for some reason i can't see the chat that goes on in a room unless i type something in that room periodically.. remote is off, and so is autoaway.. any ideas? although i can still see nick changes, joins, and parts, and everything else besides chat

maybe your color settings?: try changing your background color and/or "normal text" color.

the color isnt the problem.. i can see people chatting only if i type something in the room.. then if i go idle the chat messages stop appearing until i type something in the room again

Check if you don't have any scripts that set you to +d mode,

I don't know if the +d mode is a mIRC mode or a network mode, but it means Deaf mode. While in +d you will only see the mode changes, but no chat in the channel.

As i said, check to see if you dont have any scripts that set you +d after a certain idle time (use /!remote off to disable all scripts)

Zyzzyx.

Other than what Zyzzyx said, some networks also have a channel mode that won't send channel messages to you, in order to save on bandwidth, unless you have been active in the channel. This is an overall channel setting, not something you can control (unless you are an op of the channel). Something I personally find annoying, but I can see how it saves bandwidth.