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Trouble selecting USB cameras

Avatar Richard I
I have tried connecting both a USB webcam and a video capture device to my MBP via USB. For both the system report shows the presence of the device. Indeed, in system 'preferences', 'sound' I can select the audio from the devices. However, neither Quicktime, Imovie or Photobooth show the USB device, just the built in web cam.

I tried a USB endoscope camera and that was seen by Photobooth. But not the other apps.

Can anyone suggest a fix?
Thanks

Re: Trouble selecting USB cameras

Avatar Tony Still
I have just tried an elderly external USB webcam here. In Quicktime, Photo Booth and FaceTime it is selectable as a video input from the menus in each application (in Quicktime, it's carefully hidden in the little down-arrow next to the record button).

If that's where you have looked, it's worth checking the age of your camera. Mine was bought a long time ago when not all webcams met the emerging UVC standard and OS X then, and presumably macOS now, would only work with compliant cameras.

My camera shows in the USB pane of System Information as:
USB2.0 1.3MP UVC Camera

Re: Trouble selecting USB cameras

Avatar Richard I
Bingo! I have success in Quicktime (and Facetime). The hidden option did allow me to select the video capture device and resulted in successful recording, which was my prime objective.
Thanks Tony.

It did not work with the USB web cam however -I'll put that down to it's age.

Now, can someone direct me to the equivalent selection control in imovie......?

In the imovie import window I see the Facetime HD camera listed under 'cameras' (top left) but no way of adding or selecting another.

Re: Trouble selecting USB cameras

Avatar Tony Still
I presume you've checked iMovie's Help (I would check but my iMovie Help appears in Korean and I can't face debugging that).

Otherwise, it's not too bad a workaround to capture your clips with QuickTime and import them into iMovie.

Re: Trouble selecting USB cameras

Avatar Richard I
Tony: imovie help just says 'In the Cameras section of the Import window sidebar, select the built-in camera. A live video image from the camera appears in the Import window.'

So since the video capture device does not appear, I can't select it.

I guess I'll do as you suggest and capture with Quicktime.
Thanks for your help!
 
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