iChat - horrible video quality on a MacBook Pro

[mekintosz]

Hi!

I have three laptops at home

- Early 2011 MacBook Pro 15" Hi-Res Antiglare with 2GHz i7, 8GB of RAM, 6490m, 120GB Vertex3 SSD and OSX 10.7.2

- Late 2006 MacBook Pro 15" with 2.33GHz C2D, 2.5GB of RAM, X1600XT with 256MB VRAM and 320GB HDD and OSX 10.6.8

- Revision E PowerBook G4 Hi-Res 1.67GHz with 128MB of VRAM, 2GB RAM, 120GB HDD, external iSight and OSX 10.4.11

I was using the last two with iChat with totally no problem, but recently I started using the newest one and I have a big problem with the video quality.
Caliing from 2011MBP to PB G4 on my home ADSL (20Mbit down, 1.5Mbit up), I get a really good quality picture on MBP, but picture from the MBP itself is in really low resolution. The same situation happens if I call from PB to MBP - always the quality from MBP is awful. I was also caling the Late 2006MBP which my dad is using at work with 7.2Mbit HSDPA connection, and once again - I can see him really good, while he can see really blurry and pixelated picture, no matter who starts the call.

Just to illustrate:

LINK - this is how I can see myself on MacBook (the picture comes from PowerBook's external iSight).

LINK - and this is how I can see myself on the PowerBook (the picture comes from MacBook's FaceTime HD)
Oh, and obviously the "Bandwidth limit" in iChat's preferences is set to "None".

Anybody can help?

 

[mekintosz]

I'm bumping plus here's the log from iChat and it seems to be just fine which makes things even more complicated:

180222.772104 -registerForHardwareNotification: 1 devices
180222.780837 ER_AddFilter (0): Adding [Artur Ziejewski@127.0.0.1]->[0]
180222.780866 setLocalUserName: Artur Ziejewski@127.0.0.1
180222.785771 Default video size is (640 x 480)
180222.789544 H264: (640 x 480) @ 30 fps
180222.791225 H264: (320 x 240) @ 30 fps
180222.792963 H263: (352 x 288) @ 30 fps
180222.793847 H263: (176 x 144) @ 30 fps
180222.793909 ######################################
180222.793914 # SoundDec_Create(16000 --> 3) #
180222.793918 ######################################
180222.819511 Leaving SoundDec_Create
180222.822509 Audio Unit Parameter List = 7, result = 0
180222.822527 CurrentFormatmSampleRate       44100.000000
180222.822535 CurrentFormatmFormatID         lpcm
180222.822538 CurrentFormatmFormatFlags      0x00000029
180222.822541 CurrentFormatmBytesPerPacket   4
180222.822544 CurrentFormatmFramesPerPacket  1
180222.822547 CurrentFormatmBytesPerFrame    4
180222.822550 CurrentFormatmChannelsPerFrame 2
180222.822552 CurrentFormatmBitsPerChannel   32
180222.822555 OurFormatmSampleRate       16000.000000
180222.822559 OurFormatmFormatID         lpcm
180222.822561 OurFormatmFormatFlags      0x00000029
180222.822564 OurFormatmBytesPerPacket   4
180222.822567 OurFormatmFramesPerPacket  1
180222.822569 OurFormatmBytesPerFrame    4
180222.822572 OurFormatmChannelsPerFrame 1
180222.822574 OurFormatmBitsPerChannel   32
180222.822581 Reached err = 4294956417, 459
180222.822585 Reached err = 4294956417, 467
180222.823829 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_INIT, from: VC_INVALID
180222.823866 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_IDLE, from: VC_INIT
180222.823878 ++++++++++ confStatusMapRemoveAll
180222.823883 ( ) -- mapUserIDToSecurityInfo cleared --
180222.824532 dispatch_CommNATProc
180222.827101 VCDelegate conforms to VideoConferenceDelegate protocol.
180222.827106 VTPRecvProc thread(255393792) started...
180222.827299 SIPManager init with protocol: 0.
180222.827990 183 routing table entries found.
180222.828005 IPv4 DEFAULT route, if_idx:4
180222.828393 1 interfaces found.
180222.828462 VTP set fd(10) buf size send[9216->225000] recv[42080->225000]
180222.828540 Start listening on 192.168.1.101:16402(en1) sock 100
180222.828553 1 valid interfaces found.
180222.828591 Transport(UDP) Thread start...
180222.828813 183 routing table entries found.
180222.828821 IPv4 DEFAULT route, if_idx:4
180222.829219 Transport checking map for interface = en1, port = 16402
180222.829253 [0]Creating a port mapping from on interface 0 from external port 56919 to local port16402...
180222.829399 TPListen on port 16402
180222.829449 dispatch_AcquireSNATMAPConfigurationProc
180222.873822 Found 1 cameras:
180222.873880      FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in) - 0xfa20000005ac8509 (0x101, 0x504)
180222.873911 selectedCamera: no camera has been set yet.
180222.873934 selectCameraByGUID: 0xfa20000005ac8509 (0x101) returned 0
180222.873943 selectCameraWithCMIODeviceID: 0x101 returned 1
180222.884792 Microphone devices:
180222.885338     Internal microphone
180222.885818     Line In
180222.886709 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180222.886897 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180222.887383 Selected mic: Built-in Microphone / imic
180222.956058 Found 1 cameras:
180222.956120      FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in) - 0xfa20000005ac8509 (0x101, 0x504)
180222.956155 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180222.956174 selectCameraByGUID: 0xfa20000005ac8509 (0x101) returned 0
180222.956181 selectCameraWithCMIODeviceID: 0x101 returned 1
180222.956493 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180222.956748 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180222.957159 Selected mic: Built-in Microphone / imic
180222.964218 in callback
180222.964233 -sdRef 0x7f829c07ef70 ?
180222.964238 -flags = 00000000
180222.964288 -IFIndex en1 ?
180222.964295 -errorCode == 00000000
180222.964302 -publicAddr == 77.254.241.55
180222.964307 -proto == 16
180222.964311 -privPort == 16402
180222.964316 -publPort == 56919
180222.964320 -ttl == 7200
180222.978892 SNATMAP Configuration: snatmap.mac.com:5678
180223.247621 Found 1 cameras:
180223.247753      FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in) - 0xfa20000005ac8509 (0x101, 0x504)
180223.248347 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180223.248750 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180223.249203 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180223.251248 vcCapabilitiesOfCPU returns: 0x000f0fff
180223.251412 BWD: GotBandwidth: 859030/27090144 (up/down) @[101.1.168.192:0.255.255.255]
180223.251441 BWD bandwidth: 859 kbits up, 27090 kbits down.
180223.251448 videoNetworkCapable: 1 -- 3 max participants.
180223.251454 audioNetworkCapable: 1 -- 9 max participants.
180223.251460 Supports PCMU wideband for audio: 1 / video: 1
180223.253140 vcCapabilitiesOfNetwork returns: 0x000a0fff
180223.253156 vcCapabilitiesOfRouter returns: 0x00000000
180223.253161 vcCapabilities returns: 0x000a0fff
180223.253270 Found 1 cameras:
180223.253333      FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in) - 0xfa20000005ac8509 (0x101, 0x504)
180223.253831 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180223.254295 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180223.255187 Selected microphone is Internal microphone.
180223.256634 vcCapabilitiesOfCPU returns: 0x000f0fff
180223.256753 BWD: GotBandwidth: 859030/27090144 (up/down) @[101.1.168.192:0.255.255.255]
180223.256773 BWD bandwidth: 859 kbits up, 27090 kbits down.
180223.256779 videoNetworkCapable: 1 -- 3 max participants.
180223.256783 audioNetworkCapable: 1 -- 9 max participants.
180223.256788 Supports PCMU wideband for audio: 1 / video: 1
180223.258097 vcCapabilitiesOfNetwork returns: 0x000a0fff
180223.258108 vcCapabilitiesOfRouter returns: 0x00000000
180223.258113 vcCapabilities returns: 0x000a0fff
180223.259305 vcCapabilitiesOfCPU returns: 0x000f0fff
180223.259401 BWD: GotBandwidth: 859030/27090144 (up/down) @[101.1.168.192:0.255.255.255]
180223.259420 BWD bandwidth: 859 kbits up, 27090 kbits down.
180223.259424 videoNetworkCapable: 1 -- 3 max participants.
180223.259428 audioNetworkCapable: 1 -- 9 max participants.
180223.259432 Supports PCMU wideband for audio: 1 / video: 1
180223.260464 vcCapabilitiesOfNetwork returns: 0x000a0fff
180223.260472 vcCapabilitiesOfRouter returns: 0x00000000
180223.260476 vcCapabilities returns: 0x000a0fff
180223.260536 Found 1 cameras:
180223.260582      FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in) - 0xfa20000005ac8509 (0x101, 0x504)
180223.260925 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180223.261093 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180223.261396 Found 1 cameras:
180223.261439      FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in) - 0xfa20000005ac8509 (0x101, 0x504)
180223.261471 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180223.261492 selectCameraByGUID: 0xfa20000005ac8509 (0x101) returned 0
180223.261498 selectCameraWithCMIODeviceID: 0x101 returned 1
180223.261713 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180223.261932 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180223.262286 Selected mic: Built-in Microphone / imic
180223.262779 Found 1 cameras:
180223.262819      FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in) - 0xfa20000005ac8509 (0x101, 0x504)
180223.262850 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180223.262865 selectCameraByGUID: 0xfa20000005ac8509 (0x101) returned 0
180223.262871 selectCameraWithCMIODeviceID: 0x101 returned 1
180223.263061 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180223.263268 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180223.263699 Selected mic: Built-in Microphone / imic
180223.265072 vcCapabilitiesOfCPU returns: 0x000f0fff
180223.265168 BWD: GotBandwidth: 859030/27090144 (up/down) @[101.1.168.192:0.255.255.255]
180223.265185 BWD bandwidth: 859 kbits up, 27090 kbits down.
180223.265189 videoNetworkCapable: 1 -- 3 max participants.
180223.265192 audioNetworkCapable: 1 -- 9 max participants.
180223.265195 Supports PCMU wideband for audio: 1 / video: 1
180223.266107 vcCapabilitiesOfNetwork returns: 0x000a0fff
180223.266116 vcCapabilitiesOfRouter returns: 0x00000000
180223.266119 vcCapabilities returns: 0x000a0fff
180223.266186 Found 1 cameras:
180223.266224      FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in) - 0xfa20000005ac8509 (0x101, 0x504)
180223.266556 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180223.266869 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180223.267384 Selected microphone is Internal microphone.
180223.268405 vcCapabilitiesOfCPU returns: 0x000f0fff
180223.268486 BWD: GotBandwidth: 859030/27090144 (up/down) @[101.1.168.192:0.255.255.255]
180223.268500 BWD bandwidth: 859 kbits up, 27090 kbits down.
180223.268504 videoNetworkCapable: 1 -- 3 max participants.
180223.268508 audioNetworkCapable: 1 -- 9 max participants.
180223.268510 Supports PCMU wideband for audio: 1 / video: 1
180223.269428 vcCapabilitiesOfNetwork returns: 0x000a0fff
180223.269438 vcCapabilitiesOfRouter returns: 0x00000000
180223.269442 vcCapabilities returns: 0x000a0fff
180223.269509 Found 1 cameras:
180223.269552      FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in) - 0xfa20000005ac8509 (0x101, 0x504)
180223.269894 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180223.270162 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
180223.270672 Selected microphone is Internal microphone.
180237.831555 Comm reporting flags: 000000D0
180238.000450 CommNAT result:
External IP: xx.xxx.xxx.xx
External Ports: 16403, 16403, 16403
CNAT_BADTEST ....... 0
CNAT_ISFULLCONE .... 0
CNAT_ISPAT ......... 0
CNAT_ISPATHOST ..... 0
CNAT_TRYPRESERVE ... 1
CNAT_PATINORDER .... 0
CNAT_BLOCKIP ....... 1
CNAT_BLOCKPORT ..... 1
CNAT_LOOPBACK ...... 0
180238.001204 183 routing table entries found.
180238.001239 IPv4 DEFAULT route, if_idx:4

It's just the fact that on the other computers (PowerBook and MBP) the recived video's resolution is really low (like 80x80 pixels), while video res from them (or between them) is just fine

/EDIT

And here's the log after starting a conversation:

182016.843749 MULTIPOINT VC_API: startConferenceWithUserID: xxxxxx.xx
182016.843774 VC_API: startConferenceWithIndex: 0
182016.843814 Remote User Agent: Viceroy 1.2
182016.843831 Enable active bwd: 0
182016.843839 upstream_kbits = 2292, downstream_kbits = 2292
182016.844930 Local size: (640 x 480) @ 30 fps, based on bitrate: 2292
182016.845855 Best framerate not found. Downgraded to (160 x 120) @ 30 fps
182016.845866 Conference_SetBitrate: 2292000
182016.845872 SetBitrate from 2292000 to 2292000 - calculated (1339440)
182016.845876 Conference_SetFramerate: 30
182016.845879 Diffusion prefilter disabled
182016.845883 Temporal prefilter disabled
182016.845887 Enabled H264 post processing with mode: 1
182016.846967 Speaker: callback thread: STANDARD;  EXTENDED timeshare: 0;  PRECEDENCE importance: 17
182016.847007 Speaker: null device thread: STANDARD;  EXTENDED timeshare: 0;  PRECEDENCE importance: 17
182016.848383 =================== ActiveCount += 1
182016.848392 Conference_RecvThread start
182016.848403 setPeerToPeerInfoInMapForUserID: xxxxxx.xx, payload = 126, (160 x 120)
182016.848430 Set video format - payload: 126 size: (160 x 120) fComposite:0
182016.848438 SetBitrate from 2292000 to 2292000 - calculated (229040)
182016.848442 =========== StartTransmit!
182016.848445 ######################################
182016.848448 # SoundDec_Create(8000 --> 3) #
182016.848451 ######################################
182016.848589 Leaving SoundDec_Create
182016.848626 MediaQueueSendProc Thread start...
182016.851196 TRANSMIT to xxxxxx.xx: 192.168.1.107:16386:16384 hardwareframe:30 determinedframe: 30 key:-1 determinedbitrate: 2292
182016.851215 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_BUSY, from: VC_SIGNALED
182016.851230 AGC = 1
182016.851238 [[** MTHelper - Set_RemoteUserAgent]] [ConfIndex 0][CallID 1][RemoteUA = Viceroy 1.2][Non-SL]
182016.851244 MULTIPOINT VC_API: startConferenceWithUserID: xxxxxx.xx returns YES
182016.865222 vcCapabilitiesOfCPU returns: 0x000f0fff
182016.865336 BWD: GotBandwidth: 859030/27090144 (up/down) @[101.1.168.192:0.255.255.255]
182016.865350 BWD bandwidth: 859 kbits up, 27090 kbits down.
182016.865354 videoNetworkCapable: 1 -- 3 max participants.
182016.865358 audioNetworkCapable: 1 -- 9 max participants.
182016.865361 Supports PCMU wideband for audio: 1 / video: 1
182016.866260 vcCapabilitiesOfNetwork returns: 0x000a0fff
182016.866269 vcCapabilitiesOfRouter returns: 0x00004000
182016.866272 vcCapabilities returns: 0x000a4fff
182016.866358 Found 1 cameras:
182016.866412      FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in) - 0xfa20000005ac8509 (0x101, 0x504)
182016.866808 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
182016.867190 selectedCamera2 GUID returned FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
182016.867726 Selected microphone is Internal microphone.
182018.765401 RTP: recv started(AB4ACED7,AB4ACED7)
182018.765422 RTPTransport: need to wait for SRTP to init? (0/0)
182018.765430 [[** MTHelper - AudioPacketReceived with ConfIndex 0 ]  *************]
182018.814449 1076.006                                         silence: 2.0 frames
182018.831579 1076.023                                         silence: 1.0 frames
182018.923697 RTP: recv started(5CA83A6B,5CA83A6B)
182018.923748 RTPTransport: need to wait for SRTP to init? (0/0)
182018.923910 [[** MTHelper - VideoPacketReceived with ConfIndex 0 ]  *************]
182018.979968 [[** MTHelper - Frame Received with ConfIndex 0 ]  *************]
182018.980030 Decoding new stream: 352x288 'h263'
182020.459150 peakWeightIndex = 119
182020.924839 1078.116                                         -80   skip 128 -> 48
182021.323786 TANonInviteClientProc Thread end(0)...
182022.465309 peakWeightIndex = 35
182022.754502 RTPRexmitRTP rexmit packet (8426)
182022.754563 MQ_Rexmit iLastSN(00008428) wSN(8426) iSN(00008426)
182022.756569 Intra slice request from 0 - 160x120
182023.917722 1081.109                                         -80   skip 128 -> 48
182024.490638 peakWeightIndex = 35
182026.504643 peakWeightIndex = 69
182028.526069 peakWeightIndex = 35
182029.215899 Updating heartbeat from 192.168.1.107:5060 to 192.168.1.101:16402
182029.229892 1086.422                                         -80   skip 128 -> 48
182030.528157 peakWeightIndex = 35
182032.538916 peakWeightIndex = 35
182032.581413 RTPRexmitRTP rexmit packet (84D2)
182032.581440 MQ_Rexmit iLastSN(000084D4) wSN(84D2) iSN(000084D2)
182034.559770 peakWeightIndex = 35
182036.501844 Sending FIR(0)
182036.503966 Jitter Buffer Delta = 0.002126 secs
182036.578879 peakWeightIndex = 59
182038.606229 peakWeightIndex = 59
182040.608345 peakWeightIndex = 45

And its clearly visible here, that iChat downgrade the resolution down to 160x160 - just why? Why it suddenly shows so low connection speed and why it downgrades, while other clients on the other MBP and PB dont do that? Is there a way to force that?

 

[powerbooks]

You do realize that Apple quietly changed the built-in iSight camera, don't you? I think starting two or three years ago, when they changed the name to FaceTime or something, the camera resolution was reduced to VGA instead of early WGA I think......

I still prefer the external iSight FireWire on my Mac Mini any day to my MacBook Air built-in one.

Hi!

I have three laptops at home

- Early 2011 MacBook Pro 15" Hi-Res Antiglare with 2GHz i7, 8GB of RAM, 6490m, 120GB Vertex3 SSD and OSX 10.7.2

- Late 2006 MacBook Pro 15" with 2.33GHz C2D, 2.5GB of RAM, X1600XT with 256MB VRAM and 320GB HDD and OSX 10.6.8

- Revision E PowerBook G4 Hi-Res 1.67GHz with 128MB of VRAM, 2GB RAM, 120GB HDD, external iSight and OSX 10.4.11

I was using the last two with iChat with totally no problem, but recently I started using the newest one and I have a big problem with the video quality.
Caliing from 2011MBP to PB G4 on my home ADSL (20Mbit down, 1.5Mbit up), I get a really good quality picture on MBP, but picture from the MBP itself is in really low resolution. The same situation happens if I call from PB to MBP - always the quality from MBP is awful. I was also caling the Late 2006MBP which my dad is using at work with 7.2Mbit HSDPA connection, and once again - I can see him really good, while he can see really blurry and pixelated picture, no matter who starts the call.

Just to illustrate:

LINK - this is how I can see myself on MacBook (the picture comes from PowerBook's external iSight).

LINK - and this is how I can see myself on the PowerBook (the picture comes from MacBook's FaceTime HD)
Oh, and obviously the "Bandwidth limit" in iChat's preferences is set to "None".

Anybody can help?

 

[szolr]

I forgot iChat still existed on Lion... Facetime's covered me.

 

[AdrianK]

You do realize that Apple quietly changed the built-in iSight camera, don't you? I think starting two or three years ago, when they changed the name to FaceTime or something, the camera resolution was reduced to VGA instead of early WGA I think......

It's clear from the log that iChat is using 160*160 which is the problem.

EDIT: You were right, LED MBPs utilised WGA sensors, I do apologise.

 

[mekintosz]

Yup exactly - that's the problem. Only how the hell am I supposed to change it? The video from an old G4 mac is waaay better than from a new $3k mac ('cause thats the price of my mac in Poland). I am a little pi... nervous

/EDIT

OK, I've been messing around a little bit and I have found that connection doctor in iChat on 2011MBP was saying that something is wrong with my router (Linksys WAG200G). So I set the port forwarding rules to please the iChat and now when it says "full cone" I can talk with the second MacBook which uses separate HSDPA connection just fine at 640x480 at both ends. So one problem solved.

Now the situation looks like that:

2011 on home ADSL to 2006 MBP on HSDPA - fine
2006 MBP on HSDPA to PB on home ADSL - fine
2011 MBP on home ADSL to PB on home ADSL - still 160x120 on 2011's output (353x288 on PB).

So there's one more thing to work out and I will be happy

And going back to logs - while I was talking with the other MacBook at 640x480 at both ends few minutes ago, my computer was sending around 400 kbps while the other one was sending around 200kbps (according to Connection Doctor) so I suppose 2292kbps is sufficent enough to drive a full quality conversation between 2011MBP and PB G4, not only 160x120 + 352x288, but why it doesn't work...