Why You May See a Black & White Self View QTC Image

Side Navigation Graphic, See Text Links

Find It
Home
Table Of Contents
Support Pages
Feedback & Contact
Apple Computer, Inc.
Mirror Sites
Huh?

ListenUP plug-in URL
By Mark Aitala

Phone Buddies Using a QuickTime Conferencing (QTC) Camera 100 with an AV-equipped Macintosh computer, the camera's video image may appear in black and white instead of color. Changing the color depth in the Monitors control panel has no effect on the image.

There are two common reasons why your QuickTime Conferencing Self View window may be showing only in Black and White: the monitor size or screen resolution selected may be set too high or the cameral may be connected to the computer using the wrong cable. Monitor Size or Screen Resolution Selected.p If your screen resolution is set higher than 832x624, your Self View image will appear on your monitor and be sent to other conference members in black and white. This happens regardless of how much VRAM you have because the VRAM cannot draw that large of an image and redraw a color Self-View window quickly enough.

Lower your monitor's screen resolution to 832x624 or lower in the Monitors control panel and your Self View image will appear and broadcast in color.

How the Camera is Connected to the Computer

Three cables ship with the QuickTime Conferencing Camera 100:

  1. 1 Combination cable, S-Video to DC Power and RCA jack
  2. RCA to RCA
  3. S-Video to DC Power

You must use the appropriate cable for your computer in order for the QuickTime Conferencing Camera to work correctly.

The output from the QuickTime Conferencing Camera 100 is an NTSC composite signal, not an S-Video component signal. With the exception of the Power Macintosh 7500 and 8500, AV equipped Power Macintosh computers will accept a composite video signal through the S-Video port. The S-Video port also provides 12-volt power to the QuickTime Conferencing Camera.

Power Macintosh AV computers

For Power Macintosh AV computers other than the Power Macintosh 7500 and 8500, use cable A to connect the S-Video connector to the computer's S-Video port and the RCA and DC Power pigtail on the other end of the cable to the QuickTime Conferencing Camera.

Power Macintosh 7500 & 8500

The Power Macintosh 7500 and 8500 computers cannot receive a composite video signal in their S-Video connectors. Because of this, you need to connect cable B from the RCA jack on the QuickTime Conferencing camera to the RCA jack on the back of the Power Macintosh 7500 or 8500. If you use the S-Video port to deliver the video to the computer, you will see a black and white image. You also need to use cable C to deliver power from the S-Video port on the Power Macintosh 7500 or 8500 to the QuickTime Conferencing camera.

Macintosh Quadra or Centris 840 AV or 660 AV

If you have a Macintosh Quadra or Centris 840 AV or 660 AV, there is no S-Video port to supply power to the camera. In addition to using cable B for video, you will need to purchase a 12-volt, 1.9 Watt AC adaptor from your local Apple Dealer.

Summary Table

Computer Cable Video Signal Camera Power
Quadra/Centris 660/840 AV B From Cable B Separate Power Adaptor
Power Macintosh 6100 AV A From Cable A From Cable A
Power Macintosh 7100 AV A From Cable A From Cable A
Power Macintosh 8100 AV A From Cable A From Cable A
Power Macintosh 7500 B & C From Cable B From Cable C
Power Macintosh 7500 B & C From Cable B From Cable C

Text Summary Chart

For more information check your QuickTime Conferencing Camera manual.The Famous Apple!

Previous
[Previous] [Top] [Next]

-----------------------------------------------------------

"The Information Alley", in all formats, is copyright Apple Computer, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.