IChat- iMac microphone?

I'm think about buying the 20" iMac (instead of the Mac Mini) for a few reasons but mostly because of the internal iSight camera. I looked at it in the Apple Store (in photobooth) and was quite impressed with the video quality. Of course I have no idea what it will look like on the other end, connected to someone through AIM or Skype since most of my contacts don't have iChat or iSight.
My question has to do with the audio. I see on the new iMac the built-in microphone is so tiny it's almost invisible!
What is the sound quality of this pinhole mic?
Would I be better served using a dedicated headphone with built-in mic (with mini jack) or a UBS free standing mic on the desk, or maybe a bluetooth mic set up?
What would you advise for best non-delay audio?
Also, can anyone here tell me what success they've had linking iChat to someone overseas using Skype or AIM?
Thanks, Panther

(could have sworn there was a post here that has been removed, anyway...)
To the gentleman demonstrating his rap talent using a so called 48-volt Phantom power condenser mic, unfortunately these do not work very well whilst plugged directly into any computer. Thank you for the demonstration.
There are very good condenser microphones that do work without any adapters or special cables. A fine example is the Samson CO1U USB studio condenser microphone. It would not be the first time that I have used Garageband to fulfill a special request, a moment like that requirers equipment that rises above the occasion. (you can plug it into any USB port>open iChat>Ready)
The built in microphone in your mac however will offer a competitive quality that will only be restricted by the other ends speaker(s). When I am conferencing I prefer to be seen "headset"/"big mic in the picture" free, and just talk directly to the other person like he/she is in front of me. One learns to appreciate this mac feature. (Tell the other end: "You look so busy").
Hope this answers part of your question, I'm sure they wear headsets overseas but I have not tried myself.
Message was edited by: CodLBi

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Welcome to Apple Discussions.
You already have a truly Inspired response that is likely the solution to your problem.
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It seems that in Messages Beta you could create a "Start Date" if all old messages were removed from the iOS devices.
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9:39 PM Friday; September 7, 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

ISight microphone no longer available in Audio Preferences or iChat

I have an iSight camera that was working with my Mac Mini when I first got the camera. But somewhere along the line the microphone vanished from the list of audio sources available in the Audio Preferences, or iChat, or anywhere else.
The camera works fine.
I just can't access the microphone.
The camera and microphone itself work fine when plugged into another computer. I even sent the iSight back to Apple, but the one I got back has the same problem, so it's something about my machine or the software environment.
I have been upgrading my software regularly, but I don't recall any correlation between an upgrade and the microphone stopping working. However, since I wasn't using the iSight regularly I could have missed this.
I see the Apple_iSight and AppleFWAudio kexts loaded:
neds_mini:~ ned$ kextstat | egrep -i 'Fire|FW|isight'
32 6 0x2dd06000 0x43000 0x42000 com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily (2.0.9)
33 0 0x2dd6c000 0x1c000 0x1b000 com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI (2.5.2) <32 16 11>
67 2 0x329f4000 0x14000 0x13000 com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireAVC (1.8.1) <32 11>
69 1 0x32a37000 0x34000 0x33000 com.apple.driver.AppleFWAudio (1.1.3) <68 67 32 11>
80 0 0x3abb1000 0xa000 0x9000 com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP (1.3.4) <39 32 6 5 4 3 2>
101 0 0x3098a000 0x3000 0x2000 com.apple.driver.Apple_iSight (1.1.1) <32 16 11>
I have upgraded the firmware in the iSight. System Profiler reports:
iSight:
Manufacturer: Apple Computer, Inc.
Model: 0x8
GUID: 0xA270004000000
Maximum Speed: Up to 400 Mb/sec
Connection Speed: Up to 400 Mb/sec
Sub-units:
iSight Unit:
Unit Software Version: 0x102
Unit Spec ID: 0xA02D
iSight Unit:
Unit Software Version: 0x10
Unit Spec ID: 0xA27
iSight Unit:
Unit Software Version: 0x11
Unit Spec ID: 0xA27
iSight Unit:
Unit Software Version: 0x12
Unit Spec ID: 0xA27
Product Revision Level: 1.0.3
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Mac Mini Mac OS X (10.4.5)

... the microphone vanished from the
list of audio sources available in the Audio
Preferences, or iChat, or anywhere
else.Does that really mean that
when iSight is plugged in it is not an available
choice in the System Preferences... > Sound >
Input device list?
Yes, that's correct. The iSight is not visible in the System Preferences... > Sound > Input device list.
If so you may have a faulty Firewire cable.
I don't think so, because:
* This iSight works fine -- video and audio -- on another machine.
* The video and audio travels over the same data lines in the Firewire cable, and the video works fine. Cable problems would affect both audio and video.
Does "or iChat" mean, when iChat AV is the active app
and iSight is plugged in, that "iSight Built-in" is
not available in the iChat > Preferences... >
Video > Microphone: Choices Bar?
Yes, that's correct. The iSight doesn't appear in that list of choices.
When iSight is plugged in and iChat AV is the active
app, is there a tick (check) mark next to iChat >
Video > Microphone Enabled ?
Yes, but the menu choice is greyed out.
What other apps are "anywhere else": iMovie,
QuickTime Pro, what? Please list all apps you know
have the problem.
iMovie HD: can record from iSight, but there is no audio.
Garage Band: iSight is not available among the choices of audio inputs.
AU Lab (in Developer Tools): iSight is not available among the choices of audio inputs.
If you have added anything new to your Mac, consider
Possible hardware or software
conflicts.
Aren't there useful diagnostic logs somewhere? I'm used to copious debug output (from drivers, especially) when problems occur on my Linux systems. Is there somewhere to turn up the verbosity of the debug messages?
I sometimes get the feeling that the Mac is trying to hide important details about problems from me, and treating me like a baby. I mean, I have and know how to use a kernel debugger (though not yet on the Mac), oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers; I should be able to get the information I need to diagnose problems, rather than trying shotgun solutions.
If you haven't kept your Mac OS X maintenance up to
date, try that now.
I have repaired permissions; I will try a disk repair although I have no reason to believe that there are any file system problems (again, there are no debug messages in the logs that would indicate something like that).
Consider applying the 10.4.5 Combo Updater using the
method in How I Update My Mac OS X.
I'll try this too.
If you do not get help here or in Mac mini
Discussions, my only remaining suggestion is that you
take your Mac mini, iSight, and Firewire cable for a
professional check by your Apple Service Tech.
My nearest Apple Service Tech is over 50 miles away.
I'd prefer to find a fix here if I could.
Thanks for your help,
Ned

How can I re-install ichat on my imac

I deleted ichat from my imac because ichat wouldn't let me log in. It kept telling me that I tried to sign in too many times so i had to wait a few minutes to re sign in.
I inserted the install dvd for my imac, when i go to optional installs and click on the applications folder Ichat is unable to be selected. I can check off all other applications except IChat.
Does anyone know what else I can do?

Hi,
The Message from AIM about Logging in too many times can be waited out (there is little else that can be done)
If it is happening continually then you need to look at you Network and whether it is maintaining enough of a "Always On" presence.
Wifi Network can suffer micro breaks that cause Buffering in downloads but not complete loss of connection plus delay in going to new pages in a Browser or delays in fetching new mail.
However iChat and Messages in Mountain Lion require an "Always On" connection.
Your Process so far seems to be correct.
Insert Appropriate DVD
Select Optional Installs
Launch the Optional Installs Package.
Select iChat.
Your Specs say OS X 10.6.8 which is Snow Leopard.
This is the correct method and seems to tie up with what you are seeing.
Lion and Mountain Lion need you to do the Restore Process. (it is like Archive and Install was but uses Apple's On Line store to get the Software).
I can see that Lion (if this method was an option) might have issues if the Messages Beta had been installed but you are using Snow Leopard.
I cannot think why it might not allow iChat.
I would do PRAM reset as a first option.
Shut down the computer.
Restart it holding down Apple/CMD ( or ⌘)+ALT( ⌥)+P+R Keys until you have heard three Start Up Bongs.
8:59 PM Tuesday; February 5, 2013
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"
 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

After years of owning all things Mac, I am finally trying to use iChat, and can't get it to work. I see my buddy, but all I can do is send a message--the video and audio chat icons are gray, as is inviting to a video chat under Buddies.

After years of owning all things Mac, I am finally trying to use iChat, and can't get it to work. I am using gmail, and I see my buddy (no camera icon next to her name), but all I can do is send a message--the video and audio chat icons are gray, as is inviting to a video chat under Buddies. My buddy has the same problem as I. We are able to do video chat through gmail, but I had hoped to use iChat. I am using OS 10.6.8, iChat v. 5.0.3. What am I missing?

HI,
iChat will Video chat to another iChat in a Jabber Buddy List (Google run a Jabber server for GoogleTalk)
However it will not Video to the Web Page login to iGoogle or the Web Mail Page login. (where people can Google Chat as it were in a Web Browser).
Nor does it video to the Google Talk Stand alone app for PCs or any other Jabber apps on any platform.
iChat uses a connection Process called SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) which is also used by other VoIP devices.
Jabber/XMPP invited the Jingle Protocol for Jabber Applications.
Google have included this in their Standalone app and the Plug-in for Web Browsers on both PCs and Mac (you can get this as a Standalone Plug-in or as part of Chrome)
More on this here This article has been changed several time in the recent months. It now claims a greater involvement by Google in writing the Jingle Library (Although now Google's version does not work with the others)
This tends to mean that using the web Login to Google to Chat also cannot video chat to other Jabber apps that are using Jingle.
If your Buddy is using iChat then check the Video Menu has two items to Enable Camera/Video chat and Microphone/Audio chats are ticked.
In the View Menu the Show Status Items should be ticked (Selecting them toggles the tick and the function On or Off)
It could be Internet speed but at this stage I would doubt this at this stage.
10:27 PM Saturday; January 21, 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

IChat- iMac microphone?

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