IMac iSight camera doesn't work in oSX

Question

The built in iSight camera in my iMac has stopped working in OSX. It certainly used to work in the past but I'm not sure exactly when it stopped.
This is definitely an OSX software issue as the camera works when using Skype on Windows XP on Parallels on the same Mac.
iChat, Skype and Photo Booth on OSX all just show a black screen for video. The green camera light is on.
System Profiler shows USB / USB High-Speed Bus / Built-in iSight
This issue seems to come up a lot and I have tried the following without success:
- reset the SMC (power down computer and unplugging all connectors)
- reset the PRAM
- created a new account to see if the issue occurs in that account - it does
Any suggestions?

Answer 1

+(1) You have tried some good troubleshooting already. Your iSight can only operate with one application at a time, so, when you test OS X apps:+
+ • quit all other apps,+
+ • have nothing active in fast user swithching, and+
+ • have no Windows® items using iSight.+
iSight does not work when only iChat, Photo Booth, Skype or iMovies is running. All just show a black screen.
+(2) Restart the Mac and check iSight with no other apps or Login Items running. If the problems persist, try all relevant suggestions from:+
+  http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090+
I have gone through this already several times - I came across these instructions googling for the problem of iSight not working .
+In your testing, you should add QuickTimeX to the list of OS X apps you test with iSight.+
With QuickTime I again get a black screen with the New Movie Recording command and the message "Recording failed because no data was received. Make sure the media input source is turned on an playing".
+If your iSight problem still occurs in more than one app and more than one user account, the reset suggested there often restores proper function of inbuilt iSight.+
+(3) The instructions for proper SMC reset of your iNtel iMac are found here:+
+  http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964+
+Be certain to begin with the instructions in the section marked "Before Resetting the SMC". After that, the reset instructions specific to your iMac 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo are are follows:+
I have done this 3 times. I went through these instructions before posting this message. Additionally I unplugged all connectors to the Mac.
+(4) If your problem persists and you need to post back for other suggestions, please let us know which OS X apps you tested in more than one user account and whether any of them worked properly. Also confirm that those tests were done when no other apps or OSs that can use iSight were running.+
iChat, Skype, Photo Booth, Quicktime and iMovie do not work.
I only had one of these applications running at a time.
I set up another user account and none of these applications worked.
The iSight camera does work using Skype on Windows XP running on Parallels. Note: Parallels is not running when I tested the OSX applications.
+(5) If you need to post back for other suggestions, please also verify that your inbuilt iSight is recognized as a USB device in your Mac's System Profiler utility.+
Yes, the built-in iSight does appear in System Profiler under USB > USB High Speed Bus > Built-in iSight
Built-in iSight:
Product ID: 0x8502
Vendor ID: 0x05ac (Apple Inc.)
Version: 1.45
Serial Number: 606F6A72C9AEA8D8 (03.01)
Speed: Up to 480 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Apple Inc.
Location ID: 0xfd400000
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 500
+(6) If you need to post back for other suggestions, in addition to Skype, please also list any webcam-enabled third-party software you use, and tell us whether you have verified that it is the current version compatible with Mac OS X 10.6.4+
I do not have any other 3rd party webcam applications other than Skype. Additionally, I only installed Skype after I discovered the iSight was not working in order to see if the same problem happens with Skype.
I took a quick look at the Console. Interestingly the following message appears from all of the applications where iSight does not work. I also have a MacBook Pro where iSight does work and the same messages do not appear with the same applications.
28/08/2010 14:34:59 iChat[632] __CFServiceControllerBeginPBSLoadForLocalizations timed out while talking to pbs
28/08/2010 14:35:05 iChat[632] ------ startPreview: previewing: 2
28/08/2010 14:35:18 iChat[632] [Warning] FZVideoConferenceController: _localVideoClientCount decremented below 0!
28/08/2010 14:36:51 QuickTime Player[642] __CFServiceControllerBeginPBSLoadForLocalizations timed out while talking to pbs
28/08/2010 14:38:49 Skype[649] __CFServiceControllerBeginPBSLoadForLocalizations timed out while talking to pbs
28/08/2010 14:39:47 Photo Booth[655] __CFServiceControllerBeginPBSLoadForLocalizations timed out while talking to pbs