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neely · Jan 23, 2004, 04:53 AM

Hi all. I've done a quick search of the archives and haven't really found anything to answer my question: can any of you recommend a cheap webcam that will either just work with Panther or at least has (half) decent OS X drivers?

It doesn't need to do anything fancy, and I don't really want to go over about 40 quid. Looking on the Logitech and Philips websites reveals only sketchy Mac support for some of their products.

TIA.

Grrr · Jan 23, 2004, 06:37 AM

Depends what you want to use it for? If you want to use iChat, then you really need a FireWire webcam. And those are not especially cheap. But can still be had for substantially less than the cost of an iSight. Unibrain Fire i is about �60.. (and available on the Apple UK web store)
USB cams are not so well supported on OS X now. But apparently the Logitech 3000-4000 series work well. But being USB, are no use for iChat. Should be fine with most other apps though.

neely · Jan 23, 2004, 06:48 AM

I'm only looking to use it for talking to mates over Yahoo chat, so a USB cam will be fine. The Logitech QuickCam Zoom has an OS X driver and is about 50 quid from Dixon's. I could go the macam/IOXperts third-party driver route, but I'd rather not buy a camera, then have to shell out even more money just to make it work. I'm fussy like that :-)

Grrr · Jan 23, 2004, 11:42 AM

That free macam driver no longer works in 10.3

And it doesnt look like anyone cares to rectify/update it any time soon.
The IOxperts driver does work however. But like you, I seriously resent having to pay for drivers to go with hardware that I already paid for

So far better in my opinion, to get a cam with working OS X drivers in the 1st place.

Many FireWire cams like that Fire-i don't even need any drivers at all.. It's all part of the OS now.

bmhome1 · Jan 23, 2004, 09:25 PM

There's a modified Macam drive for 10.3 at ecamm.com who also sells iChatUSB to enable USB webcams to work with iChat.

neely · Jan 24, 2004, 01:44 PM

Well, I bought a Logitech QuickCam Zoom today from Comet, a sniff under 50 quid, and it was rubbish. Under Panther all I got a dark blue rectangle with the vaguest shadow of an image. Under OS 9.2.2 it was better, but still too dark, the settings wouldn't stick, and the picture flickered horribly. I suspect I had a dud, but I didn't want to take a chance, so I took it back and got a refund. Looks like I might have to go for a Fire-i firewire model instead. :-(

Originally posted by bmhome1:
There's a modified Macam drive for 10.3 at ecamm.com who also sells iChatUSB to enable USB webcams to work with iChat.

That's fantasic, though. I didn't know there was an updated macam and it's revived my poxy old L'Espion under Panther, so thanks for that info!

mdc · Jan 24, 2004, 03:16 PM

a friend of mine in london got some good deals on some isights off ebay. he paid around 70 pounds for them.

Grrr · Jan 25, 2004, 12:23 PM

Originally posted by neely:
That's fantasic, though. I didn't know there was an updated macam and it's revived my poxy old L'Espion under Panther, so thanks for that info!

Yes, but it is not an official update. Plus it only works with a very select range of cams. The L'espion being one of them (I have one also). The L'espion uses a very popular chip set (STV0680) and the hacked macam driver pretty much only works with cams using this chip set.
So unfortunately the hacked macam driver is still next to useless for many Panther users