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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Consumer Hardware & Components > External isight stopped working

External isight stopped working
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arng1
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Feb 2, 2009, 12:25 AM
 
Hey guys, my external isight stopped working all of the sudden. I have a first gen mac pro and never had any problems with it before. I tried opening photo booth and it gives me the "no camera" icon, none of the other apps recognize it either. I tried using a a different firewire port but still no luck. Also, when I connect it, the light still comes on as if it is working. System profiler shows it as an unknown device now. Do u think I should reset the smu? Any suggestions would help. Thanks again.
     
AKcrab
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Feb 2, 2009, 12:47 AM
 
Can you try the camera with another mac?
     
arng1  (op)
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Feb 2, 2009, 02:40 AM
 
well, I might go down to my local apple store tomorrow to pick up the new in ear headphones so I guess I could take it with me...but my mac pro is the only mac I have at the moment
     
reader50
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Feb 2, 2009, 04:34 PM
 
Try it from a different user account on your Mac Pro.

1) If it works, it's a preference problem in your old user account.
2) If it doesn't work, continue below:

Try booting from a different partition or HD. You're checking the OS install. If need be, do a fresh install on a USB flashdrive or external HD, and boot from that.

1) If it works, it's a problem with your regular OS install. Tricky to diagnose & fix, you may end up doing an archive & reinstall.
2) If it doesn't work, it's either a hardware problem with the camera, or with your Mac Pro. Continue below:

Do other FW devices still work with your Mac Pro? Shorted FW cables have been known to blow any port they are plugged into. This is unlikely because the camera light still comes on, but if this were the case, plugging it into someone else's Mac would blow their FW too.

1) Other FW devices work on your Mac, but the camera still doesn't. Try it in another Mac, but odds are it is the camera.
2) No FW devices work on your Mac, even when booted from a fresh install. Shut down, push the CUDA button SMU Reset button on the motherboard. Boot up and retest. Still no FW devices working? FW is gone on your Mac - the camera might be OK. Could be tested on another Mac, with some risk to the other Mac. Or take the camera to a Genius bar, mentioning the cable might be shorted.
3) Other FW devices don't work, but the camera does work now. I'll let someone else handle further diagnostics if this happens.
4) Camera works again - excellent. You're done, go immediately to GO and collect $200.

Edit: Stupid question, but did you try a reboot first?
( Last edited by reader50; Feb 2, 2009 at 04:43 PM. )
     
arng1  (op)
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Feb 2, 2009, 06:20 PM
 
yep smu reset did the trick! Thanks for your help guys!
     
tooki
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Feb 3, 2009, 05:54 AM
 
Too bad. A broken iSight is the perfect excuse for getting a new camera, which is 100x better.
     
   
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