Good alternative to iSight?

[jne381]

I have a Dual 1GHZ Quicksilver, and I want to attach a web-cam to it so that I can use iChat AV with my new MacBook friends.

I intended to buy an iSight, but it is no longer being sold, and the prices on ebay a ridiculous. Since there is no speculation for a new iSight, only that cameras will be integrated into the new displays, is there an affordable alternative that works well with Macs?

Any practical experience with alternate web-cams would be great.

 

[jonharris200]

My iSight is on eBay at the moment and bidding is just £10.50 (US$22). Only 6 more days to go!

Okay, I accept that may not be the most helpful response. Good luck in your search.

 

[Jay42]

I would wait until MacWorld. Apple might release a new iSight and hopefully it will be cheaper. But it might just be new cinema displays with them built in.

 

[bbergie]

I tend to agree with Jay42. One hint in that direction is that "iSight" is still listed in the Apple web store under "mac accessories." That to me is an indication that Apple is out of the iSight models as we know them, and Apple is poised to introduce a new model.

Back to Jay42's comment: let's wait and see at MWSF.

 

[shellbryson]

I got a very nice Philips SPC900NC/00 USB webcam which is recommended by Skype for Macs in Europe, where the iSight is outlawed (bad Apple for using illegal heavy metals in the iSight!). Anyway, £50 and works like a charm on my PowerBook (drivers from http://webcam-osx.sourceforge.net/)... any WAY cheaper than iSight even if you could get it here in Scotland.

 

[sturigdson]

Before I had a MBP w/isight built in, I used my miniDV camera as a webcam for this same purpose. If you have a firewire enabled camera, it's just as good as a webcam. Just plug it in, and fire up ichat and you can set it to use the firewire camera as a webcam.

Obviously, this is useless if you don't have access to a firewire miniDV cam. But thought I'd throw it in in case it had been overlooked.