There is a bug in Mac OS (want me to get really technical? I thought not.) which causes the C910/C920 to have a distorted image on the Mac in certain cases. This bug exhibits itself in 64-bit browsers with Flash 11.1, and both 64 and 32-bit browsers with Flash 11.2. I will post follow-ups regarding Flash versions and changing back to 11.1 later if needed.
There are several solutions, ranging from potentially free to as much as $50.
Possibly Free:
ManyCam for C910 users with Mac OS X 10.7 "Lion" -OR- Revert to Flash 11.1 from 11.2 and do the following:
This solution requires some work. It does not work for the C920 as ManyCam attempts to access the H.264 stream off the camera, and fails. However, reverting to Flash 11.1 will work with the C920 - without ManyCam.
Under Mac OS X 10.6.8 and older, with the C910, ManyCam causes the video to become extremely slow. Obviously this isn't good. 10.7 corrects this issue. However, ManyCam can only be accessed by 32-bit browsers. This requires a few steps.
If you have reverted from Flash 11.2 to Flash 11.1 (outside the scope of this post), Safari should work at this point. Chrome has its own built in Flash you cannot control, though its possible to force it to use the system flash. If you have not reverted you MUST install ManyCam and use it. (outside the scope of this post).
You should, if you have upgraded to "Lion" be able to use ManyCam with the C910 at this point. If you have not upgraded to "Lion" yet, this is $29.99 from the Mac App Store located under the Apple menu on Macs running OS X 10.6.8 (or higher.)
If you have a C920, ManyCam is not a possible solution.
Not Free ever but possibly better:
Download and install iGlasses from http://ecamm.com/mac/iglasses/
The free trial runs for a few days to test. Its similar to ManyCam, but provides better (for now) adjustment of the camera, but does not provide the same effects. It costs $19.99 regularly, and should work with Safari or Chrome regardless of 32-bit status. It should not require you upgrade to OS X 10.7 if you have 10.6.8, however I would HIGHLY recommend you do so anyway - 10.7 provides other benefits for the webcam subsystem.
The Ultimate Solution:
Would be for Apple to fix this bug. As I have nearly isolated the exact OS X framework with the bug, I need to write a small app to prove its existence to them, with detailed steps to reproduce it. This would require me to stop staring at you sexy ladies all day and do some work, which you really do want me to do
. But, if they fix it, it will make many lives easier!
Why should you upgrade to 10.7?
There is a small app purportedly in the works, which I have heard will will be 10.7 only. This app will be released later this year, and will allow complete control and adjustment many external webcams. This means nearly the same control that Windows users have. Beyond that I don't have more information.
I've also found through my own testing, that 10.7 when using Safari in 64-bit mode allows other programs like Photo Booth to access the camera at the same time without additional software. Additionally the performance of the cameras seem to be better.
If you have any doubts about me, I can provide you a few references. Contact me directly (PM) on this forum (I think it offers that?) or MFC Mail me. My MFC username is NerdySkier, just like here.
There are several solutions, ranging from potentially free to as much as $50.
Possibly Free:
ManyCam for C910 users with Mac OS X 10.7 "Lion" -OR- Revert to Flash 11.1 from 11.2 and do the following:
This solution requires some work. It does not work for the C920 as ManyCam attempts to access the H.264 stream off the camera, and fails. However, reverting to Flash 11.1 will work with the C920 - without ManyCam.
Under Mac OS X 10.6.8 and older, with the C910, ManyCam causes the video to become extremely slow. Obviously this isn't good. 10.7 corrects this issue. However, ManyCam can only be accessed by 32-bit browsers. This requires a few steps.
- In your Applications folder in Finder, locate "Safari".
- Right-click/secondary-click on "Safari" and choose "Get Info" from the pop-up menu.
- Check the box labeled "Use 32-Bit Mode in the "Get Info" window that appears.
If you have reverted from Flash 11.2 to Flash 11.1 (outside the scope of this post), Safari should work at this point. Chrome has its own built in Flash you cannot control, though its possible to force it to use the system flash. If you have not reverted you MUST install ManyCam and use it. (outside the scope of this post).
You should, if you have upgraded to "Lion" be able to use ManyCam with the C910 at this point. If you have not upgraded to "Lion" yet, this is $29.99 from the Mac App Store located under the Apple menu on Macs running OS X 10.6.8 (or higher.)
If you have a C920, ManyCam is not a possible solution.
Not Free ever but possibly better:
Download and install iGlasses from http://ecamm.com/mac/iglasses/
The free trial runs for a few days to test. Its similar to ManyCam, but provides better (for now) adjustment of the camera, but does not provide the same effects. It costs $19.99 regularly, and should work with Safari or Chrome regardless of 32-bit status. It should not require you upgrade to OS X 10.7 if you have 10.6.8, however I would HIGHLY recommend you do so anyway - 10.7 provides other benefits for the webcam subsystem.
The Ultimate Solution:
Would be for Apple to fix this bug. As I have nearly isolated the exact OS X framework with the bug, I need to write a small app to prove its existence to them, with detailed steps to reproduce it. This would require me to stop staring at you sexy ladies all day and do some work, which you really do want me to do
. But, if they fix it, it will make many lives easier!Why should you upgrade to 10.7?
There is a small app purportedly in the works, which I have heard will will be 10.7 only. This app will be released later this year, and will allow complete control and adjustment many external webcams. This means nearly the same control that Windows users have. Beyond that I don't have more information.
I've also found through my own testing, that 10.7 when using Safari in 64-bit mode allows other programs like Photo Booth to access the camera at the same time without additional software. Additionally the performance of the cameras seem to be better.
If you have any doubts about me, I can provide you a few references. Contact me directly (PM) on this forum (I think it offers that?) or MFC Mail me. My MFC username is NerdySkier, just like here.
