Using cam other than iSight built in

Question

Hello Everyone - trying to use a camera other than the built in i-sight for more flexibility. How does one turn off the default built in cam so that a USB cam can be used? Thanks for the help - Carlyle

Answer 1

Hi,
The External iSights are of some vintage now in computer and device terms.
However if kept up-to-date firmware wise it will still work well in to to Snow Leopard.
First check it is being seen in the System Profiler.
This can be accessed by holding the ALT key whilst selecting the Apple icon menu and then the top Item (If you don't hold ALT this items reads About this Mac and if that is used the More Info button also gets you there)
You need to open the reveal Triangle and look in Hardware and Firewire.
If it does show it should show you the Firmware is at 1.0.3
(For Snow Leopard Users.  This does seem to make a difference in Snow Leopard despite Apple saying it was only an Audio Update).
Having the External iSight connected to one firewire port and having Hard Drives or other devices connected as well (daisychaining)c can be an issue as the iSIght sends data at a different rate to Hard Drives.
If yours is a newer MacBook Pro that has the Firewire 800 port then you need an Adapter (800 to 400).
I have heard that it pays to look around and read what other people have said works as not all adapters are equal it seems.
If the System Profiler show the Camera then try other apps (Photo Booth, Quicktime (Pro in Leopard if you have the Pro bit) or any other app that can access the camera)
The test in another Mac User Account.
If you don't have one then create one in System Preferences > Accounts.
(I have one called Test and have some of the same iChat Details entered there for Testing)
Try a different FIrewire lead to the camera.
I have read that often changing this solves it (not that the leads fail more often than the camera but it worth a test.)
If you can, try a different computer  (If your computer has two or more Firewire ports then check those)
Next Unplug all Firewire devices from the computer and shut down the computer (In the case of a Laptop also Unplug the power)
Wait 15 Mins as this then resets the Firewire controllers  (You have to wait long enough for various capacitors to discharge that help retain info on counting/allocating ID numbers to devices that are/were attached which is why Laptops need the power disconnected as well).
Summary.
Check System Profiler and tells what it says.
Try other apps and report on your findings
Try another Mac User (And those same apps) and report back.
Try a Firewire port Reset.
Check the camera on another computer
Try a different Firewire cable/lead.
Most of this comes from the Trouble Shooting iSight Article
6:44 PM      Monday; May 2, 2011
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb( 10.6.7)
, Mac OS X (10.6.7),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously