Old iSight camera

Can I use my old iSight camera with my MacBook Pro?
Any help gratefully received
Galen Strawson

You should be able to have access to your firewire iSight as soon as you plug it in. For example, Photo Booth automatically recognizes and set it as your default one.
You can also try through the change of video source in Yahoo Messenger (current version 3.0 Beta 1). Once you change the source to "iSight" from "Built-in iSight", you can close Yahoo Messenger. Now when you turn on Photo Booth, your external firewire iSight is set to the default.
Hope it helps.
Shingo

Similar Messages

Will old iSight camera work with new Mac mini?

will an old isight camera work with a late 2014 Mac mini? If so what adapters will I need?

Matthewlopez wrote: will an old isight camera work with a late 2014 Mac mini?...
Yes (if the old external iSight works.)
Apple's long ago discontinued Firewire External iSights were great webcams, but they are old (as consumer electronics go) and some may have had pretty rough treatment. Even NOS (new old stock) items may have been damaged in storage or handling.
If you have access to an external iSight, you can test it using the suggestions from this page: http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage4.html. To reduce the possibility of conflicts for old Firewire iSights, I suggest you disconnect all other Firewire peripherals until you get your external iSight working with your mini. Then connect other needed items one at a time and test each to determine whether you can use any without conflict.
If you are considering buying an external iSight now, a new webcam (with warranty) may be a better choice. Many available alternatives are listed here: http://www.mac-compatible-web-cam.com/
If you want more examples of external iSight and newer minis, take a look at some of the results of this search for your question.
Matthewlopez wrote: ... If so what adapters will I need?
You will need a Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter. This adapter offers only a Firewire 800 connection.
The Firewire connection on old external iSights is a Firewire 400 connector. Therefore, you need some way to connect to the FW800 connector on your adapter:
• To use the FW400 6pin-6pin cable that comes with iSight, you can use a 6pin-9pin adapter
like one of these:
http://tinyurl.com/ydsbb6m&emsp; (I use this one.)
http://tinyurl.com/cgll7o
http://www.sonnettech.com/product/fw_adapter.html
• This Firewire 400-800 cable can work:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/HA833ZM/A/ (I use this one.)
• Some report that this low-priced alternative cable works:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812189097
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac OSX 10.10.2

Software suggestions for old iSight camera/PowerBook G4

Hi All,
I have an old stand alone iSight camera and an old PowerBook G4 that I would like to use as a "webcam". Currently I have the old iSight hooked up to my iMac 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5 and am running Sequenz to save an image to my public DropBox folder. The camera takes pictures of our back yard once every hour and updates the image in my DropBox. I share the current along with our weather station data with our active adult community. The system works just fine and the residents love it. BUT...
For many reasons, especially security, I would like to get the camera off my main desktop computer and put it on this old PowerBook running 10.4.11.
Sequenz will only work with 10.6 and the PowerBook cannot run that OS.
Is there another piece of software that will work for me? I just want software that will caputure a picture and save it/update the file in my DropBox folder on a specified schedule.
Thanks for any help.

You're most welcome, Suzanne.
As you obviously know, regardless of your specific requirements at this time, your choices for apps that work with Mac OS X 10.4 will be limited by the fact that the MacOS you plan to use is now three generations old. OS X 10.4.11 is a great OS, but little if any new commercial software is being developed for it now.
However, here are "in the clear" links for three webcam apps that claim work with
Mac OS 10.4.11:
http://www.securityspy.com/                       (click for ->online user guide manual)
http://www.evological.com/evocam3.html   (click for ->explanation of the free trial)
http://www.arborbits.com/icamshare/         (click for ->free trial version)
Although they all operate differently, each of these programs can be configured to perform a variety of tasks. The FAQs, downloadable user guides, free trial, etc. for these apps will let you decide which, if any, can do what you need. Unless you get a specific answer that works for you, you will need to do as much research or evaluation as is necessary to decide whether any of the apps are right for you.
If none of them does what you want, I suggest you ask your Apple retailer whether he has (or can recommend) any MacOSX10.4-compatible software that meets your needs.
Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Will my old isight camera work with my Macbook pro and HD Cinema display?

I have it hooked up but can't get the computer to switch from the built in camera to the external one.

William Worthington wrote:
I have it hooked up but can't get the computer to switch from the built in camera to the external one.
Firewire iSights can be picky about how they are connected. My first suggestion for your particular trouble is to try connecting directly to one of your Mac's built-in FW ports rather than via the monitor's Firewire hub. More info:
http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage6.html
If necessary, you can use the suggestions from How to test your (external) iSight to ensure it is functional to be sure it is working with your new Mac.
The solutions to your issues about switching from the built-in camera depends on which application you are using to operate your iSight. 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 this choices bar, your Mac is recognizing only one (or none) of your iSights. In that case, consider the suggestions from http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090
This 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, iMovie 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, when my external iSight was disconnected, 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 your external iSight should allow you to choose either camera.
iMove 8 (from iLife '09) uses a different camera choice button shown 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 is a different matter. PB is such a simple, basic app that it offers no menu selectable choice. Unless you make your built-in iSight 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 your Firewire external iSight:
• Connect your external iSight and turn it on.
• Quit Photo Booth (PB) if it is running.
• Launch any app with a user-selectable camera "Preferences..." menu command.
(The "tip" suggests that you use iChat, but others should work as well.)
• Open "Preferences..." and set the camera "Preference" to use your built-in iSight.
• Now launch PB. PB should now use the external iSight
because your built-in camera is in use by the other application.
(4) For apps other than those above, see their Help or other documentation.
(5) If you have specific questions, we will try to help, too.
EZ Jim
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz w/Mac OS X (10.6.2) MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.2)
LED Cinema Display G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11) iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9) External iSight

Light for iSight camera?

I keep having a problem where if I am working on the couch or on the road, the lighting is too dim for anyone to see me on iChat. I remember there being a light for the old iSight camera, does anyone know if there is something similar for the built-in iSight camera? It would help out a lot.
Thanks in advance.

Hello BayArea MacFan
With the suggestions above, you have several good options.
I don't know of anything like the old Griffin SightLight for use with built-in iSight.
I have a SightLight, but use it only on the road. For daily use at home, I light my face with a small clamp-on lamp like this one. I tried several different bulbs and settled on a small (9 watt) "warm" toned fluorescent bulb that gave the best color balance without being too bright or too hot.
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

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

Mid 2009 13" MBP iSight camera bad picture quality in photo booth

My daughter's stock mid 2009 13" MBP 2.26 ghz intel core two duo has a problem with the isight camera. The isight camera is built in to the screen. The isight camera works some of the time flawlessly and other times it comes out real grainy and with small colored pixels all over the screen like colored static (about 20% to 30% of the photo booth screen is affected but the rest of the screen outside of the photo booth app is unaffected). She only uses it in photo booth but we've tried the iChat app and the same thing happens there too, once she couldn't get the MBP to connect to the isight camera (it just showed a black photo booth screen), so she closed the lid of her MBP and reopened it and it worked. All of the software and firmware is up to date and we've tried resetting the PRAM and the SMC, it didn't do anything to fix the problem. It seems like there's a wire loose in the computer from the screen to the computer base, only because I can move the screen back and forth and the picture quality changes, the amount of static on the picture will move, go away or get worse. I had the screen changed in early 2010 (January or February) (the MBP was about 5 or 6 months old then) at the apple store under warranty due to dirt under the screen's glass (manufacturing defect). The photo booth picture static problem comes and goes, but here lately it comes more than it goes. The screen in general is in good shape and doesn't have any detectable problems with it, it has a good picture and no dead pixels, the problem seems to be only isolated to the isight camera. Can some one help with this problem? How long of a warranty is given on the warranty repairs (like the screen change they did in early 2010)? If apple does a repair on it and finds a wire that has rubbed the insulation off of it on a hinge causing a short and the isight problem, as a result of a sloppy repair from the first warranty repair, will they cover it under warranty again even if it's been over a year since they changed the screen? Also how honest will apple be if they do find out it is a problem caused from the first screen replacement, will they own up to their mistake? If I don't agree with apple's repair decision, can I get a second opinion from an outside source, third party, and if it's diagnosis different than apple's and can be proven, can I still get apple to do and pay for the repairs and labor if it turns out to be their fault from the first warranty screen replacement?
The reason why I'm asking is, I took my wife's white macbook in about a year ago for the famous cracked top cover replacement (under warranty) and when I got the computer back, the isight camera didn't work, so I gave it back, they took it apart a look at it and said there was nothing wrong with it and gave it back, then the screen wouldn't come on so after 4 hours at the Apple store they decided to send it to Austin, TX. for repairs (I'm in Ft. Worth TX.). Apple in Austin said it needed a new main board. They said the old one had water damage to it. We never had water anywhere near the computer, not even in the same room. It was working fine when we took it in, we took it in just to get the plastic top case, that cracks all of the time, replaced under warranty. And then they wanted us to pay for an $800 main board because some how while they were doing the top cover replacement it got water damaged. I argued with them and they finally gave me a one-time offer of them paying for half of the repair and labor or if I disagreed or left the store I would have to pay the whole amount if I chose to have the repairs done. So I ended up having to pay $467 for a year old macbook main board that was water damaged in their possession during their repairs. I like Apple and their products but I am worried about giving my daughter's MBP over to them for repairs because of this incident, it's an honesty issue with how honest they will be with what they find because they won't give back the old parts for analysis by a third party to verify their diagnosis.
Thanks for any info and advice anyone can give.

Hi,
As a personal note I find long posts like this hard to read if they are not broken up in to paragraphs.
As I say it is a personal thing.
I can give you some information about the camera and laptops over the past few years.
Basically in early Laptops of the MacBook Pro and MacBook range the cable did tend to fray at the point where it passed through the hinge. It did take a well used laptop that had the lid open and closed frequently to cause this. (your 2009 model might just be in that group - I have no firm dates or models I am afraid)
Later models have this rerouted so that this does not happen.
However the cable has then tended to get pulled from the camera end and become loose.
This On Line Self fix site has pages about some models (The one I have linked to may not be yours)
I have linked in to later pictures in the sequence but there are navigation points to work back to the start.
Note:- they use pretty specifc specialest tools as well in these pics.
Doing this would certail Void any Warranty you have left.
From Posts mainly in the iChat and the iSight areas I have gathered that it seems common for Apple to replace the Screen as a whole rather than fiddle with getting solely at the camera.
Apple has this article on Trouble Shooting an iSight
Basically it says try several apps then try logging in on another Mac User account to see if it is App based or User based or in fact System wide.
If System wide then resetting the SMC/PMU is the only suggested fix. (Which I did read you had done)
In addition to that I would add that testing should be done in different lighting conditions.
Lighting in the evening or dark that is good enough to read buy is not always good enough for the camera or is not illuminating the right areas.
Some people have reported that Starting the computer in Safe Mode (then Rebooting afterwards) seems to help. (it clears out some caches and starts up with reduced extensions)
As to actual Repairs and any Warranty that may still be in place I cannot say.
I can say that when people post about problems with repairs a certain stores someone else will tend to post that their experience was different.
You seem to report two different experiences with the two computers yourself.
10:24 PM Thursday; July 14, 2011
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb( 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.7),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

ISight Camera not working after Leopard install

On my 1st gen Intel 20" iMac, after the Leopard upgrade -- which went very smoothly -- my iSight camera no longer works. I have tried it in Photo Booth and iChat Video and it is the same in each, so it is the camera, apparently, not the application using it.
In the self-viewing screen on my iMac, I see myself for just a second or so, then I fade out quickly and there is nothing to see but black. If I shine a desk lamp in my face, then I can just barely see the outline of my image but the picture is mostly black. It seems like an exposure problem: the camera seems to adjust, shutting down as though I am very brightly lit but since I am not, it produces only a black picture.
I also have a 1st gen Intel white MacBook that I have also upgraded to Leopard. The iSight camera seems to work just fine on that computer. I tried out the video in Photo Booth and it worked great.
Any ideas?

Hi,
I too am having the same problem, and I'm using the old school iSight camera and immediately after installing Leopard, it won't work. I can't even power up the camera. It will power up for about 3 seconds then power down as fast as the little green light came on. It was fine about an hour before the 10.5 install. I powered down and unplugged everything for about 10 mins. then plugged it all back in, and still not working. So I am back to the drawing board trying to sort this out. If anyone has anymore thoughts on this, pls. chime in. All the suggestions seem to work for you folks after a little tweak. I even booted into OF mode and reset-nvram and reset-all for kicks to give it an even fresher start.
thanks!

Anyone know's how to make isight camera take snapshot for failed login attempts ?

I want my macbook pro to take pictures with the isight camera when someone has a failed login attempt ; anyone know of any programs and or apps ? I've searched all over & even called apple support and no luck.
Thanks !

Jkensuke wrote:
If I want to count the number of failed login attempts what might be the best course of action?
Off the top of my head I figure I could:
Have a session variable that counts up to number X
Have a cookie variable
Insert the users IP address into a database table for each failed attempt and when the form loads I check to make sure there aren't X number of strikes in the last 30 minutes.
A combination of those might be a good idea. Most hackers are, luckily, amateurs with one-track minds. Create a database table to log failed login attempts. For every failed attempt, log at least the datetime, IP, sessionID, username (which should be unique on your site), reason for failure and failure count.
In a query following a failed login, verify whether the IP, sessionID or username match any in the failed_login table, and, if so, whether the current datetime is within, say, 12 hours of the last failed login. If yes, increment the failure count by 1. If no, insert a new row in the table.
Use client-friendly messages to inform your visitors why their login fails. Study failed logins for common patterns. It just might be that you are the culprit, and that you have to improve your login design. There is one good reason for doing all that. Then you will know that those in your failed_login table really had it in for you.
If your site traffic is high, then consider archiving old data. Throw nothing away!

New iSight camera out of focus

I just received my new iSight external video camera which I am using on a Mac Pro. I have access to an internal iSight camera on an iMac. The internal camera works great. However, the external iSight is out of focus.
I have gone through all the Apple trouble shooting and contacted Apple support by phone. I have spent many hours on this problem. After completing this process the camera remains out of focus in iChat, iMovie and Skype. After reading several discussion groups I tried iGuess as it has a focus feature which is not available in iChat, iMovie or Skype. To my pleasant surprise the camera focused.
My conclusion (which differs from that of Apple Support) is that this is not a mechanical problem but a software problem. Am I correct? Will there be a software update to fix this problem?

Know anybody else with a Mac that you could check this iSight on? Know anybody else with an external iSight that you could try on your computer? Just to make sure it is, in fact, the software and not the camera?
Plus, since the camera's new, go through Apple Support again and if they still think that the camera's hosed, why not exchange it? (See about them sending you a new one with a prepaid shipping label to return the old one, so you're never iSightless).
A software update for what? iChat? iMovie? Skype? All of the above? These softwares all work for your internal camera. Not familiar with iGuess, but you might be manually (un)focusing to compensate for a possible mechanical problem.

Select Default iSight Cam with Dual LED Cinema Displays

Hello
I have two 27in LED Cinema Displays, both of which have iSight Cameras. When I try to facetime, by default, the right monitor camera turns on, but I want to use the left camera.
How do I select which camera on which monitor I want to use? Both monitors are connected via thunderbolt. I'm using OS X Mavericks.
Thanks!

You can try the old trick of first launching a camera app that you do NOT want to use - QuickTimeX > New Movie Recording perhaps - to have it engage the ONE display iSight camera. After you can see that your camera is engaged with the unwanted app, you can hide that app if desired. Then launch FaceTime and see if the other connected camera is accessible to FaceTime.
If FaceTime cannot then recognize the second Display iSight, check your System Information utility to see if your Hardware > USB > USB Device Tree recognizes both Display iSights. If the device tree recognizes only one Display iSight, your lowest cost workaround may be to connect a Mac-compatible webcam to one of your available USB ports so it is recognizable . The external camera may then be selectable in your FaceTime menu without the two-application trick.
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac OSX 10.10.2

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"

Is there a plan for Apple to continue offering the external iSight camera?

Hi All,
I'm thrilled to be the new owner of a Mac Pro w/Cinema display, but I'm getting jealous of my partner on his MacBook Pro with built-in iSight camera, having all the fun with video iChats and video Skype calls.
Since Apple has discontinued sales of the old external iSight camera, does anyone know if they have any plans for a new (even cooler) version? Or, if not, any recommendations on another product that would work just as well?
Thanks!

Hello John and Peter
¶2.1.1 of Apple Discussions' Terms of Use prohibits us from speculating on Apple's plans here. If you want to pursue that question, you can search the web for some of the many Mac or Apple rumor sites.
Some of the many available iSight alternatives are discussed in this link. Because you are using Leopard on your new Mac Pro, all of the alternatives mentioned there are available to you.
At present, the Apple Store sells the Logitech QuickCam Ultra Vision. However, any of the alternatives from the link in the paragraph above will work as long as they are compatible with your system and the applications you plans to use with your camera. The package documentation for many cameras list compatibility info for popular applications. Carefully check the documentation for any apps and cameras of interest before you buy.
Also check the camera's advertised features to be certain your compatible camera has all features that are important to you (examples: auto-focus, auto-exposrure, zoom capablility, integrated microphone, etc..) You may not need many, or even any, of these features, but many low priced Mac compatible cameras omit at least some of the features that you may need.
You will not have any difficulty finding cameras that will work with both iChat and Skype. For specific camera recommendations for iChat, search the iChat and iChat Sharing Forum for threads like this one.
For Skype-specific questions beyond what Webcams that Skype sells for use with their software, see the Skype Help pages.
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.2) External iSight

External iSight camera problem solved!

Hi all,
Hope this will help some of you.
My iSight camera works fine with G5 PPC but on my new Intel Mac Pro - nothing, not seen in System Profiler or Skype - I don't use iChat . I tried everything suggested here to no avail, until while looking on Amazon for something else I found a company selling 9 Pin to 6 Pin FW leads, who stated that often FW800/400 adaptors with FW400 leads do no work. They quote "Ours are guaranteed to work". I bought one plugged it in and success iSight now seen in both System Profiler and Skype.
It is supplied by Neet and its description is "Firewire 800 to 400 cable -(2M)- 9 Pin to 6 Pin - IEEE1394b(for Mac & PC) 2M FLX Pro lead. Cost £7.95 + £2.75 special P&P.
Many thanks to all on these forums for so much help
John Caswell

John Caswell wrote:
Hi all,
Hope this will help some of you.
My iSight camera works fine with G5 PPC but on my new Intel Mac Pro - nothing, not seen in System Profiler or Skype - I don't use iChat . I tried everything suggested here to no avail, until while looking on Amazon for something else I found a company selling 9 Pin to 6 Pin FW leads, who stated that often FW800/400 adaptors with FW400 leads do no work. They quote "Ours are guaranteed to work". I bought one plugged it in and success iSight now seen in both System Profiler and Skype.
It is supplied by Neet and its description is "Firewire 800 to 400 cable -(2M)- 9 Pin to 6 Pin - IEEE1394b(for Mac & PC) 2M FLX Pro lead. Cost £7.95 + £2.75 special P&P.
Many thanks to all on these forums for so much help
John Caswell
You're welcome, John.
Cheers for your solution for using your old external (Firewire) iSight with a new Mac.
I have gathered my personal experience and the successes of others who post here. To your recent success story, I add the options I know for ways to connect your FW400 external iSight to a FW800 Mac port:
• This Firewire 400-800 cable can work: http://store.apple.com/us/product/TP320LL/A
(I use this one.)
• Some report that this low-priced alternative cable works:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812189097"
• To use your FW400 6pin-6pin cable, you can use a 6pin-9pin adapter like one of these:
http://tinyurl.com/ydsbb6m (I use this one.)
http://tinyurl.com/cgll7o
http://www.sonnettech.com/product/fw_adapter.html
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz Mac OS X (10.6.5); MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.5)
LED Cinema Display; G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11); iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9); External iSight; iPod4touch4.2.1

Ichat not detecting isight camera

My ichat is not detecting the my isight camera. Photobooth works just fine, but ichat does not seem to detect the camera.

Welcome to Apple Discussions, chong07
If there is a tick (check) mark by <b<iChat > Video > Camera Enabled, (be careful when checking because selecting the setting toggles it on and off,) try resetting your iChat Preferences:
• Quit iChat if it is open.
• Delete your iChat preferences file:
Finder / Go / Home / Library / Preferences / com.apple.iChat.plist
• Close those folders and launch iChat again to check for proper functioning.
When you start iChat again after tossing your old .plist files, you will need to reset any preferences that you want to be different from the default values.
For future help with iChat, you might get quicker responses by searching or posting in the Leopard > iChat and iChat Sharing Forum.
Please let us know how it goes.
Cheers,
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

Old iSight camera

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