ecristo
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: recently upgraded from snow leopard to lion and isight doesn't work no more.

I have an iSight A1023.  When I'm on 10.6.3 and use, lets say Skype, there's image but no sound comes through it.

I recently upgraded to Lion 10.7.5 and now there's no image, just black, but sometimes there's audio coming through the iSight mic.

That eliminates the problem with the camera itself, and I'm guessing it's software related.

I have restarted in snow leopard and yes, the camera works in the same way it worked before (no audio).

The version of skype is the same on both systems.

I'm running it on a Mac Pro, 2x2.66Ghz Dual-Core Intel Xeon, 10 GB Ram

Posted on Jun 26, 2015 4:43 PM

by ecristo,Solvedanswer
ecristo ecristo
Level 1 (0 points)
A:

I couldn't just "give up" about the case.

If it helps to know I made it work.  I did a workaround and found the solution to my problem, the (old) iSight works now on every application that utilizes video, although the audio (mic) is a little bit tricky it still works (sometimes).

I have a digi003 and that was causing conflict with the firewire camera, since it connects through firewire as well. 

I turned it off and voila! the camera works.

Posted on Jun 27, 2015 3:41 PM

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ecristo

Q: recently upgraded from snow leopard to lion and isight doesn't work no more.

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Jun 26, 2015 4:52 PM in response to ecristo
    Level 10 (270,025 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 26, 2015 4:52 PM in response to ecristo

    Are you sure it's compatible with Lion?

  • by ecristo,

    ecristo ecristo Jun 26, 2015 5:15 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 26, 2015 5:15 PM in response to Kappy

    I am not sure about it, that's why I'm posting here, maybe somebody knows this.

    For all I've been reading it looks like it is. There's a procedure to stop the camera activity from other apps that could be making the computer think that the camera is in use.

    Having sound coming in from the iSight mic makes me think it is compatible and it worked for a little while when I installed Lion, with iChat and FaceTime, but now iChat says that the camera is been used by another application (even after restart) and with FaceTime says there's no camera connected.

    With Skype (which is the one I care for) it's recognized but there's only a black image, and sometimes sound coming in (iSight mic).

  • by ecristo,

    ecristo ecristo Jun 26, 2015 5:17 PM in response to ecristo
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 26, 2015 5:17 PM in response to ecristo

    I've also reset the NVRAM.

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Jun 26, 2015 5:23 PM in response to ecristo
    Level 10 (270,025 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 26, 2015 5:23 PM in response to ecristo

    The standalone iSight webcam ceased production in 2006. It is a Firewire based device. That's all I can find relative to compatibility. If it did not require any additional software to use, then it may still work. However, Lion may not support it any longer. So, I cannot tell you one way or the other if it should work nor why it no longer works with Lion.

     

    If you upgraded Snow Leopard 10.6.8 to Lion, then you might try reinstalling Lion:

     

    Reinstalling OS X Without Erasing the Drive

     

    Boot to the Recovery HD: Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.

     

    Reinstalling OS X Without Erasing the Drive

     

    Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the main menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.

     

    When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility and press the Continue button. After Disk Utility loads select the Macintosh HD entry from the the left side list.  Click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If Disk Utility reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit Disk Utility and return to the main menu.

     

    Reinstall OS X: Select Reinstall OS X and click on the Continue button.

     

    Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

     

    Alternatively, see:

     

    Reinstall OS X Without Erasing the Drive

     

    Choose the version you have installed now:

     

    OS X Yosemite- Reinstall OS X

    OS X Mavericks- Reinstall OS X

    OS X Mountain Lion- Reinstall OS X

    OS X Lion- Reinstall Mac OS X

     

         Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet

                     if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

  • by ecristo,

    ecristo ecristo Jun 26, 2015 5:41 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 26, 2015 5:41 PM in response to Kappy

    Thanks Kappy,

    Of course I didn't mention that I have done that too. And I don't think it's worth to do it a third time.

    It might just be a case of no-iSight use for me after all.

    I can utilize video calls on Skype on my phone. 

    Just sad that the cam won't work no more because OS X updates, on the same computer that once worked perfectly.

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Jun 26, 2015 5:49 PM in response to ecristo
    Level 10 (270,025 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 26, 2015 5:49 PM in response to ecristo

    You can always revert back to Snow Leopard.

  • by ecristo,

    ecristo ecristo Jun 26, 2015 5:49 PM in response to ecristo
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 26, 2015 5:49 PM in response to ecristo

    I've given up.

  • by ecristo,

    ecristo ecristo Jun 26, 2015 5:52 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 26, 2015 5:52 PM in response to Kappy

    I have Snow Leopard installed in a different drive, I only upgraded to Lion due to a piece of software that I need to use sometimes that only runs on Lion and above.

    The problem with 10.6.8 is that the audio input on the isight wont work.

    The camera worked perfectly with 10.5.

    Oh well.  Waste of time at this point.

    Thanks for your efforts.  If you think of any other possible solution I'm happy to try it.

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Jun 26, 2015 5:57 PM in response to ecristo
    Level 10 (270,025 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 26, 2015 5:57 PM in response to ecristo

    Buy a Logicam C610 from Logitech. I use it on my Mac Pro. Works quite well. Runs off USB.

  • by ecristo,

    ecristo ecristo Jun 26, 2015 6:05 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 26, 2015 6:05 PM in response to Kappy

    hehe... ya, that's an option, but not really an option, don't want to spend $$$ on that.  I can always use my phone/cam.

    I believe this has to do with drivers or a bug that is not supported anymore by apple.

  • by ecristo,Solvedanswer

    ecristo ecristo Jun 27, 2015 3:41 PM in response to ecristo
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 27, 2015 3:41 PM in response to ecristo

    I couldn't just "give up" about the case.

    If it helps to know I made it work.  I did a workaround and found the solution to my problem, the (old) iSight works now on every application that utilizes video, although the audio (mic) is a little bit tricky it still works (sometimes).

    I have a digi003 and that was causing conflict with the firewire camera, since it connects through firewire as well. 

    I turned it off and voila! the camera works.

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Jun 27, 2015 3:58 PM in response to ecristo
    Level 10 (270,025 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 27, 2015 3:58 PM in response to ecristo

    Congrats! You're back in business.

  • by EZ Jim,

    EZ Jim EZ Jim Jul 1, 2015 7:38 AM in response to ecristo
    Level 7 (22,547 points)
    Jul 1, 2015 7:38 AM in response to ecristo

    Offered for possible benefit of other readers:


    External iSights are fine webcams, but all are getting old and some may no longer be reliable.  The only way to know whether an external iSight works properly is to test it. My suggestions for testing are shown in How to test (external) iSight to ensure it is functional.

     

    If your old iSight fails and you cannot find a service technican who can repair it at a reasonable cost, consider a new, Mac-compatible, USB webcam such as one of those listed in http://www.mac-compatible-web-cam.com/.  USB webcams avoid Possible Firewire Hardware or Software Conflicts.

     

    If you are currently contemplating buying any external iSight that you cannot test before you buy, ask for a warranty for return or exchange privileges if the iSight will not work properly with your system.

     

     

     

    Message was edited by: EZ Jim

     

    Mac OSX 10.10.3