Builtin iSight Camera
The built-in camera is not recognized.
1. Boot the computer to the desktop and launch iChat AV. Note: You do not need to be connected to a network to use iChat AV to troubleshoot. Verify that the correct versions of Mac OS X and iChat AV are installed. Reinstall or update software as needed.
2. Open the iChat AV preferences and click on the 'Video' icon. Verify whether the camera is recognized by the iChat AV software. Is the camera recognized?
Yes: the camera is recognized and video preview is normal: This indicates the camera is functioning. Pull down the 'Video' options from the menu bar and verify that the camera is enabled. The camera must be enabled to function.
No: the camera is not recognized and no video preview is visible. This indicates the camera may not be functioning properly. Open the iMac and inspect the camera board (inside the front bezel) and the attached cable. Reseat the cable on the camera board and check the other end of the camera cable connections to the logic board. The camera cable connectors are on the right side of the logic board, below the optical drive and to the right of the fan. Go on to the next step if this didn't solve your problem.
- Replace the camera board.
- Replace the camera cable.
- If the iSight camera still doesn't appear in System Profiler on the USB bus after replacing the camera board or camera cable, replace the logic board.
Camera recognized but no video.
- Verify that the lens assembly for the iSight camera located in the top middle of the front bezel is not obstructed by anything including Post-It notes or other objects.
- Replace the camera board in the front bezel and retest. Camera image quality poor.
The built-in camera is recognized by iChat AV and other supported video applications however the image quality is poor.
- Verify that the lens assembly for the iSight camera is clean. Fingerprints and other contaminants can affect image quality. Clean the lens using a lint free lens cleaning cloth being while being careful not to scratch the lens.
- Verify that there is sufficient lighting to produce a good quality image. Lighting which is comparable to that found in a well lit office will product a good quality image. If possible, avoid having a brightly lit background. Diffused lighting is preferred over direct lighting.
- Launch iChat AV and open the iChat AV preferences. Click on the 'Video' tab. Is the video quality acceptable?
Yes: The camera is functioning normally. The image quality problems may be caused by bandwidth limitations when using iChat over the internet. Instruct the customer to use the iChat AV connection doctor feature to verify that there is sufficient bandwidth to have a video iChat session without a significant degradation of image quality.
No: The camera may not be functioning normally. Replace the front bezel for poor image quality. If the issue persists, replace the camera board and retest.
Camera recognized but no audio.
- Open the System Preferences window and click on Sound.
- Verify that the built in iSight camera has been selected as the device for sound input.
- Verify that the volume settings (on the slider bar) are appropriate.
- Launch iChat AV and open the iChat AV preferences. Click on the 'Video' icon. Speak into the microphone while monitoring the microphone level indicator. Does the line level meter respond while you are speaking?
Yes: The microphone circuit is functioning correctly. Check the preference settings of any supported AV applications the customer is experiencing problems with to make sure that the microphone feature is enabled and that the internal iSight microphone has been selected as the input device.
No: Inspect the camera/microphone cable attached to the camera board inside the front bezel. If the cable is damaged, replace the front bezel and retest. If the issue persists, replace the camera/microphone cable.
Audio quality is poor.
The camera is recognized but the built-in microphone's audio quality is poor.
1. Open the System Preferences window and click on Sound.
- Verify that the built-in camera has been selected as the sound input port.
- Verify that the input volume settings are appropriate. Use the volume level meter to verify settings.
2. Open iMovie and create a new project. Click on the Audio button and record a sound sample. Is the sound quality acceptable?
Yes: The microphone is functioning normally. The audio quality problems may be caused by bandwidth limitations when using iChat over the internet. Instruct the customer to use the iChat AV connection doctor feature to verify that there is sufficient bandwidth to have an audio iChat session without a significant degradation of audio quality. iChat AV allows the user to limit the allocated bandwidth which could impact audio quality. Check the settings and increase the bandwidth if needed.
No: The microphone may be faulty. Replace the front bezel which houses the microphone.
3. Check connections on the Audio board. If the problem persists, replace the Audio board.
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