spencemac
Level 1 (4 points)
Desktops

Q: iSight camera completely dead with El Capitan

  I'm in torment over here.

 

I have a late 2009 iMac (my only computer), and I have to use the built-in iSight. I've had camera intermittence since Lion, but lately it has reached it's worst. I have done well over 100 reboots, dozens of SMC, PRAM, NVRAM resets, upgrade from Yosemite to EC, VCDAssistant commands, everything under the sun that the discussion forum has advised me. Albeit some things did work in the (very) distant past, nothing seems to do the trick now. I have uninstalled every non-required application that may use the camera as well. Didn't fix it.


When emergency strikes, I have to buy a Logitech c920 just so I can work, as a webcam of any quality is vital for what I do. The video quality of the iSight is leaps and bounds over the quality of any third-party webcams I can buy at the shops.  Could there be a plugin I'm missing? Have I run out of rope and should consider it dead? I'm at a loss of what could be wrong.  Thanks.

 

By the way, this troubleshoot page is absolutely ineffective: How to Troubleshoot iSight - Apple Support I have done everything on it, nothing worked,

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.4), late 2009 iMac (21.5) 3.06 Ghz. 4GB

Posted on Apr 15, 2016 3:23 AM

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spencemac

Q: iSight camera completely dead with El Capitan

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  • by EZ Jim,

    EZ Jim EZ Jim Apr 15, 2016 12:15 PM in response to spencemac
    Level 7 (22,547 points)
    Apr 15, 2016 12:15 PM in response to spencemac

    spencemac wrote:... How to Troubleshoot iSight - Apple Support I have done everything on it, nothing worked,

     

    You must not have done "everything."  Use the final Troubleshooting suggestion:

      "contact Apple or an Apple-Authorized Service Provider for service." (my emphasis)

    Unless you decide that it is not economically sensible, the Apple service technicians can fix your Mac problem even when you cannot.


    Here are the things users can do to fix webcam problems:

     

    (1) If restarting your Mac doesn't fix the problem,

     

    (2) use Apple's http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090.

     

    (BTW - The Troubleshooting article calls the camera an "iSight".  However, after the article was published, Apple has changed the built-in camera's name on newer Macs from "iSight" to "FaceTime" and then to "FaceTime HD."  Regardless of the name of your built-in camera, the same info and troubleshooting applies.)

     

    Be sure to test more than one Apple app (Photo Booth, FaceTime, iMovie, QuickTime Player, etc.) in more than one user account.  Do NOT use the "Guest" account for this test.  If you do not have more than one user account for the testing, create a new one now.  If you need help, how to do it is explained in http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201754.

     

    A "Standard" user account is all you need for testing.

     

    (3) If your cam won't work properly even with Apple apps, use OS X Recovery to completely reinstall your Mac OS from the Recovery System stored on your startup drive.  Don't bother testing Skype or other third-party apps until you have your camera working with Apple apps.

     

    (4) If none of the above suggestions resolve your trouble, contact Apple or an Apple-Authorized Service Provider to have your Mac professionally serviced. Be sure to backup your Mac and deauthorize iTunes before tendering it for service.

     

    Intermittent hardware failures are often difficult to diagnose and can be time-consuming to correct.  Because your problem was, at least originally, intermittent, ask how long the AASP may need to keep your Mac so you can avoid being surprised.

     

     

    Message was edited by: EZ Jim

     

    Mac OSX 10.11.4