Logitech HD WEBCAM C270 doesn't show up as a video input

shanwu

Hi! I've read people using Logitech C920 but not C270. I have troubles connecting the C270 and another webcam I have (I don't know the brand). They don't show up as a video input. The webcams both work fine with the photobooth and in Max MSP Jitter. I'm wondering if only some of the webcams are compatible for Isadora or there might be some other issues. What should I look up when I choose the webcam?
I'm using macbook pro Sierra 10.12.6. Thanks!

Woland

Try the steps I described in this post:

https://community.troikatronix.com/topic/4029/solution-logitech-c920-webcam-listed-as-disabled-and-not-providing-a-video-feed-in-isadora/5

If all else fails (on a Mac) you can open Photobooth, get a feed from the camera, then use the free software Syphoner for capture with the free software Syphon to “brute force” a video feed into Isadora with the Syphon Receiver actor.

If you’re on Windows, you’ll use Spout instead of Syphon, Spout Receiver actor(?), and I’m going to tag in @Maximortal and @Skulpture because I don’t know what generic webcam application you’d use on Windows, nor what application to use to capture said feed into Spout.

Best Wishes,

Woland

mark

@woland said:

If all else fails (on a Mac) you can open Photobooth, get a feed from the camera, then use the free software Syphoner for capture with the free software Syphon to “brute force” a video feed into Isadora with the Syphone Receiver act

I've just gotten one member of the team involved on this ongoing issue. We'll see if we can't get it nailed down for v2.6

Best Wishes,Mark

Skulpture

This is strange because its only this model that seems to not work. Logitech hardware is normally very reliable with connectivity.

shanwu

@woland Thank you so much!!! Both of the webcam work with the Facetime!! It is still not very stable and I had to quit and restart the whole system sometime but it works!! Hooray!! Using Syphon is also a great idea!

shanwu

@mark Thanks Mark! That's very good to know:)

mc_monte

Yes, I've run tests with my Logitech C920, which reliably works. It's full HD, has a nice soft autofocus, and easy to mount on a tripod or fixed position. I've been using them for years with Isadora for capture and streaming. They are less then $100 Canadian, but I picked up three for half price each that years ago.

bonemap

Hi,

I can report that my Logitec C930e does not connect directly through the Isadora 'Live Capture Settings' and does not appear after 'Scan for Devices'. The camera only appears after launching in Facetime and after Isadora is restarted. Thanks @Woland.

best wishes,

bonemap

Woland

@bonemap

Welcome! It was an oddly-specific, but easy, work-around so I thought I’d share.

Woland

@mc_monte said:

Yes, I've run tests with my Logitech C920, which reliably works. It's full HD, has a nice soft autofocus, and easy to mount on a tripod or fixed position. I've been using them for years with Isadora for capture and streaming. They are less then $100 Canadian, but I picked up three for half price each that years ago.

Logitech also has Logitech Camera Settings applications that are free but oddly hard to find, and also usually specific to a certain model. It allows you do zoom in, pan, has various image settings you can change, and allows you disable things like autofocus. I think this is the link I saved for the c920 version. https://itunes.apple.com/us/ap...

Skulpture

@shanwu is this working for you now? Just wanted to check.

mark

@shanwu said:

I have troubles connecting the C270 and another webcam I have (I don't know the brand).

Dear Shawnu, (and team @Michel @Skulpture @DusX @mc_monte @crystalhorizon)

So I purchased a C270 today and tested it on a Mac Book Pro running Yosemite and High Sierra, and on a mini Mac running High Sierra. I tested with 2.5.2 and the current beta, and in all cases, the camera showed up and connected without any trouble at all.

But I think –- after the many posts and suggestions here -- we all forgot to ask a critical question: did you have both cameras connected at the same time? Trying to use two HD webcams on the same USB bus is probably impossible, because the bandwidth requirements are too high. (Specifically, these cameras are USB 2, so they don't have USB 3 bandwidth.)

Could that be the case, since you mention two web cams?

Can anyone else verify that they are having a problem with the C270 on Mac OS X?

Best Wishes,
Mark

chimerik

I've been using C270 for the last 5 years with no issues, even successfully used 3 of the C270 with Isadora at the same time with USB 3.0 hub (2 cam in 1 usb hub, and 1 cam directly to usb port), it works. The only difference that I found in the later 2.0 version of izzy is that we need to have the webcams plugged in before starting izzy, otherwise izzy won't recognize it even if you press "Scan for Devices" under Live Capture Setting, so when izzy doesn't recognize my webcam, I just restart izzy, and usually it works after that. @shanwu did you already try this method? (close other applications that may be using the webcam, and restart izzy when the cam is plugged in), try a different usb port and restart izzy again if the first try didn't work.

bonemap

@mark said:

verify that they are having a problem with the C270 on Mac OS X?”

I can verify that there is inconsistent and unexpected behavior using my Logitech c930e webcam similar to what has been posted previously by @Woland and others “ n the Live Capture Settings, when we went to select the Logitech C920, we sometimes wouldn't get a feed and it would show up as "disabled". I can’t recreate this behavior each time, but the last occurrence happened during a setup for a gallery installation that also used usb for communicating with other devices such as an Arduino. And where a usb hub was also connected to the computer (but not the same port as the camera), this was using an older usb2 Mac book pro 2012.

I have not seen the issue on a later usb3 MacBook Pro, except for having to relaunch the application before it will find the camera connection.

Best wishes

Bonemap