PD7.0.14920: Facetime HD Camera displays black video in Windows 7

MacBook Pro 15" (Early 2011) Mac OS 10.7.1

The Facetime HD Camera works charmingly in the host OS (Mac OS 10.7.1).

In PD6 I had the camera working somewhat in Windows 7. Video would display, but out of aspect ratio due to the camera's "HD" aspect ratio. The missing Win7 driver (bad Apple.) meant that it's usefulness was limited. Since upgrading to PD7 the camera displays only a black video feed.

I followed the following instructions (given for an iSight camera on another thread) to enable the generic USB Camera support that is new to PD7:

PD7 supports web camera sharing that allows you to use web camera in Windows and Mac in the same time.
To enable web camera sharing:
1. Return iSight to Mac (remove it from USB devices list in Parallels)
2. Check that Photo Booth can use it (just to be sure it is available on Mac side)
3. In Virtual Machine Configuration > Hardware > USB Controller enable option "Share camera with Windows"

After following these instructions the camera appears in the Win 7 Control Panel/Devices and Printers as "Virtual USB Video Camera." The hardware tab of the device's properties shows two Device Functions: "FaceTime HD Camera (built-in)/Imaging Device" and "USB Composite Device." The Imaging Device is using the built in driver: System32/drivers/usbvideo.sys and windows reports that "The device is working properly."

When the camera is accessed within windows from any program that attempts to utilize the it, it appears in that program's device list as "FaceTime HD Camera." Unfortunately when it is selected the green light on the camera comes on and only black video is displayed. I have performed tests utilizing the camera concurrently within the Host OS, and it works fine there - just not in windows. Of course, reboots galore after each reconfiguration attempt of both the Host and Guest OSs.

Please advise,

Voxinator

 

This is the exact same problem I am encountering

 

Thanks for detailed problem description. We'll try to reproduce that issue.
Please, provide a problem report id, so we can get more information about your system.
To generate a problem report - http://kb.parallels.com/en/9058

What program are you using for web camera in Windows?

 

Please, try to disable 3D acceleration.
Stop your virtual machine and go to
[Virtual Machine Configuration > Hardware > Video > Enable 3D acceleration]
and disable it.

 

Problem report ID: 10030760

 

Re: What programs have I tried to use to interface with the FaceTime HD Camera inside Windows 7:
Camtasia Studio 7
Google Talk plugin v2.2.2.0
ManyCam 2.6.55

Re: try to disable 3D acceleration:
I have followed your instructions and continue to yield the same results. (black video feed)

Please Advise,

 

You can add the following programs using the iSight that yields black Video feed under PD7:

Skype
Polycom PVX

Voxinator: I ended up removing PD7 and reinstalling PD6 and video feed went back to normal.

I have an iMac with HD isight, but I also have a Cinema Display with Standard iSight - both produce the black feed, so the issue is not isolated to the HD hardware,

 

Maurice,

Thank you for the excellent additions. I hope that Parallel's excellent team can resolve this issue for us quickly so we can get back to virtualizing! I have training videos to record, darn-it!

Regards

 

Thanks for your reports, guys! We have reproduced the issue and now working to fix it.
Looks like it related to amount of memory used by Windows. The temporary workaround for that problem is to change it to 2GB or less:
1. Stop your virtual machine
2. Go to Virtual Machine > Configure > General
3. Set Memory slider to 2GB or less.

Sorry for inconvenience. Hope this will work for you till we provide normal fix for that problem.

 

That is fantastic news on this Labor day!

Yes in fact I have my Mac expanded out to 8GB as I spend a vast majority of my work day developing in Windows. I'll give the work around a shot in advance of your up coming patch and report my results here.

Truely fantastic support response. Color me very impressed.

Regards,

 

Thanks for the heads up. Unfortunately I can no longer test the workaround as I have completely removed PD7 and are processing a refund. Please do let us know when the fix is in. I will gladly purchase the upgrade then.

 

Just to let you know that I have the same problem here with Skype.

Regards,
Marcello

 

Happens in Lion VM as well

Hi, I also have the blank FaceTime HD issue in my Windows 7 VM so I figured I'd set up a Lion VM and use that instead. Unfortunately, the same issue affects my Lion VM. Not sure this is consistent with the memory slider explanation for Windows 7 above, but I guess it could be unrelated. Frustrating, though!

 

This issue is addressed in the latest Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac update. More info here: http://kb.parallels.com/en/112281

 

I can confirm this has not been fixed in About Parallels Desktop for Mac build 7.0.14922 released today September 14th 2011. And please... I understand why this forum is moderated. But can you try and allow my posts? I posted yesterday, September 13th about this issue in a constructive manner but I still don't see my post after being automatically told my post was going to be moderated. If that post would be allowed to be shown here, you would see my ticket number, my report id number, and my computer's specs.

 

Any update is the issue has been resolved?

I returned PD7 and reinstalled 6 because of this, and I am waiting to repurchase the upgrade if and when this is fixed, but would appreciate confirmation.

Thanks

 

Following up on this issue.

Has it been resolved?

 

Please click one of the Quick Reply icons in the posts above to activate Quick Reply.

 

I just had the latest release, Build 7.0.14924, and I am using a Macbook Air (2011), Lion OSX 10.7.1. the webcam shares fine as "Virtual USB video" and works fine.

 

Thanks for the info Raymond.

How much memory do you have assigned to your Windows VM? Is it over 2 GB?