[iMac] more --" Fire-i" firewire digital camera (USD$99) almost as good as iSight

[Steve Goldstein]

  Also, the camera has no microphone, unlike iSight.

--Steve


Folks,

I forget which of these lists recently hosted a discussion about 
disappointment with Apple for abandoning iSight camera production for 
those who do not have new computers with iSight built-in.  I now have 
a MacBook and an Intel Core Duo iMac with built-in iSight, but my 
wife has a G5 iMac, and has no video for using either iChat or Skype 
to visit with far-flung relatives.  I just received delivery of a 
Unibrain "Fire-i" Firewire Digital Camera from L.A. Computer Company 
(http://www.lacomputercompany.com/cgi-bin/rpcart/index.cgi?command=dispitem&type=sku&sku=25036). 
US$99 + US$8.70 S&H.  (OOPS!  One more thing: the regular price is 
USD$119.  I forgot that I got a $20 discount through the DealMac 
website which I visit almost daily -- the DealMac site gives the 
discount code "firedc" that might still work).

It was a snap to install (literally: just snap in the included FW 
cable to the camera and to a handy FW receptacle, in my case, an open 
one on an external drive enclosure).  That's all!  It was instantly 
recognized (and iChat was automatically opened) by both iChat and 
Skype.  The lens ring has a focusing capability that is not mentioned 
in the packaging, and the image was initially fuzzy and out of focus, 
but a little "nudging" counterclockwise on the ring immediately cured 
that.  The video, at least what one sees on Skype and iChat, is just 
about as good as iSight, except that, unlike iSight, there is no 
microphone, so you need to add your own (my wife uses a USB headset 
with earphones and microphone, anyway).

These sites do not support images, but if you look at the above web 
site, you can visualize that if you collapse the legs of the included 
miniature tripod so that they all lie in a plane, and adjust the 
camera's position, you can stick it on the top of the monitor with 
Velcro fastener tape, adhering to the black support on the tripod and 
to the top of the monitor.  Then, there is a little lever that allows 
you to unlock the mount in order to tweak the aiming of the camera 
and then re-lock it.  All-in-all, this took about five minutes.

Highly recommended.

--Steve