MzBling
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: My G5 MacPro doesn't see iSight camera.

I have an older cinema screen 30" WITHOUT a built in camera.  I'm trying to plug in an isight camera a friend let me borrow.  My G5 tower only has 800firewire but my screen does have 400firewire ports.  I tried plugging the camera into the screen which DOES have 400firewire ports.  I read manuals with instructions to turn computer off and on etc... but my G5 still doesn't see the iSight camera.  Is there are some software I should download? or?

Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Feb 24, 2014 1:21 PM

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MzBling

Q: My G5 MacPro doesn't see iSight camera.

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  • by EZ Jim,

    EZ Jim EZ Jim Feb 25, 2014 9:08 AM in response to MzBling
    Level 7 (22,547 points)
    Feb 25, 2014 9:08 AM in response to MzBling

    MzBling wrote: ...  Is there are some software I should download? ...

     

    No downloads needed if your published Mac OS X (10.6.8) info is correct. 

     

    All necessary driver software has been including in every Mac OS X installation after OS X 10.4.8.

     

     

    MzBling wrote: ... or?

     

    Consider the following possible solutions:

     

    (1) Firewire iSight can be persnickety about connections.  See  Possible Hardware or Software Conflicts with iSight.

     

    Unplug all other Firewire devices, restart Mac, and test with only ONE camera app open until you get things working.

     

    Follow the "Standalone" iSight instructions from How to Troubleshoot iSight.  Be sure to test more than one Apple camera app in more than one user account.

     

    (2) If you need to try connecting the external iSight directly to your G5 Tower's FW800 ports, you can use a 6pin-9pin Firewire adapter.   If you cannot find them locally, try the web.  I use this one: NewerTech FIR1369AD 9-pin (FW800) to 6-pin (FW400), but others can work equally well.

     

    (3) If you are still having trouble and have not been able to the old iSight on another Mac to be certain it works, properly applying the latest Combo update for your Mac OS can sometimes correct software problems.

     

    For your Mac OS X (10.6.8), use Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1.  I suggest that you restart your Mac and then repair permissions before downloading and applying the Combo.  Repair permissions again immediately following the restart that completes the Combo update.

     

    (4) Consider a new, warranted USB webcam instead.  Any compatible USB camera such as one from this list of Mac Compatible Web Cameras. will avoid the possibility of Firewire problems.