Mac question: web cams?

HardDrive · 08-26-2006, 05:04 PM

Mac make the isight camera for their machines. But the damn thing is $150! Aren't there any other web cams that will work? None of the cameras seem to mention support for Mac.

Aurel · Aurel's Garage

I have a logitech webcam that works fine with the Mac, but the mac programs that use the isight do not recognize it. I have to use non-apple software with the non-apple webcam...

Aurel

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

Ive used other cams...not any issues. Can't remember the specifics though as I ditched them for the iSight. Most should work though...

mikester · 08-26-2006, 08:36 PM

This would be much easier with a PC. ;-)

HardDrive · 08-26-2006, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mikester
This would be much easier with a PC. ;-)

DAMN RIGHT. My sister is a mac nazi, and my wife has a mac from work, so we were going to set up ichat.

jyl · jyl's Garage

There's some shareware that lets you use any videocam w/ iChat, even a camcorder. I forget the name, but it cost appx $25.

rs6er · rs6er's Garage

The reason you don't see many others is that most of the web cam hardware is usb and apple requires firewire cameras. That said, you could use any camcorder with a firewire connection.

techweenie · techweenie's Garage

I plugged a USB camera onto a Mac PowerBook and used it for a bit a couple of years back. No biggie. You just need to be sure you have a driver that supports it.

There are a few sites like software.com and tucows.com that have stuff like that. Some newer portable Macs have the cameras built in.

You don't need firewire unless you're doing digital video.