iMac Built in iSight - Other Uses

[MTI]

According to the Guides section of the forum, the built in iSight cams use a USB bus connection to the system.

Has anyone ever "harvested" the iSight from broken iMacs or MacBooks and wired them for external use? I would imagine that they'd make great fixed focus surveillance cams.

 

[Sun Baked]

Might as well get an ethernet or wi-fi surveillance camera.

 

[MTI]

Might as well get an ethernet or wi-fi surveillance camera.

Ah well where's the sense of adventure . . . recycle!

 

[AndyMadMac]

Recycle iSight camera from G5

Yes. I have successfully and easily connected an iSight from a dead G5 iMac with iSight. I can confirm that the internal iSight is a USB connection despite the appearance of the connector (FireWire 1394). From the Apple Menu, choose about this Mac. Click get more information. Click USB and in the list you should see the iSight Camera as one of the ports.

To recycle / reuse your iSight camera, you will need an old USB cable that you cut. Clip off the (B-Male connector) which is the end away from the USB connector for your computer (A-Male connector). You should see a red, green, white and black cable. Strip the wires.

Unwrap the black metal tape from the camera cable near the connector and clip off the connector. You should see the same color coding, red, green, white, and black. Strip off those ends as well and connect the matching colors. I soldered the wires together and protected them with black electrical tape.

I suggest using a test computer to confirm your connections. Plug in the USB cable and you can use Quicktime to test out your camera.