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

Similar Messages

ISight Camera in use by Another Application - Not Working

Whenever I try to open photo booth on my macbook I get a message telling me that the camera is in use by another application.
I have searched and cannot find any other applications.
I uninstalled HP Printer (recently installed) but that never solved it.
Any ideas?
Cheers

I was having the same problem I could not find the answer here in the apple forums so I did some googeling and found this forum on macosxhints.com here is a link to the whole discussion
http://forums.macosxhints.com/showthread.php?t=57786
There is a post in there that solved my problem it said to do a safe boot first log in and then restart into and boot normally. After I did this the problem went away, here is a link on how to do a safe boot.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107393
Hope that helps you.
Macbook CD 2.0 Ghz 2GB RAM Mac OS X (10.4.8)
Macbook CD 2.0 Ghz 2GB RAM Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Camera being used by another application problem

Hi there
Please help, Ive been using ichat with my Panasonic NV-GS17 digital camcorder on Panther for ages with no hassel at all, ichat just found the camera and away I went.
I recently upgraded to Tiger 10.4.6 now every time I log into ichat it says that the cameras in use by another application. Please help
I have read some other similar messages about this subject but have still had no joy. I do use Qtime pro 7.0.4 but was using this before I upgraded my system.
Its driving me mad! any ideas?

Hi Dano71,
Welcome To The Apple Discussion Pages.
Was the camera plugged in when you did the update ?
If so unplug it for about 15 mins or so.
Do you have any Quicktimew Plug-ins you have added under Panther ?
Have you looked at this FAQ http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=278760 about possible Panther to Tiger iChat problems ?
8:29 PM Wednesday; June 7, 2006

E71x - 'Camera in use by another application'

When I select camera I receive the message 'Camera in use by another application'.
How do I figure out which application and how do I free it up?
Thanks

Hi,
This is normally a Quicktime problem that can be solved either by reinstalling Quicktime or running this Backstep item
Ralph

Built-in iSight problems-"camera in use by another application" but its NOT

I am having an issue with my iMac G5 2.1GHz with iSight built in.
I tried to iChat AV tonight after months of not using it. When I opened my own video window it says "Your camera is in use by another application."
There are no other applications open in the dock other than Finder.
Same results with Photobooth. The message reads -- Photo Booth cannot open because the camera is in use by another applicaton. Close the application using the camera, then try opening Photo Booth again. < OK >
I searched this forum and tried the following:
• zap PRAM
• reset SMU
• reset NVRAM
I looked for iSight prefs, but couldn't find anything. Deleting prefs is the only thing I have not tried, but I do not know what to delete.
Also, the camera shows up under USB under system profiler. The IR remote also shows up on the same bus, and the remote works just fine.
The green light next to the iSight is never on.
I switched to another user and experience the same problems, so it does not seem to be user settings.
Any help to get my computer to recognize my iSight would be appreciated!

Thanks for the note. I saw that Apple KB article #93216 that basically tells you not to have any other applications running that use the camera, which I do not. Also, I have Classic installed, but it is not running as I hardly ever use it.
Since my original post last night I have tried several more things, with absolutely zero success.
One unique thing that I thought would work (and it sort of did) was to add Photobooth to my Startup Items under the Accounts tab of System Preferences. Unlike iChat AV, Photobooth will not even open if the built-in iSight is not available. So, I thought, let's see if Photobooth will open at Startup and perhaps take over the camera before whatever is taking it over has a chance to do that.
Sure enough, this trick worked, although the video screen was blank. On a second time the video screen showed erratic thick lines like it was starting to pass the video data through and then was stopped. Again, my iSight is recognized by Apple System Profiler, so the computer knows it is there and is getting power, etc. As soon as I quit Photobooth and tried to reopen it, I received the message again that the camera was in use by another application.
My next steps, when I am able, are to try to boot off an external firewire hard drive that should have an older saved backup of my system, from when the camera was working. I will also download the combo updater as you suggest, MGW, and apply that as I understand that to be a sort of remedy for any number of problems.
To me it appears to be a software issue. I would imagine with the OS and not related to any application in particular. (iPhoto cannot access the iSight, can it? For some reason my iPhoto opens automatically on my G5 iMac every time I boot it up, and I cannot figure out why. I will look into this issue and see if it is related.)

Camera being used by another application!?

I just bought my Mac Book Pro and tried to open Photobooth. It says that the camera is being used by another application and wont open. Can anyone help?! I ran the hardware test that comes with the setup CD and it didn't find anything wrong..
Mac Book Pro
Mac Book Pro

Hi
Have you tried shutting down you Mac and waiting a couple of mins and then start your Mac again.
Tony

Ichat3 error message camera in use by another application

when i try and open ichat3 the video will not preview it tells me the camera is in use by another application which as far as i can see its not anyone got any ideas, thanks

Your last email was returned with a technical Error
Copy here
Ok,
My misunderstanding about which one was not working.
Go to your Home Folder/Library/Preferences and delete com.apple.ichat.plist as this will hold on to references to iUSBCam
Also check there is no com.ecamm.iUSBCam.plist hanging about.
Also check these two folders
System/Library/Input managers
and Library/Input managers
You are looking for anything that says iUSBCam and also for SIMBL which is a folder and may have more iUSBCam things in it.
(I can't remember which folder it is exactly)
10:21 PM Saturday; February 28, 2009

IChatAV help! - camera in use by another application

New user to iChatAV, running on 10.4.7 with an iMac G5 (20").
Trying to use my Sony HDR-HC3 camcorder with iChat and I keep getting the "your camera is in use by another application" message.
No other apps are running. Updated QuickTime to 7.1.2, ran GarageBand once and quit, deleted the com.apple.iChat.plist file.
Camera works beautifuly in iMovie.
Please help! Really frustrated.

Known problem http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2129673&#2129673

Can the iSight camera be used by another party without my authority?

Browsing web sites on Safari on my imac when I noticed the light for the iSight camera flashing, as if though taking a photo?
This got me thinking is it actually possible that someone can access the camera without my authority??

Perfectly possible.
Go to System Preferences > Flash Player and set the option to block this behaviour;

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

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

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

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

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

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

Camera used by another application ??

I'm with 10.2.8 and I get "camera used by another application" when I launch ichatAV 2.0. The green light on top of camera comes on for 2-3 sec, and goes off.
Then I click the iChat pref>video tab and microphone is= isight bulit in; sound output = digital out ( funny... here is missing my external speakers) bandwidth =100kpbs.
and the camera does not turn on. It used to a few months ago. (I did not use it for a while)
Also,
do the 2 parties have to be on say a .aim account or .mac account to be able to video chat together? Can a .aim account chat with a .mac account?
any help would be appreciated!
michel

Hello, Michel,
camera used by another application ??
If the camera you mean is an iSight and not your great Sony TRV-17, try these possible solutions:
]-See iSight "Your camera is in use by another application" message
]-Check for Possible hardware or software conflicts with iSight.
(Firewire external Maxtor?)
]-Do your regular Mac OS X maintenance
If one of these gets you going, please let us know which.
<hr>
Can a .aim account chat with a .mac account?
Yes. No problem whatsoever.
Other than which "Account Type" you select when adding a new buddy to your Buddy List, there is NO difference between the use of AIM or dot mac accounts.

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

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

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

Photo Booth iSight "in use by another application" - possible fix!!!

Hi everyone.
I'm running Mac OSX 10.4.10 and a few days ago I developed the problem of the inbuilt iSight camera in my new 20" iMac failing to work with Photo Booth, iChat etc. I kept getting the dreaded message "in use by another application".
After trying various fixes and tips from elsewhere I finally came upon a website which had a hint saying you could disable the iSight camera by moving the "QuickTimeUSBVDCDIgitizer.component" file from the System/Library/Quicktime folder.
Even though this wasn't related to my problem I checked to see if I had the file and realised it wasn't there! So I downloaded it from another source, popped it in the folder mentioned above, and hey-presto! My iSight is now working again. I have no idea why the file was missing originally.
If anyone else has had this problem please check this out, it may just work for you too!

You can get it here. http://techslaves.org/index.php?page=17 It is in the first part of the page there are two links.

IChat says my camera is in use by another application

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

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

ISight camera "in use by another application"

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