27" LED Cinema Display (mini-DisplayPort): Do the iSight camera and microphone still work in Big Sur?

[EugW]

If I were to buy a used 27" LED Cinema Display, do the iSight camera and microphone still work in Big Sur? My understanding is they work via USB 2. If so, basically any machine running Big Sur (officially supported or not) should be able to utilize the iSight camera and microphone.

I'm not interested in getting the Thunderbolt model since not only are a huge number of older Macs excluded, some newer Macs (like my 12" MacBook) won't work with it, and it also becomes complicated using newer Thunderbolt 3 Macs with this monitor.

 

[cflem]

I have a docking station, and yep... all is good in the hood. It’s a wonderful screen still.

 

[EugW]

I have a docking station, and yep... all is good in the hood. It’s a wonderful screen still.

That's great, and thanks for the info.

What machine are you using it with?

 

[cflem]

That's great, and thanks for the info.

What machine are you using it with?

2017 15” MBP

 

[EugW]

2017 15” MBP

Thanks. Because of your previous post, I went to check out the 27" LED Cinema Display at the shop, and they sold their last one before I got there. 😡 I tried their 24" Cinema Display but it was too small. I confirmed the iSight camera worked fine in Catalina though.

However, that actually worked out better for me, because I then found a 30" Cinema HD Display elsewhere in near-mint condition, for cheap. I'm currently typing on a 2007 Mac Pro hooked up to it right now. It's great! 😍

It's a dual-link DVI model, but it came with the Apple active mini-DisplayPort adapter, and I've confirmed it works at the full 2560x1600 resolution on both my Catalina 2009 13" MacBookPro5,5 and my Catalina 2017 12" MacBook10,1.

No web cam or mic, but I can get an aftermarket one at some point.

Thanks for the help anyway though.

 

[markc2]

Apple Cinema Display LED (27-Inch)

I'm looking at one of these with the Isight camera to use with my mac pro 5,1 (flashed) just want to make sure it works with either facetime/zoom. The above comments make me feel a lot better about buying one.

Thanks

Mark

 

[EugW]

Apple Cinema Display LED (27-Inch)

I'm looking at one of these with the Isight camera to use with my mac pro 5,1 (flashed) just want to make sure it works with either facetime/zoom. The above comments make me feel a lot better about buying one.

Thanks

Mark

iSight works, but Zoom may be a problem on these machines as you should have a Metal capable GPU for Zoom if you upgrade to Mojave or later. Your GT120 is not metal capable. There is a patch for this, but on some machines people are now saying it doesn't work.

BTW, I'm surprised you're running a GT120 in 10.13 High Sierra in the first place. If I were in your shoes with a Mac Pro 5,1 with X5690, I would have upgraded the GPU a long time ago.

 

[markc2]

iSight works, but Zoom may be a problem on these machines as you should have a Metal capable GPU for Zoom if you upgrade to Mojave or later. Your GT120 is not metal capable. There is a patch for this, but on some machines people are now saying it doesn't work.

BTW, I'm surprised you're running a GT120 in 10.13 High Sierra in the first place. If I were in your shoes with a Mac Pro 5,1 with X5690, I would have upgraded the GPU a long time ago.

I just bought this computer maybe a month or two ago. I have cables coming in the mail from Amazon to set me up for what ever new(ish) graphic's card I decide on (and it seems to change daily), as soon as that happens then the whole Mojave+ NVME roller coaster begins

 

[EugW]

However, that actually worked out better for me, because I then found a 30" Cinema HD Display elsewhere in near-mint condition, for cheap. I'm currently typing on a 2007 Mac Pro hooked up to it right now. It's great! 😍


No web cam or mic, but I can get an aftermarket one at some point.

I just bought an original FireWire iSight, and it actually works in El Capitan on this MacPro2,1. FaceTime video works perfectly, although sometimes the audio doesn't work in FaceTime initially, so I have to unplug and replug it in again to get it to work.

I tried the iSight on my 2009 MacBookPro5,5 with Catalina and the video actually still works in Catalina to my surprise.