This post is a bit long and complicated because the issue is complicated.
Background: I subscribed and installed various applications in the new Apple Creator Studio (one month free trial). Because of a project I’m working on, the first thing I tried was inserting Live Video into Keynote 15.1. I have three devices available to me: MacBook Air M4, Mac mini M4, and iPad M4. Keynote 15.1 is installed on all three.
I should say that Live Video is not a new feature of Keynote 15.1, it has been a feature for a while, although I wasn’t aware of that (I’m a retired professor and haven’t used Keynote that much for a few years.)
I first tried to insert Live Video on the Mac mini. It worked, but I wasn’t satisfied with the video — I have an Apple Studio Display and as people know, the video isn’t wonderful. So I thought I would use my MacBook Air.
When I tried inserting Live Video on the MacBook Air, I got a message that the default camera is not available. I tried FaceTime, and the camera worked just fine. So my first conclusion was that something is conflicting with Keynote.
I first tried the usual procedures to diagnose a problem like this. Then I called Apple tech support. The technician was quite helpful, we talked and diagnosed for an hour, but nothing was resolved. I’ll just summarize the procedures I took alone, and while I was online with Apple: relaunching of Keynote, restarts of the MBA, checking Privacy settings and Screen Time settings.
Rebooting into safe mode did resolve the issue (that was on the Air). I was going to delete all startup items (I’m a nerd, I admit I have a number of third-party items), but the Apple technician suggested I create a new test user account and test that first. We ended the call, and she filed a case report. She said if I call again I’ll get bumped to a higher level support person.
I created the test account and that did NOT resolve the issue. I’m a bit puzzled why safe mode did, and the test user account did not resolve the issue.
I then remembered the iPad. And sure enough, inserting Live Video into Keynote works just fine. (So the problem for my project is resolved, I’ll just make the Keynote presentation on the iPad.)
I should now mention one other issue that spans both MacBook Air and the Mac mini. After inserting a Live Video (which works on the mini but fails to find the camera on the Air), and waiting a while, both devices freeze up. It’s a slow freeze: first very sluggish curson, unable to do a Force Quit, etc., and then a full freeze requiring a hard turn off by holding the power button forever, and then restart.
Oh, and yes, I do still have the old 14.5 versions of Keynote, and they also have the issue. So this seems to be not related to the Creator Studio version. Also, I didn’t see a way to keep both versions on the iPad. It seems to only offer to upgrade the old version 14.5 to 15.1.
I’ll be calling Apple again. First, though, if anyone here has a suggestion I’m overlooking, I’d appreciate your thoughts.