iMac, multiple cameras

[Teeforb]

Hi, 

I am trying yo use icam with multiple web cams. One is the default cam on iMac and the other is a gear head face tracking web cam. I created multiple multiple isource as your site recommended. But only one camera works at a time. I setup one Isource and it works. But then when I setup the second isource and select the second web cam source, there is no video. Can someone help.

Thx

[Stefan]

This sounds like the issue that some users have had getting more than one webcam to function at once on the same USB bus. (If you do a forum search for "usb bus" you will find a number of threads discussing it.)

It seems like there are sometimes hardware restrictions on the number and types of USB devices that can be active at any one time.

Are you able to run two other webcam applications (like Photo Booth and iChat) simultaneously, choosing a different camera in each one?

You could try different USB ports, choosing No Audio in the iCamSource Audio drop-down lists, or removing any other USB devices from the computer to see if that has any effect.

[Teeforb]

This sounds like the issue that some users have had getting more than one webcam to function at once on the same USB bus. (If you do a forum search for "usb bus" you will find a number of threads discussing it.)

It seems like there are sometimes hardware restrictions on the number and types of USB devices that can be active at any one time.

Are you able to run two other webcam applications (like Photo Booth and iChat) simultaneously, choosing a different camera in each one?

You could try different USB ports, choosing No Audio in the iCamSource Audio drop-down lists, or removing any other USB devices from the computer to see if that has any effect.

No, it seems that i can not use multiple webcam apps and selecting different webcams.  i tried that with iCamSource and photo booth.  it seems that one will affect the other.

i can try our suggestion...

[Fubar]

I have been having this same problem.  If I start one camera, the other one just shows a white screen in iCam, black screen in other programs.  My machine is a Mac Pro.  I unplugged all usb devices except the cameras.  I tried plugging both in the front, both in the back, one in the front and one in the back.  I did restart the Mac every time I made a change.  I checked to see that both cameras were getting enough power using system profiler.  I can't get two usb cameras to work at the same time even using other programs (skype, ichat, image capture).  Only the first camera will show video.  Sometimes, the second camera will say "camera already in use".  However, on my Mac Mini it works with no problems.  I plug two cameras in, start iCam and iCam copy, select cameras, everything up and running within 2 minutes.  I'm not sure what the problem is.  I'm going to keep working on it, but I could really use some help.

[Teeforb]

I have been having this same problem.  If I start one camera, the other one just shows a white screen in iCam, black screen in other programs.  My machine is a Mac Pro.  I unplugged all usb devices except the cameras.  I tried plugging both in the front, both in the back, one in the front and one in the back.  I did restart the Mac every time I made a change.  I checked to see that both cameras were getting enough power using system profiler.  I can't get two usb cameras to work at the same time even using other programs (skype, ichat, image capture).  Only the first camera will show video.  Sometimes, the second camera will say "camera already in use".  However, on my Mac Mini it works with no problems.  I plug two cameras in, start iCam and iCam copy, select cameras, everything up and running within 2 minutes.  I'm not sure what the problem is.  I'm going to keep working on it, but I could really use some help.

i have an iMac i7 27" and i am having identical problems you are having... if u find something, please let me know...

thx

[Fubar]

I think I found the problem!  You are running Snow Leapard 10.6.3 I bet.  My Mac Pro (the one two cameras don't work on) is running 10.6.3.   My Mini (the one that works with 2 cameras no problem) is running 10.5.8.  I looked through pages upon pages of info.  This is my own logical deduction.  This is not proven.  It is an educated guess based on hours of testing, troubleshooting, and research.  I do not wish to upgrade my mini to try to prove myself wrong.  I hope others will post their results with different versions of Mac OS 10.x.x.  If I am correct, does anyone have a "fix" for Snow Leapard?

[Fubar]

I just had another thought.  Would an IP cam bypass this problem?  I don't have one, but I might get one tomorrow.  I will do some more testing.  Does anybody else have this setup already? Working?  I'm sure a Mac running 10.6.3 with two USB webcams isn't rare.

[Fubar]

More testing.  I booted my Mac Pro and virtually booted vista using Parallels.  I had all the same problems.  I tried using an old machine, an old outdated Acer with Vista.  I had no problems, two USB cameras worked.  I also have Windows 7.  I used the Mac Pro to boot Windows 7 (not virtually, directly).  Guess what?!?!  No problems with 2 USB cameras.  This tells me that it is not the hardware.  It is the software causing the problem.  The big question is?  Whose software is to blame.  I would guess Apple.  Although, I can't prove that.  Yet.

I made an error in an earlier post. I am running Snow Leapord 10.6.4

[Jay]

There are plenty of users with multiple cameras on Snow Leopard, so I don't think that is the only cause of the problem.  It might be a combination of the USB bus hardware in certain Mac models and the specific drivers used by Snow Leopard, but that's just speculation.

An IP camera wouldn't use the USB bus at all, so this problem wouldn't happen with an IP camera.

[Fubar]

I also posted in the apple support forums.  I hope I can find a fix for this issue. It seems as if the system thinks both cameras are the same feed.  I'll report back if I find any useful information.

[Fubar]

IP camera with a usb camera does work as expected.  I will be putting a support call into Apple to figure out this USB business