"Camera is in use by another application" error with built-in iSight

This message pops up if I try to do video preview in iChat or try to open Photo Booth. There are no other applications running that I can tell and I have unplugged all USB and firewire cables. Also performed a reinstall of bundled software from the Tiger DVD to no avail. (OS X 10.4.9, iChat AV 3.1.8 (v445) )
I am trying to set up iChat video for the 1st time with another .mac user -- we have been able to IM and audio chat, and the video preview works on their end. Help! Thanks, Derek.<<br>
PowerPC G4 Mac OS X (10.4.9) iChat AV 3.1.8 (v445)

Thanks for the link Tony, but unfortunately still no luck in getting it to work. So far I have tried several things: 1) disconnecting all connections; 2) reinstalling Tiger bundled software apps; 3) creating a new login account; 3) "Repair Disk Permissions" from Util>Disk Util>First Aid; 4) SMC reset.
Something I've observed is that on a powerup restart, Image Capture will automatically launch and a "No image capture device connected" window will pop up. (This is because I set the Image Capture preferences to launch when a camera device is connected; it will launch iPhoto if preference setting is "iPhoto", or nothing if set to "none") Obviously my iMac seems to think a device is connected. However nothing unusual shows up in the System Profiler contents.
Is there another diagnostics tool to investigate or any other suggestions?
Thanks, Derek.

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IChat says my camera is in use by another application

I recently bought an IceCam2 and plugged it into my computer, but when I open ichat to use the video, it says that the camera is in use by another application, but I am running no other applications. I have tried to restarting my computer, which has not helped, and I also restarted again reseting the PRAM which also did nothing...please help!

Hi.
I had this same exact issue with my PowerMac G4. I would plug in my new USB 2.0 MacAlly IceCam2 and it would work in all other programs except for iChat. I noticed that in the other programs the camera was very slow (response time) but was functional. After searching everywhere I some how decided to unplug it from one of the two built in USB ports (shown below) and plugged it into an expansion port on a PCI USB 2.0 card I recently installed.
http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Hardware/DeveloperNotes/Macintosh_CPUs-G4/PowerMacG4/3Input-Output/chapter_4_section2.html
USB Ports
The PowerMac G4 computer has two external Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports on the back and two on the keyboard. The USB ports are used for connecting the keyboard and mouse as well as additional I/O devices such as printers, scanners, and low-speed storage devices. The USB ports are off of the USB controller connected to the PCI bus.
Each USB port is connected to a separate USB root hub, allowing both USB ports to support 12 Mbps devices at the same time with no degradation of their performance. The USB root hubs also connect to the internal USB modem and Bluetooth modules and to the USB port on the ADC monitor connector.
The USB ports comply with the Universal Serial Bus Specification 1.1 Final Draft Revision. The USB register set complies with the Open Host Controller Interface (OHCI) specification.
Well you see it right, my problem was that I had the webcam that required a USB 2.0 connection plugged into a USB 1.1 port! I wish I would have known this before hand but I assumed that since the computer was built during the reign of the USB 2.0 era that the USB ports on my computer were in fact USB 2.0 and not the old 1.1 standards!
Well I plugged in the MacAlly USB 2.0 IceCam2 into the USB 2.0 slot on my expansion 2.0 USB card > opened up iChat > works perfect now! If anyone is receiving the very disappointing error message about "camera is in use by another application" message with a USB webcam - verify you are using the correct USB standard (ensure the camera and port matches).
I wish I would have known this a few days ago!
Thanks,
~croat
Message was edited by: croatjj

Error "Your camera is in use by another application"-no other apps running

I just purchased a brand new iSight. I connected it to my G5 but when I start up iChat and click on the green video camera icon at the top right, I get a new window that just says "your camera is in use by another application". I don't have other applications running. When I click on the preferences button at the bottom of that window I get another new window with some options for microphone and bandwidth limit. The iSight is not even an option for microphone.
I tryed the iSight on a MacBook Pro and a iBook, it works perfect on both so I don't think there is anything wrong with the iSight.
A few months ago I tryed to run a mac compatible logitech camera on the G5 but couldn't get iChat to recognize that camera either. I wonder if did something that is coming back to haunt me.
I downloaded the latest updates for my iChat, tried all the basic stuff like removing the logitech software and restarting the computer...I am running out of ideas...Help, please. How do I figure out which app is "using" the iSight?

Hi Puppymac,
There are two things to try.
1) Try the Combo update
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macosx1046comboforppc.html
2) Try reinstalling Quicktime.
1:47 PM Wednesday; May 17, 2006

Error says"Your camera is in use by another application"...no apps running

I just purchased a brand new iSight. I connected it to my G5 but when I start up iChat and click on the green video camera icon at the top right, I get a new window that just says "your camera is in use by another application". I don't have other applications running. When I click on the preferences button at the bottom of that window I get another new window with some options for microphone and bandwidth limit. The iSight is not even an option for microphone.
I tryed the iSight on a MacBook Pro and a iBook, it works perfect on both so I don't think there is anything wrong with the iSight.
A few months ago I tryed to run a logitech camera on the G5 but couldn't get iChat to recognize that camera either. I wonder if did something that is coming back to haunt me.
I downloaded the latest iChat, tried all the basic stuff like removing the logitech software and restarting the computer...I am running out of ideas...Help, please
Powermac G5 Mac OS X (10.3.9)

HI Puppymac,
Does this help http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93216
Normally we would suggest running the appropriate Combo installer or try reinstalling Quicktime
Downloads here
11:43 PM Wednesday; May 17, 2006

I cannot open Photobooth. I keep getting a message that says "Photobooth cannot open because no camera is attached or the camera is in use by another application." As far as I can tell, no other application is using the camera. Help?

I cannot open Photobooth. I keep getting a message that says "Photobooth cannot open because no camera is attached or the camera is in use by another application." As far as I can tell, no other application is using the camera. Help?

Run the apple hardware test.

Message - Camera is in use by another application

When I try to use I Chat 3.1.9 to video chat I receive a message that camera is in use by another application. I don't see any application that is open that uses the camera. What might be causing this conflict and how can I correct it?
Thanks.
I Mac Mac OS X (10.4.11)

With some Macs you can reset the SMC or PMU fairly easily as you can access the "right Spot".
On Desktops like iMacs this is not an easy proposition and Resetting the PRAM (The above Restart 4 key hold) will sort this for you.
The other places to check are the System Preferences > Accounts > your account > Login Items tab and see if anything is open there that uses the camera.
If you have done a Video chat with one of the Web Browser methods it may pay to restart the Web Browser to make sure it has fully disengaged with Flash.
Now camera Details are held in two places in the iChat .plists
com.apple.ichat.plist holds the camera info
com.apple.ichatAgent says where it is active.
I would try deleting the second one first and Restarting iChat to Recreate it.
Deleting com.apple.ichat.plist loses all your setting you made in the Preferences such as Bubble Colour, Font, Alerts settings, Saved Transcripts and so on including any Saved Status Messages. So it should be deleted as a last resort.
9:14 PM Monday; December 8, 2008

External isight camera shows in use by another application. OSX 10.4.11. Profilers se the isight in firwewire attached periperals. I've tried all of the various suggestions. Unplugging, deleting plist items starting restarting.

I've tried multiple discussion lists and suggested workarounds nothing seems to work. I have an external isight camera that worked the last time I used it. I switched cables. Plugged and unplugged camera. deleted plist files but this camera refuses to show up in any of the applications. Sound preferences doesn't recognize that the external isight camera is attached, Imovie says no camera attached even thought the system profiler see the camera in textural detail. I chat shows in use by another application. The are no other open apps.
i've read dozens of articles but it seems that this may be an apple bug. When are they going release the patch?
Any body have a fix for this problem. 6 months ago it workedj

Hi,
Can you access it it System Preferences > Accounts > Your account by Changing the Pic and chosing the Snapshot option ?
Also consider Audio apps as the iSight has a Mic in it.
IS the System Profiler identifying it as being at Firmware 1.0.3
In 10.4.x and 10.5.x the iSight Firmware Updater is in Hard Drive/System/Library/Core Services in a folder called iSight Updater (it is not there is Snow Leopard)
It may pay to try Flashing the firmware again if it is updated and see if that sorts anything. (Last resort)
In the mean time check Activity Monitor
This should list iChatAgent when you start the computer (normal)
vcencoder (lower case) should only start if a video chat is started (or you access the iChat Preview or Video Preferences in iChat.
If vcencoder is showing then use the Quit Button in Activity Monitor and Foirce Quit it.
I would also consider deleting com.apple.ichatAgent.plist at this point. It is this support app that controls access to the camera (Starts vcencoder) and may be part of the issue.
A failed chat and a "Stuck" status in a .plist may try to inform the camera it is in a chat but this would not explian why other computers Respond the same way.
The iSight Firmware may be the only option.
I have not tried this or heard of anyone who has.
<
11:25 PM Saturday; May 7, 2011
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb( 10.6.7)
, Mac OS X (10.6.7),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Ichat says camera is being used by another application when its not!

Evry time i go to hook up my cam, (sony handycam), the stupid computer tells me that my camera is being used already by another application...even when every app is closed and off.. it still says this

Hi,
This message can also show up when iChat is having trouble recognizing the video format coming from the camera. I'm not sure if it will help, but you may want to try installing the iChatUSBCam demo to see if it help iChat to recognize the camera.
Glen

This file is already open or in use by another application Error Message

I can't seem to save my AI files any more without getting an error message stating, "This file is already open or in use by another program." None of the previous forums have helped to resolve this problem. The problem begins when I open an Illustrator file that I have previously created, make a few changes, then try to save it under the same name. I am forced to change the name, which it then saves under the new name. Then, I have to restart the computer in order to delete the old file. This entire process takes enormous amounts of time. Working on WinXP using AI CS. I've researched this problem for months, but can't resolve it myself.

Jenifer,
I've been dealing with this problem for a year, and it is a big time waster. Here is a solution someone gave me which resolves the problem. However, there is a tradeoff- one problem for another.
There is a file named aiicon.dll in Program Files > Common Files > Adobe > Shell. If you rename this file to aiiconold.dll (don't delete it), the problem with saving and deleting files will be resolved. However, the tradeoff is that you will lose your Illustrator thumbnails for your AI files. See for yourself. I've been doing it this way for a month or two, and I can live without the thumbnails most of the time. The nice thing about renaming the aiicon.dll file is that you can go back to the original name anytime, and everything will be as it was in the beginning.
I guess Illustrator has an incompatibility issue with the new operating systems. I don't think there are any perfect solutions. But I keep looking. I am as frustrated with AI as you are.

Disc burner in use by another application error

Getting error saying "disc burner in use by an application other than iTunes" when trying to burn a playlist to disc. But the only other application open is Finder. How do I fix this?

Hey John2020!
Here is an article for you that should be able to help you troubleshoot this issue a little further:
Disc Burning Quick Assist
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1152
Thanks for coming to the Apple Support Communities!
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Braden

Camera is in use by another application

I get this error in Photo Booth and iChat (QT too). I have rebooted, changed user accounts all to no avail. I have looked in Activity Monitor, force quite ichatagent, none of this helps. I'm worried my built-in iSight may have died.
Help!

Hi Dan, Welcome to Apple's Users Help Users Forums.
You can only give yourself a Virtual Green Star. You as OP = Original Poster are the only one who can mark the thread as answered as well as award Green or Gold Starts.
I assume you have rebooted in normal mode, "then reboot." and all is joy there.
There is an abundance of knowledge in these forums. Lurk and Learn = L&L. ;~)

The camera is in use by another application

I received this message whenever I attempted to use a firewire video source other than the iSight (DCR-VX2000 and JVC BR-DV600). Tried the usual unplugging and plugging-in of the firewire cable to no avail. I had the latest and up-to-date versions of Tiger, iChat, and Quiktime. It was suggested that I download and install a clean version of Quiktime 7 to correct this issue. Viola! She works! I hope this helps someone before they spend a day on it!

Yep standard fix for that problem.
Ralph

"camera is in use by another application" message

Hi there,
I've been dealing with this problem for a whole day now... I tried following the troubleshooting steps described in some posts here and nothing. Deleted QT, trashed its preferences, done the same thing AV chat and its preferences. Repaired permissions, replugged the Isight cameraAnd nothing! Please, does anyone else have any other suggestions? I'm checking my Activity monitor and the only files running that look like may be affecting my IChat are "qmastertaskd"... But I don't want to touch it because I need Qmaster.
Please help!
Thanks,
Marcos H.
IChat AV 3.0.1

I made some further investigations:
IF you first run iMovie (which correctly see DV camcoders, or analog to DV converting devices like mine), and then you quit the application and then run iChatAV, apparently you also see the video coming from the DV device (at least on the self view screen)... BUT as soon as you try to start a chat connection, you get a new error message stating that the chat has been interrupted because the application cannot grab video from the camera.
This is with OS X 10.4.2, both on G3 and G4 machines.
On the other hand, using OhphoneX (standard H.323 videconferincing application http://xmeeting.sf.net ) it all works fine.
Thus it seems an iChatAV + 10.4.x drivers interaction with DV devices problem... i.e. the application iChatAV has something to do with the problem, not only the video/firewire drivers.
Did some of us submitted a problem report to Apple, already?
Best regards,
Claudio

Photobooth cannot open because the camera is in use by another application?

I quit all applications and still gave me that error message.... any clues on what I can do?

I just found another discussion topic on this... sorry... i'll keep watch on that thread

My camera is in use by another application???????

Well actually no, its not. But when I use iChat AV both my G4 and G5 say so. This is obviously a software problem and the only change I have made is to switch to Tiger.
I have been using my Sony mini DV DCR-HC-32 to video chat for a while now on both my G4 tower and my new iMac G5. Apple Support says it doesn't support Sony cameras which I understand, but does any one know what gives??
TIA
David

I'd like to take this discussion one extra step. I have had this problem since installing Tiger. I've repaired permissions and installed various softwares updates without changing the message. Over a month ago, there were other threads with the same basic suggestion of de-installing Quicktime. However, I am reluctant to de-install because I have the production suite (including Final Cut Pro and its pro-version (authorization) of Quicktime Player. I am concerned that de-installation will eliminate the pro-authorization (removing the 'plist') and I will have to do a re-install of production suite as well. I do get the feeling that there will be no other suggestion and hope that an Apple moderator will weigh in. Also, exactly what has to be removed with quicktime, just the player and its one plist file (in User folder preferences)?

"Camera is in use by another application" error with built-in iSight

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