Firewire isight camera

Hi All
I have two firewire isight camera's. I plug both of them into the firewire port of the dual powermac g5 and the macbook pro.
Both cameras green light come on for about five seconds and then go off.
The cameras are not recognised by both machines in ichat, skype, system profiler.
Is this a common problem, or can they be repaired easily.
Joseph

Welcome to Discussions, Joseph
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.
iSight can be picky about sharing your Mac's Firewire, so be sure you have *only one external iSight connected* and *NO other Firewire devices connected* when you test. (You can test the second iSight after you finish checking and have disconnected the first.)
Then test using the suggestions and links here:
http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage4.html
It may be necessary to reset your Firewire: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1317
If none of the applicable troubleshooting suggestions corrects your problem, and if your Mac's System Profiler does not recognize your external iSight (one at a time) as a Firewire device, you will need to decide whether to use a different webcam or to try to get your iSights repaired.
If you want to pursue iSight repair, Apple service is the only option I suggest. There are no user serviceable parts inside iSight. Contact Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider for service on your iSight.
If you have no local access to Apple Service, Apple Support's contact info is here:
http://www.apple.com/support/contact/phone_contacts.html
If you want to pursue service via Apple's website, see: http://www.apple.com/support/isight/service/
(Apple no longer offers the "iSight Accessory Kit, Part Number: M9314G/B" that is mentioned in the link immediately above.) If your local Apple service pro needs parts from the discontinued Kit or some part those listed in the iSight Service: Frequently Asked Questions page, the kind people at http://www.synaptech.com may be able to help obtain some iSight parts.
EZ Jim
G5 DP 1.8GHz w/Mac OS X (10.5.7) PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11) iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9) External iSight

Similar Messages

Connecting a FireWire iSight camera

I want to use an older iSight camera with my new MacBook Pro. The MBP has USB3 but no FireWire input. Can I get an adapter to facilitate this? I know my MBP has a built in camera but I want to have the camera level with my head when I am delivering a lecture. There are limits to what I can expect my audience to put up with in terms of looking up my nose and counting my double chins? Please be specific about any adapters that may be available. Thank you.

Does your MBP have ThunderBolt?
If so there are adapters from ThunderBolt to FireWire.
Allan

Facetime and external firewire iSight camera

Hi,
I bought Facetime yesterday. When I start it, it says that there is no camera. I turn on my iSight, nothing happens.
I close Facetime, turn on my iSight, then start Facetime: instant crash.
So, basically, Facetime doesn't work for me. Anybody experienced something similar? Any idea?
My external iSight camera is version 1.0.3.
I run OS X 10.6.6 on my Mac Pro 1.1.

Edouard Boily wrote:
Hi,
I bought Facetime yesterday. When I start it, it says that there is no camera. I turn on my iSight, nothing happens.
I close Facetime, turn on my iSight, then start Facetime: instant crash.
Because you "turn on" your iSight, you must be using your external.
Test your external iSight with other apps using the suggestions here:
http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage4.html
*If external iSight doesn't work with any app*, try creating a new user account and test there.
*If external iSight doesn't work with anything in any user account*, it may be repairable. If you don't have local access to an Apple Service Technician, other options are shown here:
http://www.apple.com/support/isight/service/
*If your external iSight is not economically repairable*, you may want to consider a new camera. Several alternatives are included in the discussion here:
http://www.mac-compatible-web-cam.com/
*If your iSight works with apps* (QT, iMovie, iChat, Photo Booth, etc.) *other than FaceTime*, you may merely need to restart the Mac, repair permissions, and reinstall FaceTime.
So, basically, Facetime doesn't work for me. Anybody experienced something similar?
Not I.
Any idea? ...
Several. You do not say which display you use. As shown in this image using my Mac Pro and LED Cinema Display:
when your Mac recognizes more than one camera, you can select the one you want by clicking the appropriate item in the FaceTime > Video menu item.
(1) *If either camera works*, your FaceTime software is working.
(2) *If you have only one webcam that can connect to your Mac Pro*, try resetting the FaceTime preferences. If you need help, here is how:
• Restart Mac
• Navigate to the "com.apple.FaceTime.plist" file in your Home ( ) > Library > Preferences folder.
(Be sure you are in the "Home" Folder preferences folder, not your System's.)
• Move the "com.apple.FaceTime.plist" file to Trash
• Connect external iSight, launch FaceTime, and test again.
(3) *If the FaceTime problem persists,* apply the 10.6.6 Combo Update as follows:
• Backup your Mac and turn off Time Machine
• Disconnect peripherals and restart Mac
• Use Disk Utility to repair permissions
• Download and install http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1349
• Repair permissions again immediately following the restart that finishes the update.
• Test FaceTime again
(• Turn Time Machine on again when you are satisfied that the Combo update worked.)
(4) *If FaceTime still does not work on your Mac Pro*, test with your other Mac. Leave external iSight disconnected from your MacBook Pro and test FaceTime using its inbuilt iSight. If FaceTime works on your MBP with its inbuilt iSight, you know that the software you downloaded is good.
(5) *If you’re new FaceTime doesn't work with either of your Macs*, click "Support" in the App Store Quick Links (upper right quadrant) section and ask if you should download another copy to test whether the one you have is bad.
EZ Jim
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz Mac OS X (10.6.6); MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.6)
LED Cinema Display; G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11); iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9); External iSight; iPod4touch4.2.1

Can't capture video using iSight camera in QuickTime 7.4 (92)

OK, I see that there are plenty of "bugs" with Quicktime Version 7.4 (92), but I don't see the problem I am having, posted anywhere. Here goes...
I cannot capture video using my [Firewire] iSight camera on my CoreDuo MacMini. I definitely used to be able to do this. When I go to File>New Movie Recording, I get a back/blank Movie Recording window and that's it. I click on the Red/Record button and nothing happens. The timer doesn't even advance. Just sits there. When I try to stop the recording, I get the following message:
*"Recording failed because no data was received.*
*Make sure that the media input source is turned on and playing."*
I can still capture audio, although had some problems and had to "downgrade" to version 7.3.x and subsequently reinstalled 7.4. Now the audio works but still no video.
A few things:
1. YES, the iSight camera works - I can use it in iMovie, iChat, Photobooth, etc. - for both video and audio.
2. As I mentioned, I tried "downgrading" (using "Pacifist") but still no video.
3. I re-installed Version 7.4 and the audio problems cleared up, but again, still unable to capture video.
3. All software updates installed.
Any ideas???
Thanks!

"As I mentioned, I tried "downgrading" (using "Pacifist") but still no video."
See QuickTimeKirk’s posting in the following thread:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1357579&tstart=0
Try the following:
Trash com.apple.LaunchServices.plist
It's located in your account:
HD/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices.plist
Delete the file, restart (a new .plist will be created) and quicktime hopefully will work again w/o doing an Archive & Install.
+If you want to do an A&I:+
Do an archive and install of your OS from the OS disc. Stop at the QT upgrade you need.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301270 Scroll down to "Archive and Install”
IMPORTANT: Maker sure you select "preserve user preferences and data" when you performed the A&I?
Good luck!

Built in iSight camera no longer showing up or recognized by iMac

Hello there - I have a white 1.83 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo iMac with a built in iSight camera, and the camera is no longer showing up, or is not recognized by the computer any longer. Very strange! The little green LED by the camera is not lit any longer, and the camera is not recognized any longer by Photo Booth, iChat AV, or any of the other apps that would use the camera. This is a real pain, because I am leaving for France in a couple days and am taking my MacBook Pro with me, and am hoping that I can use iChat AV to talk to my kids at home on the iMac. I do have an extra iSight camera that I have hooked up to the iMac and can use in a pinch, but I really want to use the built in camera on the iMac. Any hints / ideas / suggestions on what to do for this problem would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

No, unfortunately that did not help. I did the following...
1. See if the issue is application-specific. - Nope. Camera is not recognized in any of the apps that it should be recognized in, I tested iChat AV, PhotoBooth, ImageCapture, and iMovie.
2. See if the issue is user-specific. - There's only one user account on this Mac, so I couldn't do that.
3. Find out if the computer recognizes the iSight. I went into System Profiler and checked the USB profiler, and the camera does not show up.
4. Reset SMC or PMU. These just looked like different ways of restarting, which I did multiple times.
I have also run my Software Updates (on OS 10.5, which I did with a clean install from an OS 10.5 DVD by the way) and still no camera. This problem started happening with the original OS 10.4 (which it came with) and I was hoping a clean install of the OS would help, but no.
I'm wondering if resetting the PRAM might help, but I can't remember those keys you hold down while restarting (was it Apple-Option-P-R ?) or if that is just reaching waaaaay back to the pre OSX days.
Here's the kicker though - if I plug in a FireWire iSight camera, all is well. I'm really hoping that the camera isn't jsut dead, but it's starting to look that way. Would Disk First Aid or maybe DiskWarrior help?

Soundbooth CS4 not picking up my isight camera

Hi there,
I am using a Mac pro with a firewire isight camera, however, I can't seem to get the mic to wok within Soundbooth - Can anyone shed any light please?

Hi Wayne,
Can you share with us what you've tried and what the issue is? Does the iSight microphone not show up as a valid input device in Soundbooth?
Try the following steps and see if it resolves the problem:
1. Open Applications > Utilities > Audio and MIDI Setup. Try configuring the Default Input to your iSight microphone. If it doesn't show up as an option here, then there may be some installation or driver issues. If you do see it, set it as the default.
2. Launch Soundbooth and click the red Record button. In the dialog that pops up, you should see the iSight listed in the "Port" dropdown. If not, you may need to select your default configuration in the "Device" dropdown.
3. If this still fails, we can create a new device profile and try to force things. In the Record dialog, click Settings... This will launch Audio and MIDI Setup again. Once it opens, in the menu bar click Audio > Open Aggregate Device Editor. Click the + button to create a new entry, and name it something like "My iSight configuration." In the "Structure" box, place a check next to your Built-in Output (or Line Output if you use that) and one next to your iSight microphone input. Click Done and close out of the Audio Setup application.
4. Restart Soundbooth and bring up the Record dialog again. Click in the "Device" dropdown and select your new "My iSight Configuration" option. This should make the iSight the only available input port. Try recording.
Good luck!
Durin

Firewire iSight and 10.4.9 Issues

Ok,
So we have this Firewire iSight camera. It works fine when plugged into 1 mac. However when we plug it into another mac, there is no power light coming on.
I did plug in an external FW400 drive and it worked great.
I think the issue is that there is iSight driver software on the machine as it never had an iSight before.
I attempted to download some software for it from Apple however it only supports Panther.
Now I know these things shipped with some software. How do I get my hands on some Tiger compatible driver / software for this camera?
To sum:
The target computer has operational firewire ports
The iSight works on other computers
The iSight MUST work on this particular machine as it is for a user.

Welcome to Apple Discussions, Ok.
Now I know these things shipped with some software.
No, they didn't. All the software you need for iSight is built into the OS. You can add applications that can use your iSight to those that Apple bundles with the OS or the Macs it sells (examples, iChat, iMovie, etc.), but all "drivers" are built into OS X.
Restart your Mac with no unnecessary peripherals connected and try the suggestions here:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93240
If your iSight still does not work with any app, check for Possible hardware or software conflicts with iSight or iChat.
I cannot tell specifically which Mac and OS are giving you difficulty (10.4.9 in the subject line but 10.5 in your System info), but if you are using 10.4.9 on a PPC Mac, you can try the following before seeing your Apple Service Technician:
• Backup your Home Folder, or at very least, your important files.
• Repair permissions. (Click here if you need help.)
• Then download and apply the Mac OS X 10.4.10 Combo Update (PPC).
• Finish with another Permissions Repair, and then check your iSight again.
Users have reported fixes to a variety of audio, video, connectivity, and software conflicts and unreliability issues after properly applying Combo Updates.
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.10) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5) External iSight

Firewire - isight - hdtv Sony

Hi
i have an new mac pro here 2.66 2 GB ram nice..
but i have a problem with firewire
Isight cam is connected perfect - it did run even once for a short while - then Imovie freezed.
Now i do not get any connection to the isight camera or to an external sony hdtv camera. No reaction from the system.
any ideas ? THX

Hello cyberlivia,
And Welcome to Apple Discussions!
Lets begin by resetting the FW circuits: Pull the plug (not just turn off the Mac, but the power cord plugged into the wall), and have all FW deviced disconnected. Let the system sit for 15-30 minutes and then re-boot.
Repair permissions.
Do not connect any other FW devices at the same time. Just the iSight cam. Go to system profiler and let us know if the iSight shows up.
Post back an update and let us know if anything changed.
Respectfully,
Bill Gallagher

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

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

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

ISight Camera / Firewire Problems

Hello Everyone,
Over the past couple months I have been having trouble with my isight camera to shoot clear and smooth video in either photobooth or imovie. Many times the video I record comes back extremely choppy, or no sound is recorded (sometimes both). Ive tried to instead import videos via firewire with my camcorder, but the exact same thing happens. Is this a software problem or a hardware problem? (please note I have approx 99gbs of hard disk free and 300mb of ram free while recording).

Create a new user an try recording there. If the problem persists then we can eliminate something in your user causing problems. If the problem is solved then something in your user is causing issues. Let me know how that test goes.

External iSight camera (FireWire) acting flakey with Skype

My once reliable & rock-solid Apple iSight camera just started acting strange, sometimes it will provide picture perfect video and now suddenly when using Skype the picture has a venetian-blind effect with the video inverted upside down (interlacing on steroids). I am using the latest, greatest version of Skype, funny thing is when I go into the Prefs and check video the picture is perfect like in iChat, but when I connect with my parents their video comes through perfect but mine is scrambled. The camera maybe gets a maximum of 25 hours per year of use, but is now about 7 years old. Checked FW connections and rebooted, PRAM reset, etc. Any suggestions? Time to get a cheap USB webcam? Want to use iChat but no good for our connection (broadband) and Tiger/Leopard OS problems.

Hi,
I use a Advent 1.3Mp Int camera that I bought form the UK version of PC World
The Int bit stands for Interchangable fronts. It has a Mic as well.
It has a fold out bit to hook on to the top of laptops (it's not deep enough for a current iMac).
The cable fits into the base which makes it difficult to use as a free standing item.
The X-box 360 Camera works as it is UVC compliant as well but has no Mic.
With some older Macs that have USB 2.0 (Needed for UVC compliant cameras) on the computer/tower do not have USB 2.0 ports on the keyboard.
I have a USB 2.0 card added to my G4 tower.
Others http://www.mac-compatible-web-cam.com/
Generally speaking most USB cameras will be USB 2.0
In most cases but not all these will be UVC compliant (USB Video Class)
Vista in Windows onwards and Mac OS 10.4.9 onwards have UVC drivers so a "PC" camera does not need Mac Drivers.
The ones that are USB 2.0 only will need Drivers and these then get difficult to find (there were third party options for USB 1.1 cameras and you needed and Add on Utility for iChat)
Pay attention to the pixel descriptions.
Mine is 1.3 Megapixels (1280 X 960 pixels)
USB cameras seem to be mentioning 5Mp at present.
However iChat can only use 0.3 (640 X 480 pixels) max as can Photo Booth.
having said that Quicktime Pro (for your 10.5.8) and imovie could use the higher pixel format if you were going to do more with it with those apps.
Summary
UVC compliant is an absolute for a Mac nowadays.
This will need you to have a USB 2.0 port on the computer rather than the keyboard with slightly older Macs (Some Intels are included in this).
Any Camera that is marked "Vista Certified" or UVC compliant may not have the same features on a Mac that they advertise for a PC.
There is a wide variety out there with different pixel rates and you need to pick one to suit where you will use it most.
iChat and Photo Booth will use the pic at a sample rate of 640 X 480 (0.3Mp) (Not sure about Comic Book if it was Bundled with your Mac although it will see the camera).
Other apps mentioned above will see the full spec of the camera.
Hope this helps.
8:08 PM Wednesday; May 12, 2010
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

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, Seriously

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, Seriously

New Mac Pro vs firewire iSight

I have a mid 2010 Mac pro dual quad, I just got my hands on a new never used firewire iSight. Problem 1 the new mac's have changed the firewire configuration, luckily I had an adapter I bought when I purchased my 2010 macbook pro. problem 2 the camera only worked with iChat. After searching the forums, and trying everything from resetting the PRAM etc... I ran across this old thread
"http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1954490&start=25&tstart=250"
Thus the camera being still new, but old had the old 1.02 firmware, and needed to be updated to 1.03. Problem 3 Snow leopard does not have the updater, you need 10.5 or older to update the firmware. Lucky for me I had an old Blue iMac in the corner (that was another project), I fired it up and updated the firmware. Now life is good, the camera works with all the apps. The thread is old, but I found it to be the most help. Hats off to EZ Jim & company!

You're welcome.
Thanks for the kind words.
To save some searching for readers running Mac OS X 10.4 or later who are trying to manually
upgrade external (Firewire) iSight's Firmware to version 1.0.3, your options are here:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=10084429&#10084429
<hr width="85%">
Alternatively, user Malcolm Rayfield has suggested another way to apply the
1.0.3 iSight firmware update *using a Snow Leopard Mac.*
• Download the updater that was provided for Mac OS X 10.3.7-10.3.9 from
http://support.apple.com/downloads/iSightUpdater_1_03
• Double click the iSightUpdater103.dmg if necessary to see the "iSightUpdater103.pkg" .
• Right-click the iSightUpdater103.pkg icon and click "Show Package Contents."
• Open the Contents folder and double-click the Archive.pax.gz file.
• That will unzip an Applications folder that contains a Utilities folder.
• Inside the Utilities folder is the iSight Updater 1.0.3 folder.
• Open the the iSight Updater 1.0.3 folder to find the iSight Updater 1.0.3 app.
• Double clicking the iSight Updater 1.0.3 app will run it.
• Note that iSight Updater 1.0.3 is a PowerPC application, so your 10.6 Mac will need Rosetta to run it.
If you have not already installed Rosetta, click the Updater and follow your Mac's on-screen instructions.
If you have difficulty or merely do not want to add Rosetta to your Mac, your Apple Tech
can do the firmware for you, or you can use one of the other options described in the link above.
EZ Jim
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz Mac OS X (10.6.6); MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.6)
LED Cinema Display; G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11); iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9); External iSight; iPod4touch4.2.1

How can i use isight camera to broadcast to web with Mac OS 10.4?

I am using an iBook G4 running OS 10.4 as a printer server. I have to do this to be able to print on my HP DeskJet 882c printer from computers running OS 10.6 and above (although I have not been able to get it to work with 10.8).
I can connect an iSight camera to the iBook via FireWire. Can I set that up to broadcast a video feed to a web site so I can visually monitor the area near the laptop and printer?

jrmnewtonma wrote: How can i use isight camera to broadcast to web with Mac OS 10.4?
You could use compatible older versions of QuickTime professional extensions for your Mac OS X version.
This professional quality software is very powerful, and it will certainly stream any video you need. However, it is not simple to use, so be prepared to do some research and study to get it configured and working.
To use your iBook with its OS X 10.4, you will need QuickTime Broadcaster 1.5.3
and Darwin Streaming Server (v5.5.5) (if you need streaming server functions.)
Although I have never used it, QuickTime Streaming Server 4.1.1 might be a useable substitute for Darwin.
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac OSX 10.8.3

HT2090 External iSight camera video feed working fine but mic is not working Mac Pro 2009 and Mountain Lion 10.8.4

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
Jalcom

Jalcom 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

Firewire isight camera

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