web cameras and photo booth

Go read : http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=iMovie/7.0/en/11497.html

According to this you need an iSight or firewire web cam t record directly into iMovie

I'm sitll using my old isight camera that I bought in 2004 and that is Firewire 400 and runs perfectly in photo booth, recording quicktime movies or imovie or on skype. It may be that the USB cam is not "fast" enough to "cope" with the signals required. I did a quick check and see the following (typed "speed usb and firewire" into google search.).
http://www.choice.com.au/viewArticle.aspx?id=104527&catId=100533&tid=100008&p=1& title=FireWirevs+Hi-SpeedUSB

I reckon that might be your problem. Good luck, and if you still got your till receipt, maybe they'll give you a credit note or exchange.

Hello joe musich

Because your occasional problem is with Photo Booth, consider whether you may have interrupted the app while the recording was being made. Photo Booth won't record unless it is the foreground app. Other things that might be contributing if this is your problem:

• Don't let your Mac go to sleep or allow its screen saver to work while you are recording.



• Check or modify settings of background apps that might be interrupting your Mac during your PB movie recording. Examples would include Mail checking for new email, iCal executing an alarm, your Software Update... performing its scheduled check for software updates.

Remember, I do not know that one of those might be your problem, but if you can find no other cause and you must record long clips with PB, those ideas may be worth considering if you think they might have an impact.

If you don't think interruptions are your problem, you might want to try the troubleshooting suggestions Apple recommends for iSight to see if they help you identify the source of the problem with your non-iSight webcam.

It also seems possible to me that your webcam or its connection to your Mac may have an intermittent fault. Have you contacted the retailer from whom you bought or, perhaps, Contact Creative Support, to see if they can suggest any help?

If you want some ideas on camera alternatives, this post might be of interest. If you are using Mac OS X 10.4.9 or later, any UVC cam should work without additional software or drivers because everything needed is in your Mac's OS.

EZ Jim

PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.2)  External iSight

You're welcome, joe musich

what can I do with the camera I've got with imovie ?

Nothing directly with iMovie.

As shown in this Apple kBase article, you need an external (Firewire) iSight or other "IIDC" webcam for recording directly into iMovie with any external webcam. All IIDC webcams connect via Firewire, so no external USB webcam will work to record directly into iMovie.

You can work around this limitation by recording video clips with an application that can use USB webcams like QuickTime Pro. Then import the saved clip into iMovie for editing.

FYI, the built-in iSights in many current Mac models are the only USB webcams that work and allow live monitoring of what is being recorded directly with iMovie. EVERY external USB camera, whether camcorder or webcam, would need to record the video first and import that into iMovie for editing.

Will I be able to see live action form the camera in imovie ?

No, not with your external USB cam and iMovie. Using QT Pro or another app that can record directly from your USB webcam, you will be able to monitor the video action in that app.

Or do I have to import something I capture with the camera ?

Yes, when using your USB webcam and trying to edit with iMovie. To get video from your (or any) external USB cam into iMovie, you must import a previously saved compatible file.



Please let us know if you need any other info before you can mark this topic "Answered."

Cheers,
EZ Jim

PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.2)  External iSight

You're welcome again, joe musich


The Mac OS audio settings you must make for use with Photo Booth start with ensuring that the microphone you want to use is selected as your input device in System Preferences... > Sound > Input and that the input level is adjusted appropriately there. Additionally, System Preferences... > Sound > Output settings must be set to the correct output device, balance, and output volume.

If there are other audio settings that your camera's documentation tells you to make, make them accordingly. Contact Creative Support if you have difficulty with those settings or instructions.

You can try the other camera to determine whether "the 99 dollar logitech device is any better." However, if Photo Booth sound is your only problem, you might want to consider keeping your existing camera and using a separate microphone like the Logitech USB Desktop Microphone that works well with my tower Mac. Alternatively, try recording your movie clips with iMovie instead of Photo Booth. If the sound works well in iMovie, you can use that app for making your video clips without spending any additional money.

Please let us know if you need any other info before you can mark this topic "Answered."



Cheers,

EZ Jim

PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.2)  External iSight

You're surely welcome, joe musich

Thanks for the status update and info on the new cam.

Your Logitech USB cam CANNOT record directly into iMovie. How to use iMovie was explained in my second post to you in this thread, which I quote here in part:

As shown in this Apple kBase article, you need an external (Firewire) iSight or other "IIDC" webcam for recording directly into iMovie with any external webcam. All IIDC webcams connect via Firewire, so no external USB webcam will work to record directly into iMovie.
You can work around this limitation by recording video clips with an application that can use USB webcams like QuickTime Pro. Then import the saved clip into iMovie for editing.
FYI, the built-in iSights in many current Mac models are the only USB webcams that work and allow live monitoring of what is being recorded directly with iMovie. EVERY external USB camera, whether camcorder or webcam, would need to record the video first and import that into iMovie for editing.

If you do not want to buy a different camera for use with iMovie, you can use QuickTime Pro or some other app that can capture movie or video clips with your USB webcam. I know that QuickTime Pro will work for you. If you want to use a different app, check that app's documentation for system requirements and camera compatibility.

Please let us know if you need any other info before you can mark this topic "Answered."

EZ Jim

PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.2)  External iSight

You're welcome again, joe

1) Some names from this google search:

• Fire-i

• iBOT

• iSweet

2) Your Leopard Mac Pro meets all QT Pro System Requirements. Therefore, you can record into QT Pro if you have a compatible camera and/or audio input source.

Although the QuickTime Pro Product Page clearly states (in part):

Use a FireWire camera to capture video footage...

I have chat friends who tell me that QuickTime Pro records video from their new UVC (USB Video Class) webcams. The only way I know to be CERTAIN is to test (as you say "play Around and findout.")

If you do not want to buy QT Pro in order to perform the test, take the webcam you want to use with you to the Apple Store and ask to test it with their QuickTime Pro before you buy.

Alternatively, you could check some of the other apps that can capture movie or video clips to determine whether their documentation affirms that they will work with your UVC webcam.

2.1?) I am not certain what you mean by "If so what is the pathway?" If you are asking how to record video using QT Pro, it is as simple as the description in the Creating Movies with QuickTime 7 Pro tutorial.

Please let us know if you need any other info before you can mark this topic "Answered."

EZ Jim

PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.2)  External iSight

You're welcome, joe

I did not see a question in your comments, but I offer a few thoughts for your consideration.

Unless you have several significant applications operating on your Mac Pro concurrently while trying to record video, (if you are doing this, close some of them to reduce possible processor and data bus conflicts), QT Pro should offer unparalleled stability and quality. That is because every Apple application (and many, if not all, third party apps) that perform AV operations on Macs use the QuickTime technology that is completely integrated into OS X. Therefore, other than some occasional glitch unrelated to the software such as too many other apps running, Photo Booth CANNOT make better recordings than QuickTime, because Photo Booth uses QuickTime to make its recordings.

If you have more than a rare problem with either the quality or the stability of QT, there is something wrong with your Mac Pro or its software. If you want to try to resolve those problems yourself rather than consulting an Apple-Authorized Service Provider, search or post in the QuickTime for Mac OS Forum.

Apple's QuickTime is an industry standard AV technology. However, Apple cannot control whether the companies that manufacture "externals" offer products that use the QT standards.

If you decide to "look at a firewire camera", be sure to check its documentation to be sure it meets the IIDC standard.

If you have a question before you can mark this topic "Answered," please post back, and we will do our best to give the answer you need.

Cheers,
EZ Jim

PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.2)  External iSight