I Can't Adjust The Image! It's Too Dark and Color Is Wrong. My UVC Webcam Didn't Come With Any Macintosh Software.
Windows webcams that DO work on a Mac often don't come with OS X software to control or adjust the image brightness or color. The solution is a $10 app called iGLASSES from ecamm.com -- Worth every cent!
How Can I Tell If I Have USB 2.0 Speed Ports?
Go to Apple Menu > About This Mac. If your processor speed is 867mhz or faster, that's the point where Apple built-in USB 2 speed ports. In Apple System Profiler > USB > Device Tree USB 2.0 devices listed need to show "Speed: 480Mb/sec" - Old USB 1.1 ports-devices will only show "Speed: 12Mb/sec" as thier maximum bandwidth.
I only have USB 1.1 ports. Will USB 2.0 cams work?Most modern USB 2.0 high-resolution UVC webcams utterly overwhelm USB 1.1 ports which are more than FOURTY TIMES SLOWER. Some cams won't display anything - or if they do you'll find your Frame-Rate is so low you'll just end up in sluggish, slow-motion frustration. Some devices simply will present an on-screen dialog: "This Device Requires A USB 2.0 Port". Frankly, Macs lacking USB 2.0 ports have hit obsolescence anyways. Spend your $ on a new Mac first...
iMovie doesn't see my USB Camera! Why?Ask Apple. iMovie is only designed to work with a Built-In iSight on an iMac or MacBook - or any FireWire DV camera source. The workaround? You'd need to record your video with some other capture app - then bring it into iMovie for editing.
Photobooth ONLY sees my built-in iSight! Now what?Photobooth can be VERY FINICKY about dealing with multiple cams. You CAN use an external UVC cam as it's source *IF* you put the built in iSight 'In Use' first. Launch iChat, open your Video Preview window to put the iSight in-use. You may have to launch, relaunch Photoboth, un-plug, re-plug your cam to get Photobooth to recognize your external webcam but it's doable. Usually. Sometimes.
Why Can't I Video Chat In HD Hi-Def High-Resolution?My Camera Supports More than 320x240 or 640x480 Pixels
Why Can't I Get 30 Frames Per Sec On Everything All The Time?
Simply Put: Your webcam may have a very very hi-res HD sensor. But it's the programs you use that often can't take advantage of it. Or it's the fact that you simply CANNOT BLAST 30FPS of High-Definition HD image data over a DSL or Cable modem. Period. Other reasons: Your computer may not be fast enough. Your USB bus may be competing with other devices. You have inadequate low lighting. Your expectations about webcam frame-rate may not be realistic. There's a reason why almost all video chat/conferencing programs send smaller frames of video at 1/8 or 1/4 screen size: It's all that current affordble consumer technology and bandwidth can handle. There's an old saying: You can't fit an elephant in your back pocket.
Can I use Multiple Cameras?Apple's built-in iSight on the iMac & MacBook line have horribly limited angles, so adding an external cam gives alot more flexibility. Particularly for adult sex web conferencing you want & need moveable, adjustable cameras. Most QuickTime compatible apps allow selecting & switching between multiple video sources on the fly; Nice & Civil to Down 'n' Dirty. FireWire webcams can often be daisy-chained or be shared on a FireWire hub. Selecting which cam to use is done within the programs Video Settings... similar to switching audio input sources between a built-in, external, or a Bluetooth headset.
Can I use multiple video chat apps at once?It get's complicated. Trying to run Yahoo Messenger, iChat & perhaps another video app simultaneously - One app will put your webcam 'in use' If & When you initiate a video call - the other app(s) can't share that. Sometimes just canceling one app's video call & switching works, sometimes you have to Quit competing video apps & relaunch. Worst case, you just HAVE to restart to reset everything.
How can I find people to video chat with?
Start in your Address Book: Family & friends with, say, @mac.com or @aol.com are good candidates for iChat, @yahoo.com for Yahoo Messenger, @msn.com or @hotmail.com for MSN Messenger buddies. They may or may not actively use chat programs, but at least this is a starting point. Many social networking & adult profile sites often have fields to enter your online chat handle if you so choose.
ISPQ VideoChat is unique in that 1. It's the most fully featured Mac/PC Cross-Platform webchat experience available. 2. It has both G-rated & X-rated rooms to visit, online member status & more. 3. It offers a built-in community you can browse & optionally connect with. Well worth the program's cost after the 21 day free trial. This is video chat done right.
Apple's iChat for Mac lacks this community. But a good example of providing an alternative community for iChat & AOL Instant Messenger users can be seen by visiting & joining iChatters.com
In addition to the popular Mac video chat apps listed, many Social & Adult websites feature webchat integrated into the webpage and list people online. These typically use Flash Plug-In to talk to your webcam so staying current with Adobe Flash Player is wise.
Flash Plug-In won't let me choose alternate USB video sourcesIf you have more than one USB-based camera, you may need to launch something like iChat to put a built-in iSight camera 'IN USE' - then launch your other application or video chat website to select your other camera as it's video source. Flash plugin sees a FireWire DV cam completely separate from USB sources so switching is easy.
How can I improve image quality when web camming?Good webcam lighting is Rule #1 for reducing graininess, improving framerate & clarity, & having a great webchat experience. Soft but adequate incandescent light, ideally from 1 of your TWO front/side sources gives a far warmer color temp than flourescent. Also having a DIMMER CONTROL can help you fine tune lighting. Avoid bright backlight or windows behind you.
You Don't Really Mention Macam Open-Source Webcam DriverOf the thousand of different webcams that have been manufactured, macamm works with, well, alot of some of them maybe. It has NEVER worked with a single camera I've tried. This site's about webcams that just-work, not those that might or might NOT.
Recommended Mac compatible USB Microphone-Headset Options?
Microphone feedback can be a real problem when audio conferencing so a good Macintosh option is a Logitech 350 USB Headset
There are references to an OPTIeyes Bluetooth streaming webcam out on the internet in both a desktop and pocket mobile model - but only in prototype stage and not on the market. How When & IF it could work with Mac video chat apps or the hacks required remains to be seen.. I'll keep my Opti-Eyes open for progress.
Can I use my DV Camcorder for videoconferencing instead?
YES! Since nearly every DV camcorder uses FireWire, they show up as totally separate video source. This can help alot if you run multiple video-capable apps at once; i.e. iChat w/a USB cam AND running ISPQ using FireWire as its cam source.
Two caveats: 1. Unless you're actively recording to tape - many DV cams want to shut down after a few minutes to go into sleep mode! If so, try this:
1. Remove any videotapes in camcorder.
2. Remove memory sticks, cards, other media.
3. Power off the camcorder.
4. Remove the battery.
5. Plug in the camcorder AC adapter.
6. Power on the camcorder.
You may or may not be able to override this setting via the camcorder's menus. Also Motorized auto-focus may be problematic. If you're overly active & animated during a video chat, at close-range it may have a hard time keeping up with focus. Sometimes the simple fixed-focus or adjustable lens of most USB chat cams can be an advantage.
No. Apps & Mac OSX just couldn't deal with realtime hardware switching. Better to have multiple USB cams on a hub, and use the video program to change sources if possible. Some XXX adult sex-cam folk would love the option of multiple webcam, uh, positions. But the need to do this is useful for Security-Monitoring systems. Often multi-web-cam surveilance setups use WiFi Wireless 802.11 cameras - switching video cams is easy & painless thru software because each camera has a unique IP address. Evological.com is the place to look for Mac surveillance and wireless cam info. Their EvoCam Mac software is well written and even supports Pan-Tilt-Zoom for, say Panasonic's great line of WiFi and Ethernet security cams.
