FaceTime Audio Corrupts During Conversation

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FaceTime Incoming Audio Starts Distorting After a Minute or Two,, Then Drops Altogether

After several minutes of conversation, my FaceTime correspondent’s voice starts coming in gravelly, then her incoming audio stops altogether. Her incoming video remains fine, as does my outgoing voice/video to her.

She reports that her FaceTme connections with other correspondents are trouble free, and there’s no such problem when I reestablish communication with her using Skype, so the fault is evidently with my FacetTime app. (Shouldn’t be corrupt; I recently did a clean install.)

I’m guessing a cache somewhere fills up. Whatever – what can I do about it?

I have Facetime v1.1.1 (309); OSX10.7.5; Mac PowerBook Pro, 13 inch, late 2011.

PS: I recently had a problem with Address Book (wouldn’t search, stayedmstuck on same page), even after the recent system reinstall. It was resolved (by a Genius) by trashing Address Book’s Application Support file in my user library (made visible by hitting Go while holding down the Option key). But I can’t find “Application Support” for Facetime.
 

chscag

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After several minutes of conversation, my FaceTime correspondent’s voice starts coming in gravelly, then her incoming audio stops altogether. Her incoming video remains fine, as does my outgoing voice/video to her.

That would indicate your FaceTime.app is working OK if the above it true. It sounds like the problem is on her end not yours. Have you tried using FaceTime with anyone else to see if the same problem occurs? Also, you can not compare Skype except maybe to verify if your internet connection is working OK.
 
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Thanks. I'll trry as soon as I can find another correpondent with FaceTime, and report back.

Dunno though... my friend says she FaceTimes with others without problems.
 
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Face Time Corrupts Then Loses Incoming Audio

You suggested I test to verify the source of the incoming audio corruption by conversing with a different FaceTime user. I finally got hold of someone else with a working Facetime app. Alas - same thing happened. Incoming audio starts OK, goes squawky after a couple of minutes, then quits altogether. incoming video works fine. Outgoing audio/video continue to work OK.

Feels as if maybe a cache is filling up and overflowing.

Perhaps if I could get access to whatever the equivalent is of "Aplication Support" or Preferences for FaceTime, I could trash any corrupt support files, and start fresh.

Might that help? If so,. how can I do that?

MacBook Pro, 13-inch, Late 2011; OSX v 10.7.5 (recently reinstalled)
 

chscag

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Thanks for posting back and letting me know. It does appear that the problem is on your end and likely due to a cache filling up or already full. Try this: Download the free OnyX maintenance and cleanup utility and run it in auto mode. That will clear the caches and all sorts of other good stuff. It's the only cleanup tool we recommend using. Let me know if it helps.

Here is the download link: OnyX
 
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Many thanks. I'll do as you advise. May be a while before I'm able to chase down one of my two FaceTime correspondents to test with. I will though, eventually, and then let you know.
 
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Your message: " ...Download the free OnyX maintenance and cleanup utility and run it in auto mode. "

I downloaded it. There's no specific menu item I can see called "Auto Mode". And I'd rather not guess (!).

The control panel shows: Verify, Maintenance, Cleaning, Utilities, Parameters, Info and Log. Each has a bunch of tabs offering further choices except for "Automation", which has radio buttons, some pre-selected, with the choice then given of "Restore Defaults", or "Execute".

I'd guess Automation/Execute is what I want, but a bit of guidance would be appreciated before I BOR (Bash On Regardless) and get everything AFU (All....).
 
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Using OnyX to restore Facetime files

I should of course have included "Automation" among the control panel items I listed. (between Utilities and Parameters. Sorry.
 
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Cleaning, System, (I think the default is all but CUPS is checked, but since you are having audio and internet issues make sure at least the audio is checked). Click Execute. Wait till it's done.

The under User, I think default is all are checked, but at least have Audio Units and Temporary items checked. Use the defaults here. Click Execute.
 
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Ran the Onyx drill. Sadly, didn't help.

Lady at the other end still starts like the girl in The Exorcist, after a couple of minutes, then mercifully goes silent after a couple more minutes.

I ran only the tabs specified. Are other other functions in Onyx that might help?
 

chscag

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I guess we need to take a look at your hardware and connection. Which router do you have and how fast is your internet connection?

Another question: Do you use Skype at all? If so, I wonder how the connection there is?
 
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Yep - I use Skype with no problem. Videos, streaming or downloaded work fine as well. And the incoming video on FaceTime remains trouble-free, even as the audio cuts out, in spite of video consuming more bandwidth than audio.

I'm afraid the problem has to be associated with my FT app - either directly, or due a faulty part of the OS that FT's relying on.

Anything more I might do with Onyx?

More hopefully - any way to find and trash FT's ancillary files?.... files that would then reconstitute themselves on relaunch, eg preferences, history cache. (Doing this was effective when I recently had a problem with Address Book, fixed in that manner by an Apple Store Genius).
 

chscag

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Since Skype is working OK for you, the mystery deepens... we may have to hire an exorcist to cast out the audio demons plaguing your FT application. :Evil:

Let me look around on my system to see if I can find the FT files that we might be able to delete and would be re-created again upon a restart. I'll get back to you a bit later.
 

chscag

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Well, that was fast! I quickly found two files that effect the FT application:

Macintosh HD/Users/your user name/Library/Preferences/com.apple.facetime.bag.plist

Macintosh HD/Users/your user name/Library/Preferences/com.apple.facetime.plist

The first file contains quite a bit of information including bit rate and other audio associations. Now, I don't know for certain if it will help by deleting those two files, but it's worth a try. However, rather than deleting them, move them to your desktop or place them in the Trash but do not empty the Trash.
 

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