Solution for Webcam error on macOS ?: "Cannot start capture: Missing Info.plist entry: "NSCameraUsageDescription"

Development Getting Started & Setup
1

Hi, I’ve searched high and low for this. Engine 5.3 on macOS Sonoma can see my external webcam. But when I select it while following this tutorial I get the error “Cannot start capture: Missing Info.plist entry: “NSCameraUsageDescription” (vidcap://EAB7A68F-EC2B-4487-AADF-D8A91C1CB782)” and then the engine crashes. Permission for Webcam does not appear in the usual place in macOS settings where other apps are listed that have been given the permission. I’d really like to get this tutorial working. Every app I’ve ever used has asked for permissions, I don’t know why Unreal can’t do it. Any help appreciated !

2

Did you try to add the required entry on the iOS section in the project settings ?

image
image3374×656 161 KB

3

Thanks. I had assumed that was for iOS seeing that I’m on the Mac. Inserting the text made no difference. However looking into this further I found …

“The latest versions of OSX require the request to access to the camera, so this plugin won’t work while in the editor. To be able to use the camera in the binary, you need to edit the .plist file in the packaged mac os build, and add some additional plist data. <key>NSCameraUsageDescription</key><string>Camera is used for AR functionality</string>”

https://ar.uplugins.com/getting-started/

Is this a Catch-22 ? It seems as if I’m supposed to add permissions to a built version of Unreal but I can’t even add the camera in my Blueprint to begin with, never mind get to actually building it :rofl:

Official 5.3 docs says …

“Media Framework supports audio/video capture hardware on Windows (WmfMedia) and Android (AndroidCamera) as of 4.18 (consoles however, are not yet supported).” Media Framework Technical Reference

But still seems to be the old text from version 4.18. Anyone know the official position for webcams on macOS ?

4

There are official “fixes” published in various places …

However I tried them and STILL get the same problem. Has anyone else tried these fixes ? Do you get the same result ?

5

I tried this again with the new Unreal Engine 5.4.

No more crash ! Hooray ! I guess that’s progress. However only the audio of the Webcam is available in the Media Player. The video menu has nothing in it.