Sound in video chat

When using video chat my friend can hear me but I can't hear her. We're both using macs. After this happened, she brought her computer to the apple store where they checked it and said it wasn't a problem on her side. I've looked at the solutions that have helped other people with this problem but none worked. Nothing is muted, input and output are fine. I did the connection doctor and everything was ok. I also tried switching the port. We can both hear each other on skype and all my software seems up to date. How do I fix this?

Hi,
Welcome to the  Discussions
Did you see the Recent Users Tips Above the Post New Topic Button ?
Did you happen to read the title of the first one ?
Ralph Johns (UK) - kiChat With Video Chat I can hear my Buddy but cannot see them. What to do? (May 2, 2009)
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1994557
It links to here http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1994557
8:52 PM Sunday; July 12, 2009
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"
Message was edited by: Ralph Johns (UK)

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No sound when video chatting - 'microphone enabled' grayed-out during chat

Recently, whenever I video chat there is no sound on the other end. 'Microphone enabled' is grayed out. It is not grayed-out when I am not video chatting. All sound preferences appear to be set correctly. This problem just appeared recently.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Bob

Hi
Would tend to work towards deleting that file as part of a process.
The original reply was quite long in the first place and trying to incorporate more "If that does not work... " statements I felt would only make it more confusing.
com.apple.ichat.plist
This holds all the info in the iChat Preferences except the Accounts pane stuff.
It also holds the results of a hardware check at each iChat Launch which includes checking the Internet Speed available and re-writing the .plist accordingly.
The Hardware Check also reads some info from the System Profiler info (at least the same places System Profiler gathers it's info).
This means if the System Profiler would not be able to "See" a Mic or a camera then any App cannot either.
Some of this info is held in the PRAM memory as are some volume settings and resetting the PRAM may have helped.
The reason I hold off suggesting the Deletion of the .plist is that it does hold so much info especially if you have changed the settings:-
Any Changes to the Font, it's colour, the background of the IM colour in Messages.
As Messages also show you any Background Pic you have for Text chats that gets deleted even though set in a Menu item
The Overrides of incoming IMs
Save Transcripts and and sub items
Which Mic is selected in the Drop down in the Video Section. Same for Output choices if you have them (and cameras if you have two attached).
The Menu Bar icon and it's sub items in the General section.
Changing to Available at iChat Launch.
In the alerts section anything you have set to a Different sound or to have an Apple Script activated.
As the above can be set individually in the Buddy list (Highlight a Buddy and then do a Get Info (CMD+I keys) and Alert tab) you also lose those settings.
Several menu choices such as Enabling Screen Sharing (Video Menu) and the Show items in the View Menu, plus the Message style (Sub menu item in the View Menu).
These are what I consider to be the more important changes/losses deleting the .plist involves as I have changes in most of them.
Obviously not everyone does the same and the effect for you may be less involved.
It is hard to pinpoint the .plist itself as the item that is corrupt as it reads so many things from other sources.
It is possible that it is not getting written to after an update for some reason.
Upgrading from Leopard to Snow Leopard can leave some iChat 4 info in there. Mostly these are just floating bits of info at this point, but can contain the path to reading something that got moved in the OS Upgrade.
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There have been no updates to iChat since OS 10.6.3 when it got updated to iChat version 5.0.3 so I don't see it as an "update" issue.
Summary.
It can be anything that causes it.
Of any changes to the OS then an Upgrade may be more likely.
Deleting the .plist is best reserved as a last resort as it holds so much info about settings you may have changed.
I have given you a list of many of the things that get changed.
It is most likely caused by some other info that the .plist has read into it by the iChat Launch.
Hope this explains things a bit further.
That's not to say that sometimes someone may post with enough info and clues to what they have done so far to suggest deleting it straight off.
8:41 PM Saturday; January 15, 2011
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

Sound in video chat using external iSight stops

Hi,
I've been having sound problems in video chats. I start a video chat with no problem, but if I stop and then start a new video chat, or use the effects or something of that nature, the sound will no longer work. Turning the camera off and then back on does not solve the problem, nor does quitting iChat and starting up again. And not even restarting the computer. Sometimes the sound doesn't even work from the beginning of a chat. But usually the first time I use iChat in a day, the sound will work for a while.
I've tried all the different preference settings, volume settings, repaired permissions, etc. to no avail. The video is fine, and I can hear the other person, but my microphone won't work.
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Hi,
You loosely mention Preferences.
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Does this match the devices selected in iChat Menu > Preferences > Audio/Video Section > Microphone Drop Down ?
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Does it stay ticked ?
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Severely distorted mic sound in video chat

Hello,
I am running video chat (http://chatroulette.com/). Some users are complaining that other users hear them in a distorted way.
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Here are examples of feedback I receive from users:
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I used to have no problems talking with other people on Chatroulette, but now people say I sound like "darth vader" and that my sound is severely distorted. I am using a Macbook ProOSX version 10.6.8 and I have tried updating my flash player, playing around with the sounds on preferences, along with other things and nothing works. Is there something I should be doing to fix the problem?
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I have posted this bug to Adobe BugBase here:
https://bugbase.adobe.com/index.cfm?event=bug&id=3321914

This worked for me!
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Type “about:plugins” (without quotation marks) into the address bar at the top of a Chrome browser window.
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Find the “Flash” (or “Shockwave Flash”) listing for the system plug-in on the page and click the corresponding “Enable” button. To identify the system plug-in, see the table of plug-in filenames above.
Close all Chrome windows and restart the browser.
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/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/Flash Player.plugin
plug in!
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Since firefox upgraded to to 3.6 version, google video chat no longer works - freezes and sound is distorted.

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== This happened ==
Not sure how often
== firefox upgraded

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I looked through a good amount of pages and didn't see anything on this but..
my boyfriend and i chat through ichat and we both have the same macbook. when we video chat there is this horrible ringing noise. sometimes it comes and goes, but sometimes its unbearable. anyone know how to fix this? any help would be appreciated

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Alternatively try headsets.
Or USB External Mics.
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If the Laptop is placed on anything it should leave the largest possible area clear for cooling under the laptop (support at corners only). Try those double sided sponge sticky things without removing the backing strips.
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I just wanted to follow this up by saying that you were entirely correct in your diagnosis of the situation. My computer did have the faulty part you linked to. I brought my laptop in and specifically told them to run that test, had it fail and then argued with the person at the genius bar and the manager. Eventually they offered to have it sent out and have everything replaced for free of charge. They did so mainly because I had complained about graphical issues almost every other time I had come in with problems and no one ran the test. They should have caught this problem during my warranty, but they didn't, even though I mentioned the problem.
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Sounds disabled while in Video Chat

I use video chat just about every day... but I still chit-chat with others at the same time, when video chat is active, the IM sending/receiving sounds are disabled by iChat, is there a way to re-enable them, I can't seem to figure it out.

My apologies. I understand what you are saying now.
I have two computers sat on my desk.
One is Running Tiger and the other is running Leopard.
Although they have different Screen Names I do have some of the same Buddies in both Buddy Lists. So I have been hearing the sounds when people come and go whilst in Video chat not realising that what you siad about Leopard was in fact the case.
I tested my calling myself and turning down the vol on the Tiger computer and then logging out of AIM (As the Video Chats are Peer to Peer you can do this)
As the Leopard computer also signs me as Away if I leave it for too long I have the coming and leaving sounds all the time and had not noticed.
Sounds like time for http://www.apple.com/feedback/ichat.html again.
Unfortunately this page often suffers from being behind on the OS level
It is certainly behind on the iChat version level despite several prompts by me to the Hosts to pass onward.
You have to enter this info with your Text.
9:00 PM Tuesday; December 18, 2007

Video chat sound

when i am video chatting people i can hear them but they cannot hear me, and they are not on mute. PLease help!

Hi nshrem,
Go to these three places.
System Preferences > Sound > Input tab
in this one the Input device needs to be selected and the volume moved upwards (right) so that when you talk the blue bar gets at least 3/4 of the way across.
In iChat > Preferences > Video Section > Microphone drop down
This should have the same Microphone selected as in System preferences and you should see a green bar move when you talk.
Also check in the iChat > Video menu that Microphone Enabled is ticked.
2:21 PM Thursday; March 22, 2007

Whoever starts video chat 1st gets to hear audio, other person: no sound?

Weird issue:
Person A: 24" iMac, 10.6.1 Snow Leopard, iChat 5, built in iSight and Mic
Person B: MacBook Pro, 10.6.1 Snow Leopard, iChat 5, built in iSight and Mic
Problem:
Person A starts a video chat with Person B. Person B answers and sees video and hears the audio from person A. However, Person A can not hear Person B, but can see the video.
Vice Vera.
Person B starts a video chat with A. B can see and hear A, but A can not hear B, only see them.
Obviously, I've check the audio settings on both ends and that is not the issue as the mics and speakers are working, its just they only work depending on who STARTS the video chat?
Any ideas?
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A successful chat depends on several things.
Your Processor speed, what the processor is doing and your Internet Speed with normally the Upload being the controlling factor.
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So lets say your processor is a Core 2 Duo and can do 64 Bit but it is an early Model and you have a web Browser and mail open.
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The Processor also has to deal with the incoming Video feed.
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If they have a better Processor and a better Upload speed they can send you more data than iChat can buffer (or at least organise in to a constant stream).
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11:38 AM Sunday; October 25, 2009
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

Video chat does not work.

Ive read countless posts and mine sounds about the same as everyone else's except one thing.
I just bought a brand new Macbook last week. I do not have a .Mac account so I use my AIM screen name. My boyfriend also has a brand new Macbook but his is a Macbook Pro. I do not know alot of about internet connections and all of that but we both have wireless. He uses 'linksys' and I use a connection that is set under my last name. This is the thing that is different from everyone else. Every post Ive read, people are using linksys. When I try to switch to linksys, I lose my connection so I figure I should just keep using the connection under my last name. My mom also has wireless internet in her computer but she uses a dell.
ANYWAY, the point is I cannot start a videochat with my boyfriend. He is able to connect with everyone else but me. When I try to start a video chat it says that I didn't respond, same goes for when he sends the invite.
If you need any more info, I would be happy to attempt to give it to you. I am not a pro with this Macbook because I have used a PC for about 10 years.

Hi 1956x,
It sounds like you are reading somewhere in System preferences > Network and possibly a Location setting in the first drop down.
After that if that guess is right you will ned to tell us more about the IP addresses and settings in the TCP/IP tab and what the device your computer is connected to ?
If that is a Linksys router we could do with knonwing how many computers are connected to the device and what modem it is connected as well.
We may need more info on the modem set up as well.
Like this info http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=527902
10:49 PM Tuesday; June 27, 2006

HELP !! Trying to video chat with a friend I haven't seen in 23 years.

I'm getting the "insufficient bandwidth" error when trying video or audio chat. PowerMac on my end, new iMac on the other end. My friend has successfully done video chat with a friend overseas so it seems that her end is fine. I do have a Linksys WRT54GS (ver 2.0) router and have read a lot about the issues there.
Here's my situation. First of all, when I video conf from my PowerMac to my iMac over our home network (Linksys router), no problems at all. Video and audio are great. I know it's different when going outside my home, but at least that is working. What I'm trying first is just disconnecting the router altogether and running my cable modem direct to the PowerMac. I have not had the chance to test this with a "live" chat partner. I've used "[email protected]" and the video works but no audio (does this mean anything?). In fact, I get the same result whether I go through the Linksys router or direct to the cable modem using this test.
I've done the following so far:
1. Bypassed the Linksys and going direct to the cable modem (I'm going to keep it this way until I get it to work, then I'll mess around with the router).
2. Set streaming preference for Quicktime to 1.5Mbps.
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In case it's helpful to anyone, my iChatAV video chat appears to work just fine going through my Linksys WRT54GS v2.0 (with latest firmware upgrade) with no special settings for port openings or the like. In addition, the Linksys firewall is enabled (but not the Mac's firewall). The only change I made was to set Quicktime streaming at 1.5Mbps versus Automatic. However, I was not able to do an adequte test before I made this change, only after, so I don't know if this setting was necessary.

How can I do video chat with my PC friends on MSN messenger?

Well I posted this in the iChat area, but theres almost no traffic there, hoping for a better response here
I just got my iMac today and was hoping to do some video chats with family members. I can't figure out how to video chat with them since MSN messenger is not Mac compatable. Does anyone know of a program I can use on my Mac to video chat with MSN messenger users?
*I was able to use aMSN for video, but there was NO sound so that basically defeated the purpose...

Hi
Have just replied to your iChat post:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=4577049#4577049 where I've posted a link to Mercury Messenger, that might work.
Steve

Sound in video chat

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