iSight : Some Applications You Can Use With iSight
As mentioned in the Title box - there are pages that were written a little while ago by EZ Jim, a poster on the Apple Discussions who contributed to iSight and iChat Discussions. The words the following pages are EZ Jim's
Use the the Information Column Menu for EZ Jim's pages
Some Applications You Can Use With iSight
This particular page has had major work to re-establish links, mostly using the Way Back Machine Web Archive. I have added Edit comments on most and have sometimes coloured them where they are more involved. One cause is that in the 16ish years inbetween EZJim's original Blog, the rewrite for this site and several Edits in the early days, many of the names used on the Links don't really describe what the App did. Some of Apple's own Knowledge Base articles, User Tips and FAQs are no longer held on the Apple Site and have needed the Way Back Machine to find what it can. It has meant the original idea of a List of things has expanded in to a sort of knowledge base as well. I hope this is not too confusing and is still useful on a historical level.Apple Products
Apple iChat AV that can text, audio, Video chat to other AIM and Jabber clients on other platforms as well as to Macs, andsnapshots ( iChat > Video > Take Snapshot )
Apple iMovie movie clips (must be iMovie4 or later)
(iMovie6 or later for internal iSight: Using iSight with iMovie)
Apple QuickTime Streaming Server serves video and audio streams of live or prerecorded content in real time via the internet
Apple QuickTime Broadcaster is Apple's live encoding software
for online delivery. (can capture video: see second part of this article)
Apple QuickTime 7 Pro record movie clips
Apple Safari for audio-video chat sites like CamFrog and Google's Video Service from their Web Mail pages. Both need you to allow control via Flash.
Apple Photo Booth Photo Arcade (Scroll Down in left column)
FAQ says only available with the MacBook Pro, iMac G5 (iSight) or
iMac (Early 2006) computer.
Edit 2024:- All these liniks in this Apple Sections have been grabbed from the Way Back Machine Web Archive. Most have the Apple formatting that was in use at the time. The exception is the CamFrog one which is where the old iVisit link led to anyway.
Snapshot Apps
WebcamTweaker makes snapshots and movie clips with effects.Edit 2024:- Web Archive grabbed link. Shows what it did as it is no longer available.
iCamShare videos or snapshots
Edit 2024:- the Macupdate site still exists but this page for iCamShare does not so Web Archive again.
CamGrabber snapshots.
Edit 2024:- Web archive again. Not an informative site but it does list a download link, which seems to work but the page is date in 2006 so it is unlikely to work on modern machines.
Movie Capture
Edit 2024:- This section on Movie Capture has required the use of Web Archive grabs. I have choosen dates in 2005 and 2006 when more dates are offered, from the Way Back Machine site, as these are closest to the dates the Original and when the first Updates were done. Hopefully this will be of some use on two levels.
- Those people still playeng around with their old computers and
- Those people that are interested on a knowledge led way.
Edit 2024:- Web Archive link as Ambrosia seem to have disappeared. I have used this myself and some Video grabs feature elsewhere in the site. Ralph.
GCam movie clips
Edit 2024:- This page is still there. However there is no Download link. The Web Archive link for 2005 gave a Download Page Scroll down a bit.
iVeZeen movie clips & motion detection
Edit 2024:- Another Web Archive Link. The download option is on the right hand menu. THe same people make iStopMotion below
iStopMotion record stop motion & time lapse Edit: 9 Dec 05
(May not work with the internal iSight in iMac G5 (iSight).)
BTV Pro Time lapse, Motion detection, Stop-motion, etc., captures
Edit 2024:- Not on the current Bensoftware site so Web Archive Link again. The Pictures are OS 9 in style. The Blurb says OS 8.6 and hints at Classic, the method of running OS9 Apps in OS X early versions.
Videocue 2 teleprompter, video blog, and podcasting video production. EDit 2024:- Again a Web Archive Grab from 2006 for the Link. The site does not say if the download would be in Power PC format or Universal (Power PC and Intel together) or Intel only.
Wirecast 2 webcasting studio application.
Edit 2024:- Wirecast's site seemed to disappear in 2022 so this Web Archive link is from 2006 - closer to the time the first updates to EZ Jim's section was done.
Webcam Apps
As the Previous comments these links and all except the last fail as they were originally entered on the page and have been grabbed from the Way Back Machine Web Archive for your edification. The last is still an active Website which will give you an idea of what it can do. The current softeware is unlikely to work with older Macs (Power PC and first generation Intels).
WebcamTweaker makes snapshots and movie clips with effects.Edit 2024:- As the comments in the above section (Way Back Machine grab)
KeyCamX web cam or motion detection. Edit 2024:- Link removed as it does not work as a plain link and the Way Back Machine says it has been excluded.
ImageCaster offers several web cam functions for Mac.
Edit 2024:- Once again the link leads nowhere at present so this is a Web Archive Link.
Wirecast 2 webcasting studio application
Edit 2024:- Same link as the left hand column.
EvoCam Produces either a Streaming pic or jpeg grabs and publishes to a web page.
Edit 2024:- Once again Way Back Machine to the rescue so that you can see more info about this product. Other than that the Evological site is no more.
SecuritySpy More in the Motion Detection area. But can be viewed like a video stream.
Chatting and Conferencing
CamFrog cross-platform text, audio, or Video (with audio) chat via internet
Edit 2024:-
iSpQ Video Chat compatible with several apps
Edit 2024:- Web Archive Link from March 2006.
Marratech secure cross-platform web conferencing
Edit 2024:- Web Archive link from 2006.
SightSpeed cross-platform voice calling plus Video conferencing, mail, and blogs
EDit 2024:- Again grabbed a link from the Way Back Machine.
Yahoo! Messenger text chat, video (NO Mac audio), basic web-cam
Edit 2024:- There is no Current Yahoo Messenger. This is a 2006 Web Archive Link. I never tried this App on a Mac. There was a YAhoo option in iChat 6 which became Messages 6 (counting is continuous from there).
ohphoneX video conferencing & IP telephony
Edit 2024:- This link still works but the item has not been updated since 2007. OhphoneX is OS 10.3 only the xmeeting listed on the page is for 10.4 up (Probably until Intels arrived)
iVisit A Mac and PC alternative. (does not use AIM or MSN or Jabber)
EDit 2024:- I replaced an earlier link with a CamFrog link but this is the Web Archive of iVisit.
Skype Cross Platform IP telephony and Chat client. Now has a Mac version for Video chat
Edit 2024:- Obviously Skype still continues but is now owned by Microsoft which is where the Link goes to. The Web Archive version from 2006 is at this Link
PalTalk.com Like Skype.
Edit 2024:- This link still works. At the bottom under Our Products it lists CamFrog but it is not clear who own who. Also this app used to be able to connect to Landlines which this app and Skype could do for a fee.
Gizmo Says it can link to almost anything. Free to Download. Looks like calls to landlines cost like it does with Skype.
Edit 2024:- Web Archive to the rescue again. Much the same as Skype (was) and PalTalk.
With a Flash able Web Browser iVideochat and The Video Service run from GoogleMail's Web Mail pages
Edit 2024:- The Link actually goes to CamFrog and the bottom of their page says Camshare Inc. which suggest they are the owners.
MSN Messenger for Mac7 Has limited abilities and needs to be connected to a Windows Server.
(I know little more than what is on the web page, Ralph)
Edit 2024:- Relying on the Web Archive link here. Effectively it died when Microsoft bought Skype but from 2008 to 2013 it was called Windows Live Messenger.
Other video capable apps can be found in Apple's Email & Chat and Video lists. (Edit 2024:- Both Web Archive links).
Barcode Reading Apps
EvoBarcode Scan barcodesEdit 2024:- As mentioned before Evological seem to have disappeared so we have another Web Archive link.
Delicious Library for scanning library bar codes
(Some report that plug-ins installed by Delicious Library cause conflicts.)
Edit 2024:- Another lost website but is held at the Web Archive.
iSight as a surveillance or Nanny cam:
(some webcam functions) EvoCam Produces either a Streaming pic or jpeg grabs and publishes to a web pageEdit 2024:- One of the items in multiple groups. Web Archive Link.
SecuritySpy More in the Motion Detection area. But can be viewed like a video stream.
Edit 2024:- Remains an active site. Note current Software is unlikely to work on older Mac/OS versions as INtels and M Series chips have now come along.
MacWorld Geek Feature on both.
http://www.macworld.com/2004/06/secrets/junegeekfactor/ on Evocam - Edit: by Ralph. I have tried this one. The AppleScript involved seems to want to be started twice to get this to work fully
Edit 2024:- Macworld seem to no longer hold this in Archive so I went to Web Archive and got the 2004 version. I can't see that it makes any specific reference to EvoCam (The article is about using AppleScript to get your iChat to Watch TV and stream it). I do remember trying out EvoCam but I don't remember using this AppleScript - although I was looking for a solution to Auto-Answer Video invite like the Apple Test Accounts did with a prerecoded video feed.
http://www.macworld.com/2004/03/secrets/aprilgeekfactor/ On SecuritySpy
This link (Archive again) does mention both EvoCam and SecuritySpy as ways of setting up security Cameras.
Oculus - User Tim Bush reports that it has one bug:-
"... When my Mac sleeps with Oculus active, the program will crash. No biggie, I also have another little piece of software that moves my mouse every so often so the Mac won't sleep. It's called "jiggler" it's great ... www.sticksoftware.com (jiggler) Free"
Edit 2024:- Have used the Web Archive for the main link as the site no longer works. Jiggler still exists saying it is at vers 1.9 and written in "Universal code" for Intels and M1 series chips. Their front page (where the link takes you to) is dated at the bottom 2001 - 2021 but there are no links for older versions. Version 1.2 at the Web Archive. Unfortunately no date of info on what hardware base it is aimed at.
Add-Ons for iChat
From Eccam.
* iUSBCam allows iSight with slower Macs,
* PowerBoost allows multi-party video on slower Macs,
* iGlasses allows iSight image adjustment, and
* Conference Recorder records iChat AV chats.
They have other items on their site.
Edit 2024:- I have grabbed the Web Archive Link for the first (Strangely nothing before 2008) and the page allows access to the others (Left hand column and Products Drop down menu item).
Other Add-Ons
iProfile (Not suitable for iChat 3.) Adds ability to add an Profile to the AIM servers for iChat 2.x
iCAR (Definitely Not suitable for iChat 3.) Adds Away Messages to iChat 2.x when Offline.
The above two links are from the Web Archive
Now Playing in iChat (Not needed for iChat 3 & upwards as feature included.) Adds iTunes data as a Status Message.
Edit 2024:- Link renewed due to reoganistion at Dougs Scripts and has been placed in Retro Scripts
iChat Streaming Icon Adds the Ability to send and receive moving Buddy (Streaming) iCons.
Edit 2024:- Web Archive. At iChat 1 and 2 Buddy icons were saved at your end as .tifs, however it turned out other AIM able apps could send different formats. Animated .gifs being one. This app simplified the process for you to send Animations as your Buddy Pic AND also allows the steaming from a camera as an alternative. Read the Features page and the FAQs on the right to see how to release the camera for actual Video Chatting.
iChat Status A Preference Pane that controls some AppleScripts that add Status Messages in iChat 2.x (Not suitable for iChat 3.)
Edit 2024:- Updated Web Archive Link. This was a very short lived Add-on as full AppleScripts access allowed things like the DougsScripts and Apple's Own Now Playing items in iChat 3 and upwards.
Showmacster So many features you have to see the site. Essentially sending anything as the video feed such as icons, video clips and the desktop. Also groups of Pics can be sent as Slideshows.
Edit 2024:- Web Archive. Added a button the the bottom of the Video Chat window which in turn triggered a pop out to one side of the chat. Added most things that became iChat Theater (Along with ChatFX next) that arrived in iChat 4 in late 2007.
ChatFX Does what is says. Adds Photo Booth type and more features (about 70) to your live video or Showmacster's feed.
(Note: Not compatible for iGlasses.
Second Note: Does not works after OS 10.4.10 which includes late Tiger Updates and Leopard)
Edit 2024:- Web Archive Link.
Logorrhea More of a standalone that can examine your saved Chats. Can convert them the Text docs.
Edit 2024:- Link still works. Download works but is written as a Universal Binary (Power Mac and Intel Chips change over) and will not run on my M3 iMac.
Chax Add several "features" not in iChat such as tabbed Text Chats. Has three versions for Download on the site for 10.4 10.5 and 10.6 which are not compatible with the other OS/iChat versions.
Edit 2024:- This link still works.
This list was by no means complete. However as iChat is no more searching out others is difficult.
See the links for features, terms, and instructions.
You may have noticed that some appear in two lists. This is because of cross-over attributes.
Made on a Mac®
© 2005, 2006 EZ Jim
© 2005 Ralph Johns: Edited 24/9/2005, 5/5/2006
Updated September 2006. Moved to Gargoyles Mar 2007. Major review October 2024 towards HTML5
Information Column
EZ Jim's iSight Stuff
Plain Text links to related Pages
For Screen Readers
EZJim Folder
EZJimindex Index of EZ Jim's iSight and Other InfoUsing iSight Using iSight
EZJim page2 Where to Find Help for iSight
EZJim page3 About the Built-In iSights
EZJim page4 How to Test your iSight is Functional
EZJim page5 Improving your (External) iSight's Picture
EZJim page6 Possible Conflicts with iSight an iChat
EZJim page7 Some Applications you can Use with an iSight
EZJim page8 iSight V DV Camcorder or other Web Cam
EZJim page9 Mounts for your External iSight
EZJim page10 iSight Versions (External)
EZJim page11 How to Turn your iSight Really Off
EZJim page12 iSight and the PC
EZJim page13 Common PC Applications and Chatting
EZJim page14 Mac Video Chat with PCs
EZJim page15 Using An iSight with iChat
EZJim page16 Help for iChat 3 Problems
EZJim page17 How to Get iChat working again
EZJim page18 Check your Broadband Speed
EZJim page19 OS X Maintenance
EZJim page20 Updating the OS
EZJim page21 Reinstalling the OS
EZJim page22 Macintosh System Stability
Made on a Mac®
