Faulty iSight camera fix
Yesterday I discovered the iSight camera in my MacBook Pro wasn't working, with Photo Booth (or whatever) declaring that the camera was either in use or not available. Looking in the System Profiler, the iSight camera wasn't listed.
There seem to be quite a few other people similar having problems, both here and on the other Mac forums. A lot of the solutions proffered seem to focus around missing drivers, firmware updates and the like. Tips on zapping PRAM, starting up in Safe Mode, resetting the power manager, and so on also seemed to be floating about. None of these worked for me.
Since my machine was out of warranty, I took the risk of opening it up. Inside at the top left of the logic board (about 6 cm in from the top left corner of the machine casing) is the iSight camera cable -- and lo and behold, it was loose from its socket. It's actually very flimsily attached, with a metal fixture instead of a plastic one (something I'd not seen before) and the grip of the restraining clip is quite mild. Resetting it is slightly fiddly but not difficult at all. Upon reassembling the Mac, it worked perfectly.
So, I thought I'd share this solution in the hope others might find it useful.
Cheers, Neale
MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.9)
Brand new computer?
You may have to take the computer to the store for a return or a replacement.
You have 14 days to do so.
A new Mac comes with 90 days of free tech support.
AppleCare: 1-800-275-2273
Best.
Similar Messages
-
Internal iSight - Multiple Fixes Fail
My Macbook Pro 17" built-in iSight stopped working a few months ago. It does not appear in the system profiler under Hardware > USB at all. The USB high-speed bus is there but no iSight. Here is a list of the fixes I have tried. I post this for the many others who have experienced this problem to see. I'm still examining logs and forums for the source of this problem.
1.) PRAM and SMC Reset
2.) Complete Software Updates Again
3.) Safe Mode Boot and Reset
4.) Permissions, Scripts, etc.
5.) Opened Computer to Examine Wiring (Behind Display and on Logic Board)
My most recent development is from inspecting the system log file. When the computer boots there is an array of processes, however one stands out:
+Jan 8 15:34:49 localhost kernel[0]: USBF: 0.627 [0x3eead00] The IOUSBFamily is having trouble enumerating a USB device that has been plugged in. It will keep retrying. (Port 4 of hub @ location: 0xfd000000)+
Eventually after the process of "retrying" completes the log states:
+Jan 8 15:34:49 localhost kernel[0]: USBF: 4.275 [0x3eead00] The IOUSBFamily was not able to enumerate a device.+
The USB location mentioned above, "0xfd00000" is in fact the USB high-speed bus that should hold the iSight connection.
I'm attempting to figure out where to go from here? My only guesses are that the hardware wiring is faulty and needs replacement. Otherwise this is some obscure software issue that requires a reformat and fresh OSX install. I would love to do this but I don't have a good backup or the Leopard DVD. This also prevents me from using the diagnostic startup mode but I don't really know how good that is.
Any of you guys experienced this? Sound as strange as it appears or something I'm missing?You need your system install disc #1 to troubleshoot.
Try this fix:
1. Click on Macintosh HD on the top right of your desktop (or whatever else you’ve called your Harddrive)
2. Click through System > Library > LaunchDaemons
3. Now look for the file com.apple.mio.VDCAssistant.plist - and send it to trash.
http://www.appleware.co.uk/2008/12/03/isight-camera-fix.html
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090
Suggest you take your computer to an AASP if your issue cannot be resolved. -
Isight camera "not connected" but IS in USB configuration
My iSight [BUILT-IN] camera keeps being reported as "There is no camera connected" in 'Photo Booth', though it Does show up in the USB configuration of System Profiler, and most times still functions OK using Google Video Chat. (for the first 'known' time, it did not work for Google this past week)
So far, resetting the SMC has corrected the problem, but only for a few hours.
Is there a COMMAND I can give the MacBook to do what the SMC "fixes"?
Why is it being controlled by "System Preferences - Other - Flash Player" instead of "Hardware"?? It seems that I Can Not just set it to "Block" because this also asks if I want Google Mail to be "allowed", which is my video chat method.
There are NO other users (a TEST account is set up for when I sent it to Apple last year, but that is Not Used); I simply would like to sometimes run Photo Booth to image the room or do a new profile pic, but this Constant Problem stops that.
System is Snow Lepard 10.6.8, all updates installed as of June 2012
USB High-Speed Bus:
Host Controller Location: Built-in USB
Host Controller Driver: AppleUSBEHCI
PCI Device ID: 0x2836
PCI Revision ID: 0x0003
PCI Vendor ID: 0x8086
Bus Number: 0xfd
Built-in iSight:
Product ID: 0x8501
Vendor ID: 0x05ac (Apple Inc.)
Version: 1.89
Speed: Up to 480 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Micron
Location ID: 0xfd400000 / 2
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 100http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2411 "Your camera is in use by another application" message
my isight camera is not working-not recognized with photo booth or ichat
1. Click on Macintosh HD on the top right of your desktop (or whatever else you’ve called your Harddrive) 2. Click through System > Library > LaunchDaemons 3. Now look for the file com.apple.cmio.VDCAssistant.plist - and send it to trash. http://www.appleware.co.uk/2008/12/03/isight-camera-fix.html
Also, check out EZJim's Website. -
HT6065 Does this update fix the Facetime HD iSight Camera issue?
Does this update fix the Facetime HD iSight Camera issue?
Looking at its release notes, it does not specify a fix for that problem. However, you should install this update, as this fixes other bugs and improve performance. Open > Software Update, and OS X 10.9.1 will show up
-
ISight Camera not faulty on my MacBook Air
Hi, I just bought my brand new MacBook air 13" last 2 days. I found out my iSight camera not working. Whenever I open FaceTime App, it appears green lining. any advice?
Brand new computer?
You may have to take the computer to the store for a return or a replacement.
You have 14 days to do so.
A new Mac comes with 90 days of free tech support.
AppleCare: 1-800-275-2273
Best. -
Kisight: How do I get my iSight working ? Trouble Shooting an iSight Camera. (Version 3)
Replacement for the second draft of this Thread (To be removed if Published as Tip)
kisight: How do I get my iSight working ?
Trouble Shooting an iSight Camera. (Version 3)
Hi, On many subjects Apple has Articles and Documents that can help.
In some case they are written by an Engineer or similar and can miss the mark for the average user.
In other cases they are crafted, detailed responses to an issue that has popped up many times in the Apple Discussions and take the best from many responses in those User-to-User Discussions, creating something that can not be surpassed.
This is the case of the Apple Article HT2090 on Trouble Shooting an iSight.
It lists steps and processes to go through for both Internal iSights and External ones.
However as with most things it does sometime pay to reword things differently so that people grasp the points in language they understand.
The info here is a reworking itself of two pages at ralphjohns.co.uk/EZ Jim pages namely EZ JIm's page 2 Where can I Find Help With My iSight ? and his page 4, How Can I Test My iSight is Completely Functional ? which were written several years ago and predate the Apple Article, being aimed at the External iSight. They have been updated since to address the Internal iSight as well but some of the comments are useful between the two types.
External First. For Internal iSights Start at 2b) (you will need to adjust some options/steps as the Internal is USB)
Steps
1) Pre Purchase
If buying an External iSight you should if you an get to see it in action.Apple no longer sells the External iSight so you will be buying it second hand.If you cannot get to see the device plugged in and working on Mac then check the smaller print of the seller and selling site as to nature of Returns and Faulty Goods.
2) Does it work ?
a) First of all Plug it in. It should come with a suitable mount (although there are variants on this) and a 6 pin to 6 pin Firewire cable.
Ideally it should have it's own Firewire port/socket on your computer. Connecting it "DaisyChained" to other devices can be a problem as they do not all use Firewire at the same Data speed.
It will then go through some checks as the OS powers it up and checks it's firmware.
Do not be concerned that the little green indicator light atop your iSight illuminates for a few seconds and then goes dark when you first connect your iSight or power on your Mac. Do not be concerned if you hear a soft whir as iSight attempt to focus either. Both these occurrences are normal. If your iSight passes the following tests, do not worry about this sound or the status of the green light.
There is no ON switch as such. It does have an iris mechanism that can be controlled by the User. The iris should be turned so you can see the Lens for the iSight to send pictures to an application.
b) Pick an Application to see the picture the iSight produces.iChat is one application you can use. Photobooth is another. iMovie (Version 4 or above for external iSight -- Version 6 or above for in-built iSight) and Comic Book (if bundled on your Mac) are yet more.
See this Users Tip for more applications Or this page for yet more.
Photo Booth is probably the simplest as it has no Preferences to choose a camera in the original version and is done from the Menu items in later versions (nor is there any setting in the OS) and Photo Booth will default to the External Camera if one is plugged in before the application is started. If you see your self or what the camera is pointing at, It Works !!
3) If it does Not Work
a) Check Cables/leads. Re-seat the cable at both ends. DO this carefully as although Firewire cables are keyed to fit the right way it has been known to force them the wrong way.
Try another 6 pin to 6 pin firewire cable.
b) Unplug the cable from any other FireWire device and give the iSight it's Own FireWire port/socket on the Mac (exclude issues with other FireWire devices). It is important that this be a port/socket on your computer and that you know that it works. Do not use a port in a FireWire hub or another FireWire device or a FireWire port in an Apple Display for testing. (Also see d below if you have an 800 FIreWIre Computer)
c) Check System Profiler (Apple Icon menu top Left > About this Mac. > More Info Button)Open the Reveal Triangles to see the list and go to Hardware > FireWire. (Use USB for Internal Cameras)
If it appears here try booting or Logging in as another user on the Mac (Create a Test account if you don't have one) and try item 2b) above again.
d) With FireWire 800 computers you may have to change your FireWire 400 to 800 Adaptor or Cable to get full Audio functionality with Lion Apps
If it is not in the System Profiler you are almost certainly going to need the Trouble Shooting Article from Apple at this point. This Article may also be of help (number HT1317 What to do if your computer won't recognise a FireWire or USB device).
If you have not resolved things at this stage it is going to be time for an Engineer with Apple credentials.There are no user serviceable parts inside any iSight.
Other Items
Audio.
The External Camera has two mics inside.The volume it records at or plays through for iChat is controlled in System Preferences > Sound > Input tab (select device) and this should be set to get the blue response bar to at least half way (preferably three quarters) when you talk.The same applies to any other Mic, even the Internal one on laptops and some other Macs.
Firmware.
The System Profiler as detailed above should tell you the Firmware the iSight has. The current version is 1.0.3 and was updated in Panther. (Essentially it is an Audio compatibility update but does seem to help in other situations)
If your computer is running Panther (10.2.x) then use this Updater
If running Tiger (10.4.x) or Leopard (10.5.x) then navigate manually to your Hard Drive/System/Library/Core Services/iSight Updater and run the updater found there.
If an iSight is Plugged in on the Computer when you do an OS update and the firmware needs updating on the iSight this app is supposed to be triggered but it seem it may need a hand at times.
Focusing on the External iSight
Essentially the External iSight is self or Autofocusing.
If in doubt then try better lighting and strong colours as opposes to light or pastels.
(All built-in iSights are fixed focus. Therefore, unless a built-in iSight lens cover is dirty or smudged, any built-in iSight whose image is blurry needs service by an Engineer with Apple credentials.)
EZ Jim has these more specific recommendations for piece of mind.
Make a cross whose lines are about one-half inch or more wide on a plain background to use as a focus target. (I have even used black electrical tape.)
Turn on plenty of light and hold the target very still at about two or three feet from the lens. Watch iSight focus. (You may need to use a tripod or brace yourself to hold the target still enough.)
Then quickly move the target and hold it very still at about one foot away from the lens. Watch iSight focus.
Finally, move in to about six inches from iSight, and check focus there, too. (Holding the target still is more important as you get closer to iSight.)
This Users Tip by Ian Bickerstaff can give you clues for any application really "Look and sound good in iChat"
Other Info and Links
iSight Support info at Apple Links to Users Guide, Manual and many other topics on the External iSight.
Apple's iSight Firewire Connectivity FAQs
Apple's iSight Service FAQs
If you feel you have not understood or think you have not grasped something here or in the links so far try the iSight Discussion Forum
1:13 PM Saturday; October 8, 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( 10.6.8)
Mac OS X (10.6.8),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images." No, SeriouslyReplacement for the second draft of this Thread (To be removed if Published as Tip)
kisight: How do I get my iSight working ?
Trouble Shooting an iSight Camera. (Version 3)
Hi, On many subjects Apple has Articles and Documents that can help.
In some case they are written by an Engineer or similar and can miss the mark for the average user.
In other cases they are crafted, detailed responses to an issue that has popped up many times in the Apple Discussions and take the best from many responses in those User-to-User Discussions, creating something that can not be surpassed.
This is the case of the Apple Article HT2090 on Trouble Shooting an iSight.
It lists steps and processes to go through for both Internal iSights and External ones.
However as with most things it does sometime pay to reword things differently so that people grasp the points in language they understand.
The info here is a reworking itself of two pages at ralphjohns.co.uk/EZ Jim pages namely EZ JIm's page 2 Where can I Find Help With My iSight ? and his page 4, How Can I Test My iSight is Completely Functional ? which were written several years ago and predate the Apple Article, being aimed at the External iSight. They have been updated since to address the Internal iSight as well but some of the comments are useful between the two types.
External First. For Internal iSights Start at 2b) (you will need to adjust some options/steps as the Internal is USB)
Steps
1) Pre Purchase
If buying an External iSight you should if you an get to see it in action.Apple no longer sells the External iSight so you will be buying it second hand.If you cannot get to see the device plugged in and working on Mac then check the smaller print of the seller and selling site as to nature of Returns and Faulty Goods.
2) Does it work ?
a) First of all Plug it in. It should come with a suitable mount (although there are variants on this) and a 6 pin to 6 pin Firewire cable.
Ideally it should have it's own Firewire port/socket on your computer. Connecting it "DaisyChained" to other devices can be a problem as they do not all use Firewire at the same Data speed.
It will then go through some checks as the OS powers it up and checks it's firmware.
Do not be concerned that the little green indicator light atop your iSight illuminates for a few seconds and then goes dark when you first connect your iSight or power on your Mac. Do not be concerned if you hear a soft whir as iSight attempt to focus either. Both these occurrences are normal. If your iSight passes the following tests, do not worry about this sound or the status of the green light.
There is no ON switch as such. It does have an iris mechanism that can be controlled by the User. The iris should be turned so you can see the Lens for the iSight to send pictures to an application.
b) Pick an Application to see the picture the iSight produces.iChat is one application you can use. Photobooth is another. iMovie (Version 4 or above for external iSight -- Version 6 or above for in-built iSight) and Comic Book (if bundled on your Mac) are yet more.
See this Users Tip for more applications Or this page for yet more.
Photo Booth is probably the simplest as it has no Preferences to choose a camera in the original version and is done from the Menu items in later versions (nor is there any setting in the OS) and Photo Booth will default to the External Camera if one is plugged in before the application is started. If you see your self or what the camera is pointing at, It Works !!
3) If it does Not Work
a) Check Cables/leads. Re-seat the cable at both ends. DO this carefully as although Firewire cables are keyed to fit the right way it has been known to force them the wrong way.
Try another 6 pin to 6 pin firewire cable.
b) Unplug the cable from any other FireWire device and give the iSight it's Own FireWire port/socket on the Mac (exclude issues with other FireWire devices). It is important that this be a port/socket on your computer and that you know that it works. Do not use a port in a FireWire hub or another FireWire device or a FireWire port in an Apple Display for testing. (Also see d below if you have an 800 FIreWIre Computer)
c) Check System Profiler (Apple Icon menu top Left > About this Mac. > More Info Button)Open the Reveal Triangles to see the list and go to Hardware > FireWire. (Use USB for Internal Cameras)
If it appears here try booting or Logging in as another user on the Mac (Create a Test account if you don't have one) and try item 2b) above again.
d) With FireWire 800 computers you may have to change your FireWire 400 to 800 Adaptor or Cable to get full Audio functionality with Lion Apps
If it is not in the System Profiler you are almost certainly going to need the Trouble Shooting Article from Apple at this point. This Article may also be of help (number HT1317 What to do if your computer won't recognise a FireWire or USB device).
If you have not resolved things at this stage it is going to be time for an Engineer with Apple credentials.There are no user serviceable parts inside any iSight.
Other Items
Audio.
The External Camera has two mics inside.The volume it records at or plays through for iChat is controlled in System Preferences > Sound > Input tab (select device) and this should be set to get the blue response bar to at least half way (preferably three quarters) when you talk.The same applies to any other Mic, even the Internal one on laptops and some other Macs.
Firmware.
The System Profiler as detailed above should tell you the Firmware the iSight has. The current version is 1.0.3 and was updated in Panther. (Essentially it is an Audio compatibility update but does seem to help in other situations)
If your computer is running Panther (10.2.x) then use this Updater
If running Tiger (10.4.x) or Leopard (10.5.x) then navigate manually to your Hard Drive/System/Library/Core Services/iSight Updater and run the updater found there.
If an iSight is Plugged in on the Computer when you do an OS update and the firmware needs updating on the iSight this app is supposed to be triggered but it seem it may need a hand at times.
Focusing on the External iSight
Essentially the External iSight is self or Autofocusing.
If in doubt then try better lighting and strong colours as opposes to light or pastels.
(All built-in iSights are fixed focus. Therefore, unless a built-in iSight lens cover is dirty or smudged, any built-in iSight whose image is blurry needs service by an Engineer with Apple credentials.)
EZ Jim has these more specific recommendations for piece of mind.
Make a cross whose lines are about one-half inch or more wide on a plain background to use as a focus target. (I have even used black electrical tape.)
Turn on plenty of light and hold the target very still at about two or three feet from the lens. Watch iSight focus. (You may need to use a tripod or brace yourself to hold the target still enough.)
Then quickly move the target and hold it very still at about one foot away from the lens. Watch iSight focus.
Finally, move in to about six inches from iSight, and check focus there, too. (Holding the target still is more important as you get closer to iSight.)
This Users Tip by Ian Bickerstaff can give you clues for any application really "Look and sound good in iChat"
Other Info and Links
iSight Support info at Apple Links to Users Guide, Manual and many other topics on the External iSight.
Apple's iSight Firewire Connectivity FAQs
Apple's iSight Service FAQs
If you feel you have not understood or think you have not grasped something here or in the links so far try the iSight Discussion Forum
1:13 PM Saturday; October 8, 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( 10.6.8)
Mac OS X (10.6.8),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images." No, Seriously -
Can't get DVD burner or Isight camera to work via FW
I can't get a DVD burner (FW) or an Isight camera to work. The DVD doesn't mont and the Isight camera just turns on then back off.......I did all the disc maintenance and reset the PRAM. At one time these devices did works. Sometimes the FW board shows up in the System Profiler and sometime it doesn't. Could it be a faulty FW board? Firmware?
A new PCI card and $39 fixed it. I got the firewire 400 since my DVD burner and iSight camera run on 400. The 800 would have been nice. And it was on sale as a discontinued item, $22 ($99). But there is a catch, 400 and 800 cables aren't the same. DAH!!! New cables would have cost around $68. Yes, I do have cable supplier here in town were I could have bought the same cables at pennies on the dollar. Another DAH!!! I didn't think of it till after I put the card in. All so my cable supplier is on the other side of town. I'm tried and lazy right now.
Here ends another happy story, and I thank you all....... -
ISight camera "in use by another application"
Hello. I'm having trouble using my built-in iSight camera in my brand new MacBook Pro. I can get the thing to work while using iMovie 08, but it won't work with Photo Booth, iChat, or iMovie HD. The very first day I had the computer, it worked with Photo Booth, so I'm fairly certain it's a software problem. I've loaded a ton of software.
The error message I get for iChat and Photo Booth is "Photo Booth cannot open because no camera is attached or the camera is in use by another application." It isn't. I swear.
After reading through a bunch of posts, here's what I've tried:
1. Reinstalling QuickTime
2. Updating the OS
3. Rebooting
4. Repairing permissions
5. Deleting the Photo Booth preferences
6. Zapping the PRAM
7. Resetting the CMU
8. Logging in through a brand-new user account
9. Checking to make sure the camera shows up under the About This Mac/More Info section
10. Trashing everything I can find related to the HP Scanner software (though I'll need that again in the future)
11. Getting rid of other devices listed under the Image Capture folder in my Library
12. Re-installing Photo Booth
13. Calling Apple Support. They gave up and told me to "archive and reinstall," but after spending several weeks installing software, I don't want to do that. Archiving and reinstalling is a pain in the butt. They also offered to "escalate" the issue, but after 1.5 hours on the phone, I decided to try back another day.
In the meantime, I wanted to see if anyone else had some advice.
It feels like the old days of OS 9 extensions conflicts. But I'm just not sure how to problem solve these things. Like, for example, if it IS a problem with HP scanner software, how do I get rid of all of it? Might it be a problem with having both iMovie HD and iMovie 08 on the same computer...? How can I systematically problem-solve this thing?Welcome to Apple Discussions, schmargle
I think you are on the right track. The fact that you have "loaded a ton of software" makes me think possible conflicts.
For your HP issue, parkersal's solution at http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=4246676#4246676 might help you. In addition to some more details about parkersal's tip, you can find some other users' suggestions in Shelia Addison's sightless iSight ... thread.
If HP is not your only problem, your quickest fix may to be an Erase (your entire startup disk) and Install (of the OS.) Update to the latest version, and test your iSight before you install anything else to be sure it works. Then install the additional software you need one-by-one, testing iSight between each one to make certain you know which one is breaking it.
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 -
Web cam does not override iSight camera. Any suggestions how to do so?
I bought a Logitech webcam but cannot get it to work. The iSight camera comes on instead and overrides the web cam. Any way to fix this?
If your Logitech webcam is Mac-compatible, it should be menu-selectable in the app you are using. Different camera apps work differently. Your Mac's Help in each application should give you more info on how each particular app works, but here are a few examples:
• Messages:
• Photo Booth:
• FaceTime:
• Skype:
• QuickTimeX:
If your camera recognizes only one camera, apps may not display even the inbuilt camera in the menu.
Different iMovie versions support different cameras in different ways. Search your iMovie > Help for info on your version. -
Finally I decided to move forward and installed Mountain Lion 10.8.4 (with all the updates). Now I am facing a dilemma, my external iSight Camera is working fine regarding the video fee but the Mic is useless. I am using a Mac Pro 2009 and a Apple Cinema Display 30". I checked all the trends about iSight External devices but no one has a really specific solution for my problem. Firewire is not longer supported with Mountain Lion? By the way my iSight was working perfectly before. So I am wondering if something wrong happened with the OS and the support for this kind of device? I reset the PRAM, the SMC, even I reinstalled the MAC OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4) from scratch. So I am wondering if the problem is that ML is not longer supporting this device or what is the issue here.
Hope someone can help me with it!
Thanks
JalcomJalcom wrote:... Firewire is not longer supported with Mountain Lion?...
Not true. External iSight works fine with my '09 Mac Pro and 10.8.4.
Jalcom wrote:... So I am wondering if something wrong happened ...
So it must have.
Jalcom wrote: ... help me with it!...
You have tried several good things, but there may be other suggestions from http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090 that you have not yet considered. Be sure to check more than one Apple app in more than one user account to help you pinpoint the cause of your trouble. Then you will know what to fix.
In addition to the Apple troubleshooting, check your > System Preferences... > Sound > Input to verify that your iSight's mic is selected, not muted, and that its volume setting is properly adjusted. You may need to check this again after restarting Mac or changing apps that use the mic.
Also, be certain that the apps you are testing are configured to use iSight's mic. Different apps select the mic in different ways. For example, QuickTime X allow selection among various microphone alternatives via one of its preferences as shown in the image below:
(I was using my Display microphone and did not have my external iSight connected when I made this image. Therefore, there is no iSight mic shown in my list of mic choices above. If your iSight's mic is properly connected, turned on, and recognized by your Mac, iSight will show in your QTX microphone preference choice list.)
If you are trying to use your iSight with a Flash based web site, also check your Mac's > System Preferences... > Flash Player > Camera and Mic settings to verify that your Flash system preferences are not blocking your mic.
Some other apps may offer mic and or camera selection via their application menus. If you have trouble finding out how to select the iSight internal mic in other apps, check each apps' Help or post back the name of the app whose selector you cannot locate here so we can try to help.
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early09) 2.93Ghz OSX 10.8.4 24" LED Cinema Display External iSights -
Isight camera not working after the last update
After reboot of the last OS update
Isight camera not working...
i've tried photobooth, ichat, skype and it doesn't show up anywhere. in fact, when i go to system profiler, it doesn't show isight under USB connections at all.
just to give you a recap of what i've tried so far:
* restarting (obviously)
* resetting PRAM/SMC (by booting it the way it was specified in the isight troubleshooting thing)
* just shutting down my computer and taking the battery out for several hours
any Help pls
because i mast to use it as soon as possible in a conference*A few suggestions.........*
Try running repair permissions from your HD and afterwards run +repair disk+ from your software install DVD.
my isight camera is not working-not recognized with photo booth or ichat
To fix your iSight, shut down computer. Reboot in safe mode (press power button and then hold shift key down). After computer boots, restart again. Hopefully, your iSight will start working again. -
Mid 2009 13" MBP iSight camera bad picture quality in photo booth
My daughter's stock mid 2009 13" MBP 2.26 ghz intel core two duo has a problem with the isight camera. The isight camera is built in to the screen. The isight camera works some of the time flawlessly and other times it comes out real grainy and with small colored pixels all over the screen like colored static (about 20% to 30% of the photo booth screen is affected but the rest of the screen outside of the photo booth app is unaffected). She only uses it in photo booth but we've tried the iChat app and the same thing happens there too, once she couldn't get the MBP to connect to the isight camera (it just showed a black photo booth screen), so she closed the lid of her MBP and reopened it and it worked. All of the software and firmware is up to date and we've tried resetting the PRAM and the SMC, it didn't do anything to fix the problem. It seems like there's a wire loose in the computer from the screen to the computer base, only because I can move the screen back and forth and the picture quality changes, the amount of static on the picture will move, go away or get worse. I had the screen changed in early 2010 (January or February) (the MBP was about 5 or 6 months old then) at the apple store under warranty due to dirt under the screen's glass (manufacturing defect). The photo booth picture static problem comes and goes, but here lately it comes more than it goes. The screen in general is in good shape and doesn't have any detectable problems with it, it has a good picture and no dead pixels, the problem seems to be only isolated to the isight camera. Can some one help with this problem? How long of a warranty is given on the warranty repairs (like the screen change they did in early 2010)? If apple does a repair on it and finds a wire that has rubbed the insulation off of it on a hinge causing a short and the isight problem, as a result of a sloppy repair from the first warranty repair, will they cover it under warranty again even if it's been over a year since they changed the screen? Also how honest will apple be if they do find out it is a problem caused from the first screen replacement, will they own up to their mistake? If I don't agree with apple's repair decision, can I get a second opinion from an outside source, third party, and if it's diagnosis different than apple's and can be proven, can I still get apple to do and pay for the repairs and labor if it turns out to be their fault from the first warranty screen replacement?
The reason why I'm asking is, I took my wife's white macbook in about a year ago for the famous cracked top cover replacement (under warranty) and when I got the computer back, the isight camera didn't work, so I gave it back, they took it apart a look at it and said there was nothing wrong with it and gave it back, then the screen wouldn't come on so after 4 hours at the Apple store they decided to send it to Austin, TX. for repairs (I'm in Ft. Worth TX.). Apple in Austin said it needed a new main board. They said the old one had water damage to it. We never had water anywhere near the computer, not even in the same room. It was working fine when we took it in, we took it in just to get the plastic top case, that cracks all of the time, replaced under warranty. And then they wanted us to pay for an $800 main board because some how while they were doing the top cover replacement it got water damaged. I argued with them and they finally gave me a one-time offer of them paying for half of the repair and labor or if I disagreed or left the store I would have to pay the whole amount if I chose to have the repairs done. So I ended up having to pay $467 for a year old macbook main board that was water damaged in their possession during their repairs. I like Apple and their products but I am worried about giving my daughter's MBP over to them for repairs because of this incident, it's an honesty issue with how honest they will be with what they find because they won't give back the old parts for analysis by a third party to verify their diagnosis.
Thanks for any info and advice anyone can give.Hi,
As a personal note I find long posts like this hard to read if they are not broken up in to paragraphs.
As I say it is a personal thing.
I can give you some information about the camera and laptops over the past few years.
Basically in early Laptops of the MacBook Pro and MacBook range the cable did tend to fray at the point where it passed through the hinge. It did take a well used laptop that had the lid open and closed frequently to cause this. (your 2009 model might just be in that group - I have no firm dates or models I am afraid)
Later models have this rerouted so that this does not happen.
However the cable has then tended to get pulled from the camera end and become loose.
This On Line Self fix site has pages about some models (The one I have linked to may not be yours)
I have linked in to later pictures in the sequence but there are navigation points to work back to the start.
Note:- they use pretty specifc specialest tools as well in these pics.
Doing this would certail Void any Warranty you have left.
From Posts mainly in the iChat and the iSight areas I have gathered that it seems common for Apple to replace the Screen as a whole rather than fiddle with getting solely at the camera.
Apple has this article on Trouble Shooting an iSight
Basically it says try several apps then try logging in on another Mac User account to see if it is App based or User based or in fact System wide.
If System wide then resetting the SMC/PMU is the only suggested fix. (Which I did read you had done)
In addition to that I would add that testing should be done in different lighting conditions.
Lighting in the evening or dark that is good enough to read buy is not always good enough for the camera or is not illuminating the right areas.
Some people have reported that Starting the computer in Safe Mode (then Rebooting afterwards) seems to help. (it clears out some caches and starts up with reduced extensions)
As to actual Repairs and any Warranty that may still be in place I cannot say.
I can say that when people post about problems with repairs a certain stores someone else will tend to post that their experience was different.
You seem to report two different experiences with the two computers yourself.
10:24 PM Thursday; July 14, 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( 10.6.8)
Mac OS X (10.6.7),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images." No, Seriously -
MacBook White Built-in iSight Camera stuck on after 10.7.3 upgrade but not producing video
I upgraded today the OS of my iMac and MacBook from Lion 10.7.2 to 10.7.3. The iMac is fine but the MacBook is always having the iSight camera on (light is constantly green.) But no video is produced in Skype, FaceTime, and iChat. I rebooted several times with no results. The green light is always on. Any advise to solve this issue is greatly appreciated.
I updated three Macs to 10.7.3 with no trouble. I credit ALWAYS using the Combo Update for my reliable updates:
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1484
If you have trouble later, try applying the Combo version. Even if you are already using the same version, the Combo may fix your problem.
Use your Mac's Disk Utility to repair permissions before updating and again immediately following the system restart that completes the Combo update.
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early09) 2.93Ghz OSX 10.7.3
MBP 15" i7 (Early'11) OSX 10.7.3
13" MBP (Mid'09) 2.26GHz OSX 10.7.3 -
MacBook Pro (Late 2007, 2.4/2.2GHz) - Built-in isight camera issue
I have a MBP (as mentioned, Late 2007) running Lion 10.7.2 (updated yesterday). And I have a problem with the built-in iSight camera
Same with photo booth and skype.
So far I have tried
1) shutdown, unplug power, remove battery, press power for 5 seconds, plug battery back, plug power, boot. No help. No LED's light up to make my day.
2) Press P R - Alt Cmd during boot (2/3 cycles like that)
Could anyone throw some light into this?
Much thanks in advance.Try reinstalling Lion:
Reinstalling Lion
Boot to the Recovery HD: Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alterhatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the main menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.
When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion: Select Reinstall Lion and click on the Continue button.
Note: You can also re-download the Lion installer by opening the App Store application. Hold down the OPTION key and click on the Purchases icon in the toolbar. You should now see an active Install button to the right of your Lion purchase entry. There are situations in which this will not work. For example, if you are already booted into the Lion you originally purchased with your Apple ID or if an instance of the Lion installer is located anywhere on your computer. -
(Slow Network): iSight camera not working in iChat since Leopard upgrade
I have a different type of iChat video issue. My Power Mac G4, 867 MHz, 1 GB DRAM is a supported Mac for the Leopard upgrade. I've successfully installed OS 10.5.
Also my Power Mac meets the iChat Conferencing Requirements for 1-on-1 Video Chat per the OS 10.5 system requirements and the application note here:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301050
My iSight camera is connected via Firewire to an Apple Cinema Display, which feeds back to the Power Mac G4.
1) When I boot from my 10.3.9 Carbon Copy Cloner backup my iSight works in iChat (at least locally to see myself) without any issue. Green light comes on and shows me locally on video and audio sound bars. Before the OS upgrade the iSight worked fine for live video conferences with iChat 2.1.3 under Mac OS 10.3.9
2) Running OS 10.5 when I go to iChat 4.0's preferences video pane the following message is waiting "This computer does not support video conferencing."
3) With Leopard iChat 4.0 the Connector Doctor under "capabilities" says "(Slow Network)" for 1-on-1 Video Chat and won't even show video locally or turn on the iSight's green light.Fixed!
My Power Mac Quicksilver G4, 867 MHz. problem with (Slow Network) in the iChat Connection Doctor, no video preview or video iChat since upgrading to OS 10.5 Leopard and iChat 4.0 has been solved with the following posted towards the end of the thread below. I can finally see my video preview with iChat 4.0 and have also video chatted successfully with one other user.
Topic : Macbook - iChat says "This computer does not support video conferencing"
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1197506
Fixed by Apple Article: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=307035
Products affected
Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
iChat
PowerPC-based Mac with a 867MHz processor
Solution
Quit iChat.
Open Terminal (it's in the Utilities folder, in the Applications folder).
In Terminal type or paste this command on a single line:
defaults write com.apple.iChat newbwdup 300000
Press Return.
Quit Terminal.
Open iChat.
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