Help! How do I get my MacBook to recognise a Lifecam?

[Andymarrison]

Just finished modding a Microsoft Lifecam, plug it into the MacBook (a 2008 MacBook Pro running Snow Leopard) and realise I've no way of actually seeing or capturing an image from the webcam? Does anyone know what bits of software/settings I need to start capturing images?

[Steve Ward]

Try 'SharpCap'

I'm not sure it runs on a Mac though , I''ll look into it now.

Steve.

[Stephen]

Install macam - if that doesn't work I'm not aware of any OSX dedicated drivers

[ronin]

All drivers on the MS site are for W8, W7, XP and Vista only.

So any drivers and software for it will have to come from Apple and be compatible with the Mac OS and the MS hardware.

[Dai150PL]

Try IOXperts, they make USB web cam drivers for OS X. This has allowed cams that are not compatible with maccam and other mac software to work for me.

[Rihard]

Just finished modding a Microsoft Lifecam, plug it into the MacBook (a 2008 MacBook Pro running Snow Leopard) and realise I've no way of actually seeing or capturing an image from the webcam? Does anyone know what bits of software/settings I need to start capturing images?

Hi,

I haven't tried the Lifecam, however I have a Microsoft XBOX Live camera and it worked out of the box on my MacBook Pro 2008 (it worked with Snow Leopard, and afterwards also with Lion and Mountain Lion). No drivers needed in my case and as far as I know the Lifecam should comply to some standards and be kind of "driverless" as the XBOX one.

If you haven't tried it already, try opening Photo Booth from the Applications folder, then choose the Microsoft webcam from the "Camera" menu on the menu bar (otherwise the Mac will keep using the default iSight camera). With Photo Booth you can take snapshots or record QuickTime (.mov) videos. Although Photo Booth isn't an astro tool (you can't tweak any camera setting) it works well with the moon There might be other capture tools around (I think also QuickTime can do that ) , check out the Mac App Store or Google in case you need more advanced videocapture tools .

Let me know how it goes

Cheers!

[Rihard]

Hi again,

I found this "CamWiz" software that allows to tweak the recording settings. It is free on the Mac App Store. Unfortunately it requires OS X Lion:

https://itunes.apple.com/ie/app/camwiz-webcam-recorder/id580385968?mt=12

Hope that helps

[Andymarrison]

Thanks everyone - I'll try a few of these tips tonight and will let you know how I get on.

[Andymarrison]

Success! Quick Time and Photo Booth both work, so at least I've got the basic ability to capture some video images - thanks TziuRiky! I'll have a look at some of the other suggestions as well to see if there's anything that works with Snow Leopard and allows me to adjust the settings - maybe macam.

[Andymarrison]

...I've just come across a piece of software called Debut, which has some extra webcam controls and appears to be free. I'll give it a go when the clouds clear, some time in 2013...