Problem with Video Chatting

[Zwhaler]

Ok, my friend just got a MacBook (Middle Model) and he absolutely loves, he is fresh off the boat from PC land and couldn't be happier. There is one problem though. Me and my other friend (who owns an iMac like mine) tried to video chat with him, and we were both unsuccessful. I can chat with my iMac friend fine, and neither of us can talk to our friend with the MacBook. He is on a wireless connection, and whenever we try to chat a message comes up in the video screen that says: "There is insufficient bandwith to maintain the chat" Also, the familiar window pops up that says "A communication error was encountered while trying to chat", or something of that nature. Any ideas? I really want my friend to get the entire Mac experience. Thanks.

By the way, we are both using iChat to video chat, and both of our cameras work properly. Also, both of our internet connections are fine.

[aristobrat]

I wonder why you guys would have gotten a bandwidth message.

How fast is his Internet connection?

[Zwhaler]

I just talked to him and he said it is comcast. I assume it is cable, so it should be working.

[aristobrat]

I doubt this is it, but anytime I've gotten communication error messages with iChat that made no sense, I COMMAND-Q'ed iChat and launched it again.

[Zwhaler]

I doubt this is it, but anytime I've gotten communication error messages with iChat that made no sense, I COMMAND-Q'ed iChat and launched it again.

Yeah I told him to try that, and to restart his computer, and now it still won't work, but for a new reason.
Now it says "Zach did not respond" Instead of the bandwith message (im zach) and I am responding so somthing is fishy.

[Zwhaler]

Heres another thing. My friend who has the problem said he went on another forum and one guy said he needs to change his "streaming tab speed" and then to restart iChat. Anyone know how to do this?

[aristobrat]

If you go into the iChat preferences, on the Video tab, there's a place at the bottom to limit bandwidth. Wonder if that's what if that's what it's called in this version of iChat?

[Zwhaler]

I just tried the bandwith thing, his and mine were already set to "none" and then I tried with him and mine both at 2mbps, and then it gave the bandwith error again.

[ebouwman]

sounds like you need to limit the quality of the webcam so it takes less bandwidth, i'm not sure if you can actually do that, or if u can using that streaming tab thing.
Another thing that might help is to make sure that your not using the internet for anything else other than that iChat conversation.

[aristobrat]

I wonder if he could hit this site and see what the connection speed to his computer is?

http://www.speedtest.net/

[smueboy]

I've had the "A communication error was encountered...." error while trying to video chat over DSL at my parents house. But at home over cable it works fine. I would say that something is limiting the bandwidth, or there is interference or something - it doesn't seem that it takes much to disrupt it.

[Zwhaler]

His download speed is between 500 and 1000 depending where he is in the house. My iMac is at 5000. Also, whenever I send the invitation, it says there is insufficent bandwith. When he sends the invitation, it says that I did not respond. Weird....

[aristobrat]

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301050

That article shows that a 640x480 video iChat requires 900kbps. If he's only getting 500-1000, ... ouch ....

I'd have him knock the bandwidth setting in iTunes down to 100 or 200 and see how that goes. It should be a smaller video screen if it works, but that's better than nothing. I think. :)

[OttawaGuy]

have him test appleu3test01@mac.com
appleu3test02@mac.com
appleu3test03@mac.com

[Zwhaler]

So do you think that his connection is the problem? I think it is.

[aristobrat]

Yeah. If a regular video iChat needs 900 and he's only getting between 500 and 1000, ...

Did he try bumping the bandwidth down to 100 or 200? That's well under the 500 he sometimes gets.

[Zwhaler]

I tried that. We both set ours to 100, with no luck.

[aristobrat]

That sucks. :( Tell him to move closer to his wireless router. I can't imagine a Comcast cable plan that's *that* slow. :)

[smueboy]

Tell him to try plugging in, rather than wireless, as that may be the limiting factor...

[Zwhaler]

He tried plugging it in, it got like 5% faster and still didnt work. Hes gonna come to my house tomorrow and try it because I have fast internet.