External iSight and Macbook

I have an Apple firewire Isight camera I bought some time ago. Now, on my brand new MacBook (Intel) I can't find any option to choose which cam I want to use for an iChat video conference. At times I may want to show the others my surroundings, not just my pretty face constantly. While I appreciate the convenienve of a built-in camera, I'm surpirsed that my invevstement in an external camera is worthless with the new macbooks? Surely there must be a work-around?

Er hem,
I beg to differ.
With two cams an extra drop down appears in the Video Preferences section of iChat.
MacMinis that do not have Internal Mics don't get the Micropphone drop down (as a reverse view of things)
You add Speakers and you get a Drop down if you never had a choice before.
With USB Cams and iChatUSBCam the option is added to iChat Video Menu where you can also select the Desktop as the Video feed.
I use a DV converter over fireewire to get the other camera.
9:40 PM Wednesday; October 18, 2006

Similar Messages

External isight and photobooth

hey, i just picked up an external isight and cant get it to work with photobooth. any suggestions?

I know that Snipereye64.
I will try to explain the Apple tip's method for your circumstance as simply as I can say it:
• Connect your external iSight and turn it on.
• Quit Photo Booth (PB) if it is running.
• Launch any app with a user-selectable camera "Preferences..." menu command.
(The "tip" suggests that you use iChat, but others should work as well.)
• Open "Preferences..." and set the camera "Preference" to use your built-in iSight.
• Now launch PB. PB should now use the external iSight
because your built-in camera is in use by the other application.
Hopefully my version will be easier to apply to your particular situation than the Apple article that I linked above. If not, tell me which part to try to clarify further.
Cheers,
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.2) External iSight

My error message with external iSight and iChat

So I am travelling for work and am at a very nice hotel in Houston. Good ethernet high speed internet.
My wife is in Germany at an Army base, other people are using Skype and chatting with people and we can't get our webcams OR audio working.
This is the error I get on my end:
Date/Time: 2007-09-16 01:18:29.935 -0500
OS Version: 10.4.10 (Build 8R218)
Report Version: 4
iChat Connection Log:
AVChat started with ID 917914215.
halcyonseven9: State change from AVChatNoState to AVChatStateWaiting.
0x9c12d40: State change from AVChatNoState to AVChatStateInvited.
0x9c12d40: State change from AVChatStateInvited to AVChatStateConnecting.
halcyonseven9: State change from AVChatStateWaiting to AVChatStateConnecting.
halcyonseven9: State change from AVChatStateConnecting to AVChatStateEnded.
Chat ended with error -8
0x9c12d40: State change from AVChatStateConnecting to AVChatStateEnded.
Chat ended with error -8
Video Conference Error Report:
4.011411 @:0 type=4 (00000000/22)
[VCSIP_INVITEERROR]
[19]
4.011291 @SIP/SIP.c:2447 type=4 (900A0015/22)
[SIPConnectIPPort failed]
2.009767 @SIP/SIP.c:2447 type=4 (900A0015/22)
[SIPConnectIPPort failed]
Video Conference Support Report:
3.511182 @SIP/Transport.c:1218 type=1 (00000000/0)
[INVITE sip:[email protected] SIP/2.0
Via: SIP/2.0/UDP 192.168.9.13;branch=z9hG4bK70de6eb8244f18f9
Max-Forwards: 70
To: "u0" <sip:[email protected]>
From: "halcyonseven9" <sip:[email protected]>;tag=741423744
Call-ID: 9c321996-641c-11dc-a53c-b8bc810913c4@lip
CSeq: 1 INVITE
Contact: <sip:[email protected]>;isfocus
User-Agent: Viceroy 1.2
Content-Type: application/sdp
Content-Length: 546
v=0
o=stephenmiller 0 0 IN IP4 192.168.9.13
s=halcyonseven9
c=IN IP4 192.168.9.13
b=AS:2147483647
t=0 0
a=hwi:70:1:1666
a=bandwidthDetection:YES
a=iChatEncryption:NO
m=audio 16386 RTP/AVP 12 3 0
a=rtcp:16387
a=rtpmap:3 GSM/8000/1
a=rtpmap:0 PCMU/8000/1
a=rtpID:-705006232
m=video 16384 RTP/AVP 126 34
a=rtcp:16385
a=rtpmap:126 X-H264/90000
a=rtpmap:34 H263/90000
a=fmtp:34 imagesize 1 rules 30:352:288
a=framerate:30
a=RTCP:AUDIO 16387 VIDEO 16385
a=pogo
a=fmtp:126 imagesize 0 rules 30:160:120:160:120
a=rtpID:-428504944
2.510859 @SIP/Transport.c:1218 type=1 (00000000/0)
[INVITE sip:[email protected] SIP/2.0
Via: SIP/2.0/UDP 192.168.9.13;branch=z9hG4bK70de6eb8244f18f9
Max-Forwards: 70
To: "u0" <sip:[email protected]>
From: "halcyonseven9" <sip:[email protected]>;tag=741423744
Call-ID: 9c321996-641c-11dc-a53c-b8bc810913c4@lip
CSeq: 1 INVITE
Contact: <sip:[email protected]>;isfocus
User-Agent: Viceroy 1.2
Content-Type: application/sdp
Content-Length: 546
v=0
o=stephenmiller 0 0 IN IP4 192.168.9.13
s=halcyonseven9
c=IN IP4 192.168.9.13
b=AS:2147483647
t=0 0
a=hwi:70:1:1666
a=bandwidthDetection:YES
a=iChatEncryption:NO
m=audio 16386 RTP/AVP 12 3 0
a=rtcp:16387
a=rtpmap:3 GSM/8000/1
a=rtpmap:0 PCMU/8000/1
a=rtpID:-705006232
m=video 16384 RTP/AVP 126 34
a=rtcp:16385
a=rtpmap:126 X-H264/90000
a=rtpmap:34 H263/90000
a=fmtp:34 imagesize 1 rules 30:352:288
a=framerate:30
a=RTCP:AUDIO 16387 VIDEO 16385
a=pogo
a=fmtp:126 imagesize 0 rules 30:160:120:160:120
a=rtpID:-428504944
2.010577 @SIP/Transport.c:1218 type=1 (00000000/0)
[INVITE sip:[email protected] SIP/2.0
Via: SIP/2.0/UDP 192.168.9.13;branch=z9hG4bK70de6eb8244f18f9
Max-Forwards: 70
To: "u0" <sip:[email protected]>
From: "halcyonseven9" <sip:[email protected]>;tag=741423744
Call-ID: 9c321996-641c-11dc-a53c-b8bc810913c4@lip
CSeq: 1 INVITE
Contact: <sip:[email protected]>;isfocus
User-Agent: Viceroy 1.2
Content-Type: application/sdp
Content-Length: 546
v=0
o=stephenmiller 0 0 IN IP4 192.168.9.13
s=halcyonseven9
c=IN IP4 192.168.9.13
b=AS:2147483647
t=0 0
a=hwi:70:1:1666
a=bandwidthDetection:YES
a=iChatEncryption:NO
m=audio 16386 RTP/AVP 12 3 0
a=rtcp:16387
a=rtpmap:3 GSM/8000/1
a=rtpmap:0 PCMU/8000/1
a=rtpID:-705006232
m=video 16384 RTP/AVP 126 34
a=rtcp:16385
a=rtpmap:126 X-H264/90000
a=rtpmap:34 H263/90000
a=fmtp:34 imagesize 1 rules 30:352:288
a=framerate:30
a=RTCP:AUDIO 16387 VIDEO 16385
a=pogo
a=fmtp:126 imagesize 0 rules 30:160:120:160:120
a=rtpID:-428504944
1.503932 @SIP/Transport.c:1218 type=1 (00000000/0)
[INVITE sip:[email protected]:33929 SIP/2.0
Via: SIP/2.0/UDP m.0;branch=z9hG4bK29327bdf55d370b3
Max-Forwards: 70
To: "u0" <sip:[email protected]:33929>
From: "halcyonseven9" <sip:[email protected]>;tag=1108672474
Call-ID: 9affc0c8-641c-11dc-a53c-8740a2f713c4@lip
CSeq: 1 INVITE
Contact: <sip:[email protected]>;isfocus
User-Agent: Viceroy 1.2
Content-Type: application/sdp
Content-Length: 548
v=0
o=stephenmiller 0 0 IN IP4 m.0
s=halcyonseven9
c=IN IP4 m.0
b=AS:2147483647
t=0 0
a=hwi:70:1:1666
a=bandwidthDetection:YES
a=iChatEncryption:NO
m=audio 16386 RTP/AVP 12 3 0
a=rtcp:16387
a=rtpmap:3 GSM/8000/1
a=rtpmap:0 PCMU/8000/1
a=rtpID:-705006232
m=video 16384 RTP/AVP 126 34
a=rtcp:16385
a=rtpmap:126 X-H264/90000
a=rtpmap:34 H263/90000
a=fmtp:34 imagesize 1 rules 30:352:288
a=framerate:30
a=RTCP:AUDIO 16387 VIDEO 16385
a=pogo
a=fmtp:126 imagesize 0 rules 30:160:120:160:120
a=rtpID:-428504944
0.503597 @SIP/Transport.c:1218 type=1 (00000000/0)
[INVITE sip:[email protected]:33929 SIP/2.0
Via: SIP/2.0/UDP m.0;branch=z9hG4bK29327bdf55d370b3
Max-Forwards: 70
To: "u0" <sip:[email protected]:33929>
From: "halcyonseven9" <sip:[email protected]>;tag=1108672474
Call-ID: 9affc0c8-641c-11dc-a53c-8740a2f713c4@lip
CSeq: 1 INVITE
Contact: <sip:[email protected]>;isfocus
User-Agent: Viceroy 1.2
Content-Type: application/sdp
Content-Length: 548
v=0
o=stephenmiller 0 0 IN IP4 m.0
s=halcyonseven9
c=IN IP4 m.0
b=AS:2147483647
t=0 0
a=hwi:70:1:1666
a=bandwidthDetection:YES
a=iChatEncryption:NO
m=audio 16386 RTP/AVP 12 3 0
a=rtcp:16387
a=rtpmap:3 GSM/8000/1
a=rtpmap:0 PCMU/8000/1
a=rtpID:-705006232
m=video 16384 RTP/AVP 126 34
a=rtcp:16385
a=rtpmap:126 X-H264/90000
a=rtpmap:34 H263/90000
a=fmtp:34 imagesize 1 rules 30:352:288
a=framerate:30
a=RTCP:AUDIO 16387 VIDEO 16385
a=pogo
a=fmtp:126 imagesize 0 rules 30:160:120:160:120
a=rtpID:-428504944
0.003329 @SIP/Transport.c:1218 type=1 (00000000/0)
[INVITE sip:[email protected]:33929 SIP/2.0
Via: SIP/2.0/UDP m.0;branch=z9hG4bK29327bdf55d370b3
Max-Forwards: 70
To: "u0" <sip:[email protected]:33929>
From: "halcyonseven9" <sip:[email protected]>;tag=1108672474
Call-ID: 9affc0c8-641c-11dc-a53c-8740a2f713c4@lip
CSeq: 1 INVITE
Contact: <sip:[email protected]>;isfocus
User-Agent: Viceroy 1.2
Content-Type: application/sdp
Content-Length: 548
v=0
o=stephenmiller 0 0 IN IP4 m.0
s=halcyonseven9
c=IN IP4 m.0
b=AS:2147483647
t=0 0
a=hwi:70:1:1666
a=bandwidthDetection:YES
a=iChatEncryption:NO
m=audio 16386 RTP/AVP 12 3 0
a=rtcp:16387
a=rtpmap:3 GSM/8000/1
a=rtpmap:0 PCMU/8000/1
a=rtpID:-705006232
m=video 16384 RTP/AVP 126 34
a=rtcp:16385
a=rtpmap:126 X-H264/90000
a=rtpmap:34 H263/90000
a=fmtp:34 imagesize 1 rules 30:352:288
a=framerate:30
a=RTCP:AUDIO 16387 VIDEO 16385
a=pogo
a=fmtp:126 imagesize 0 rules 30:160:120:160:120
a=rtpID:-428504944
0.000000 @:0 type=2 (00000000/22)
[VCVIDEO_OUTGOINGATTEMPT]
[4]
Does anyone have any ideas that could help us? I am having her download skype to see if thats more successful but this is going to be our primary mode of contact for the next year and I am REALLY worried. We are both using external iSights and we tried audio with and without them plugged in.
Everytime either of us tries anything it gets the the stage where it says "connecting" then gives the error message.
Any help would be really appreciated!
Thanks,
Stephen Miller

Hi,
Hotels are notoriously difficult for iChat because of the way
1) the ports are not always open
2) the number of people sharing the connection.
For Mail you probably have POP and SMTP server set for one location and the hotel's ISP is not letting you go to those though their server. Web Mail may be the only way around this.
Ask the hotel if they have the ports open for iChat.
You may not be able to do much about the Bandwidth/user issue.
I take it you have done the Quicktime setting as you have posted before.
10:15 PM Sunday; September 16, 2007

External iSight and Mac Mini 2011

I always loved the industrial design on the external isight and would like to buy one. How ever will it still work with my 2011 mac mini? And which isight revision should I look for? What are the differences among them?

(1) If the old iSight you buy still works, it should work with your Mac mini.
    (But see ¶s 2. & 3. below.)
To connect the FW400 external iSight to your FW800 mini, you will need a Firewire 400-800 cable or adapter. I suggest you have more than one of these so you can test whether any problem you encounter might be due to a bad connector.
Any working one(s) of something like those listed here should work to connect a FW400 external iSight:
• This Firewire 400-800 cable can work: http://store.apple.com/us/product/H7041ZM/A (I use this one.)
• Some users report that this low-priced alternative cable works:
     http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812189097
• To use a FW400 6pin-6pin cable like that which came with external iSights, you can use a 6pin-9pin adapter like one of these:
http://tinyurl.com/ydsbb6m (I successfully use this one, too.)
If you encounter a problem, see Apple's troubleshooting suggestions here:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090
(2) I understand your attraction to the appearance of external iSight.
However, if I were buying another webcam today, I'd buy a new UVC (USB) webcam that has a warranty. Based on my budget and the camera feature I wanted, I would select a compatible camera like one of those discussed here:
     http://www.mac-compatible-web-cam.com/
My external iSights (I have two) are great webcams, but they are getting old (as consumer electronics go.) Both of mine still work as well as they did when they were new. However, some previously owned iSights may have suffered pretty rough treatment, and the only way to know whether any currently available external iSight works properly is to test it. If you still want to consider buying an External iSight, I suggest that you physically examine and test it on your system before you buy using the suggestions from this page:
http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage4.html
If you cannot try the external iSight before you buy, perhaps a trusted seller will give you a warranty for return or exchange privileges if the iSight will not work properly with your system.
(3) Additionally, unlike USB webcams, external iSight can be finicky about sharing a Firewire connection.
Chaining external iSight with other Firewire devices on the same Firewire ports often causes function problems. Because your mini has only one Firewire port, If your system includes other Firewire devices, you would most likely need to disconnect them in order to successfully use an external iSight with your mini.
For more info, see http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage6.html
(4) Info on iSight model versions: http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage10.html
Which particular model revision would be much less important to me than being able to test an external iSight to make certain it works with your system.
If you use an Apple Cinema Display, the RevC's magnetic mount may be desirable. However, other mounting solutions are possible: http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage9.html
(5) Your system info shows Windows® 7.
If you are considering using an external iSight with a PC, you should reconsider. More info: http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage12.html
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac OSX 10.7.4

External iSight on MacBook Pro - but not in iChat!

Hello all,
I'm considering the purchase of an iSight camera on ebay to use on my MacBook pro.
Does the Mac fully recognize the camera across all applications? For example, Yahoo Messenger, Skype, QuickTime Pro, etc., etc., etc.
Does it recognize it along with the built in one for everything? Is there a way to set it in the preferences as the default in case a given application only recognizes a default camera rather than giving me an option?
Cheers,
Aaron
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Welcome to Apple Discussions, Aaron
I'm considering the purchase of an iSight camera on ebay to use on my MacBook pro.
Even if the iSight you are buying through an internet auction site is a NOS (new, old stock) iSight, it may not be covered by Apple Warranty. If the seller is not providing you service guarantees or warranty, you may be interested in considering Apple's iSight Service: Frequently Asked Questions.
Moreover, if the one you buy is used, you may also want to be certain whether the connectors, cables, and mounts that meet your needs are included.
Does the Mac fully recognize the camera across all applications?
It does for Skype and the apps (caveats as listed) in this list of Some Applications You Can Use With iSight. The only way to really know whether an app will work with iSight is to check the System Requirements for each application you contemplate using with a webcam.
Does it recognize it along with the built in one for everything? Is there a way to set it in the preferences as the default in case a given application only recognizes a default camera rather than giving me an option?
Some applications allow you to switch between multiple cameras when you have more than one connected. Such apps would let you select between your built-in iSight and an external. iMovie and iChat AV are two that do this. See the documentation for other apps to determine whether they have the ability to select between multiple connected cameras.
I know of no way (or need) to set the preferences for a default camera. Applications that will not allow switching between multiple cameras will recognize only the one their software expects. Apps that do allow switching will let you choose which you want.
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz Mac OS X (10.4.10) G5 DP 1.8 External iSight

External iSight w/MacBook Pro?

Hi all,
I currently have an Intel mini w/external iSight camera. Can I use that camera with the MacBook Pro instead of the built-in iSight camera on the MacBook?
Tia,
jb
Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Bill,
Tried a 3-way iChat yet?<<</div>
Not yet...the L.A. connection works ~16 hrs./day in public TV now (the best post-production producer in that city, imho...and having worked for her as an audio post guy on Rescue 911 for 5 1/2 years I think I'd know <G> Oh, we were married too <GGG>).
The WA. connection raise organic veggies and sells 'em on weekends, as well as 'kettle corn'. Peak season at the moment for the veg stuff, not much time for Mac recreation. Come about Oct. they can relax, and use the MacBook Pro 17" as their portal on the world. Smart folks, but the old expression holds true...What do you get if you work your fingers to the bone? Bony fingers They really work hard.
Myself, I like the mini, but heck, I'm supposed to have the slowest Mac??? <GGG> Ordered the MacBook Pro 17" from Macconnection, gonna send the mini & iSight external to the other L.A. person. I'm hoping all goes well as regards iChat/video. Did I mention how irritating this forum is if one chooses to edit a post? Consider that done
Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Trouble using external iSight with MacBook Pro

So I bought a macbook pro and 23inch external display, decided to go on ebay and get an isight camera, found one brand new in the box....the problem Im having now is it will not work for audio, video works just fine but no audio, I have set up the proper resources but no dice, is this an issue or is it the isight?

Hello Russell Wittmann
So external iSight can give both audio and video if the application you are using to operate the iSight supports both functions. Many applications have preferences or menu items that can effect iSight operation, so check your settings.
Connect your iSight directly to your Mac and use the suggestions in How to test your (external) iSight to ensure it is functional. If you continue to have problems, the suggestions on that page will help you troubleshoot to find the source of your problem and fix anything that is user-correctable.
There are no user-serviceable parts in iSight, so if everything you can do fails, your iSight will need professional service unless you can exchange it for one that works. If the external iSight you bought on eBay is not covered by warranty from either Apple or the seller, see your local Apple Service Provider for service.
If your iSight needs parts that you or your Service Technician cannot locate, http://www.synaptech.com may be able to help you obtain those that are still available.
If your iSight needs service but you do not have access to an Apple Service Provider, see Apple's iSight Service: Frequently Asked Questions to request service directly from Apple.
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.2) External iSight

Trouble using external iSight with MacBook Pro (which has built in camera)

Hey Jim,
Have a question for you. I have a new MacBook Pro 17". I also have a 23" Cinema Display, and a left over Firewire external iSight camera (which I used to love).
Frequently I "dock" my MBP with my 23". I either use the dual-screen between the two, or I close the lid on the MBP, let it go to sleep, then wake it back up with a BT keyboard or mouse, letting it go to a single-screen mode on only the 23" Cinema Display.
So, I'm trying to use my external Firewire iSight with my MBP, and I'm getting mixed results -- the best of which is where I am getting some video with regular, occasional freezes with the picture being split (like a v-hold problem on an old TV). After a pause it goes back to smooth video.
I guess primarily, I'm wanting to know what the world of two iSights (FW and built-in) look like, and can they work together? I cannot for the life of me get this FW iSight to work consistently, but I know it works perfectly in another G5 tower (which has no built-in camera).
Any suggestions or guidance?

Hello Exivus
... two iSights (FW and built-in) ... can they work together?
You can have two iSights connected at one time, but, as explained in Apple's iSight "Your camera is in use by another application" message, iSight can be used by only one application at a time. (my emphasis)
Different apps select between multiple connected cameras in different ways. For instance, iChat > Preferences... > Video settings can select which camera to use with the iChat app, but iMovie 6 uses a drop-down menu as shown in this picture:
The suggestions in How to Troubleshoot iSight should help you determine whether one of your iSights is causing trouble. I suggest you test each one separately and without your external display or other peripherals to rule out possible conflicts.
After you are certain that your iSights are working individually, test them when both are connected. After your system successfully passes these tests, you can add your external devices back one-by-one to be sure one of them is not causing the problem.
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.1) External iSight

Using External iSight with MacBook Pro / iMac.

Posted in both forums.
Internal iSight is great, but the external iSight offers so much more flexability, and been able to position the camera where you want it is much better than tilting the screen and moving the computer.
So can you use external camera's with the MacBook Pro's and iMac's?
*nathan

Great! Thats awesome.
Have you tried it? If so, does the Mac automaticlly switch to the external iSight, or do you get an option to choose between internal and external.
Thanks,
*nathan

Using external iSight with MacBook Pro crashes iChat

I use my Macbook Pro in clamshell mode with an external display. I bought an external iSight so that I could use iChat AV. I have the appropriate adapter to convert the Firewire 400 cable to Firewire 800 which is compatible with my '09 MBP 17" (2.8GHz).
Every time I connect the iSight, iChat will launch, and then will crash (SPWoD). I can not recover unless I disconnect the iSight, at which point iChat is able to fully launch.
I tired changing both iChat and Photobooth to 32-bit mode (hint from another thread), but that did not help.
As a test, I connected the iSight to an iMac with both FW400 and FW800 and the iSight works perfectly with either connection. iChat AV then allows me to then select which camera I want to use in its preferences.
Both my Macbook Pro and the iMac are on OS X 10.6.2. iChat crashes regardless of if I am using the MacBook Pro in clamshell mode or not.
TIA.

bryanus wrote:
Sorry, I answered with my iPod tough. I guess it didn't translate the way I wanted it to.
Here are my answers ...
Thanks for that info, bryanus
Between this info and your latest response to Ralph, there are so many possibilities that I cannot yet identify the source of your problem. More troubleshooting is needed to identify the cause so we know what to fix.
Your used iSight may be causing the problem. Because it is easiest to troubleshoot, I suggest you test the external iSight next. The following will either eliminate your external iSight as the cause of your problem or let you know whether it will require professional service.
If the testing I suggest below shows that the problem is related to iChat ONLY, stop the testing I suggest and follow Ralph's expert suggestions for troubleshooting and correcting iChat.
Don't worry about the "clamshell mode" issues at this time. Until you get your external iSight working reliably with your MBP, keep the external display disconnected.
Additionally, to eliminate possible network problems as a contributor to your problem, when testing (internet) connected apps like iChat, use the same ethernet connection when you test both Macs. Even use the same ethernet cable (no wireless) connection to all Macs.
Also, to test problems with launching iChat, _disconnect both Macs from the network_ to see if iChat will launch properly with a connected external iSight but no internet or network connection.
You have already done some excellent testing, but you can use the additional suggestions from the following link (including other subject links on that page) to test the remaining user-correctable possibilities:
http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage4.html
Pay particular attention to *possible conflicts*, testing with more than one cable and/or adapter, and testing the external iSight on more than one Mac. If possible, it would be also good to use your same cable and FW Adapter to test your MBP's function with a different and known-good external iSight. If you have no other access to a working external iSight, your local Apple-Authorized Service Provider may be have one that he can use to check your MBP connection.
If your external iSight can connect reliably to other Macs, or if a different, known-working, external iSight also gives trouble on your MBP, the problem must be either in your MBP's physical Firewire connection port or in the software on your MBP.
Unless you find a fix while trying the above, we can offer suggestions for the particular problem(s) you identify based on your troubleshooting, so give as much detail as you can about your findings when you post back.
EZ Jim
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz w/Mac OS X (10.6.2) MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.2)
LED Cinema Display G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11) iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9) External iSight

External iSight and 10.5.x crashes

I am reposting this problem b/c Apple felt the need to remove my last post for "unspecified" reasons.
In any case, my external iSight camera crashes OS X when it is plugged in or unplugged. The finder will restart or the system will logout and return to the login screen. Occasionally the whole system will halt and a hard reboot will be necessary. When the camera does "work" the picture is much worse than it was when I was using 10.4.x and before. I have removed preferences, uninstalled plugins, and reset PRAM, etc. Nothing seems to work to get the external iSight to work as it did. If I plug it into my old Powerbook, it works just as well as it always did (PB is running 10.4.x). Has anyone else had this problem or know of a solution?

Welcome to Discussions, NetWhiz
Your symptoms might be caused by a problem with your external iSight, Firewire cable, or your Mac's Firewire circuitry or ports. Alternatively, the problem could be related to some conflict with some of your third party hardware or software.
You can use the suggestions in http://www.ralphjohnsuk.dsl.pipex.com/EZJim/EZJimpage4.html to try identify the problem component. If the problem is user correctable, the remedy is likely in that page or its links.
Jim

External iSight and Windows Vista

Did some searching on this and it seems like a lot of people are having troubles. I got it working without much hassle so thought I'd share. First of all, I'm not using BootCamp, Parallels, or any such thing. Just Windows.
When I plug in the iSight, it's recognized as an "AppleComputerInc. iSight" and 2 unidentified devices. I'm guessing at least one of those is the audio. Maybe both since it's stereo audio I think.
It will try and fail to find drivers for all 3 devices.
Go into the Device Manager (right click on Computer, choose Manage and then click Device Manager in the left side of the Management Console.)
Right click the iSight (not the unidentified devices) and select Update Driver Software.
Tell it you want to browse your computer to select the device, and then on the next screen say you want to select from a list of device drivers.
Make sure you uncheck the box to show compatible devices only.
Select Generic as the manufacturer and Generic 1394 Desktop Camera as the model.
That's it. You'll need to turn the brightness way down in whatever application you're going to use, but otherwise it seems to work okay.

Thanks your microphone info, miken32
Including your up-to-the-minute info, I have still not yet seen a report of any successful use of iSight's Firewire connected microphone with Windows.
If your linked driver works, someone will surely let us know.
Cheers,
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.2) External iSight

External display and macbook pro

Is it possible to connect 2 dvi external monitors to a new macbook pro? I am a photographer and want to use 2 displays when I use the macbook omn my desktop. michael

Apple did actually acknowledge this as a known issue with people running 10.5.2 with the graphics update, and are investigating it. There's some further discussion at this thread:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1394449&tstart=0
Anyway, what worked for me was powering down, connecting my external display, keyboard, etc., powering up, and immediately closing the lid. It seems to behave better now, though I haven't rebooted since, although I have switched back and forth between running with the external display, and running without it, without any problems.

External Harddrive and MacBook Pro

Hello Everyone,
Thank you for taking the time to view my post.
I just recently purchased a new 15" MacBook Pro. I originally had a HP laptop in which I ran iTunes for Windows.
Instead of storing my music on my HP laptop's HD I bought a 320GB external harddrive and had iTunes re-route to the external (i.e. using iTunes Prefs, letting iTunes read from the external).
I opened iTunes on my new MacBook Pro and telling it to read from the external as I did with my HP laptop, but when I tried to import CDs to my library I received an error saying that the "required folder" could not be found. In turn, it won't let me import CDs to the external.
How can I fix this problem? I don't want to store my music on my MacBook Pro.
Thank you again for reading this and taking of your time to help me with my issue. God bless!
Jose Luna
MacBook Pro 15" Mac OS X (10.4.10) 80GB iPod

Hello Everyone,
Thank you for taking the time to view my post.
I just recently purchased a new 15" MacBook Pro. I originally had a HP laptop in which I ran iTunes for Windows.
Instead of storing my music on my HP laptop's HD I bought a 320GB external harddrive and had iTunes re-route to the external (i.e. using iTunes Prefs, letting iTunes read from the external).
I opened iTunes on my new MacBook Pro and telling it to read from the external as I did with my HP laptop, but when I tried to import CDs to my library I received an error saying that the "required folder" could not be found. In turn, it won't let me import CDs to the external.
How can I fix this problem? I don't want to store my music on my MacBook Pro.
Thank you again for reading this and taking of your time to help me with my issue. God bless!
Jose Luna
MacBook Pro 15" Mac OS X (10.4.10) 80GB iPod

Recording video using external iSight and audio using wired input

I would like to be able to record video using an external iSight camera I have from my old powerbook, but I don't want the audio to record through the internal microphone...I want it to record through a wired input coming off a mixer...is this possible?

Welcome to iMovie Discussions.
"..is this possible?.." ..I don't think so. By connecting an external FireWire iSight camera, iMovie expects both the vision and the sound to come in down the same FireWire cable.
If you need to use a separate audio input, you may be able to do it by connecting a FireWire-capable camcorder (..a tape-based miniDV or HDV camcorder which uses a FireWire connection to attach to a Mac..) and then feeding your mixer's output to the camcorder's external-mic input ..at very low volume, of course, so that you don't wreck the camcorder's input.
This entails using a camcorder which does have an external-mic (or line) input. That way, the picture from the camcorder will go straight into iMovie, as will the audio which is being fed into the camcorder ..thus both reaching iMovie via the camera's FireWire connection.

External iSight and Macbook

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