iChat camera and audio icons disappearing

[Kevin Callahan]

can't figure out the pattern as it seems to happen randomly  
(different buddies at different times):  camera and or audio icons  
disappear - a simple relaunching of iChat brings them back

it doesn't happen with everyone on the buddy list whose status is  
online or "away" --  usually only a few (and it's never the same few)

thoughts on how to troubleshoot this?

just started happening a week or two ago, and only on my MBPro (not  
on PB17, iMac G5)
(i do have Skype launched)