Turn on isight

I am having problems with my isight working on my laptop. When opening the facetime is says the camera is not connected and I have the isight on my laptop. I have restarted it a few times. It will sometimes work and then as soon as I move the screen when I am talking it cuts out. What do I do?

Similar Messages

Can not turn on isight in AIM Windows

I can not get built in isight to turn on in AIM 6.0 or 5.9 in windows on my macbook pro. I am using boot camp and windows XP Pro. I have set prefs to use isight and all the tests turn on isight camera but not when using AIM. We are trying to comunicate with nephew in service who only has windows and so far AIM is the only thing that I can find that supports Audio/video. Thanks Carl

Hi Carl.
Until someone who uses a macbook pro posts an answer, I can offer a couple of alternatives.
(1) If your nephew in service who has windows can install AIM 5.9 on his PC, your Mac's iChat application can connect to him. Some users report difficulty making the connection, but for most of us, iChat on a Mac works fine for text and AV connections with an XP Pro PC running AIM 5.9.
AIM 5.9 does not support audio only to iChat.
AIM Triton / AIM 6.x does NOT work with iChat.
Reboot your Mac into OS X and launch iChat. You can use your existing AIM account name to log in to AIM via iChat. If you need more setup help than your Mac's iChat > iChat Help gives you, see this setup guide.
A note for readers considering the FREE dot Mac account name mentioned in the linked setup guide. The free dot Mac trial name or your existing dot Mac account name will continue to work as an iChat account name even if you let your paid dot Mac account lapse or decide not to pay for dot Mac features at the end of the 60 day trial. Your dot Mac screen-name will continue to work as an iChat name even after the trial period ends and your other dot Mac services expire.
(2) If you have difficulty with the iChat <-> AIM 5.9 connection, and if your nephew is authorized to load other applications on his PC, you can use Skype. You will need to download and install the OS X version of Skype, and your nephew will download and install the version for Windows XP Pro.
Many who post here report that Skype offers easier cross-platform connections. In my testing, Skype video chat is usually of lower quality than iChat's, but it is certainly useable if iChat cannot make a viable connection.
Although Skype's web site mostly discusses its ability to call telephones from your computer for a fee, computer-to-computer calls, video chats, and text messaging are free. Skype's web site also offers a great help section.
If you cannot get your XP software working, you might consider these alternatives.
Cheers.
Jim
Mac OS X (10.4.8) G5 DP 1.8 External iSight

Turn off iSight

I use Skype on my Macbook but sometimes I don't want to be seen - either I'm scraggly or my bandwidth is limited and I only want voice. How can I turn the iSight camera off without going in and tampering with Library files? It seems like there should be an easy way of doing this.

ronjm wrote: ...How can I turn the iSight camera off without ...
-->Click HERE<-- Does item "B" (Turn video on/off) in the last topic on the page do it?
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac OSX 10.7.3

Photo Booth does not turn on iSight

iChat and iMovie will both turn it on, so I know it's not a hardware problem, but I can't get Photo Booth to turn it on. If i press the button to snap a picture, it goes through the motions, "Flashes", and I get a black picture since the iSight never turned on.
Things I have tried so far
repair permissions
full restart
deleted PH's .plist file in my home directory
reinstalled from the original DVD
and finally, logged in as a new user, where it still failed, so I know it's not a problem in my Home directory.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what else I can try?
Oh, and yes, it used to work fine, but I haven't had a need for PH in several months.
Thanks in advance for any help, or suggestions on what might be a better forum to pose this in if this wasn't the best choice for a software problem!

Welcome, J Coffle
I think you are in a good place, but I imagine you will only think it is the right place if you get your problem solved. At any rate, if I can think of a better place, I will let you know.
First, what is "PH"? Assuming you mean "Photo Booth", I will offer a couple of suggestions for your consideration. If I am wrong, stop here and post back the correct meaning.
You have tried several good things. Here are a few more you can consider.
(1) Disconnect all peripherals while you do your testing to rule out possible conflicts.
(2) Check for any running applications, Login Items, or widgets that can use your iSight. (It is easy to forget widgets like Mirror in your Dashboard.) As explained in Apple's iSight "Your camera is in use by another application" message, iSight can be used by one application at a time.
(3) Try every relevant Built-in iSight suggestion in How to Troubleshoot iSight.
(4) If resetting or the other troubleshooting suggestions do correct your problem, try the following:
- Backup your Home Folder, or at very least, your important files.
- Repair permissions.
- Then download and apply the Mac OS X 10.4.10 Combo Update (PPC).
- Perform another Permissions Repair.
- Then check Photo Booth again with no other iSight apps running.
Users have reported fixes to a variety of audio, video, connectivity, and software conflicts and unreliability issues after properly applying the latest Combo Updates.
If you can recall anything significant that might have changed since Photo Booth last worked, what changed would be helpful to know if you must post back for more ideas.
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz Mac OS X (10.4.10) G5 DP 1.8 External iSight

High school computer lab: turning off iSight, disabling Photobooth

We purchased new iMacs for our computer labs, and the iSight camera plus Photo Booth have been nothing but needless distractions since the school year began. I think that it is UNACCEPTABLE that Apple did not foresee the need to turn these cameras off and provide a way to do so in system preferences, rather than forcing people to rely on a command line hack to get this done.
I also find it incredibly stupid to provide people WITHOUT administrator privileges the option of changing the account pictures through Photo Booth. This is just idiotic. All of the account pictures for our public accounts (where all system preferences are locked) have been changed to photo booth pictures and it takes time to change them back on 90+ computers.
Yes, I know that Photo booth access can be disabled, but it is like it never entered Apple's mind that these computers might be used in computer labs, otherwise, (a) the option to turn this camera off would have been provided, and (b) they would not have included an option in an application which allows a person without admin privileges to change an account's picture. If the ability to change an account picture is turned off, shouldn't photo booth know this? Stupid.
Just venting.
Powerbook G4 Mac OS X (10.3.9)

I have sent apple my feedaback because I have a similar problem. I have a mobile MacBook Lab and can't seem to find a way to disable the option in Photo Booth that sends the photo taken to the users login account picture. This cuts down on my administrative efficiency because I have to change the user account pictures back to its original. The problem that there is no option to disable the "send to accounts feature" in a school enviornment is the students who use photo booth to take obscene photos and then send them to the accounts picture.
Please help me with a solution. Is there is a way to recreate the Login window to it's, original established set of account pictures, after a user logs out of their account? These MacBooks are used by many different grade levels including 1st and 2nd graders and I cannot expose them to the obscene login pictures.
MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Turning off Isight

I recently installed Snow Leopard. When I started the computer, the green camera is lit. I have closed isight but the green camera light remains on. Suggestions?

Trabuco wrote:
... I have closed isight but the green camera light remains on. Suggestions?
Only external (Firewire connected) iSights can be "closed". If you are posting about external iSight, see:
http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage11.html
If your topic relates to a built-in iSight, quitting the applications that can run iSight turns off the iSight's function.
If the green indicator light for a built-in iSight continues to function after a restart, and when no iSight enabled applications are open, one of the suggestions in this article will correct the problem:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090
EZ Jim
“I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link."
G5 DP 1.8GHz w/Mac OS X (10.5.8) PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11) iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9) External iSight

Turn green isight light off when recording.

hi there,
I'm setting up a nanny cam with my laptop, and don't want the green light to be on when recording, how could i turn that off for the time being.
thanks.
tt

Why not just cover it. Tiny piece of duck tape or sticky. Much simpler.
The green light is always activated when the iSight is on. I know of no way of deactivating it while the iSight is on. You may wish to do a Google search for some hack that may do this.

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

I cannot turn my iSight Camera off

The green light is on when I start the mac and turning on photo booth or iMovie does not disable it ... how can I "fix'' this?

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

Digital Camera Connected - how to turn off iSIGHT=override??

isight seems to over ride the camera on the mac (MBP or IMAC) how do I set it so the camera takes presence?
Thanks

How is this related to Final Cut Pro?
The built in camera on the computer is preventing FCP from detecting the camera...THAT'S what.
I don't know the answer though...but there has to be some setting in the system prefs. I don't have a built in camera, so I have no clue where.
Shane

Can you turn isight off?

i have the built in isight on my macbook, and am trying to import digital video into imovie, but when i click the button to connect to the camera, it just turns on isight and asks me if i want to record with isight.
is there a way to turn isight off? i havnt found a control panel for the camera.

Hello djbolt,
Seems simple enough:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=302503
"To turn off the built-in iSight camera, just close the active iChat window. The green LED next to the camera will go dark, indicating that the built-in iSight camera is off and no longer capturing video."
Not having a built-in iSight, I couldn't test this out, but I suspect you all have tried that and after repairing permissions, etc, are probably still going to tell me that you can't mount another DV camcorder?
Let me know or maybe someone else will be by with a better suggestion.
Respectfully,
Bill Gallagher

Can you turn iSight into a webcam.

Can you turn a iSight into a webcam?

jsapyta wrote:
Can you turn a iSight into a webcam?
All iSights are webcams. You merely need the appropriate software
to use your iSight for your intended purpose(s).
Some of the apps that work with iSight are listed in Ralph's user tip:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2013310
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz Mac OS X (10.6.6); MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.6)
LED Cinema Display; G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11); iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9); External iSight; iPod4touch4.2.1

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

ISight drivers - getting them to work in Parallels

I hope this is helpful to other people. I got it to work, but it was not easy. For one thing, Apple made it more difficult by taking the drivers offline after Leopard was released. For another, the nice people at Parallels draw the line and say "you're on your own" because Apple publishes the drivers.
In case you were using the first set of drivers that Apple made available with the Beta version of BootCamp, and if (like me) your camera stopped working suddenly, then here is what I discovered and I hope it helps you too:
1. You can't be running iChat or any other Mac app that uses the camera simultaneously with Windows running under Parallels (probably also true for VMWare Fusion) because the two operating systems can't share the camera. If you have iChat open when you launch Parallels, you're going to hear your Windows alarm sound constantly beeping or bonging at you as the camera keeps going on-off-on-off-on-off-on-off-on-off-on-off-on-off-on-off no matter how many times you go to the Devices menu to be sure it's checked. Sometimes it won't even be in the devices menu; that's when iChat has hold of it. So, turn off the Mac apps that are using the camera if you want to use it in Windows.
2. Get out you Leopard DVD and put it in the drive slot. Hold down the shift key or it will auto-launch into the Boot Camp installer in your Windows OS. If it does launch the Boot Camp installer, cancel and quit that thing. Then, you'll have to navigate the contents of the DVD to get to the driver installer.
Parallels as a pretty good knowledge base articule about it: http://kb.parallels.com/entry/42/563
The main thing you need to do is to first, use the Windows Device Manager to verify that the camera exists and is selected in the Parallels Devices menu.
Then, you'll try to double click the item called AppleIsightInstaller.exe which you'll find in the DVD in the Drivers/Apple folder. If it runs, you're lucky because that means you don't have a previous version already on your Windows system. If you do, you won't be able to get it to run that way. Instead, you will have to launch a command prompt and do it that way.
What I did to insure it would run is a dragged a duplicate copy onto the Windows desktop. In the command prompt, I first typed cd Desktop to switch to the desktop directory, then I typed: appleisightinstaller -p (That's a space after the long word, followed by hyphen p)
Again if you are lucky, it will tell you that it found a previous version, or even that it found a current version but it allows you to over-write it anyway. Do it. In fact, you may have to reboot and do it more than once. In my case, I had to do it about 8 times.
With luck, that will restore the operability of your camera.
If not, then go to the driver details in Device Manager and observe that there may be a bunch of other system nonsense besides the Apple drivers. In my case, there were some Logitech drivers because I had tried (without success) to solve the problem by installing an external Logitech camera. Anyway, I deleted those Logitech items manually, making sure that I checked each and every one to be sure to not delete anything from Microsoft or Apple. Well, actually, you can delete the Apple items if you are willing to reinstall them again. Just don't delete any Microsoft ones or you'll regret it when you have to reinstall your OS.
Hope all this is helpful to you. There is really no excuse for Apple not publishing instructions for the use of their drivers, IMHO.

Parallels say "you're on your own" because...
Go to Devices -Built-in iSight to turn off iSight in your virtual machine.
When you install Windows using [Boot Camp|http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/bootcamp.html], you won’t need to search the Internet for drivers or burn a disc. Your iSight might not work with Vista at the moment.
Message was edited by: CodLBi

External iSight problems revisited

My original post here: http://discussions.info.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=10805558
After further research, I actually have the exact same problem detailed in this topic: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1014900 ("Your camera is in use by another application" error message persists after exhausting all troubleshooting options)
I went to the Genius Bar with my iSight thinking it needs a firmware update. The Genius found out he could not apply the update unless he was booted into 10.3.9, and their OS install disks did not go back that far. So I went home and clean installed 10.3, the 10.3.9 Combo Update, and all other updates listed in Software Update (including a fresh iSight Updater 1.0.3!) onto a new partition in my Mac Mini G4.
After attempting a firmware update and looking at /Library/Logs/iSightUpdater.log on my 10.3.9 system, I believe the reason my iSight is not recognized is that it cannot read the Serial Number or Firmware Version of my iSight, and therefore does not add it to the device list. Here are the Console messages from iSightUpdater.log running on my 10.3.9 system:
2010-12-11 13:09:10 -0800: iSightUpdater was launched by Finder.
2010-12-11 13:09:10 -0800: iSight Updater will install firmware version: 1.0.3
2010-12-11 13:09:10 -0800: UI: Plug in an iSight to update its software.
2010-12-11 13:09:16 -0800: UI: Plug in an iSight to update its software.
2010-12-11 13:09:36 -0800: iSightDevice::initWithService: Open produced error 10000003.
2010-12-11 13:09:36 -0800: UI: Plug in an iSight to update its software.
*2010-12-11 13:09:47 -0800: iSightDevice::initWithService: Couldn't read serial number.*
*2010-12-11 13:09:47 -0800: iSightDevice::initWithService: Device not added to device list.*
2010-12-11 13:09:47 -0800: UI: Plug in an iSight to update its software.
2010-12-11 13:10:17 -0800: DEVICE REMOVED:
2010-12-11 13:10:17 -0800: Product: iSight
2010-12-11 13:10:17 -0800: Vendor: Apple Computer, Inc.
*2010-12-11 13:10:17 -0800: Serial Number:*
2010-12-11 13:10:17 -0800: GUID: a270000001b2a
*2010-12-11 13:10:17 -0800: Firmware Version: (null)*
"Couldn't read serial number" happened after I turned the iSight on. "DEVICE REMOVED" happened after I turned the iSight off and unplugged it from the Mac Mini. Notice that the Serial Number and Firmware Version were not retrieved by the system. The system recognizes that an iSight has been plugged in, but will not release it for use with other applications since its Serial Number and Firmware Version cannot be determined.
My iSightUpdater.log file dates all the way back to when I updated my iSight's firmware to 1.0.2 and 1.0.3. For comparison, here are the Console messages for those updates:
2004-02-20 01:29:58 -0800: iSight Updater will install firmware version: 1.0.2
2004-02-20 01:29:58 -0800: DEVICE DISCOVERED:
2004-02-20 01:29:58 -0800: Product: iSight
2004-02-20 01:29:58 -0800: Vendor: Apple Computer, Inc.
*2004-02-20 01:29:58 -0800: Serial Number: W93254B3MZL*
2004-02-20 01:29:58 -0800: GUID: a270004001b2a
*2004-02-20 01:29:58 -0800: Firmware Version: 1.0*
2004-02-20 01:29:58 -0800: iSight device count: 1
2004-02-20 01:30:06 -0800: UPDATING DEVICE:
2004-02-20 01:30:06 -0800: Product: iSight
2004-02-20 01:30:06 -0800: Vendor: Apple Computer, Inc.
*2004-02-20 01:30:06 -0800: Serial Number: W93254B3MZL*
2004-02-20 01:30:06 -0800: GUID: a270004001b2a
*2004-02-20 01:30:06 -0800: Firmware Version: 1.0*
2004-02-20 01:30:06 -0800: Initiating software installation...
2004-02-20 01:30:11 -0800: Software installation terminating with error 00000000.
2004-02-20 01:30:11 -0800: Flashing firmware onto iSight...
2004-02-20 01:30:34 -0800: Flashing iSight terminating with error 00000000.
2004-02-20 01:30:35 -0800: UI: The iSight software cannot be installed while the iSight is in use by another application. Close any application using the iSight and try again.
2004-02-20 01:30:46 -0800: iSight Updater quitting...
2005-04-15 00:51:03 -0700: iSight Updater will install firmware version: 1.0.3
2005-04-15 00:51:03 -0700: DEVICE DISCOVERED:
2005-04-15 00:51:03 -0700: Product: iSight
2005-04-15 00:51:03 -0700: Vendor: Apple Computer, Inc.
*2005-04-15 00:51:03 -0700: Serial Number: W93254B3MZL*
2005-04-15 00:51:03 -0700: GUID: a270004001b2a
*2005-04-15 00:51:03 -0700: Firmware Version: 1.0.2*
2005-04-15 00:51:03 -0700: iSight device count: 1
2005-04-15 00:51:11 -0700: UPDATING DEVICE:
2005-04-15 00:51:11 -0700: Product: iSight
2005-04-15 00:51:11 -0700: Vendor: Apple Computer, Inc.
*2005-04-15 00:51:11 -0700: Serial Number: W93254B3MZL*
2005-04-15 00:51:11 -0700: GUID: a270004001b2a
*2005-04-15 00:51:11 -0700: Firmware Version: 1.0.2*
2005-04-15 00:51:11 -0700: Initiating software installation...
2005-04-15 00:51:27 -0700: Software installation terminating with error 00000000.
2005-04-15 00:51:27 -0700: Flashing firmware onto iSight...
2005-04-15 00:51:56 -0700: Flashing iSight terminating with error 00000000.
2005-04-15 00:52:56 -0700: iSight Updater quitting...
Aha! The Serial Number and Firmware Version were present in both of those updates, and I didn't need a firmware update after all. It seems that somewhere between the last firmware update and now, the iSight forgot its Serial Number and Firmware Version numbers -- or the last firmware update inadvertently flashed those two pieces of information from the iSight's memory.
I think if I could plant those two numbers back in the iSight's memory, I think I could get it working again. Problem is, Apple doesn't support scheduling repairs or Express Lane callbacks for the external iSight. Sooo... I, and all other external iSight owners with this problem, are stuck.
I'd love to get this repaired and use my external iSight with my Mac Mini G4. I just wish there was a next step, now that I have potentially identified the problem. Any ideas out there? I don't want to pay $150 to receive a reconditioned iSight for what appears to be a much simpler software/firmware fix. I do live in the San Francisco Bay Area, so driving to Cupertino and handing off an iSight for a quick repair by an iSight engineer would be an easy solution for me.
Thanks for listening, and I hope that this post sheds some light on other people with persistent "Your camera is in use by another application" error messages.
Message was edited by: A-Jay85
EDIT: Here is another post that appears to be similar to my problem:
http://discussions.info.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=12263773

Hi,
I am not going to override EZ Jim's advice on this as I do not know any way of recovering the lost Serial Number of Firmware version the devices is currently at.
Mostly it is for other readers but may provide clues.
The iSight Updater for Firmware 1.0.3 is included in the OS files as a Standalone Updater in Leopard
It seems it is also activated if the camera is Plugged In when Software Update is run. (I don't have enough info if it is specific 10.5.x Updates or just a General thing that happens.)
It is also present in the same place in 10.4.11 (I do not have copies earlier that this of Tiger that I can check)
In Use By Another Application.
It could actually be so.
Check:-
Comic Book if bundled with your Mac.
System Preferences > Accounts > Changing the Account Pic can invoke the camera for A Snapshot.
Any other app that can capture Video or a Pic. (iMovie, Quicktime Pro in Leopard and below, PhotoBooth. Don't forget Image Capture or your Browser if using Flash Chat sites or using the Google Broswer Plug-in installed in Chrome or as a Standalone (Intel only) and many others)
Check that in System Preferences > Accounts > Login Items does not list any app that can use the camera.
It seems that if an App that uses the camera (and was using it at the time) "Unexpectedly Quits" the System in general will think the camera is still in use (Possibly because that app's .plist will say it is)
The most common fix for this if you cannot find which App is using the camera is to do a SMC/PMU restart. (this link has three expandable areas that look like Links near the bottom of the page for various Macs).
Most Times the System will catch which apps have "Crashed"/Unexpectedly Quit and they are recorded in a Log. Open Console in Application/Utilities and then the Reveal Triangles to see ~/Library/Logs/Crash Reporter and see if any app is listed.
SEEK ADVICE on deleting .plists if you think you have identified the culprit, as doing so for some apps is more destructive than others.
Summary so far.
The Genius could have done it with a Tiger Install or Leopard Install Disk.
If you have a Retail Copy to do your Updates or either you can invoke the Update yourself (Providing you can get System Profiler to "See" the camera correctly)
A SMC/PMU reset maybe enough to "Clear" the System of what Apps it thinks is using the Camera.
There are some unexpected places and apps that can cause or actually use the camera.
A Fresh Install, as seems to be the case here, would have created a new set of .plists anyway.
I would also suggest that any other Firewire device is removed.
The External iSight should not be Daisy Chained with other items such as External Hard Drives as they run at different Data rates.
If you have a Computer with tow of more Firewire Ports I would suggest trying another port.
Some Towers have Firewire ports front and back and these have separate Firewire Controllers. This may isolate whether it is a Firewire port issue.
USB and Firewire Ports can be reset if the Power is removed from the computer for 15 Mins (power removed if a Laptop as the Firewire ports can still be active if the power cable is still connected)
I will state again that in this case I think EZ Jim has the right, quickest and simplest answer.
I have posted this mainly for other readers that may have something similar but not quite the same.
10:40 PM Sunday; December 19, 2010

Turn on isight

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