Level 1

5 points

Image flipping in iChat using USB cam

I bought an iContact camera by ezonics because the box advertised that it works with OS X and iChat. The thing wasn't recognized by iChat until I downloaded the ecamm software. In any case, when I open a video window in iChat the image is extremely poor quality (very dark and grainy, no matter the lighting conditions) and it flips upside down and back to right-side up continually. When I open a video window with the ezonics "webcam monitor" program that I got from their site, it's good quality and doesn't do the gymnastics routine. I tried the IOXperts thing as well, still no results. This is on my iBook, I just want a webcam for travel so I can iChat AV with my family, don't want to drop another $150 for an iSight (that's what I have at home on my G4 tower.) Any advice and/or suggestion would be greatly appreciated!

MDD G4 (Dual 867MHZ), Dual USB iBook (500MHZ), Mac OS X (10.3.9), 2GB RAM, aftermarket internal superdrive, 640 MB RAM in iBook

Posted on Jun 8, 2006 6:45 PM

31 replies

Jun 12, 2006 3:59 AM in response to Scrodee

Hi Scrodee,

That looks a bit odd. It does not mention Ecamm.
It also lists H263 instead of H264

This is mine.

Ralphs-MacBook-Computer:~ ralph$ /Applications/iChat.app/Contents/MacOS/iChat -errorLogLevel 7
2006-06-12 11:42:31.956 iChat[261] ShowMacster v1.8 Copyright (c) 2005-2006 Eberhard Rensch, Offenburg
2006-06-12 11:42:31.956 iChat[261] All rights reserved
2006-06-12 11:42:31.957 iChat[261] ShowMacster instanciated
2006-06-12 11:42:31.957 iChat[261] MacsterBundleLoader: iChat v3.0 detected, enabling
114233.963677 Loading hardware rules from hardwarerulesH264-G4.plist
114233.963786 Checking H264 hardware rules
114233.963827 Satisfied rule #1 (20:640x480)
114233.964136 setLocalUserName: Ralph@192.168.1.105
114233.971825 Default video size is (640x480)
114233.980698 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_INIT, from: VC_INVALID
114233.981577 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_IDLE, from: VC_INIT
114233.981703 ++++++++ confStatusMapRemoveAll
114233.981728 ( ) -- mapUserIDToSecurityInfo cleared --
114233.982018 UPnP init passed
114233.982310 NATTraversal created
114233.982556 Bandwidth based on QT prefs = -16018306
114233.987473 BWD: cache: 120:4 too old
114233.987558 BWD: Launching thread to determine focus capability based on bandwidth.
114233.987793 BWD: Using QuickTime value: 1161563184
114233.987904 BWD bandwidth: 1161563 kbits up, 1161563 kbits down.
114233.987962 videoNetworkCapable: 1 -- 3 max participants.
114233.988006 audioNetworkCapable: 1 -- 9 max participants.
114233.988090 vcCapabilities returns: 0x0000003f
114233.988132 VCCapAudio
114233.988171 VCCapVideo
114233.988216 VCCapMultiAudio
114233.988256 VCCapMultiVideo
114233.988301 VCCapMultiAudioHost
114233.988340 VCCapMultiVideoHost
114234.042807 UPnP Router Info:
- manufacturer [Linksys Inc.]
- friendly name [Linksys WRK54G]
- model name [Linksys WRK54G]
- model desc [Internet Access Server]

This suggests a problem with Quicktime. Are you usiing Quicktime 7.x ?

11:59 AM Monday; June 12, 2006

Scrodee Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 12, 2006 3:22 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Yes, I'm using 7.1 to be exact.

Scrodee Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 12, 2006 3:47 PM in response to Scrodee

Now I'm using 7.1.1 courtesy of software update. . .

Jun 13, 2006 3:05 AM in response to Scrodee

Ok,

Does the log now list H264 when it is run ?

It might pay to:
1) Reinstall Quicktime as a whole.

2) Reinstall iChat

11:05 AM Tuesday; June 13, 2006

Scrodee Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 13, 2006 11:07 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

110552.129425
VideoConferenceFramework version 188.0 - 07232004.1 - Aug 25 2004

110552.132659 Checking H263 hardware rules
110552.135647 Satisfied rule #7 (15:0)
110552.186149 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_INIT, from: VC_INVALID
110552.198494 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_IDLE, from: VC_INIT
110552.200067 UPnP init passed
110552.200819 NATTraversal created
110552.201623 Bandwidth based on QT prefs = 1500
110552.243837 Microphone devices:
110552.244654 Internal microphone
110552.245083 Selected mic: Built-in Audio / imic
110552.248285 Microphone devices:
110552.248755 Internal microphone
110552.249005 Selected mic: Built-in Audio / imic
110553.522546 Received VCHardwareCapsChangeNotification
2006-06-13 11:05:53.527 iChat[555] Hardware Caps Dictionary: <CFDictionary 0x3daa30 [0xa01c00e0]>{type = mutable, count = 4, capacity = 8, pairs = (
6 : <CFString 0x3da790 [0xa01c00e0]>{contents = "HasMic"} = <CFBoolean 0xa01c0b90 [0xa01c00e0]>{value = true}
7 : <CFString 0x3afb20 [0xa01c00e0]>{contents = "HasDV"} = <CFBoolean 0xa01c0b90 [0xa01c00e0]>{value = true}
8 : <CFString 0x3da560 [0xa01c00e0]>{contents = "HasQ8"} = <CFBoolean 0xa01c0b98 [0xa01c00e0]>{value = false}
10 : <CFString 0x3d9e40 [0xa01c00e0]>{contents = "HasCamera"} = <CFBoolean 0xa01c0b90 [0xa01c00e0]>{value = true}
)}
110553.539241 Microphone devices:
110553.542496 Internal microphone
110553.545303 Selected mic: Built-in Audio / imic
110553.548058 Found 0 cameras:
110553.610248 Microphone devices:
110553.613717 Internal microphone
110553.616544 Selected mic: Built-in Audio / imic

Nope still 263. . .

Scrodee Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 13, 2006 12:13 PM in response to Scrodee

I had already reinstalled iChat in the manner presented and I just did QT again as well. Doesn't appear to be any changes. . .

121224.744322
VideoConferenceFramework version 188.0 - 07232004.1 - Aug 25 2004

121224.747600 Checking H263 hardware rules
121224.750966 Satisfied rule #7 (15:0)
121224.790708 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_INIT, from: VC_INVALID
121224.794283 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_IDLE, from: VC_INIT
121224.845755 UPnP init passed
121224.846669 NATTraversal created
121224.847567 Bandwidth based on QT prefs = 1500
121224.928773 Microphone devices:
121224.934379 Internal microphone
121224.938781 Selected mic: Built-in Audio / imic
121224.944845 Microphone devices:
121224.947955 Internal microphone
121224.951293 Selected mic: Built-in Audio / imic
121226.764126 Received VCHardwareCapsChangeNotification
2006-06-13 12:12:26.768 iChat[449] Hardware Caps Dictionary: <CFDictionary 0x31c5e0 [0xa01c00e0]>{type = mutable, count = 4, capacity = 8, pairs = (
6 : <CFString 0x31bd90 [0xa01c00e0]>{contents = "HasMic"} = <CFBoolean 0xa01c0b90 [0xa01c00e0]>{value = true}
7 : <CFString 0x3b4860 [0xa01c00e0]>{contents = "HasDV"} = <CFBoolean 0xa01c0b90 [0xa01c00e0]>{value = true}
8 : <CFString 0x31bd00 [0xa01c00e0]>{contents = "HasQ8"} = <CFBoolean 0xa01c0b98 [0xa01c00e0]>{value = false}
10 : <CFString 0x31c670 [0xa01c00e0]>{contents = "HasCamera"} = <CFBoolean 0xa01c0b90 [0xa01c00e0]>{value = true}
)}
121226.777840 Microphone devices:
121226.780830 Internal microphone
121226.783754 Selected mic: Built-in Audio / imic
121226.786430 Found 0 cameras:
121226.818638 Microphone devices:
121226.831541 Internal microphone
121226.834789 Selected mic: Built-in Audio / imic

Jun 13, 2006 1:08 PM in response to Scrodee

Hi Scrodee,

Did you reinstall the support Folders (InstantMessage.framework and VideoConference.framework) as well ?

Your VideoConferenceFramework listing looks out of date. It may not be as you are on iChat 2.x

9:08 PM Tuesday; June 13, 2006

Scrodee Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 13, 2006 2:15 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Are these QT or iChat frameworks?

I don't have a folder for iChat inside the sytem/libary/frameworks folder, should I? I searched a finder window for "framework" with limited results. In fact I only turned up 47 results, most of which for Bonjour printing. . . I also searched for the two you mentioned specifically without the '.framework' extension and came up empty as well.

Jun 13, 2006 2:20 PM in response to Scrodee

Opps My bad.

I had not realised I had posted the iChat 3 FAQ.

FAQ on iChat 2 Reinstall.

This is not as simple as the App reinstall in iChat 3 and you will need Pacifist. There is a link in the FAQ.

After you have resintalled from the install disks then run the combo 10.3.9 installer
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macosxcombinedupdate1039.html

Also make sure the iChat app itself is updated from iChat 2.0 to iChat 2.1

10:16 PM Tuesday; June 13, 2006

Scrodee Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 14, 2006 1:17 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Yes I had done the deal using Pacifist earlier. I tried your other suggestions as well, no dice. The image is not flipping as rapidly as before, but now it is very red and dark. Every once in awhile it will go dark. It tracks motion terribly as well. I appreciate all this help by the way. . .

Jun 14, 2006 3:07 PM in response to Scrodee

Hi Scrodee,

This is certainly an puzzling one.

Can you confirm that iChatUSBCam is installed and active ?

Can you try ther error log Terminal thing again please and post the results ?

11:07 PM Wednesday; June 14, 2006

Scrodee Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 14, 2006 6:58 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Ok, so I ran the Terminal command without the camera plugged in. Below are the results.

185247.740648
VideoConferenceFramework version 188.0 - 07232004.1 - Aug 25 2004

185247.744489 Checking H263 hardware rules
185247.747371 Satisfied rule #7 (15:0)
185247.859414 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_INIT, from: VC_INVALID
185247.865884 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_IDLE, from: VC_INIT
185247.871053 UPnP init passed
185247.874469 NATTraversal created
185247.878052 Bandwidth based on QT prefs = 1500
185247.930288 Microphone devices:
185247.935208 Internal microphone
185247.939973 Selected mic: Built-in Audio / imic
185247.953148 Microphone devices:
185247.954287 Internal microphone
185247.954647 Selected mic: Built-in Audio / imic

Scrodee Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 14, 2006 7:05 PM in response to Scrodee

Then I ran the log with the camera plugged in. After iChat started I opened a preview window of the camera image. . . I also watched Activity Monitor. iChat is using about a %50 average of my CPU. Is that normal? Would it be helpful to get onto Console? The little USBCam window pops up everytime I start iChat, but I saw no evidence of it in the Activity Monitor window. Something called "iChat agent" would pop up briefly, however. (I was using the 'active processes only' filter.)

185350.893127
VideoConferenceFramework version 188.0 - 07232004.1 - Aug 25 2004

185350.896731 Checking H263 hardware rules
185350.899743 Satisfied rule #7 (15:0)
185351.004472 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_INIT, from: VC_INVALID
185351.010065 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_IDLE, from: VC_INIT
185351.014828 UPnP init passed
185351.018388 NATTraversal created
185351.024576 Bandwidth based on QT prefs = 1500
185351.038371 Microphone devices:
185351.049983 Internal microphone
185351.053995 Selected mic: Built-in Audio / imic
185351.070292 Microphone devices:
185351.073795 Internal microphone
185351.076951 Selected mic: Built-in Audio / imic
185352.787586 Received VCHardwareCapsChangeNotification
2006-06-14 18:53:52.792 iChat[634] Hardware Caps Dictionary: <CFDictionary 0x3d2460 [0xa01c00e0]>{type = mutable, count = 4, capacity = 8, pairs = (
6 : <CFString 0x35ed10 [0xa01c00e0]>{contents = "HasMic"} = <CFBoolean 0xa01c0b90 [0xa01c00e0]>{value = true}
7 : <CFString 0x3cbc30 [0xa01c00e0]>{contents = "HasDV"} = <CFBoolean 0xa01c0b90 [0xa01c00e0]>{value = true}
8 : <CFString 0x3d6f80 [0xa01c00e0]>{contents = "HasQ8"} = <CFBoolean 0xa01c0b98 [0xa01c00e0]>{value = false}
10 : <CFString 0x3333a0 [0xa01c00e0]>{contents = "HasCamera"} = <CFBoolean 0xa01c0b90 [0xa01c00e0]>{value = true}
)}
185352.803682 Microphone devices:
185352.806806 Internal microphone
185352.809646 Selected mic: Built-in Audio / imic
185352.812501 Found 0 cameras:
185352.869839 Microphone devices:
185352.873272 Internal microphone
185352.876098 Selected mic: Built-in Audio / imic
185414.006577 Microphone: callback thread: STANDARD; EXTENDED timeshare: 0; PRECEDENCE importance: 17
185414.007603 Microphone: null device thread: STANDARD; EXTENDED timeshare: 0; PRECEDENCE importance: 17
185414.102411 Microphone devices:
185414.252920 Camera_IsDV = 0
185414.253449 Internal microphone
185414.253879 Selected mic: Built-in Audio / imic
185414.311956 Diffusion prefilter disabled
185414.312285 Temporal prefilter disabled
185414.312445 startPreview returned 0
185416.404874 Updating local frame notification.
185602.074976 Stopped using preview buffer.
185602.076685 cancelPreview returned 0
185602.077758 cancelPreview returned 0
[Ingrid-Odems-Computer:~] ingridod%

Jun 15, 2006 12:16 PM in response to Scrodee

Hi Scrodee,

Are you saying that iChatAgent is not staying in the list of Active Processes ?

I am wondering if a Archive and Install might be the way to go. (The whole OS and Apps)

8:14 PM Thursday; June 15, 2006

Scrodee Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 15, 2006 7:26 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Neither iChat nor iChatagent stay in the window as active processes. iChat will only show as long as you are doing something with it, whereas iChatagent shows at statup and then never again (so far as I can tell.) If archive and install is the next step, then I'll have to wait if I can, I have some emergency discs, but they are 10.0.3. I left the Panther discs at home in case my wife needs them for the MDD G4. . . I'm not sure that putting 10.0.3 would be helpful or if it would actually be detrimental. I always bring the discs in case of absolute mayhem, but only as a last resort.

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Image flipping in iChat using USB cam