USB Web Cam / Microphone for Mac Mini 2.26

I am also looking for a webcam as well. I found a useful link over in the iMac G5 forums but what I am really looking for is for someone to tell me they have purchased a webcam that works well with their mac mini or with a iMac G5. I would like to purchase a moderately priced webcam with good quality to use with both a mac mini snow leopard server and an old iMac G5 (without an isight).

Sony Playstation PS3 "eye" camera (NOT PS2, but PS3)!
!http://www.productwiki.com/upload/images/playstation_eye-400-400.jpg!
Works well as a webcam with microphone, using the free Macam driver.
http://webcam-osx.sourceforge.net/

(A little known secret!)

vc187 wrote:
Hi all, I just got a 2.26 model. Does "any" driverless webcam w/mic work for the Mini? I'm looking at the cheap ones online that goes for about $5.

Yes, provided it:

 • meets the "UVC" standard, and

 • is operated by Mac OS X 10.4.9 or later.
   (UVC drivers are built the OS starting in 10.4.9.)

If you have doubts, check that the camera claims compatibility both with your OS and the apps with which you will use the camera. If you need help with this verification, your retailer can help you.

Camera alternatives: http://www.mac-compatible-web-cam.com/

More info: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2018211

I do not see your location, so I do not know whether your $5 is US dollars. If you are using US funds, $5 seems suspiciously cheap to me. Although my quick web search for "driverless webcam w/mic work for Mac mini" yielded many camera options, all UVC webcams I found that included integrated mics cost considerably more than US$5.


Message was edited by: EZ Jim


Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz w/Mac OS X (10.6.4)  MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.4)
LED Cinema Display  G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11)  iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9)  External iSight

vc187 wrote:
...What's UVC? ...

  USB 2.0 Video device Class

More about it in ¶2 of the http://www.mac-compatible-web-cam.com/ link.

Additional info at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USBvideo_deviceclass

I was looking at this on ebay:
h ttp://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280544303205&ssPageName=STRK:ME WAX:IT

That is cheap! I do not see "UVC" anywhere on the item's page, but the "Parameters"
on that page claim "... Apple Mac OS(10.5... ", so it may be Mac-compatible.


Message was edited by: EZ Jim


Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz w/Mac OS X (10.6.4)  MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.4)
LED Cinema Display  G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11)  iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9)  External iSight

That is exactly what I'm using. I have a PS3 and as I don't use a web cam a lot with the Mac I just share the PS3 Eye with it. My MacBook Air has a built in camera anyway.

30.0 Megapixel!!! :eek:

A typo (or a deliberate fraud?) 3.0 Megapixel maybe! 😀

mooblie wrote:
30.0 Megapixel!!! :eek:

A typo (or a deliberate fraud?) 3.0 Megapixel maybe! 😀

Possibly, mooblie.

Certainly " That is cheap!" for 30MP 😉

For OP's info, the original iSight and other 640x480 webcams are 0̸.3MP devices.

Message was edited by: EZ Jim



MacPro QuadCore(Early 2009) 2.93Ghz w/MacOSX (10.6.4) 
MacBookPro(13inch,Mid2009) 2.26GHz(10.6.4)
LED Cinema Display  G4PowerBook 1.67GHz(10.4.11) 
iBookSE366MHz(10.3.9)  External iSight