Resolved Does the Facetime Camera require the dGPU?

[jimmyhii]

I was just wondering if the facetime camera requires the dGPU to be active since things like photobooth automatically cause switching to the dGPU? It would be a real turn-off if I couldn't use the facetime camera when trying to preserve my battery on integrated graphics only..

thanks in advance guys!

 

[JH4DC5]

facetime does trigger the dGPU. you can use something like gfxcardstatus to force the integrated GPU instead.

 

[BlaqkAudio]

Nothing requires the discrete GPU. However, when a program calls upon certain APIs, OS X automatically switches to discrete. If you use gfxCardStatus, you can force OS X to only use integrated.

 

[jimmyhii]

Nothing requires the discrete GPU. However, when a program calls upon certain APIs, OS X automatically switches to discrete. If you use gfxCardStatus, you can force OS X to only use integrated.

yes i'm aware of that. It's just a concern because a similar thing occurs with driving a display through the mDP. in the 15/17 inchers only the dGPU can drive the external screen. The integrated graphics simply isn't wired to drive the external displays, isn't it (i hope i got this right from reading the forums)?

I would just like to know if a similar set-up is true for the facetime camera. (ie. can I use the facetime camera while using the integrated graphics?)

 

[JH4DC5]

the integrated graphics have no problem running facetime (using gfxcardstatus to force integrated gpu). i run facetime off the integrated graphics all the time, unless i have an external monitor hooked up.

 

[jimmyhii]

the integrated graphics have no problem running facetime (using gfxcardstatus to force integrated gpu). i run facetime off the integrated graphics all the time, unless i have an external monitor hooked up.

Ok thanks! that's great

 

[dagamer34]

Nothing requires the discrete GPU. However, when a program calls upon certain APIs, OS X automatically switches to discrete. If you use gfxCardStatus, you can force OS X to only use integrated.

Running an external display requires the dGPU.