v2.2.5 for Mac OS
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iUSBCam
use your usb webcam with iChat
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Compatibility Note: iUSBCam is no longer supported in Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard). |
Running iUSBCam on an Intel Mac
This page is a guide to using a USB webcam in iChat on your Intel-based Mac.
The run natively in iChat, your camera driver must be a Universal Binary. Depending on which camera you use, a Universal driver may or may not be available. In some cases, the macam driver can be used in place of the driver provided by the manufacturer. (See below for details.)
Some cameras, such as the IceCam, don't have Universal support available. To use these
cameras, it's necessary to run iChat using Rosetta. In Mac OS X v10.4 (Tiger), iUSBCam will automatically detect non-native (PowerPC) drivers, and offer to automatically switch iChat to run with Rosetta. Unfortunately, Mac OS X v10.5 (Leopard) iChat does not function in Rosetta mode, and non-native drivers CANNOT be used.
Limitations of Rosetta
With a little help from iChatUBSCam, iChat can operate in Rosetta mode with little trouble. Doing so allows you to use a camera driver that has not yet been updated for Intel. The following limitations apply:
- As mentioned above, Mac OS X v10.5 (Leopard) iChat will not function in Rosetta mode. This means that non-native drivers such as the Macally IceCam driver are not compatible with Leopard iChat when running on an Intel-based Mac. Macally plans to have an updated driver available by the end of November.
- Video conferencing with Rosetta requires at least a Core Duo processor.
- The integrated microphones found on Logitech QuickCams (and some other webcams) will not be available in iChat. If you use Rosetta, you'll have to provide a separate microphone.
Available Universal Camera Drivers
The only officially available Universal webcam driver available at this time is macam 0.9.1. This free driver supports a variety of cameras including many Logitech QuickCams. If you're having trouble, be sure that you're running the latest macam version.
Common cameras supported by macam are listed below. A full list can be found here: Supported Cameras.
Common Cameras Supported by macam:
- Logitech QuickCam Pro 4000
- Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks (original model)
- Philips ToUCam Fun (PCVC730K)
- Philips Vesta Pro (PCVC680K)
- Digital Dream L'espion
- Logitech QuickCam Orbit/Sphere
- Logitech QuickCam Zoom (original model)
Troubleshooting:
Buddy Can't Hear Your Voice: Be sure that you have a microphone. Remember that the Mac
Mini has no built-in microphone. You can use a USB microphone such as the Griffin iMic, a
Bluetooth headset, or attach a standard microphone (if your Mac Mini has a line-in jack).
Camera Not Recognized: Be sure to attach your camera before launching iChat. If iChat
is open, select Quit from the File menu. Be sure to quit any other programs that use the camera. Then, open iChat.
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