08-25-2011, 07:33 PM

I assume the built-in camera in my desktop Mac has simply gone mammaries up, though I've only idly and briefly used it half a dozen times in the three years that I've had this computer.

When I Skype, which I've just started doing, everything works fine on either end of the call except that my camera doesn't come on, and "they" can't see me though I can see and hear them. (I do have preferences box checked that specifies the camera should come on automatically when the call is made.)

When I open iChat's preferences window, it says, "There is no camera associated with this computer."

Before I go out and buy an aftermarket webcam, is there anything I should do to awaken the camera I already have? The computer is running OX 10.5.8, if that matters.

08-25-2011, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by Steve Wilkinson

I assume the built-in camera in my desktop Mac has simply gone mammaries up, though I've only idly and briefly used it half a dozen times in the three years that I've had this computer.

When I Skype, which I've just started doing, everything works fine on either end of the call except that my camera doesn't come on, and "they" can't see me though I can see and hear them. (I do have preferences box checked that specifies the camera should come on automatically when the call is made.)

When I open iChat's preferences window, it says, "There is no camera associated with this computer."

Before I go out and buy an aftermarket webcam, is there anything I should do to awaken the camera I already have? The computer is running OX 10.5.8, if that matters.

Open Photobooth and see if the camera works . . . Assuming that it won't, but easiest way to check function that I know.

08-25-2011, 08:13 PM

Nope, Photobooth gives me a black screen with a camera icon in the middle of it and a diagonal bar across the camera, which I guess means inop. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

08-25-2011, 08:44 PM

I've seen a couple of these problems relating to Lion (and some have reported that it resolved itself) on the net, and I'm also wondering if it had/has to do with the updates (that are supposed to be getting SL ready for Lion) because the same happened with my thumbdrive when I updated to SL. Wait a bit, do some searches etc before you assume your webcam is broken. That being said, if there are some sales to take advantage of then I wouldn't pass that up either.

08-25-2011, 09:25 PM

Couldn't resist, just ordered a Logitech HD Pro 720p-1080p, which I read is the preferred add-on for anything Mac.