Quickcam for Notebooks pro (new) and USB Video

Question

Quickcam for Notebooks pro (new) and USB Video

Hi,
I have a new Logitech Quickcam for Notebooks pro camera, that supports
the USB Video standard (as far as I know, at least the cameras id is mentioned
on the USB Video for Linux driver at http://linux-uvc.berlios.de/ )
As I read on the Apple USB Mailinglist, Tiger supports this standard. But unfortunately my camera isn't recognized as camera, just as generic USB device with the following ids:
Produkt-ID: 0x08c3
Hersteller-ID: 0x046d

Does someone know, how this camera can be made working or has someone
a USB Video standard conforming camera running on tiger 10.4.5?
I know, there are two USB Webcam drivers, but they both don't support USB Video, as this support is built in with tiger, and neither one of them is working for me.

Regards,
Michael.

ibook G4, Mac OS X (10.4.5)

Posted on Feb 16, 2006 2:48 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Feb 25, 2006 7:51 PM in response to Michael Kröz

I've got an update to this question as I talked with the apple support via a bugreport and with the support at logitech.
Logitech says, none of their current webcams works with the mac. Unbelievable, isn't it?
The people at apple say, that these webcams have an proprietary interface, so they are not supported by their driver.
And the linux code says, that these new logitech webcams aren't fully compliant with the usb video class standard, though it's still supported, as it is only slightly different to that.
To what assumptions leads this? Logitech delivers a feature rich software bundle for windows, that can be downloaded for free. And, if their webcams would support this standard, everyone could use their software with another UVC compliant webcam, and probably they don't what this and prefer to stay proprietary.
But a solution in the near future is, that the ioexperts people are working on a driver for these new cameras by logitech. They are announced to be beta soon. So everyone needs to wait for this driver.
Regards,
Michael.

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Answer 2

msuper69

Level 6

8,705 points

Feb 25, 2006 9:04 PM in response to Michael Kröz

It's always prudent to make sure a product is Mac compatible first before plunking down some dough.

Logitech apparently doesn't want our business. So they won't get it.

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Answer 3

ToadX

Level 3

950 points

Feb 25, 2006 10:21 PM in response to Michael Kröz

I'd blame Apple for the lack of webcam support on Mac OS X. The software Apple makes that takes advantage of webcams (such as iChat) is only coded to use Firewire cameras. I assume they do this since they don't want any competitors to their iSight ($149).

The manufacturers that have made USB webcams with Mac OS X drivers (such as http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/US/EN,CRID=2204,CONTENTID=710 5) probably haven't had much success selling them since iChat and other Apple programs won't be able to use them even with the drivers.

If Apple allowed non-Firewire cameras to work with their programs, I think that would give manufacturers more incentive to make their webcam products work with Mac OS X. I really wish Apple would change their stance on this since lack of hardware support is one of the major disadvantages of Mac OS X over Windows. There is even a petition here for this: http://www.petitiononline.com/iChatUSB/petition.html

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Answer 4

ToadX

Level 3

950 points

Feb 25, 2006 10:20 PM in response to Michael Kröz

Also, you might want to try http://webcam-osx.sourceforge.net/ . However, even if you get the drivers installed, you'll still need to use a program such as iChatUSBCam if you want to use your webcam with iChat.

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