Help: iChat saying 'This computer does not support video chats'

idrewuk · Jun 10, 2010, 12:15 PM

Hey all,

I just logged into iChat and noticed the green icon is only a telephone symbol, not the usual video.

So I go into Preferences > Audio/Video and the video preview is now a white box with the text, 'This computer does not support video chat'.

It's a brand new MacBook Pro, iChat has been working fine up to this point. I re-started and still the same message.

Anybody know what might be wrong? And, how I can fix it?

JediMeister · Jun 10, 2010, 07:24 PM

Test the iSight camera with other applications like Photo Booth or iMovie. Does it work in either? How about if you go to System Profiler and select USB under Hardware on the left. Does the iSight appear under USB High-Speed bus? If it doesn't work in iChat, Photo Booth, or iMovie, you may want to try an SMC reset.

dsprimal · Jun 10, 2010, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JediMeister

Test the iSight camera with other applications like Photo Booth or iMovie. Does it work in either? How about if you go to System Profiler and select USB under Hardware on the left. Does the iSight appear under USB High-Speed bus? If it doesn't work in iChat, Photo Booth, or iMovie, you may want to try an SMC reset.

talking about imovie, ichat and photo booth. is the quality of the camera different from each other? for example, on facebook when i post videos direct from the video button on the site, the quality is so crappy (cubes galore all over the play back video). in photo booth the quality seems superb. in skype, my friends have told me the quality of my cam is amazing. and i just checked out imovie for the first time and the quality seems even MORE detailed then photo booth. is this true??

JediMeister · Jun 10, 2010, 11:40 PM

@dsprimal: I'm not able to tell the difference between a video recorded with iMovie vs. Photo Booth honestly. It doesn't make sense to me that they would save files of different resolutions/quality...

idrewuk · Jun 11, 2010, 07:29 AM

It does work with PhotoBooth just fine. Which makes it all the more confusing.

Any ideas?

rKunda · Jun 11, 2010, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by idrewuk

It does work with PhotoBooth just fine. Which makes it all the more confusing.

Any ideas?

Do you have any other programs that access the camera open? If you do (like photo booth) close it.

I don't know if that's the case, though.

idrewuk · Jun 11, 2010, 08:06 AM

Nah, nothing else is open... I literally start up my computer, open iChat and the telephone symbol is there, not the camera one. If I open Preferences, it still gives me the same 'not supported' message.

This is doing my head in!

JediMeister · Jun 11, 2010, 11:19 AM

Well, the good news is that it sounds like a software issue with iChat. If it works with Photo Booth there's no need to do that reset I provided instructions for. The next thing you need to isolate if it's an issue with the settings and configuration for iChat or if it's the actual application itself that's gone wonky.

To test this out you need to create a test user account (on the computer) and re-establish your AIM/Jabber/MobileMe screen name on that other account. If it works in another account its likely the iChat preferences within ~/Library/Preferences/. If it doesn't work in another account you need to reinstall iChat, which I believe is an optional install on your OS X install DVD. Just be sure to remove the iChat.app from /Applications before you try to reinstall, and also to customize the install so you don't waste time reinstalling something that you already have and is working normally.

Lord Vader · Jun 11, 2010, 11:42 AM

Open Terminal and paste this:

defaults write com.apple.iChat newbwdup 300000

press enter.

CarlizzleRose · Jul 10, 2010, 11:56 PM

I have this problem too! If anyone has a solution, I would really like to know.

superzita33 · Mar 20, 2011, 04:25 PM

Lord Vader...I know this is half a year later, but- thanks for the advice, you rule! working isight

zodiakp · Oct 29, 2012, 08:29 AM

Lord Vader: I know its been long time since some has posted on this topic, but I have been looking for the solution and I just found it. Thanks alot. it worked like charm

georgenx · Nov 15, 2012, 07:29 AM

Restart with the internet disconnected. This has resolved my problem a few times. the bug thats in there is to do with a sharing issue.

Jun 10, 2010, 12:15 PM	#1
idrewuk macrumors member Join Date: Aug 2008	Help: iChat saying 'This computer does not support video chats' Hey all, I just logged into iChat and noticed the green icon is only a telephone symbol, not the usual video. So I go into Preferences > Audio/Video and the video preview is now a white box with the text, 'This computer does not support video chat'. It's a brand new MacBook Pro, iChat has been working fine up to this point. I re-started and still the same message. Anybody know what might be wrong? And, how I can fix it?
	0

Jun 11, 2010, 11:42 AM	#9
Lord Vader macrumors 6502a Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Death Star	Open Terminal and paste this: defaults write com.apple.iChat newbwdup 300000 press enter. __________________ I never said that, and you're misquoting me ... or somebody is, but I'm gonna get to the bottom of it.
	0

Oct 29, 2012, 08:29 AM	#12
zodiakp macrumors newbie Join Date: Oct 2011	Thank you Lord Vader: I know its been long time since some has posted on this topic, but I have been looking for the solution and I just found it. Thanks alot. it worked like charm
	0

Nov 15, 2012, 07:29 AM	#13
georgenx macrumors newbie Join Date: Mar 2008	Restart with the internet disconnected Restart with the internet disconnected. This has resolved my problem a few times. the bug thats in there is to do with a sharing issue.
	0

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Jun 10, 2010, 07:24 PM	#2
JediMeister macrumors 68040 Join Date: Oct 2008	Test the iSight camera with other applications like Photo Booth or iMovie. Does it work in either? How about if you go to System Profiler and select USB under Hardware on the left. Does the iSight appear under USB High-Speed bus? If it doesn't work in iChat, Photo Booth, or iMovie, you may want to try an SMC reset.
	0

Jun 10, 2010, 11:40 PM	#4
JediMeister macrumors 68040 Join Date: Oct 2008	@dsprimal: I'm not able to tell the difference between a video recorded with iMovie vs. Photo Booth honestly. It doesn't make sense to me that they would save files of different resolutions/quality...
	0

Jun 11, 2010, 07:29 AM	#5
idrewuk Thread Starter macrumors member Join Date: Aug 2008	It does work with PhotoBooth just fine. Which makes it all the more confusing. Any ideas?
	0

Jun 11, 2010, 08:06 AM	#7
idrewuk Thread Starter macrumors member Join Date: Aug 2008	Nah, nothing else is open... I literally start up my computer, open iChat and the telephone symbol is there, not the camera one. If I open Preferences, it still gives me the same 'not supported' message. This is doing my head in!
	0

Jun 11, 2010, 11:19 AM	#8
JediMeister macrumors 68040 Join Date: Oct 2008	Well, the good news is that it sounds like a software issue with iChat. If it works with Photo Booth there's no need to do that reset I provided instructions for. The next thing you need to isolate if it's an issue with the settings and configuration for iChat or if it's the actual application itself that's gone wonky. To test this out you need to create a test user account (on the computer) and re-establish your AIM/Jabber/MobileMe screen name on that other account. If it works in another account its likely the iChat preferences within ~/Library/Preferences/. If it doesn't work in another account you need to reinstall iChat, which I believe is an optional install on your OS X install DVD. Just be sure to remove the iChat.app from /Applications before you try to reinstall, and also to customize the install so you don't waste time reinstalling something that you already have and is working normally.
	0

Jul 10, 2010, 11:56 PM	#10
CarlizzleRose macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2010	I have this problem too! If anyone has a solution, I would really like to know.
	0

Mar 20, 2011, 04:25 PM	#11
superzita33 macrumors newbie Join Date: Mar 2011	Lord Vader...I know this is half a year later, but- thanks for the advice, you rule! working isight
	0


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