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Adding an iSight Camera to a new iMac

O

oursfan

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 28, 2007
93
0
Does anyone know if you can add an extra iSight Camera to the new iMacs? I want to set one up to get a view of my room so I can keep tabs on my dog while I am at work all day. I am just curious as to what in the heck he does all day and I would like to be able to tell him to "get off the bed" when I am not there. Although that freaks him out a bit when he can not see where my voice is coming from.

So, can I hook an iSight up to the iMac so I do not have to turn the monitor to face the room every time when I leave in the morning?

Also, does anyone know of a good way to link in to the camera across the net? Right now I just share the desktop from the 'back to my mac' option in Leopard and do it that way. Or I just open up a video chat in iChat and do it that way. Although this is not the best way of doing it I am sure.

Does anyone know of a way to view this from an iphone?

Do they still sell isight cameras anywhere?

Sorry for all the questions... just looking for answers. I searched isight in the forums but did not really see any topics related to this, although I am sure there is a thread about this somewhere.
Thanks!
 
I am looking to do the same, ( Does anyone know if you can add an extra iSight Camera to the new iMacs? )..

any one know if its possible please :)
 
siam said:
I am looking to do the same, ( Does anyone know if you can add an extra iSight Camera to the new iMacs? )..

any one know if its possible please :)
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure Apple discontinued the iSight as a separate product. Any new USB Video Class (UVC) web camera (all new Logitech cameras for example) have support in OS X 10.4.3 and later.

As far as using a separate iSight camera if you happen to have one I don't know that the driver can handle two devices simultaneously. I would think you'd be better off with a UVC cam.
 
SaSaSushi said:
I'm pretty sure Apple discontinued the iSight as a separate product. Any new USB Video Class (UVC) web camera (all new Logitech cameras for example) have support in OS X 10.4.3 and later.

As far as using a separate iSight camera if you happen to have one I don't know that the driver can handle two devices simultaneously. I would think you'd be better off with a UVC cam.
Click to expand...

use any webcam

and then open ichat and select the one u want and it works
 
Am I missing something because I'm lost why isn't the OP just going to use the built-in iSight? The iMac has one.
 
Ah I see, I was missing something, I didn't completely read his OP. :)
 
Possibly one of the best devices on the market for this at the moment is the Xbox Live Vision Camera for Xbox 360. It connects with USB and has a built in microphone too.

It's $34.99 at NewEgg.com.
 
Ive been looking around for a web cam to use on a new iMac , most of the web cam’s I see do have written on the box Mac compatible, but when I look inside there’s no software included …. Should there be..? would it be ok to use one that comes with no software CD included, would it work ok..?


siam:)
 
you can use...

Any current USB or Firewire based web cam will work. There are no drivers needed for the most part. I suggest this one http://www.unibrain.com/Products/VisionImg/Fire_i_DC.htm
It is a newer version of one I have used as a second cam had since 2005 and I still use it now by plugging it into either my iMac where I can switch between it and the built in cam, or by plugging it into my powerbook G4. It's a very good camera and comparable in price to the better cams from the likes of Logitech, etc. Has 2 built in firewire ports so that you can use more than one item or have it in a daisychain of stuff. Good luck.
 
coneecting to camera...

try this out:
http://code.google.com/p/telekinesis/

its called iPhone remote, and you can access all of your mac files, see through the cameras, etc. through your iPhone. try checking it out. It will also work with regular computers, I'm pretty sure.

oh and on the camera note, any camera will work, so if you have like a video camera not in use during the day, you can hook it up via firewire and it will work just as well. I'm not sure if iPhone remote works with external cameras, but my guess is that it should.
 
neiltc13 said:
Possibly one of the best devices on the market for this at the moment is the Xbox Live Vision Camera for Xbox 360. It connects with USB and has a built in microphone too.

It's $34.99 at NewEgg.com.
Click to expand...

I got one to use with ichat with my notebook in clamshell. It works great, but there is not an integrated microphone. Other than that it is fantastic.
 
a surveillance system would be too expensive just to watch the dog. I say the web-cam route is good. HAH thats hilariouse though about the telling your dog to get off the bed. I bet he does freak out pretty bad. you should make a movie with this and post a link to it here! :p
 
SaSaSushi , when I look on the boxes of the web cam's at my IT mall, I can't see any reference to ......

UVC-compatible USB or F/W

the web cam's on sale here all seem to have just a USB plug and no software disk it just say's on the boxes Windows and Mac compatible

should the box say some thing about ...

UVC-compatible USB or F/W


thanks
 
siam said:
SaSaSushi , when I look on the boxes of the web cam's at my IT mall, I can't see any reference to ......

UVC-compatible USB or F/W

the web cam's on sale here all seem to have just a USB plug and no software disk it just say's on the boxes Windows and Mac compatible

should the box say some thing about ...

UVC-compatible USB or F/W


thanks
Click to expand...

I would say that UVC compatibility should be apparent right on the product packaging but perhaps you could check the manufacturer websites for some of the locally sold cams for final confirmation.

Also, I want to correct something I wrote earlier. UVC compatibility is built in to OS X 10.4.3 and up but it was updated to work in iChat from 10.4.9.
 
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