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Spliff · Aug 3, 2004, 04:08 PM

It's been a while since Apple released the iSight webcam. I think they're do for an update.

I guess when they release an updated version is anyone's guess. But, what improvements would you like Apple to make to the iSight?

ender2002 · Aug 3, 2004, 04:48 PM

you can expect an update in the future.

sworthy · Aug 3, 2004, 05:36 PM

what would they change? Just the specs of the lens?

azdude · Aug 3, 2004, 05:36 PM

Originally posted by Spliff:
It's been a while since Apple released the iSight webcam. I think they're due for an update.

I guess when they release an updated version is anyone's guess. But, what improvements would you like Apple to make to the iSight?

My gut instinct tells me that something like this isn't on a product cycle comparable to the computer/ipod products... it's more like a kb/mouse that's likely to stay "it" for multiple years.

IMH(and uninformed)O, don't bother speculating... it's just a webcam-- a darn good one-- what can they add?

Spliff · Aug 3, 2004, 05:49 PM

Originally posted by sworthy:
what would they change? Just the specs of the lens?

It was my understanding that the iSight has abysmally poor low-light performance. Or is that a software/driver issue?

Grrr · Aug 3, 2004, 08:26 PM

Originally posted by Spliff:
It was my understanding that the iSight has abysmally poor low-light performance. Or is that a software/driver issue?

I would not say it was that bad at all. Although there are one or 2 cameras that are better in this department (My old USB Philips Toucam Pro for a start). Most are significantly worse than the iSight though. The iSight driver/firmware update that came out a few months ago fixed most of its quality issues.
I'd say it's amongst the last things that Apple needs to update. It does its job very well as it is, I think. Most quality issues often come from the webcam software you are using, as they use varying degree's of compression. Some work better than others, but either way, this is where most of the degradation in quality will be noticed.

Disgruntled Head of C-3PO · Aug 4, 2004, 12:41 AM

Originally posted by Spliff:
It's been a while since Apple released the iSight webcam. I think they're do for an update.

I guess when they release an updated version is anyone's guess. But, what improvements would you like Apple to make to the iSight?

What is wrong with the current one?

Spliff · Aug 4, 2004, 12:48 AM

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
What is wrong with the current one?

There's nothing wrong with it, except that it's old. I don't want to buy one now and have Apple release a new and improved one within a month or two.

Getting burned by Apple's product cycle would piss me off.

Disgruntled Head of C-3PO · Aug 4, 2004, 12:52 AM

Originally posted by Spliff:
Apple release a new and improved one within a month or two.

What is to improve if nothing is wrong?

You just want a new green box perhaps?

sworthy · Aug 4, 2004, 01:10 AM

well, when the new h. whatever codec comes out with tiger I'll bet there will be a significant improvement for the isight, maybe new hardware, or maybe just the update to the new codect. Either way better, but not for another 11 months.

Link · Aug 4, 2004, 01:28 AM

What's wrong?
*The Resolution STINKS for a >$100 webcam
*It's crappy with light handling
*too expensive (then again everything that comes from the sacred shops in taiwan is too expensive)
*the included mounts suck ass (nothing for cinema displays)

Um yeah.. that's all for now.

Spliff · Aug 4, 2004, 02:14 AM

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
What is to improve if nothing is wrong?

You just want a new green box perhaps?

Green is nice. But I would prefer a voucher for a free Blizzard at Dairy Queen.

tavilach · Aug 4, 2004, 02:43 AM

Originally posted by Spliff:
There's nothing wrong with it, except that it's old. I don't want to buy one now and have Apple release a new and improved one within a month or two.

Getting burned by Apple's product cycle would piss me off.

I have learned to ignore Apple's product cycle. I just bought a PowerBook. So what if 2.0 GHz PowerBooks come out in a few months, and if PowerBook G5's come out at the beginning of next year? Does the 1.5 GHz G4 do what I want? Yes. Does it do it well? Yes. Will it do what it does less well once a better PowerBook is released? No. Why, then, does it matter? Don't contemplate the future instead of living the present.

The same goes for the iSight, of course...but even more so. What, of major consequence, could Apple possibly change? It does what you want it to do. Get it, use it, love it.

Link · Aug 4, 2004, 03:12 AM

Originally posted by tavilach:
I have learned to ignore Apple's product cycle. I just bought a PowerBook. So what if 2.0 GHz PowerBooks come out in a few months, and if PowerBook G5's come out at the beginning of next year? Does the 1.5 GHz G4 do what I want? Yes. Does it do it well? Yes. Will it do what it does less well once a better PowerBook is released? No. Why, then, does it matter? Don't contemplate the future instead of living the present.

The same goes for the iSight, of course...but even more so. What, of major consequence, could Apple possibly change? It does what you want it to do. Get it, use it, love it.

That reminds me of the guy (i can't remember if it was spymac or here) that bought a pimped out dual 1.42ghz g4 THE DAY BEFORE the g5s came out, posted pictures and was all like "yeah I'm tired of waiting, they probably won't be updating for a while, blah blah blah" ....

Man I woulda loved to see the look on his face the next day. LOL.

memory-minus · Aug 4, 2004, 09:34 AM

Originally posted by Link:
That reminds me of the guy (i can't remember if it was spymac or here) that bought a pimped out dual 1.42ghz g4 THE DAY BEFORE the g5s came out, posted pictures and was all like "yeah I'm tired of waiting, they probably won't be updating for a while, blah blah blah" ....

Man I woulda loved to see the look on his face the next day. LOL.

Yeah but he was using his computer 5 months before many G5 users were.

azdude · Aug 4, 2004, 09:49 AM

Originally posted by tavilach:
I have learned to ignore Apple's product cycle. I just bought a PowerBook. So what if 2.0 GHz PowerBooks come out in a few months, and if PowerBook G5's come out at the beginning of next year? Does the 1.5 GHz G4 do what I want? Yes. Does it do it well? Yes. Will it do what it does less well once a better PowerBook is released? No. Why, then, does it matter? Don't contemplate the future instead of living the present.

The same goes for the iSight, of course...but even more so. What, of major consequence, could Apple possibly change? It does what you want it to do. Get it, use it, love it.

Who are you and what have you done to tavilach ?!?

CatOne · Aug 4, 2004, 10:23 AM

Originally posted by Link:
What's wrong?
*The Resolution STINKS for a >$100 webcam
*It's crappy with light handling
*too expensive (then again everything that comes from the sacred shops in taiwan is too expensive)
*the included mounts suck ass (nothing for cinema displays)

Um yeah.. that's all for now.

Well, the iSight can mount to the new Cinema Displays by a magnet. There's an iron bar in the top of the cinema display (small, but enough to be magnetic). The newer iSights (change was in the past couple weeks) now include a magnet mount for mounting to the new Cinemas, so that one's taken care of.

As well as "crappy with light handling" -- well add some more light to the room, stay out of the cave you're in.

sworthy · Aug 4, 2004, 11:50 AM

I believe he is refering to the poor mounting solution for the old cinema displays - the ones that were around when the isight was introduced.

siMac · Aug 4, 2004, 01:19 PM

It's easy to be blas� about the product cycle when mummy and daddy pay for your hardware.

Hurts a lot more if it's your own Hard Earned�.

tavilach · Aug 4, 2004, 01:57 PM

Originally posted by azdude:
Who are you and what have you done to tavilach ?!?

Just trying to be logical and reasonable

.

MilkmanDan · Aug 4, 2004, 07:24 PM

Dude, if you use an iSigth on a regular basis, and enjoy its quality, then be happy. IF you don't like it, buy something else.

I don't forsee Apple updating it any time soon. I mean, how exactly would they improve it? Its not like an iPod where they can slap in a bigger hard drive every 8 months. Its selling well enough to the Macintosh market, there really is no need to update it.

BTW mine works fine, and I have had no real issues with it since the firmware update.

TailsToo · Aug 4, 2004, 10:11 PM

Apple said that they plan to add a magnetic mount to the iSight boxes this summer for the new displays. if they are spending the time and money to do that, it tells me that they are not planning to rev the iSight for a while.

bradleykavin · Aug 5, 2004, 04:01 AM

i think of the isight as the displays...or the airport basestations...a good product but doesnt get updated nearly as much as the computers..the isight has been around for a year now...the displas that were just recently updated were around for like 2 years...whats the point in making a new isight if the one already out is great...?..what wuld they make a firewire 800 isight? or a hd isight..i dunno...just a thought

southtdi · Aug 5, 2004, 12:01 PM

The only thing I can see is them adding a better CCD in the futre and maybe an intergrated light source but that's about it. For that I cannot see them bothering with updating it for a while.

They may go further than they just did adding the magnetic mount and update teh rest of the mounts since there have been complaints. That would require an update to teh product just a change in package contents when teh new ones were develpoed.

opheim · Aug 5, 2004, 03:16 PM

Why hasn't anyone mentioned the option of having a wireless iSight? Now there's an idea... Getting it wireless over Airport Extreme should be enough of a bandwidth to uphold a decent quality, and it would free one of the G5's precious FW-ports...

Link · Aug 5, 2004, 05:15 PM

Originally posted by siMac:
It's easy to be blas� about the product cycle when mummy and daddy pay for your hardware.

Hurts a lot more if it's your own Hard Earned�.

Actually when that's the case you want it to be even more perfect before you spend your hard earned money on it, isn't it?!

d.fine · Aug 9, 2004, 04:26 AM

Originally posted by opheim:
Why hasn't anyone mentioned the option of having a wireless iSight? Now there's an idea... Getting it wireless over Airport Extreme should be enough of a bandwidth to uphold a decent quality, and it would free one of the G5's precious FW-ports...

Maybe a new stand for the iSight with an integrated wireless solution. I think both the iSight and the new AEX get hot enough on their own to integrate them in one design ... but a wireless iSight (or stand) is a great idea I think for the next gen !

thetman · Aug 9, 2004, 11:06 AM

i work for compusa and i did a search to see if we had any isights in stock for me to buy. well i got an interesting response

we have a new isight in the system model number M8817LL/B. its titled isight ver2

d.fine · Aug 9, 2004, 11:17 AM

Originally posted by thetman:
i work for compusa and i did a search to see if we had any isights in stock for me to buy. well i got an interesting response

we have a new isight in the system model number M8817LL/B. its titled isight ver2

That's probably the iSight with the new 'magnetic' stand for the new monitors ...

southtdi · Aug 9, 2004, 11:55 AM

I don't see a wireless iSight anytime soon for the same reason i don't see an iPod with wireless abilities (maybe BT) anytime soon. Look at how much running any wireless networking sucks the battery on a laptop with a bigger battery. Now imagine what that would be like with a tiny battery in an iPod or iSight.

You would get maybe 30 minutes of use before it was dead. One day when they get power use way down and improved the life of batteries but until then i don't think it's going to happen.

thetman · Aug 12, 2004, 04:55 PM

ok, i have figured out hte difference. the ver2 that i am seeing in the computer system at work is a ver2 but the only difference is that both the accessory kit and the isight now come packaged with a magnetic mount for the new displays

moonmonkey · Aug 15, 2004, 06:18 AM

The new iSight will be able to plug directly into the 4G iPods and record video directly to the hard disk.

typoon · Aug 15, 2004, 06:51 AM

Originally posted by Link:
What's wrong?
*The Resolution STINKS for a >$100 webcam
*It's crappy with light handling
*too expensive (then again everything that comes from the sacred shops in taiwan is too expensive)
*the included mounts suck ass (nothing for cinema displays)

Um yeah.. that's all for now.

What do you mean nothing for Cinema display? It comes with a Mount for CRT, Laptop, and LCD.

ryju · Aug 15, 2004, 10:55 AM

Originally posted by Link:
Actually when that's the case you want it to be even more perfect before you spend your hard earned money on it, isn't it?!

Aren't you just repeating what he just said?

If it's your own hard earned money you want to make sure it's perfect. That's what he said in a nutshell.

It's easy to be cool with the product cycle if it's not YOUR money.

macgfx · Aug 15, 2004, 11:38 AM

Originally posted by Spliff:
It's been a while since Apple released the iSight . I think they're do for an update.

I guess when they release an updated version is anyone's guess. But, what improvements would you like Apple to make to the iSight?

I'd be happy if I could get one (new), at all. It seems that this is another item that Apple can't seem to keep in-stock right now.

Full DV res. 720x480, and a smaller overall size without loss of optical quality would be nice for Gen2 iSight. I also like the color idea if the new iMac's turn out to be in the iPod-mini color scheme.

jrramsey · Aug 16, 2004, 07:09 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by macgfx:
[B]I'd be happy if I could get one (new), at all. It seems that this is another item that Apple can't seem to keep in-stock right now.

I just place an order for one a week ago and it came on Friday. So far I really like it. Image seems acceptable and the sound is also decent. No, it's not High Def with Dolby Digital...but then again...this is a computer accessory to help iChat become video conference.

I say very cool. If something new and better comes out, that's great.

skybolt · Aug 17, 2004, 09:39 AM

My $.02 here. I finally decided I wanted an iSight, so went to the local Mac store (not Apple Store - don't have one here) - they were out. So, went to CompUSA (2 stores) - both out. At all 3 stores, I was told they were having trouble getting any in. Tried Amazon.com - says "discontinued or out of stock". So, went back to CompUSA - found a Mac employee, who confirmed what I had already deduced - new model coming out. Best guess? Within 30 days. So, for what it's worth ---

I'm waiting!

Eug Wanker · Aug 17, 2004, 01:22 PM

Originally posted by skybolt:
Tried Amazon.com - says "discontinued or out of stock". So, went back to CompUSA - found a Mac employee, who confirmed what I had already deduced - new model coming out. Best guess? Within 30 days.

The new M8817LL/B iSight is already available. Just order it from Apple. It has a new magnetic mount and some changes to the plastic.

IceEnclosure · Aug 17, 2004, 03:05 PM

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
The new M8817LL/B iSight is already available. Just order it from Apple. It has a new magnetic mount and some changes to the plastic.

got a pic?

IceEnclosure · Aug 17, 2004, 03:07 PM

I guess the magnetic thing is all I have to jerk off to. pfft.

----------

includes: 4 mounts: magnetic for anodized aluminum Apple Cinema displays, flat-panel iMac, eMac and desktop, 2 FireWire cable -adapters, 1 FireWire 6-6 pin 1.8m cable, and carrying case. Apple iSight - High-quality Video conferencing technology has gone from the board room to your living room! This iSight webcam delivers an impressive 640x480 Resolution at up to 30 frames per second. It also includes a built-in dual-element Microphone for crystal clear audio. Together, they make talking over the Internet as natural as a face-to-face conversation!-1.4" CCD Sensor-Auto-focus Lens - 50mm to infinity-True 24-bit Color-Unique center-mount design with an Integrated rotate and tilt mechanism-Connects to a Macintosh Computer via one FireWire connection, which delivers video, audio, and power!-Durable aluminum alloy frame-Lightweight - 2.3 ounces

Eug Wanker · Aug 17, 2004, 03:20 PM

Originally posted by IceEnclosure:
got a pic?

Pix here.

skybolt · Aug 18, 2004, 09:55 AM

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
The new M8817LL/B iSight is already available. Just order it from Apple. It has a new magnetic mount and some changes to the plastic.

Thanks for this reply! Glad it's out. Wonder why Apple did not mention on the website that it is the "new and improved" version. I guess I was looking for some kind of announcement, rather than just having to "order" it to see (and realize) that the model number had changed. Will order it up!

yoyoman · Aug 20, 2004, 11:25 PM

Originally posted by opheim:
Why hasn't anyone mentioned the option of having a wireless iSight? Now there's an idea... Getting it wireless over Airport Extreme should be enough of a bandwidth to uphold a decent quality, and it would free one of the G5's precious FW-ports...

With ichat av 3 comming out defenetly I think they an improve the ccd lens. Maybe a optical zoom of 2x or 3x. Even sellphones have digital zoom of 4x. Smaller and a tad bit fatter. Wireless would be neat what if it was solar generated like the top was or something.
Higher resolution to support 3 video conferences.
and make that a high end isight and lower the current isight by 50 bucks. or 35

subego · Aug 21, 2004, 07:14 AM

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
Pix here.

Since when are magnets and computers a good mix?

Did I miss a memo?