2017 MBP Can't get webcam to work

English Hardware
#1

Trying to get my 2017 Mac Book Pro webcam to work with openSUSE tumbleweed. I’m testing it with the built-in Cheese app, and it’s unable to detect any cameras. When I start the app I get an error:

No device found

Started with the docs at https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Installation_on_a_Mac#Webcam and https://en.opensuse.org/Install_openSUSE_on_a_Mac

I tried the lspci command to see if the device is found there, but search is empty:


user@macbook:~> sudo lspci | grep -i facetime

Then used YaST > Software Management to install the following:

  • facetimehd-firmware
  • facetimehd-kmp-default

Ran sudo mkinitrd then restarted the computer. Ran Cheese, and encountered the “No device found” error again.

Given that it’s not listed by lspci, maybe it’s not a facetime camera? Any suggestions on what to try next?

#2

Hi
If it’s like my old MacBook (late 2007) you need to extract the apple device firmware with isight-firmware-tools

See this old thread, still relevant AFAIK https://forums.opensuse.org/showthread.php/426661-isight-firmware-tools-how-to-use

Once the firmware is extracted, save to a backup location so can use in the future…

#3

Webcams, Bluetooth are shown in lsusb:

lsusb -v
#4 

jay at localhost in ~
 > lsusb | grep -i "facetime"
jay at localhost in ~
 > lsusb | grep -i "cam"

Unless it’s labeled something that doesn’t contain either of those words, what does it mean if nothing is listed?

I’m reading through the post now, thanks for the link. Though previously, I was not using this computer at all so when I installed Tumbleweed, I erased the entire HDD given that the single OS X partition was nearly full. Any suggestions there? I might have a bootable USB HD around I could try.

#5

Hi
Ahhh, maybe an internet search for the device firmware (AppleUSBVideoSupport+download+2017), does the output of lsusb show an isight camera?

#6

Just show the output from lsusb or lsusb -v without any filter… So maybe someone here can help you with the output (spotting the right module/entry).

#7

Here’s the full lsusb -v output: https://gist.github.com/eccentric-j/704fb1e751a5efb274498128a8af7b7e

No reference of iSight in that output, or with lspci just to be thorough.

#8

Your camera is controlled/hidden under the iBridge entry. iBridge controls the Touchbar, HD camera, audio control and more…

https://www.theiphonewiki.com/wiki/IBridge

#9

Aha! That helps a lot. Thanks. Is there any way of installing a driver\firmware combo that can support the iBridge devices? Did a preliminary search, but nothing came up so far.

#10

This page says that the camera isn’t working since Mac Book Pro 16.2 (scroll down at the page): https://github.com/Dunedan/mbp-2016-linux

#11

Aww that’s too bad. Some contacts pointed me towards some apps to use my phone as a webcam, and I found out setting up OBS to animate an avatar to audio is actually rather trivial.