iSight with Mac mini (2011)

Cruciarius wrote:

This is a follow up of this thread I started a while back: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3501511

As said in that thread, I ordered the FireWire 800 to 400 adapter. It arrived today. I plugged everything up and the iSight light flickered on, made a noise and went off.

I went to the system settings. Can't seem to access the mic settings for it....

Use the suggestions in http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090 to determine whether your problem is with only one app or user account or is the same everywhere.

The quickest way to find the problem that must be corrected to to test your iSight with more than one app, user account, and, if possible, more than one Mac. If the problem is the same everywhere, try your external iSight on a different Mac or try a different adapter to see if the one you got might be a bad one. Any other adapter or compatible cable is worth trying, including all those I suggested in your previous thread: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3501511

... I want to use the mic with a program called Ventrilo. A voice chat app popular among online games. Tried it with that and still not working.

Not sure what else to do. Suggestions?

I do not use Ventrilo, but, if your ONLY problem is with that app, first verify that the Ventrilo version you use is compatible with Lion and your other system elements. It is possible that, like FaceTime, might not work with external iSight's Firewire mic.

If there are no known Ventrilo issues with your system, the Ventrilo users who post at the dedicated Ventrilo forum can likely help you if you do not get the answers you need here. A search of existing threads there might save you the time of waiting for an answer to a new post there.

From the good testing you have now performed, you can be certain that either:

(a) your external iSight's connection is not working, or

(b) your external iSight itself is not working.

Testing your external iSight on other Mac(s) can eliminate the (b) possibility. If your iSight cannot be recognized as a Firewire device by any Mac's System Profiler, it needs professional service. Your Apple-Authorized Service Provider can tell you whether it will cost more to service your external iSight than to buy a compatible USB webcam like those described here: http://www.mac-compatible-web-cam.com/

When you test your mini, connecting to the FW400 port on external drives cannot help you. External iSight does not like to be daisy-chained. You should disconnect all other Firewire devices while testing your external iSight. More testing suggestions here: http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage4.html

If your external iSight can works with any other Mac you test, you will next test your FW400/800 adapters or cables. If the other Mac(s) you use to test your iSight have no FW800 port, you will need more than one FW400/800 connector to do the test on your mini. Proceed as follows:

• Shut down (not "Restart") your mini. Wait about 15 seconds. Then power-on mini.

• Connect and test your external iSight with a different FW400/800 cable or adapter. If neither connection you test works on your mini, try a third adapter or cable.

• If you mini's System Profiler does not recognize your external iSight with any connector you test, ask your Apple-Authorized Service Provider to test whether your mini's FW800 port needs repair.

From this good testing you now report, you can be certain that either:

(c) your FW400/800 adapter/cable is the problem, or

(d) your mini's FW800 port itself is the problem.

Suggestions in my previous post will let you determine which of these possibilities is the actual cause that must be corrected.

Message was edited by: EZ Jim

BTW, although you have not specifcally stated so, my two latest replies are based on the inference that you're iSight does not work with ANY app on your mini.

If you are testing with only one app, please test with more than one other, post back, and tell us if the problem is exactly the same with every app you try.

Cruciarius wrote:

I tried the iSight with... So the cable, adapter and port aren't the issue. Also, the iSight works fine on another Mac.

If you are correct, then the problem is with the port in your mini or how it mates with your adapter.

Your AASP will need your mini, cable, adapter, and iSight to find and correct your issue.

Backup all important files before you take your mini for service.

Message was edited by: EZ Jim