Web cam for OS 10.6.4

Question

Web cam for OS 10.6.4

Hi:

I use a Mac Book Pro with 2.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo chip.

We would like to buy a web cam to use as a "pet cam" rather than use the built in i-sight. My thinking is that I could position an external USB cam with greater flexibility than the the built in.

Anyway, I'm wondering if someone could recommend a web cam that works with the latest Mac OS, either with the correct drivers built in, or available on the net. It seems to be problematic to get a web cam to work....we tried an older logiteech cam with my wife's Intel MacBook, and could not get the computer to recognize the device.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Michael

Mac Book Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Sep 17, 2010 10:56 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 17, 2010 11:16 AM in response to Michael Stryker

Go look at

http://www.logitech.com/en-za/webcam-communications/webcams/devices/4528

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Answer 2

Sep 17, 2010 2:04 PM in response to Michael Stryker

Hi,

Any USB 2.0 Camera that is UVC (USB Video Class) compliant will work.

Includes the X-Box 360 camera the PlayStation 3 camera and obviously many dedicated newer Web Cams.

USB 1.1 cameras with Mac Drivers can be made to work in 10.5.x or lower with an Add On Utility for iChat called iUSBCam
The "Mac Drivers" can be from the manufacturer or in some cases one of two Third Party Drivers (See the Camera Guide page at the above Link.

UVC compliant Cameras have a driver in the OS.
It will not always take advantage of the abilities that the camera can do in Windows (pan and Zoom or Face Tracking for instance).

Even if the camera is advertised as 5.0 Mega Pixels it will be the software in use that determines what number of pixels the pic is.

iChat is limited to 640X480 (0.3Mp)
Photo Booth is similar.
iMovie will be able to make use of full resolution.

See also this list http://www.mac-compatible-web-cam.com/

10:03 PM Friday; September 17, 2010

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

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Answer 3

Sep 19, 2010 7:16 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Hi Ralph:

Thanks very much for response.

One follow up question. I'm fairly sure the USB ports on my lap top (at least some of them) are high speed, and UVC compliant Web Cams need USB2 ports to work.

My system profile gives the following information.

Am I good?

USB High-Speed Bus:

Host Controller Location: Built-in USB
Host Controller Driver: AppleUSBEHCI
PCI Device ID: 0x2836
PCI Revision ID: 0x0003
PCI Vendor ID: 0x8086
Bus Number: 0xfd

Built-in iSight:

Product ID: 0x8502
Vendor ID: 0x05ac (Apple Inc.)
Version: 1.55
Serial Number: F06F911EC1CD2F22 (03.00)
Speed: Up to 480 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Apple Inc.
Location ID: 0xfd400000
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 500

USB High-Speed Bus:

Host Controller Location: Built-in USB
Host Controller Driver: AppleUSBEHCI
PCI Device ID: 0x283a
PCI Revision ID: 0x0003
PCI Vendor ID: 0x8086
Bus Number: 0xfa

USB Bus:

Host Controller Location: Built-in USB
Host Controller Driver: AppleUSBUHCI
PCI Device ID: 0x2830
PCI Revision ID: 0x0003
PCI Vendor ID: 0x8086
Bus Number: 0x1d

USB Bus:

Host Controller Location: Built-in USB
Host Controller Driver: AppleUSBUHCI
PCI Device ID: 0x2831
PCI Revision ID: 0x0003
PCI Vendor ID: 0x8086
Bus Number: 0x3d

USB Bus:

Host Controller Location: Built-in USB
Host Controller Driver: AppleUSBUHCI
PCI Device ID: 0x2832
PCI Revision ID: 0x0003
PCI Vendor ID: 0x8086
Bus Number: 0x5d

Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad:

Product ID: 0x021a
Vendor ID: 0x05ac (Apple Inc.)
Version: 0.18
Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Apple Computer
Location ID: 0x5d200000
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 40

IR Receiver:

Product ID: 0x8242
Vendor ID: 0x05ac (Apple Inc.)
Version: 0.16
Speed: Up to 1.5 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Apple Computer, Inc.
Location ID: 0x5d100000
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 100

USB Bus:

Host Controller Location: Built-in USB
Host Controller Driver: AppleUSBUHCI
PCI Device ID: 0x2834
PCI Revision ID: 0x0003
PCI Vendor ID: 0x8086
Bus Number: 0x1a

Bluetooth USB Host Controller:

Product ID: 0x8205
Vendor ID: 0x05ac (Apple Inc.)
Version: 19.65
Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Apple Inc.
Location ID: 0x1a100000
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 0

USB Bus:

Host Controller Location: Built-in USB
Host Controller Driver: AppleUSBUHCI
PCI Device ID: 0x2835
PCI Revision ID: 0x0003
PCI Vendor ID: 0x8086
Bus Number: 0x3a

Thanks again for your assistance,

Michael

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Answer 4

Sep 19, 2010 7:22 AM in response to Freddie Herbst

Thanks very much:

From the 2 responses it appears that Logitech cam is the best way to go. I had one additional question which I posted to the other person who responded.

Thanks,

Michael

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Answer 5

Sep 19, 2010 12:25 PM in response to Michael Stryker

Yes.

8:25 PM Sunday; September 19, 2010

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

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