automatic updates by the Preferences Panel (In System Preferences)
The Solution
Download and downgrade to Perian 1.1.2 and turn Off Auto Updates in the Preferences Panel
Process
Use the Un-install check box in the Perian Preference Pane panel.
Download the .dmg from this link WARNING THIS IS A DIRECT DOWNLOAD LINK http://perian.cachefly.net/Perian_1.1.2.dmg
Install Perian 1.1.2
Go to the System Preference > Perian pane and disable Automatic Updates
Happy Chatting
10:32 PM Saturday; April 4, 2009

I'm having this same problem, except i've been traveling and video chatting fine, not that i'm finally home i'm trying to vid chat with my friend in america and same deal, all i can see is myself and hear the other person.... and they can hear and see me fine.
both using mac osx
anyone got any ideas??

Ichat can't see buddy

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