Integrated iSight webcam not working in Windows XP
Posted: 3. Apr 2013, 22:37
My Macbook is running OSX 10.6.8 and has an integrated iSight webcam.
The webcam shows up in System Profiler, in the USB category, under USB High-Speed Bus, as:
Built In iSight
Product ID: 0x8503
Vendor ID: 0x05ac (Apple)
Version: 2.78
I'm running Oracle VM Virtualbox 4.2.10 with the extension pack. My guest OS is Windows XP. My goal is to get Skype working in it (since I want to use a specific Skype extension that is only for Windows). Have had no luck getting the webcam to work in WinXP, however.
In the virtual machine's settings in Virtualbox, I can go to the ports section, click on USB, and check the box for USB support. If I then add a blank filter to allow all devices through, something weird happens: the webcam device flips between OSX and Windows every two seconds. The Windows XP "device attached" and "device detached" sounds play repeatedly, and the device repeatedly disappears and reappears from both the Device Manager in Windows and the System Profiler in OSX.
If I add a second filter in Virtualbox, for the iSight camera specifically, and check the boxes next to both that and the blank filter, it loads the camera into Windows XP but puts an exclamation point next to it in the Device Manager. The device properties then say "The device could not start." The Windows XP driver for iSight IS INSTALLED. This is NOT the "driver not installed" error, and I can reinstall the driver, which Windows will call a successful install each time, but changes nothing. There are actually two devices listed like this (one is Apple Built-in iSight and the other is either Built-in iSight or Unknown VGA Device, depending on the machine's mood)
Once the virtual machine is actually running and is capturing the iSight camera via the method in the paragraph above, if I minimize the virtual machine window and return to the virtual machine's settings in Virtualbox, a second iSight device appears in the list of USB devices. Actually, it replaces the first one - the first one I added disappears from the list in the virtual machine settings once the virtual machine is running, and the new one appears in its place. I have the option to create a new filter for this device also. If I do so, and then close and restart the Windows XP environment, Device Manager now recognizes a single iSight webcam and shows no warning messages, and Skype recognizes that there's a webcam connected... yay?... but it's black and the "loading" icon spins repeatedly in front of the screen as though it can't capture an image. Still not actually working, even though Windows XP now recognizes it and the driver is installed.
The two device filters in the virtual machine settings read as follows:
Micron Built-in iSight [0189]
Product ID: 8501
Vendor ID: 05ac
Revision: 0189
Manufacturer: Micron
Product: Built-in iSight
Remote: No
Micron Built-in iSight [0278]
Product ID: 8503
Vendor ID: 05ac
Revision: 0278
Manufacturer: Micron
Product: Built-in iSight
Remote: No
Answers preferred, but ideas welcome.
The webcam shows up in System Profiler, in the USB category, under USB High-Speed Bus, as:
Built In iSight
Product ID: 0x8503
Vendor ID: 0x05ac (Apple)
Version: 2.78
I'm running Oracle VM Virtualbox 4.2.10 with the extension pack. My guest OS is Windows XP. My goal is to get Skype working in it (since I want to use a specific Skype extension that is only for Windows). Have had no luck getting the webcam to work in WinXP, however.
In the virtual machine's settings in Virtualbox, I can go to the ports section, click on USB, and check the box for USB support. If I then add a blank filter to allow all devices through, something weird happens: the webcam device flips between OSX and Windows every two seconds. The Windows XP "device attached" and "device detached" sounds play repeatedly, and the device repeatedly disappears and reappears from both the Device Manager in Windows and the System Profiler in OSX.
If I add a second filter in Virtualbox, for the iSight camera specifically, and check the boxes next to both that and the blank filter, it loads the camera into Windows XP but puts an exclamation point next to it in the Device Manager. The device properties then say "The device could not start." The Windows XP driver for iSight IS INSTALLED. This is NOT the "driver not installed" error, and I can reinstall the driver, which Windows will call a successful install each time, but changes nothing. There are actually two devices listed like this (one is Apple Built-in iSight and the other is either Built-in iSight or Unknown VGA Device, depending on the machine's mood)
Once the virtual machine is actually running and is capturing the iSight camera via the method in the paragraph above, if I minimize the virtual machine window and return to the virtual machine's settings in Virtualbox, a second iSight device appears in the list of USB devices. Actually, it replaces the first one - the first one I added disappears from the list in the virtual machine settings once the virtual machine is running, and the new one appears in its place. I have the option to create a new filter for this device also. If I do so, and then close and restart the Windows XP environment, Device Manager now recognizes a single iSight webcam and shows no warning messages, and Skype recognizes that there's a webcam connected... yay?... but it's black and the "loading" icon spins repeatedly in front of the screen as though it can't capture an image. Still not actually working, even though Windows XP now recognizes it and the driver is installed.
The two device filters in the virtual machine settings read as follows:
Micron Built-in iSight [0189]
Product ID: 8501
Vendor ID: 05ac
Revision: 0189
Manufacturer: Micron
Product: Built-in iSight
Remote: No
Micron Built-in iSight [0278]
Product ID: 8503
Vendor ID: 05ac
Revision: 0278
Manufacturer: Micron
Product: Built-in iSight
Remote: No
Answers preferred, but ideas welcome.