Webcam for mac

[Nick T.]

I went to check out the discussion you posted a link to for the history of your situation, but it only took me to this same discussion, so you might have gotten the wrong link.

I don't know where that link back to this thread came from.

I didn't understand most of your post, but that's okay since I was just posting my experience. I have no idea if the camera works with iChart or anything else.

 

[flyinmac]

I don't know where that link back to this thread came from.

I didn't understand most of your post, but that's okay since I was just posting my experience. I have no idea if the camera works with iChart or anything else.

I guess I'm confused...

If you're not using it with iChat or another Instant Messenger program, then what are you using the webcam for?

 

[Nick T.]

At this point I just wanted to see if it would even work.

I'm a very long-time PC user who's been playing with a Mac Mini for a few months as an evaluation toy; do I really want to switch to a Mac Pro?

So far I've found that although OS X has many advantages, hardware support could be improved.

 

[flyinmac]

At this point I just wanted to see if it would even work.

I'm a very long-time PC user who's been playing with a Mac Mini for a few months as an evaluation toy; do I really want to switch to a Mac Pro?

So far I've found that although OS X has many advantages, hardware support could be improved.

OK, so that makes sense.

Basically, all you did was get OS X to recognize the camera. It didn't actually make it useful with iChat.

That's where you would need either a UVC-compliant camera or additional software to enable it to work with iChat (Apple's instant messenger / Video Chat program).

MacCam would be a much better solution if it did more than simply make it so that you could stare at yourself in the MacCam program (which is all it did for me when I played with it).

If you really actually want to use your webcam with OS X in a chat / video conferencing program, you should really just get one that's UVC compliant (such as the XBox web cam).

The risk of working with after-market patches, is that the usefulness of your webcam becomes reliant on updates by 3rd-party individuals who have their own lives and priorities. If Apple releases an update that breaks their patch, then you have to wait for them to release an updated patch.

If you buy something that's just compliant with the UVC standard, then you don't run the risk of having a $40 (or more) webcam being rendered useless.

Of course, it also makes financial sense unless you are working with a webcam left over from years gone by. For example, if you go out and buy a webcam and it's not compatible, then you've got the cost of that camera plus the cost of the shareware solution to fully enable it.

Or, you could just buy a UVC compliant webcam and be done with it. The XBox one cost me $39.99 locally, and can be had for as little as $32.00 on the Internet. Given that the shareware solution costs $10 to enable other cameras to work, a camera that costs $39.99 total (and works right out of the box) is a pretty good deal.

Especially when you consider that the other ones I've tried ranged between $20 and $50 and would then require the $10 shareware solution to make them work.

If someone is looking to buy a webcam, then they should be sure that it is UVC compliant. The XBox one I mentioned previously is, and it is very cheap. And, when compared against the other webcams I tried (using Windows to compare the video quality - since the other ones only worked right in Windows), I found that the XBox one had superior color representation and a clearer picture (the others had a lot of "snow" in the video).

Of course, everyone is free to choose their own route. I just hate to see people spend money on a camera and then have to buy a software solution that may not work long-term. Plus, an additional piece of software only introduces more opportunity for something to go wrong and complicates trouble-shooting.

I think the software patches are fine if you've got something you want to make work. But, if you are buying a new webcam, get something that's UVC compliant.

If you don't know if the camera is UVC compliant, only buy it from a store with an unconditional return policy.

 

[Mugwumper]

Another info source

Nope...

I tried two other webcams (previously) with 10.4.10 and 10.4.11. Wouldn't work without buying the additional iChat plug in.

Now, if your webcam is of the newer UVC standard, then it will work in 10.4.10 and later (maybe in 10.4.9).

But, that requires the camera to meet the UVC standard. Many of them still don't.

I tried a brand new Microsoft one last night to see if it would work for my wife since it has a built-in Microphone. But, absolutely no luck at all in OS X. It wouldn't even work in Windows Vista without a bunch of drivers.

So, it is not UVC compliant, and it will not work in OS X at all (regardless of the version).

The XBox webcam I mentioned earlier, will work without any drivers because it is UVC compliant. And, it works in Windows Vista and OS X 10.4.10 and later (including 10.5 obviously). Just plug it in and it works.

I took the Microsoft LifeCam back today, and got another XBox webcam for my wife to use. I got her a microphone and headset to compliment it.

As an FYI, here's a site that talks about various issues with
webcams that are USB 1.x and 2.x:

http://mac-compatible-web-cam.com/

 

[Nick T.]

As an FYI, here's a site that talks about various issues with
webcams that are USB 1.x and 2.x:

http://mac-compatible-web-cam.com/

Good site - - thanks!