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tavilach · Jul 31, 2004, 10:32 PM

So, I just bought myself a PowerBook, and was planning on getting a webcam. I figured that any webcam would work with iChat, and was about to order one, but I noticed that it only works with firewire cameras!

I did some searching on the forum, and noticed that there's some shareware out there...but once Tiger is released, wouldn't I be once again screwed?

I'm looking for a camera in the $30-$50 range...and I can't seem to find anything decent that uses Firewire! I found tons of great USB cameras, but that isn't helping...

Edit: I did find one, the iBOT. It's discontinued on Amazon, though, and got horrible reviews. Plus, I'd like a camera with an LCD clip, like many of the USB ones I was looking at. Does anyone have any experience with the iBOT? I believe that it was used as the "bad" webcam in Steve Jobs' introduction of the iSight...hmm...

tavilach · Aug 1, 2004, 03:33 AM

Mac Zealot · Aug 1, 2004, 07:25 AM

The main reason ichat doesn't really support USB cams is because it just takes the isight and uses it as a DV source, much the same way you can use a video cam or just about any other thing that shows up as a DV source.

That's what the USB tool is for. I'm surprised there isn't a freeware version but if it's less than $20, added to the price of an inexpensive USB cam it MIGHT just be fine.

The isights are $129 at the cheapest? The only thing worthy of the price is the awesome microphone.. but the picture quality isn't anything to envy over. My 8 year old quickcam can compare with that damn thing (and NO it doesn't work in ichat

-- heck it doesn't even work in OS X so I use evocam through 9)

Grrr · Aug 1, 2004, 10:54 AM

UniBrain Fire-i cam is firewire and about half the price of an iSight. Has no mic however.
Some USB webcams are perfectly good though, but as you found out, iChat wont natively work with USB cams, unless you use that bit of software called iChatUSBcam. But it's only $10 if I remember rightly. So not a bad deal.

btw, you posted at 3-30am and expected to find a reply by 8-30am!? Have patience! Some of the world sleeps you know

ryju · Aug 1, 2004, 11:12 AM

I love my iSight it's been perfect (with a good light source nearby ofcourse).

My sister's logitech webcam is weak in comparison the video is choppy picture is off can't seem to get audio.

tavilach · Aug 1, 2004, 02:24 PM

Originally posted by Grrr:
UniBrain Fire-i cam is firewire and about half the price of an iSight. Has no mic however.
Some USB webcams are perfectly good though, but as you found out, iChat wont natively work with USB cams, unless you use that bit of software called iChatUSBcam. But it's only $10 if I remember rightly. So not a bad deal.

btw, you posted at 3-30am and expected to find a reply by 8-30am!? Have patience! Some of the world sleeps you know

I'm in LA

.

As for the shareware, I always worry about using software like that. If I rely on it, what happens when Tiger comes out?

Originally posted by ryju:
I love my iSight it's been perfect (with a good light source nearby ofcourse).

My sister's logitech webcam is weak in comparison the video is choppy picture is off can't seem to get audio.

IMO there's no reason to spend $130 on a webcam. Might as well get a $300 camcorder...

Argh!

tavilach · Aug 2, 2004, 01:37 AM

Hum...dum...dum...

KeyLimePi · Aug 2, 2004, 08:49 AM

Originally posted by tavilach:
IMO there's no reason to spend $130 on a webcam.

Wait...you just spent what...about two grand on a Powerbook? And you're quibbling over $129?

Why didn't you just get a $900 Dell laptop? Probably because you like Apple's easy-to-use, well-designed, built-to-last and look cool hardware, right? Then get the iSight.

tavilach · Aug 2, 2004, 12:23 PM

Originally posted by KeyLimePi:
Wait...you just spent what...about two grand on a Powerbook? And you're quibbling over $129?

Why didn't you just get a $900 Dell laptop? Probably because you like Apple's easy-to-use, well-designed, built-to-last and look cool hardware, right? Then get the iSight.

I'm quibbling over $129 because I just dished out so much for the PowerBook.

You're probably right, though. I should just get an iSight.

Krypton · Aug 2, 2004, 01:32 PM

I have a Fire-i camera, and am quite happy with it. It worked quite well with iChat too - I say worked because I had to use the USB Haxie to enable it on my machine which is slower than the minimum spec.

thefunkymunky · Aug 2, 2004, 02:13 PM

I have an iBot and it works great for me in OSX and Windoze. No drivers needed. I wish it was a better looking cam though. Its ugly as fcuk but it works fine.

tavilach · Aug 2, 2004, 07:25 PM

Originally posted by thefunkymunky:
I have an iBot and it works great for me in OSX and Windoze. No drivers needed. I wish it was a better looking cam though. Its ugly as fcuk but it works fine.

The quality of the iSight is markedly better, though...right?

thefunkymunky · Aug 3, 2004, 06:23 AM

Originally posted by tavilach:
The quality of the iSight is markedly better, though...right?

I am not sure mate. I have never had experience of an iSight first hand so I can't be sure sorry. I am assuming at this point that the iSight would indeed be better.

Nick.