Built in iSight always on

My built in iSight's green light is always turned on, even when sleeping. Sometimes it will turn off, but not often. It started doing this recently, maybe after I installed Parallels but couldn't say for sure. I tried an iChat video chat one day and I got an error message that I can't start a chat because the camera was in use by another application, but I couldn't see any application running that might be using it. Any advice?

Now, I haven't used Parallels, only VMware Fusion, but it should practically be the same;
Start up your virtual OS in Parallels. Then, through the Parallels menu, there should be an option to attach/deattach USB devices and such. Deattach the iSight, and shut down the OS.
Hope this short and concise answer helps!

Similar Messages

UnHappy With Built in iSight

I have a macbook and im kind of unhappy with the built in iSight. I think it is awsome idea for location but the quality is not that great. Ive seen many pictures on apples website showing confrences but unfortunatly my iChat conferences are always blurry no matter the connection. Am i doing something wrong with my iSight or is there anyway to enhance the picture quality?? Thanks in advance for the help

The perceived poor video quality probably has nothing to do with the built-in camera itself. More likely it has to do with Internet connection speeds or some other issue.
I suggest you try connecting to me at [email protected] or to one of the other testers for additional feedback.

Built-in iSight not working-black screen with every application

I have a MacBook laptop version 10.6.2 and just recently my built-in isight stopped working. i've had this laptop for about 2 years now and there have never been problems with the isight. i downloaded skype because i tried using ichat and my friends computer wouldn't video chat when i used ichat, but when i used skype it worked. so i've been using skype for about a month now... and just recently, i'd say like 2 weeks ago i went to use skype and the screen was completely black. the sound works, my friend said she could hear me she just couldn't see me. so i went into photo booth to see if the camera worked with that, and its a black screen on that app too! and when i take a picture it counts down like it normally would, but it doesn't even produce a picture, just a blank in the line of pictures at the bottom.. i also went into ichat and it has the same thing-black screen. i think the computer detects the camera, because it never said that it didn't... just the screen is always black.
just some other info.... when i go to use an application that uses isight, the green light on the right side of the camera lights up.. nothing else really happens though.
any information or diagnostic would be most appreciated!! thank you!

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090
my isight camera is not working-not recognized with photo booth or ichat

Macbook 10.5.8 Version Built in ISight problem with YM 3.0 beta version

I am using my Macbook built in ISight with the latest version of Yahoo Messenger for Mac, the 3.0 Beta. Every time i will use the YM webcam, it will only last for about 1 minute and will not work anymore. This is happening since i bought my macbook last November 2008. it will be a year next month and still the ISight is not working properly with YM. When i checked from the store where I bought my macbook, they said it happens in YM coz according to them YM is not yet fully applicable with apple laptop models and recommended to use other messenger instead. My family and friends are using YM only to keep in touch with me so I don't have a choice but continue using YM. Its really disappointing coz I even downloaded the other version of YM before this 3.0 version, but same problem still exists.
Can anyone help me on how can i fix this problem? or if there is really a solution on this..I've always wanted to have a macbook laptop but having this kind of problem really made me think if i did a right decision to buy this laptop. it is indeed an expensive laptop but i cant enjoy it fully...
please help me!!!

Welcome to Discussions, Marianne Bayogos
Problems like yours, especially those involving known-unreliable (Beta) software, can be difficult to resolve. You need to start by troubleshooting to determine the source of the problem. Then you will KNOW what to fix. You seem like a fairly experienced user, so try any of the following you think might help in any order you like.
(0) You can use the suggestions in http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090 to determine whether iSight is causing your problem. Be sure to try with more than one user account and with some other apps, too.
If your iSight works properly with all other apps in every user account you test, your Apple hardware and software is NOT the cause.
If you can eliminate iSight as the source of your trouble, you will need to either switch to other ways of communicating or troubleshoot other system elements that might be causing the problem. Here are some other things you can consider if you don't get better suggestions here.
(1) Sometimes a restart restores function on internet connected applications. Shut down everything and restart your entire system including modem, router, and Mac in that order. To eliminate possible communication hardware problems, allow self-test to complete on each device before starting the next.
(2) If you updated or installed any other software immediately before the problem began, check their websites to see if there are known issues with your system configuration or installation. If these are no know issues, carefully following the developers' instructions, reinstall any recent software additions that you think might be causing a conflict with YMM, use Disk Utility to repair permissions, and try again. Doing this reinstall will reduce the possibility that some recent addition might be conflicting with your new YMM Beta.
If you find conflicting software, follow the instructions and uninstall to see if removing it will restore proper function to your favored communications apps.
(3) Check YMM's Help: http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/messenger/mac/mac3/index.html
for help with installation and communication requirements/ configuration topics.
If you do not find the answers there, check the dedicated YMM forum (use the "Ask Other Messenger Users" link on the help page) to see if your problem has already been solved by other users who post there.
(4) You can also take your MacBook to a different location and see if the connection works when you access the web via a different internet connection.
(5) I no longer use YM because I often encountered problems like those you describe, but my testing from several years back showed that Yahoo! seemed to support the Windows version of their messenger app better than the Mac version.
Because your iNtel Mac can use Boot Camp, VMware Fusion™, Parallels™, or VirtualBox to run Windows® software, there is another alternative available to you. Choose which method you want to use to run Windows®, add the required software to your iNtel Mac (if you have not already done so), and then install and use Yahoo! Messenger for Windows.
http://messenger.yahoo.com/platform/win
(6) If all else fails, and if your family and friends are willing to try something "new and improved" (does NOT work with Yahoo! Messenger), you can both install and try a different video chat app such as Google Talk or Skype.
(7) Alternatively, you can try the web-based video chat sites like http://www.mebeam.com/ or Defcom's recommended TokBok.
EZ Jim
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz w/Mac OS X (10.6.1) MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.1)
G5DP1.8GHz (10.5.8) G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11) iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9) LED Cinema Display External iSight

Built-In iSight Very Slow

I just bought and turned on my new 12-core Mac Pro, and the built-in iSight is running very slowly--that is, at a very low frame rate. I'm testing it in Photobooth, but also runs slowly in other applications. And I'm pretty sure it's not just the display frame rate because the flash that Photobooth uses when it takes a photo sometimes doesn't sync up with the photo is takes.
And no, I don't have a thousand apps running. And yes, I did try restarting my computer.

aoisenshi9 wrote:
Bright and early, tested my iSight, and it's still running at a slow frame rate!
And it's not just displaying slowly, it's also capturing video very slowly. Might my 27" LED Cinema Display be bad...? They're still very new, so maybe there haven't been enough people to use them to have a large enough sample size?
Hmm... Really hoping the display isn't bad...
(1) Unless your Mac itself has problems, what is being played back will always be exactly what is recorded. If other apps are working slowly or unreliably, too, here are some things you can and SHOULD consider:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/8750.html
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/21245.html
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/8492.html
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/27988.html
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3258
Also, make sure you have plenty of free space on your startup disk (I keep 50-75%, but 25% should be more than enough) to give OS X the headroom it needs to work efficiently.
(2) If you are using FileVault, turn it off and see if that resolves your problem:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/8727.html
(3) How slow is "very slow"? Using the iSight built into my 24"&nbps;LED&nbpsdisplay, Photo Booth only captures 14-20fps for me depending on light.
According to Apple's http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/27044.html Photo Booth is used to create silly and fun video effects, so do not expect it to be a robust and highly configurable or controllable application.
Did you try other apps like iMovie and QuickTimeX? Have you tested other user accounts?
(4) Because your display's iSight connects via USB, it may be sharing bandwidth with other connected USB devices. Disconnect all other USB cables while you test to determine whether that makes a significant difference. Also, test connecting your monitor's USB input to a different USB port on your Mac.
(5) Best quality video requires *_much more light_* than most of us consider normal room lighting. Unless you use the equivalent of full sunlight, you will likely not see the maximum 30fps regardless of which software you use.
Use BRIGHT light, and make a test recording with QuickTimeX. Then play both that test and one of your "slow" Photo Booth videos back with QTX to determine whether the frame rate of the QT recorded file is different from those recorded in Photo Booth.
(6) If your frame rates are below fifteen in bright light, consider the troubleshooting suggestions beginning on page 15 of the User's Guide manual that came with your LED display.
(7) If all else fails, contact an Apple-Authorised Service Provider for professional help.
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz Mac OS X (10.6.4); MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.4)
LED Cinema Display; G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11); iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9); External iSight; iPod touch 4.1

Presenter 8 fails using built-in iSight on Bootcamp

Presenter 8 won't work with my Apple built-in iSight camera in Win7 in bootcamp
I have 3 different generations of imac and 1 macbook pro that have the same problem.
Presenter tries to start the camera, the indicator turns on, then after about 20 seconds, it errors out saying the camera is turned off.
If I remove Presenter 8 and re-install 7, it works. If I connect an external USB camera, it works.
I'm caught in the middle on this, as is always the case when I find something weird in my labs.
Neither Apple, or Microsoft, or Adobe seem to care about this because it's a poor configuration. And it is too easy to blame the "Other Guy"!
Please don't tell me I should have bought a windows machine, It wasn't my decision, only my responsibility to maintain.

Hi,
I've been working on computers for over 30 years and it always amazes me how troubleshooting hints are stumbled upon.
Your questions prompted me to check the settings in video creator again. I hadn't previously looked at the resolution settings.
The iSight cameras that were giving me problems are not HD. Changing the setting to SD resolved the issue.
Thanks much for the hint.
Dan

Usb video class video vs built-in isight with adobe flash player

to get the built-in isight to work on the mac, one chooses usb video class video.
is it the same for linux?
or does linux call the driver 'built-in isight'?
is it different for different browsers?

phillyb wrote:
to get the built-in isight to work on the mac, one chooses usb video class video.
is it the same for linux?
or does linux call the driver 'built-in isight'?
is it different for different browsers?
(1) Built-in iSight is ALWAYS a UVC device and external iSight is ALWAYS an IIDC device.
I do not see how any software, whether OS or browser, could change those facts.
However, I do not use Linux. Because you are concerned about using Flash for Linux,
it seems to me you need to find the correct version of Flash for the version of Linux you use:
http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/otherversions/
When you have the correct version of Flash, you can check Flash Help for specifics:
http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/index.html
(2) Unless you get the specific answer you need here or in your Linux system documentation,
also check the documentation or support pages from the supplier of the Linux you use.
(3) Alternatively, you can search or post your question in a discussions forum dedicated
to your version of Linux.
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz Mac OS X (10.6.4); MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.4)
LED Cinema Display; G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11); iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9); External iSight; iPod touch 4.1

IMovie '08: Built-in iSight camera not recognized in Yosemite

On this page
http://support.apple.com/en-us/TS2472
iMovie '08: Built-in iSight camera not recognized
it says:
In Finder, navigate to /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/
Select the file com.apple.mio.VDCAssistant.plist and delete.
Restart your system.
You should now be able to use your iSight camera with iMovie.
However, in Yosemite, it only has this file name
com.apple.cmio.VDCAssistant.plist
and I don't want to delete it as instructed without someone who knows telling me it won't hurt my newly installed and thus far working well OS 10.10.1, with iMovie 7.1.4 on my iMac 24 inch, Early 2008, 2.8 GHz Intel Dore 2 Duo, 2 GB 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM. It worked with Leopard, and I don't recall having to use the above mentioned support page.

Contact Apple. I believe you have a hardware issue there if it's not showing up in your System profiler.
Dave M.
MacOSG Founder/Ambassador  An Apple User Group  iTunes: MacOSG Podcast
Macsimum News Associate Editor  Creator of 'Mac611 - Mobile Mac Support'

Built-in iSight will not work with Skype

I have a new Macbook Pro that I purchased about a month ago, running OS
X 10.5.8.
I've been using Skype to video chat, and at first everything was working
very well. In the middle of a chat, however, the video stopped working
altogether.
If I go to the video tab in Skype preferences, the camera will then turn
on and I can see myself, but once I go back to the call, the camera
won't turn on (the green light on my camera stays off too). In video
preferences I have the following options checked: Enable Skype Video,
Automatically receive video from: People in my Contact list, and Show
that I have video to: People in my contact list. I have also tried to
enable the "Start my video automatically" option but to no avail. The
video camera it is set to use is the Built-in iSight.
I have tried reinstalling skype, including deleting all the preference
files on the computer, but that did not help.
The video works fine in other applications such as Photobooth, iMovie and Google Chat. I have browsed through the many Skype forum posts about similar issues, as well as Apple forums and have tried every fix that people have suggested including resetting my SMC, updating all my applications, trying Skype under different user accounts, reinstalling Quicktime, reinstalling Skype (as outlined in the Uninstall guide for mac), repairing permissions, etc.
I am pretty sure that this problem began directly after I switched to
SCREEN SHARING during a video chat. When I switched back to Video, it
did not work.
No other applications that use my camera are running.
I am assuming that since it originally worked with Skype, and since I had not touched ANY of the options in Skype and have done nothing other than try screen sharing, and since I did a complete Skype reinstall includeing preferences, that the problem should NOT be with the Skype program itself, but rather something that was modified in the operating system configuration during screen sharing.
The only other thing I can think of trying is to reinstall iSight, although I haven't been able to figure out how to do that, or to reinstall my entire operating system, which I don't see as an acceptable solution.
I am using Skype Version 2.8.0.659
Any help getting this fixed would be greatly appreciated.
I have posted a similar topic in the Skype forums along with a screen shot of my Skype preferences window: http://forum.skype.com/index.php?showtopic=422861
From my online reading in both the Apple and Skype forums, it seems as though this is a relatively common problem. If I can find a solution from either Skype or Apple, I will post the solution in both of the forums.
Update: I just upgraded my OS to 10.6.1 and my camera started working again. Then, I was in a chat and I lost my internet connection. As soon as I got back online I restarted the conversation and the camera doesn't work again. This is getting to be ridiculous.
Thank you for your time,
rystheguy

Hi,
It is years since I tried Skype. (Probably in Tiger)
I use Little Snitch, a utility that can report the ports and IPS any App is trying to contact.
For Video chats it seems the Skype process spreads the load across many "Servers" wanting to connect to about 3 doz (I got fed up with clicking the accept Button)
For this reason I do not think it is very secure.
I only today read a post that said Skype had Screen Sharing.
iChat 5 makes it clear (well if you run /Applications/iChat.app/Contents/MacOS/iChat -errorLogLevel 7 In Terminal) that there is a "camera" setting for the Desktop which may be a forthcoming thing or is about produce the Screen Sharing pic. (i.e iChat lists two "cameras" in the log produced by the above Terminal command).
iChat 4 and 5 use the Apple Remote Desktop engine to do Screen Share as does the Screen Sharing App invoked from the Finders Go Menu > Go to Server and using VNC:// as the Link type.
I would have no idea what protocol Skype are using.
They created their own Video protocols and similar with SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) for Connecting to POTS (Plain Old Telephone Systems) Phones in disregard for Internationally agreed Standards.
I doubt that it makes use of the ARD engine. It will probably be a reinvention of the wheel again.
I took a look around the Skype web site but could not find any mention of how they are doing Screen Sharing.
I would guess it is similar to the iUSBCam method of Desktop as Video Feed.
Do the Console or System Log in Console (Applications/Utilities) have any messages about this ?
9:59 PM Monday; September 21, 2009

HT3964 my built-in isight camera will still not work on my macbook pro after completing smc reset. The green light comes on but no video.

my built-in isight camera will still not work on my macbook pro after completing smc reset. The green light comes on but no video.
Any Suggestions?

Restart the computer.

IMovie 6.0.3 does not recognize built in iSight Camera on new iMac

New iMac, Intel, OS 10.5.4, QT 7.5.
Built in Camera works with Photo Booth, the new iMovie 7.1.3 and iChat.
iMovie HD 6.0.3 or 6.0.4 does not recognize the camera. Opening a new project results in a No Camera Connected error. I have tried selecting various options in the video format drop down when creating a new project. I have repaired permissions, tried it under various users, removed the imovie plist, reinstalled imovie (both 6.0.3 and 6.0.4) without success. All 10 of the new computers are exhibiting this problem.
Any help would be appreciated.

That is not an option that I can select on the imac's. On my iBook under 10.5.4 with iMovie HD 6.0.3 or 6.0.4 I can click on the triangle next to the camera icon and select the built in iSight camera. On the new iMacs that does not work. The built in iSight is not listed as an option.

Problem with built-in iSight

Hello,
I am having trouble with my Macbook Pro's built in iSight. I appreciate any help anyone could give me.
As of a couple of days ago, iChat and Photobooth are now unable to access the iSight camera. iChat states, "There is no camera attached to this computer." Photobooth gives the error "There is no connected camera."
The weird thing is, Skype and any flash based software are still able to use the camera perfectly.
System profiler lists the camera correctly as "Built-in iSight" under USB. It doesn't list any problems. Nothing else is attached to the computer.
I have tried resetting the PRAM, resetting the SMC, repairing disk permissions (twice), and reinstalling 10.6.4 with the combo updater.
Can anyone think of anything else to try?
I would think it was a hardware problem, except that several programs are able to use the camera. It just seems to be Apple software (iChat, photobooth, Quicktime X) that are unable to see that there is a camera built in.
Thanks anyone for your time and help.
-Matt

MMariska wrote:
Hello,
I am having trouble with my Macbook Pro's built in iSight. I appreciate any help anyone could give me.
As of a couple of days ago, iChat and Photobooth are now unable to access the iSight camera. iChat states, "There is no camera attached to this computer." Photobooth gives the error "There is no connected camera."
The weird thing is, Skype and any flash based software are still able to use the camera perfectly.
System profiler lists the camera correctly as "Built-in iSight" under USB. It doesn't list any problems. Nothing else is attached to the computer.
I have tried resetting the PRAM, resetting the SMC, repairing disk permissions (twice), and reinstalling 10.6.4 with the combo updater.
Can anyone think of anything else to try?
I would think it was a hardware problem, except that several programs are able to use the camera. It just seems to be Apple software (iChat, photobooth, Quicktime X) that are unable to see that there is a camera built in.
Thanks anyone for your time and help.
-Matt
Welcome to Discussions, -Matt.
You seem to have tried all relevant suggestions from http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090
When only a couple of apps give trouble, their preference files might be corrupted. If you are using the OS X version of Skype successfully, my suggestion is that you reset the preferences for the apps that are giving trouble. If you need help:
Here is how to reset Photo Booth preferences:
• Quit Photo Booth if it is running.
• Delete the com.apple.PhotoBooth.plist file from your ~ (Home) /Library/Preferences folder.
• Restart Photo Booth and test. A new .plist file will be created when you launch.
Resetting iChat is similar except iChat's camera preferences are kept in the com.apple.PhotoBooth.plist file in the same directory.
Be sure to quit iChat before you reset preferences. When you start iChat again after tossing your iChat.plist file, you will need to reset any preferences that you want to be different from the default values.
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz w/Mac OS X (10.6.4) MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.4)
LED Cinema Display G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11) iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9) External iSight

MacBook Pro no longer recognizes USB external hard drives or built-in iSight

I have an older MacBook Pro 17" Intel that I use with various external USB hard drives (8 of them). It is connected to my LG 720p 32" flatscreen and works perfectly. Recently, when visiting, I disconnected my external HDs and connected my MBP to my brother's LG 1080p and it was OK.
When I returned home and reconnected my external HDs and TV, it would not recognize the HDs and couldn't find my built-in iSight. Viewing System Information, the USB buses showed an assortment of items, such as the Apple Internal Keyboard/Trackpad, IR Receiver, and Bluetooth USB Host Controller in the buses. The High-Speed Bus showed an external HD as a Vendor-Specific Device, but none of these appeared on the desktop. I plugged in my external iSight to Firewire and it showed up in Photobooth, iChat, and Skype.
What is the problem and can I fix it myself or must I take it to be serviced?
Has anyone encountered the same problem? Got any answers?
I really would appreciate all the help I can get. Thanks.

I have never heard of this before, but the fact that your external iSight works shows that at least some parts of your Macv's AV circuitry are undamaged.
Depending on exactly how you "disconnected" your "external HDs and connected" your "MBP to" your "brother's LG 1080p", I suppose it is possible that your software settings have been compromised somehow. Here is what I would try if my system showed the symptoms you describe.
(0) Start by making a current backup if you do not already have one.
Then try any of the following you have not already considered or used. Use them in any order you think appropriate and test after each one to determine if the problem is resolved:
(1) Shut down (do not merely restart) your MBP. Wait a couple of minutes before starting.
(2) Test in a different user (NOT the "Guest") account: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.7/en/mtusr001.html
(3) Reset SMC http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964
(4) Reset PRAM: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.7/en/mh26871.html
(5) Repair your startup disk: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.7/en/mchlp1718.html
(6) Reinstall Lion and apply the 10.7.2 Combo Update: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1459
(7) Contact Apple or an Apple-Authorized Service Provider for service
Message was edited by: EZ Jim

After upgrading to Lion, my Macbook Air's built in iSight camera has disappeared. I'm not sure how to get it recognized again.

After upgrading to Lion, my Macbook Air's built in iSight camera has disappeared. I'm not sure how to get it recognized again. Help -Sami

Well, if you did then you may be able to track it, if you did not it's not possible.

How can I use the built-in Isight camera with an external camera (usb/firewire) at the same time?

How can I use the built-in Isight camera and an external video camera at the same time?
I'm wanting to stream over Oovoo/Skype/etc. using 2 cameras.
Thanks

Simple question with a not so simple answer.
(a) If you mean that you want to run multiple apps simultaneously using a different camera with each app, you may encounter computing power limitations. Digital video is processor intensive. The only way to know if your Mac can do this it to try it. If the video does not work together but each app works when it it the only app running, you are likely overloading your Mac's ability to process and/or move all the required data in your data bus. You can get a better indication of whether this is the case by watching your Activity Monitor utility while running the apps you want to use.
(b) If you mean that you want to have more than one compatible camera connected to your Mac simultaneously for ease of changing between video sources, some, but not necessarily all, apps you are using to operate your camera(s) allow you to select between your cameras.
How you select among connected cameras depends on which application you are using. Here is how camera selection works in a few examples:
(1) For iChat, you can choose which iSight you use in the "Camera:" choices bar in iChat > Preferences... > Audio/Video that appears when more than one compatible camera is connected. Although your camera choices will be different, the choices bar will look something similar to the Preferences settings shown here:
If you cannot see the "Camera" choices bar, your Mac is recognizing only one (or none) of your cameras. In that case, consider the suggestions fromhttp://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090 for iSight problems or refer to your other camera's documentation for help.
This particular choices bar solution applies ONLY to iChat. Most other applications also have settings that allow you to choose which camera to use. However, they do not all work the same way.
(2) For instance, iMovie HD's camera choice is NOT set via Preferences. When you have more than one compatible camera connected, iMovie6 HD uses a drop-down menu choice something like this (depending on which version of iMovie you use):
Note: Because I had no built-in iSight connected when I made this example, and because my external iSight was not connected, the drop-down menu showed only "Time Lapse." Because your Mac has a built-in iSight, your built-in iSight would show in the drop-down menu even when no other camera is connected. Connecting an additional Mac compatible webcam should allow you to choose either camera.
Other iMovie versions work slightly differently.
iMovie 9 (from iLife '11) uses a different camera choice button shown in this article:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=iMovie/9.0/en/mov39f84285.html
iMovie 8 (from iLife '09) is slightly different as explained in this article:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=iMovie/8.0/en/10172.html
In general, you can use your Mac's help for the application in use to find out how to select among more than one connected camera.
(3) Photo Booth in Snow Leopard 10.6.x and later uses the Photo Booth > Camera menu command to select which camera to use.
Note for readers with older Mac OS X: The previous version of Photo Booth that came with Tiger (10.4.x) is such a simple, basic app that it offers no menu selectable choice. Unless your built-in iSight is already occupied as the camera being used by some open application before you launch Photo Booth, Photo Booth will use ONLY your built-in iSight.
However, you can use the trick from ¶ 4 of http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=302781 to let Photo Booth use an external camera.
(If you have an external Firewire camera connected, it may be used in preference to any USB webcam. If that is a problem for you, merely disconnect the problem Firewire device.)
(4) For FaceTime, launch the app and click the Video menu item.
If your Mac recognizes more than one connected compatible camera, a "Camera" section listing the cameras from which you can choose will appear there. Clicking on the desired camera name will let you select the one you want as shown in this image from my Mac Pro and LED Cinema Display:
If your Mac recognizes only one compatible camera, the "Camera" section will not appear in the Video menu, but FaceTime will automatically use the connected camera that is recognized by OS X.
(5) I do not use Skype oir Oovoo. For those or other apps, see Help for each app for info on how to select your desired camera.
Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Built in iSight always on

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for