Isight camera turns on itself

The isight camera led (green) of my new Macbook Pro turns on by itself. When the lid is adjust, it temporarily turns off or flickers. Can anybody help please.

Thanks for the kind words, crampy!
crampy wrote: ... are there ways to do hardware tests?
Yes.
Users can test some portions of their Macs' hardware components by using Apple Hardware Test. Different Mac models have different ways of accessing AHT. See the User Guide manual that came with your Mac for specific instructions on how to use AHT for your particular Mac.
AHT can find some problems. However, in my experience, it often reports that all is well, even when the Mac is not working. Therefore, if AHT finds no problem, don't automatically conclude that all of your hardware is working.
Apple Authorized Service Providers have access to proprietary technical data, special tools, and much more robust testing equipment and software than AHT provides. Based on the description OP gave of his trouble, I think it almost impossibly unlikely that AHT would find anything that would help. That is why I did not include AHT info in my reply to OP.
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac OSX 10.7.4

Similar Messages

ISight camera turns off 1 second after starting

When the iSight camera turns on (green light turns on) it stays on for one or two seconds and then goes pssst and turns off. Audio chat works but Video Conferencing does not. Interesting to note that the iChatAV thinks the camera is attached. iSights (we have two) both work with 10.4.2 on other computers but not on any of our computers running 10.4.3. Have already downloaded the update to QuickTime. Any ideas?

If your iSight does not work with any of the tests suggested in How to test your iSight to ensure it is functional, have it professionally checked by an Apple Service Technician.
If your iSight worked for iChat AV video chats before the 10.4.3 upgrade, try the suggestions in Help for iChat AV 3 Problems.

ISight camera not working on MacBook

When I turned on my MaBook the green light next to the iSight camera turns on and when I open PhotoBooth it shows a blank screen. I tried to restart but the green light stayed on. Any suggestions on how I can fix this?

radarina wrote:
When I turned on my MaBook the green light next to the iSight camera turns on and when I open PhotoBooth it shows a blank screen. I tried to restart but the green light stayed on. Any suggestions on how I can fix this?
Welcome to Discussions, radarina
The restart was a the best first step.
Next, try all relevant suggestions from:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090
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.
However, if your built-in iSight still does not work after carefully following all the suggestions in the "How to Troubleshoot iSight" article, and if iSight does not show as a USB hardware device in your Mac's System Profiler, yours is most likely a hardware problem. In that case, contact Apple or an Apple-Authorized Service Provider for service.
We will watch for your status update.
EZ Jim
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz w/Mac OS X (10.6.4) MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.4)
LED Cinema Display G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11) iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9) External iSight

Why did my isight camera come on by itself

My isight camera came on by itself. I admit that skype was running, but I was not talking to anyone.
The next day the isight cameara came on for less than a second and went off.
Why would this happen?

ArisB wrote: ... Why would this happen?
Because either:
(1) you (or someone else) have added software that turns the camera on and off automatically, or
(2) something is wrong with your Mac's hardware or software.
If you did not do the first and have given others access to your Mac, you can eliminate (1).
Here is how I would work the second possibility: Uninstall (follow Skype's uninstall instructions) Skype. Then restart Mac, use Disk Utility to repair permissions, and then test your camera again. Follow the suggestions inApple's http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090 article.
If the camera works correctly now, reinstall the latest Skype that is compatible with your Mac. If the problem returns when you install Skype and goes away whenever you uninstall it, Skype must be causing a conflict that results in your camera's unexpected behavior. Search or post in Skype's dedicated support pages for help for this Skype-specific problem.
If the problem continues even when Skype is properly uninstalled, post back with as much info as you can provide on the latest behavior. Confirm that you have used the proper SMC/PMU reset from the Troubleshooting article, and tell us which (if any) apps and user accounts work properly and which do not. We will offer more specific suggestions based on the details in your reply.
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac OSX 10.7.3

Battery wont charge and isight camera wont turn on-macbook, battery wont charge and isight camera wont turn on-macbook

i bought a macbook from a guy and when i started it up... surprise it wont turn on if its not connected because the battery is not being detected.... then what i checked first was photobooth surprise the isight camera is not working... i searched in internet about smc but i do not understand it.... is there a way to recover it using the cd?

Try resetting the PMU - Resetting MacBook and MacBook Pro System Management Controller (SMC). If you have no success then you'll need to take it in for service or replace the AC adaptor if it's gone bad.

Is there a way to turn off and On the isight camera or app to do it ?????

Hi
Does anyone know either of a Simple way to Turn off the isight camera on a Macbook pro (3.1 model with Snow leopard) or a simple program or Widget to do this ??
I have already Googled this but cannot find much - except disable certain files, or a Applescript by Techslaves.org called isight disabler , which seems great except I have to run applescript each time run this script, put in password, then select !
SO is there a Basic app or even a Way of making the isight disabler work like a simple app - or a way to do with Mac's settings ??
Any help is Appriciated
Thanks Mark

Globalmark wrote:
Hi
Does anyone know either of a Simple way to Turn off the isight camera on a Macbook pro (3.1 model with Snow leopard) or a simple program or Widget to do this ??
I have already Googled this but cannot find much - except disable certain files, or a Applescript by Techslaves.org called isight disabler , which seems great except I have to run applescript each time run this script, put in password, then select !
SO is there a Basic app or even a Way of making the isight disabler work like a simple app - or a way to do with Mac's settings ??
Any help is Appriciated
Thanks Mark
Barring some unusual circumstance, there should be no need to disable your built-in iSight because YOU decide when to use your iSight.
Some apps such as iChat allow you to enable and disable the webcam from menu commands.
Other apps such as Photo Booth only use the camera when you click the button.
However, if you REALLY want to disable, scripts like this one can easily disable and enable iSight.
http://techslaves.org/index.php?page=62
However, be aware that it simultaneously disables ALL USB webcams when active.
Although I do not recommend it, you can manually disable your built-in iSight by removing the "QuickTimeUSBVDCDIgitizer.component" file from your computer's HardDriveName > System > Library > QuickTime folder and restarting your Mac. Your built-in iSight should no longer work with any app.
P.S. Manually moving, renaming, or deleting files outside your Username/Documents folder
is generally a BAD idea unless you KNOW how it will effect OS X.
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

Camera problem: after taking a photo the camera turns itself off ...

After taking the photo the camera turns itself off and the screen goes blank. I guessed the camera roll was full so moved photos and deleted from the phone. Same problem continues ... can you offer any help? Thanks.

it seems to happen more when idle also if thats any help

Isight camera wont turn off

My isight camera was working fine, then all of a sudden i went to take a picture with photo booth and the photo booth screen where i would show up is all green. I tried restarting and shutting down but it wont work, i dont have the any applications open for the camera and the light by the camera is green indicating that its on. I dont know how to turn it off.

I had a similar problem with my iMac when I first got it.
Have you installed 3rd party RAM? If I remember correctly, that was my problem. Replaced it and everything worked fine.

How do I turn off the iSight camera?

I've checked earlier discussions here on this and am not getting help with my specific question. The problem is that periodically, seemingly randomly, I notice that the iSight camera is on. At the moment it appears that no iSight-using application is running. How in that situation do I turn the camera off.
And while I'm at it, it's occurred to me in the past that someone/something else has got control of my camera. Is that possible? I mean, they're not gonna get anything very interesting on me, but thought that that could be what's going on is a little unsettling.
Thanks.

Hey Eric,
These guys are correct in that Skype, Linphone, FaceTime, Google+ and many other conference or chat programs / apps will turn on your built-in iSight or FaceTime camera if it is available.
You may want to read https://discussions.apple.com/message/22752712#22752712
Just keep in mind if you disable it with permissions, simply running the disk-utility "Repair disk permissions" will make the camera work again.
If you are able to use the terminal program with root privilege enter the following lines using Mac OSX 10.6
chmod 000 /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CoreMediaIOServices.framework/Versions/A/Reso urces/VDC.plugin/Contents/MacOS/VDC
chmod 000 /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CoreMediaIOServicesPrivate.framework/Versions /A/Resources/VDC.plugin/Contents/MacOS/VDC
chmod 000 /System/Library/QuickTime/QuickTimeUSBVDCDigitizer.component/Contents/MacOS/Qui ckTimeUSBVDCDigitizer
Or these if at 10.8
chmod 000 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreMediaIO.framework/Versions/A/Resources/VDC.plugi n/Contents/MacOS/VDC
chmod 000 /System/Library/QuickTime/QuickTimeUSBVDCDigitizer.component/Contents/MacOS/Qui ckTimeUSBVDCDigitizer
chmod 000 /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CoreMediaIOServices.framework/Versions/A/Reso urces/VDC.plugin/Contents/MacOS/VDC
To make it work again you can change the 000 to 755 and run the commands or simply run the Disk permissions repair.

Isight camera can't turn off

Hi,
I was hoping you might be able to help, I am having problems turning my isight camera off, i didn't turn it on and am not sure how to turn it off as I can't see any application windows,
I'd really appreciate your help,
best wishes
katrina

Hi Katrina, you may need to have it serviced...
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8955538
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8957727
But if you just want to diasable it...
http://osxdaily.com/2007/03/26/how-to-disable-the-built-in-isight-camera/
http://codesnippets.joyent.com/posts/show/1053

Turn off isight camera?

My iSight camera is on when I turn on my computer - how do I turn it off?

James, had the same thing happen and shutting down, then booting again (not restarting), solved it. Hope this helps!
whitebook 2.0Ghz - 4H622 Mac OS X (10.4.7) 2GB RAM

MY COMPUTER (ISIGHT) CAMERA HAS STOPPED WORKING.... HOW DO I TURN IT BACK ON?

MY COMPUTER (ISIGHT) CAMERA HAS STOPPED WORKING.... HOW DO I TURN IT BACK ON?

Start Firefox in [[Safe Mode]] to check if one of the add-ons is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Tools > Add-ons > Themes).
* Don't make any changes on the Safe mode start window.
See:
* [[Troubleshooting extensions and themes]]
If it does work in Safe-mode then disable all extensions and then try to find which is causing it by enabling one at a time until the problem reappears.
* Use "Disable all add-ons" on the [[Safe mode]] start window to disable all extensions.
* Close and restart Firefox after each change via "File > Exit" (Mac: "Firefox > Quit"; Linux: "File > Quit")

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

External iSight Camera not working after update installed?

a couple of weeks ago I turned on iChat and up popped a window that said i needed to update the (external) iSight camera i had plugged into my minimac (firewire). followed the instructions and did just that. little greenlight glowed happily, rotated lens and opened iChat--little green light blinked off and then iChat showed that the camera was not turned on. tried turning it on and off by rotating the lens, unplugging firewire and also restarted computer...no change. looked for update to firmware and downloaded 1.0.3, only to be told it does not work with OS 10.4 (bummer).
had a back up camera, plugged that in and no problems...trouble is roomate recently got the pop-up screen when he was using it and, thinking he was doing me a favor, 'updated'...so now have 2 cameras that do not work and no answers to be found on the posts or the apple support site.
any ideas?

Welcome to Discussions, johnboysf
(1) Assuming you are not ANY having other problems with your Macs and that your Mac OS X Maintenance is up to date, you can concentrate on the iSight part of your system(s).
Restart your Mac with no unnecessary peripherals connected and try the suggestions here:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93240
(2) If your iSight still does not work with any app, check for Possible hardware or software conflicts with iSight.
(3) I cannot tell whether your mini is an iNtel or PPC. Apply the appropriate Combo Updater as follows if you still have the problem:
• Backup your Home Folder, or at very least, your important files.
• Repair permissions. (Click here if you need help.)
• For PPC, download and apply the Mac OS X 10.4.10 Combo Update (PPC).
• For iNtel, download and apply the Mac OS X 10.4.10 Combo Update v1.1 (Intel).
• 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.
(4) If your problem persists after trying all of the above, the problem may be with your iSight itself. The fact that you got that notification after you had previously been using your iSight successfully under OS 10.4.x, and the fact that the updater ran for you and your roommate under OS 10.4.x, makes me think there may be something wrong with your iSights. The Tiger (10.4.x) OS includes all the necessary earlier update (including iSight Firmware 1.0.3) and installs the Firmware update if necessary at the time you installed Tiger or first connected your iSight. Therefore, the Firmware update should be unnecessary and should not have been identified by Software Update... as being needed (unless someone has improperly thrown away some OS X files.)
As you note, iSight Firmware 1.0.3 will not run except on Mac OS X v10.3.7-10.3.9 (or, it now seems, if something is wrong.) If you have access to a Firewire-equipped Mac that is using one of these OSs, you can try applying the update to your iSights using that Mac.
(5) If you cannot find a Mac that is still using Panther, or if applying the update does not resolve your problem, contact your Apple Authorized Service Provider for professional service. Ask your AASP if he wants to see your Macs, too, to check whether their software has been modified or damaged.
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

Moving, color changing, vertical lines in iSight camera.

I am getting vertical lines when trying to use my rear camera/iSight camera on my ipad mini.
Is there any way to fix this, or do i need to take it in?

bmraxim wrote: ... Any suggested troubleshooting steps?...
How to test your external iSight to ensure it is functional
If your iSight works properly on other Macs when using the same connectors and/or cables, your mini's video card may need service by an authorized technician. However, if the video card is the cause, I would think that you would notice the problems in apps other than FaceTime or photo booth, too.
If the problem turns out to be the iSight itself, you might find having your old external iSight repaired to be more costly than buying a new Mac-compatible webcam. If your local retailer cannot help you, select a compatible camera from the alternatives listed in http://www.mac-compatible-web-cam.com/. Which you buy will depend on your budget and the camera feature you want. I suggest USB cameras to avoid Firewire's adapter requirements for recent Macs as well as Possible Hardware or Software Conflicts.
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac OSX 10.10.3

Isight camera turns on itself

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