Creative Video Blaster WebCam 3 User Manual

User’s Guide

Creative Video Blaster WebCam 3

Information in this document is sub ject to change w ithout notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Creati ve Technology Ltd. No part of this
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Copyright © 1998-2000 by Creative Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.
Version 2.0

May 20 0 0
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Creative

Version 2. 3, January 2 000

provides are accessible only to persons w ho ar e
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CONTRACTOR/MANUFACTURER

The Contractor/Manufacturer for the Software is:

Creative Technology Ltd

31, International Business Park
Creative Resource
Singapore 609921

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ADDENDUM TO THE MICROSOFT
SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT
(WINDOWS 95)

IMPORTANT: By using the Mi cr os oft software

files (the “Microsoft Software”) provided with this
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following terms. If you do not agree to be bound by
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The Microsoft Software is provided for the sole
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Microsoft Software files become part of the
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ORIGINAL PRODUCT. If yo u do not have a val id
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Microsof t Software is prohib ited.

SPECIAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO
THE EUROPEAN UNION

IF YOU ACQUIRED THE SOFTWARE IN THE
EUROPEAN UNION (EU), THE FOLLOWING
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IS ANY INCONSISTENCY BETWEEN THE
TERMS OF THE SOFTWARE LICENSE
AGREEMENT SET OUT EARLIER AND IN THE
FOLLOWING PROVISIONS, THE FOLLOWING
PROVISIONS SHALL TAKE PRECEDENCE.

DECOMPILATION

You agree not for any purpose to transmit the
Software or display the Software’s object code on
any computer screen or to make any hard copy
memory dumps of the Software’s object code. If you
believe you require informatio n relate d to the
interoperability of the Software with other
programs, you shall not decompile or disassemble
the Softw are to obtain such informat ion, and you
agree to request such information from Creative at
the address listed earlier. Upon receiving such a
request, Creative shall determine whether you
require such information f or a legitimate purpose
and, if so, Creative will provide such information to
you within a reasonable time and on reasonable
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LIMITED WARRANTY
EXCEPT AS STATED EARLIER IN THIS
AGREEMENT, AND AS PROVIDED UNDER
THE HEADING “STATUTORY RIGHTS”,
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED AS-IS
WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY
IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS
OF MERCHANTABILITY, QUALITY AND
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

LIMITATION OF REMEDY AND DAMAGES
THE LIMITATIONS OF REMEDIES AND
DAMAGES IN THE SOFTWARE LICENSE
AGREEMENT SHALL NOT APPLY TO
PERSONAL INJURY (INCLUDING DEA TH)
TO ANY PERSON CAUSED BY CREATIVE’S
NEGLIGENCE AND ARE SUBJECT TO THE
PROVISION SET OUT UNDER THE
HEADING “STATUTORY RIGHTS”.

STATUTORY RIGHTS

Irish law provides that certain conditions and
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of goods and in contracts for the supply of services.
Such condi tions a nd war ranties are hereby exc luded,
to the extent such exclus ion, in the context of this
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Accordingl y nothing in this Agreement s hall
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Sections 12, 13, 14 or 15 of the Ir ish Sale of Goods
Act 1893 (as amended).

GENERAL

This Agreement is governed by the laws of the
Republic of Ireland. The local language version of
this agreement shall apply to Software acquired in
the EU. This Agreement is the entire agreement

between us, and you agree that Creative wi ll not
have any liability for any untrue statement or
representation made by it, its agents or anyone else
(whether inno cently or negli gently ) upon whic h you
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fraudule ntly.

Safe ty In fo r mation

The following sections contain notices for

CAUTION: This device is intended to be installed
by the user in a CSA/TUV/UL cert ified/li s ted IBM
AT or comp a tib le pe rsona l com pute rs in the
manufacturer’s defi ned operator acces s area. Check
the equipment ope ra tin g/ in sta llatio n manua l and/ or
with the equipment manufacturer to verify/confirm
if your equi pment is suitable for user -installed
applicat ion cards.

Any chang e s or modifications not expr es s ly
approv ed by the gra ntee of th is de vice c ould vo id the
user’s authority to operate the devi ce.

various countries:

Modifications

Compliance

This product conf orms to th e following Counc il
Directive:

Directive 89/336/EEC, 92/31/EEC (EMC)

❑

Contents

Introduction

Before You Begin......... ... .. .. ..... ... .. .. ..... .. ... .. ..... .. ... .. ..... .. ... .. ..... .. .. ... .... ... .. ... .... ... .. .. ..... ... .. .........x

System Requi rements.................................................... .............. ............................. ....x

Document Conventions..................................... .............. ............... ............................ .xi

1 Installing Video Blaster WebCam 3

About WebCam 3........................................................................................ ......................... .1-2

Installin g Video Blaster WebCam 3..................... .............. .............. .............. ......................1-3

Installin g Software..................................................................... .............. .............. ............... 1-4

In Wind ows 98........ ............... ............................ .............. ............... .............. ............1-4

In Windows 2000................... .. .................................................................................1-6

2 Using Video Blaster WebCam Control

Starting WebCam Cont rol ....... .............. ............... .............. ............................ ............... .......2-1

Using WebCam Control............................ .............. ............................ ............... .............. ..... 2-2

T o set the view into focus................................................... ............................ ..........2-2

T o select the video capture device........................................ .............. ......................2-2

T o capture still i mages using the Snapshot button..................................................2-3

T o start the Help file in WebCam Control.................................. .............. ...............2-3

Optimizing WebCam 3................................................ .............. .............. .............................2-3

Setting fr ame rate....... .............. .............. ............................. .............. .............. ..........2-3

Choosing output size............................................................................. ...................2-4

Choosing color depth......................... ..................... ..................................................2-4

Improving vi deo quality ...........................................................................................2-5

Adjusting other system components................. ... ....................................................2-5

3 Video Blaster WebCam 3 Applications

Video Blaster WebCam Control............................................... .............. .............. ................3-1

Creative WebC am Monitor....... ............................. .............. .............. .............. .....................3-1

Creative WebC am PhotoEditor................................................................. ............... .............3-2

Microsoft NetMeeting................................................................. .............. ............................3-2

Microsoft I n ternet Explorer........................................... ............................ ............... .............3-2

A Technical Specifications

B Troubleshooting

Problem In stalling Software.............................. .............. ............................. .............. ..........B-1

Problems Using Video Blaster WebC am 3 ......................... .............. ............................. .....B-1

C Note on USB Compatibility

D Technical Support

If You Have a Problem................................................................... .............. .............. ..........D-2

Returning a product for repair ................................... .......... ......... ....... ............ ....... .D-4

Limited Warranty....... .............. .............. ............................. .............. .............. ......................D-5

Creative European Help Line

Introduction

Vi deo Blaster WebCam 3 is a 24-bit, 16.7-million-color digital video camera kit that gives you
everything you need to capture still images and full -color video. Not only that, it also allo ws
you to communicate face-to-face with others on the Internet!

Vide o Blaster WebCam 3 is bundled with the following software:
❑ Video Blaste r WebCam Control — a co mprehensive application that allows you to adjust

camera settings, an d to capture full-motion video and still ima ges .

❑ Creative WebCam Monitor — a user-friendly control panel that lets you take snapshots

automaticall y . Create an “inte lligent sp y cam” for hom e or off ice security, and use it i n timed
or motion detection mode.

❑ Creative WebCam PhotoEditor

images captured on your WebCam. From WebCam PhotoEditor’s generous store of
templates, you can also create cards, calendars, videos or slid e s hows with your images.
Then send your creations to friends and fam ily through e-mail.

❑ Microsoft

multi-user application sharing, Internet telephony and video conferencing.

❑ Microsoft Internet Explorer — a popular, full-servic e Internet browser.

®

NetMeeting

®

™

— a one-stop application for editing and enhancing

— a feature-rich voice communic ations system that offers you

ix

Before You Begin

The README file on the CD-ROM contains information not available at the time of printing.
Read the file before you continue. In addition, read the following:

❑ System Requirements
❑ Document Conventions

System Requirements

Minimum system requirements for the USB port version of Video Blaster WebCam 3:

❑ 200 MHz Pentium
❑ 16 MB RAM on motherboard
❑ 70 MB free hard disk space (for installation of all software titles)
❑ A vailable USB port or self-powered USB hub
❑ Microsoft Windows
❑ Display adapter that supports16-bit color at a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels
❑ CD-ROM drive installed
❑ Sound Blaster

(required for videoconferencing)

❑ Modem or LAN access to the Internet (required for videoconferencing)

For optimum performance:

❑ Display adapter that supports 16-bit color at a resolution of 800 x 600 pix els
❑ Sound Blaster 16 or higher, or other Windows-compatible sound card with full-duplex

support for sim ultaneous two-way conversations

®

or higher IBM® compatible PC

®

98 (Windows 95 is not supported)

®

or other Windows-compatible sound card and microphone

x

Document Conventions

The following typographi cal conve n t ions ar e u s ed throughout this document:

T able i: Document conventions

This Represents
bold Text that must be entered exactly as it appears.

italic

Title of a book or a placeholder, which represents the information you

must provide.
UPPERCASE Directory nam e, file name, or ac ro nym.
< > Symbols, letters , and key names on the key board.

This notepad icon indicates information tha t is of particular impor tance

and should be cons idered before continuing.

This alarm clock icon indicates that failure to adhere to directions may

result in loss of data or d amage to your system.

The warning sign indicates that failure to adhere to directions may result

in bodily harm or life-threatening situations .

xi

Installing Video Blaster WebCam 3

In order to proceed with the installation you need:

❑

The Video Blaster W ebCam3 USB Camera and USB cable

❑

The Video Blaster WebCam3 installati on CD

❑

Your Windows 98 CD

This chapter tells you how to quickly install WebCam 3 and the software that comes with it.

1

Installing Video Blast er WebCam 3 1-1

About WebCam 3

Figure 1-1 highlig hts the features of WebCam 3.

Snapshot button

After you have started WebCam Control,
you can press this button to capture a still image.

LED light

This button lights up in
green when WebCam is
switched on.

Focus ring

To adjust the view focus, point the lens
toward your subject and then rotate this
ring in a clockwise or counterclockwise
motion until the image is in focus.

USB cable

USB connector

Figure 1-1: The WebCam 3 (USB model).

1-2 Installing Video Blaster WebCam 3

Installing Video Blaster WebCam 3

• You can safely install the
WebCam with your computer
turned on.

• The USB port(s) on your
computer may be found on
the front panel instead of the
back panel.

• You can daisy-chain the
WebCam through another
USB device or attach the
WebCam to a self-power ed
USB hub.

• If you have a microphone,
connect it to yo ur audio car d.
Most audio cards have an
external microphone
connector.

• Read your audio card’s
documentat ion for more
information about using a
microphone and adjusting
volume.

1. Position your computer so that its USB ports can be easily acce ssed.

2. Connect the WebCam’s USB cable to an available USB port on your computer.

3. Place the WebCam on top of your computer monitor or another flat surface .

USB port

Figure 1-2: Connecting the WebCam 3 (USB model) to your computer.

Installing Video Blast er WebCam 3 1-3

Installing Software

Use the installation procedures for your operating system.
For users of Windows 98, see “In Windows 98” in the section that follows.

For users of Windows 2000, see “In Windows 2000” on page 1-6.

In Windows 98

1. After connec ting Video Blaster WebCam 3
to your computer, turn on the system .

2. When the Add New Hardware Wizard
dialog box appears, click the Next button.
The dialog box in Figure 1-3 appears.

Figu r e 1- 3: The Add New Ha rdware Wizard dialog box.

3. Click the Search for the b est driver for
your device (Recommended) option and

then click the Ne xt button. The dialog box
in Figure 1-4 appears.

Figure 1-4: The Specify a location check bo x .

1-4 Installing Video Blaster WebCam 3

4. Insert the Video Blaste r WebCam CD into your CD-ROM drive.

Note: If the setup program runs automatically, exit from the program.

5. In the dialog box, sele ct the Specify a location check box and type D:\DRIVERS

(where D: repre sents your CD-ROM drive) in the box provided.

6. C l ick the Next butt o n.

7. C l ick the Next butto n ag ai n .

i. If you are prom pted to insert the Window s 98 CD, proceed to step 7ii.

Otherwise, skip to step 8.
ii. In the CD-ROM drive, replace the
iii. In the
iv. In the

v. Click the OK button again.

Insert Disk
Copying Files

Locate and select the

Click the OK button .

dialog box, click the OK button.

dialog box, click the

Win98

Video Blaster WebCam CD

Browse

button.

folder within the Windows 98 CD.

with the Windows 98 CD.

8. When the dri vers are installed, click the Finish button.

9. Proceed to install the applications for WebCam 3.
In the CD-RO M drive, insert the Video Blaster WebCam CD.
You may have to remov e the Windows 98 CD first.
The setup program runs automatically and a dialog box listing the available applications
appears.

10.Select V id eo Blaster WebCam Contr ol and the other applications you want to install. Do
not, however, select Internet Exp l o rer (I E ) 5.0 .
A check mark indicates that an application is selected.
Note: If you want to install IE 5. 0, do the following

Step 11 is co mplete d: run

after

D:\CTRUN \CTRUN.EXE and select only the IE 5.0 application.

11.Follow the instructions on the sc r een to complete the install ation.
You may be asked, after an application is installed, if you want to restart your computer.
Select No until all the drivers and applications you selected are installed.
Then restart your computer.

Installing Video Blast er WebCam 3 1-5

Verifying the installation
in Windows 98

1. Right-cli ck the My Computer icon on your desktop.

2. On the menu that appears, click Properties.

3. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Device Mana ger tab.

4. Click the plus (+) sig n next to the Imaging Device icon.
The entry “Video Blaster WebCam 3 USB (WDM)” should appear.

In Windows 2000

1-6 Installing Video Blaster WebCam 3

1. After connec ting Video Blaster WebCam 3
to your computer, turn on the system .
Windows 2000 automatically detects the
camera.

2. When t h e Found New Hardware W iz ard
dialog box appears, click the Next button.
The dialog box in Figure 1-5 appears.

Figure 1-5: The Found New Hardware Wizard

dialog box.

3. Select the Search for a suitable driver for

Figure 1-6: The

Specify a locat ion

check bo x .

Figure 1-7: The

Digital Signature Not Found

dialog box.

my device (recommended) option, and then
click the Next button. The dialog box in
Figure 1-6 appears.

4. Insert the Video Blaster WebCam CD into
your CD-ROM drive.

5. In the dialog box, sele ct the Specify a
location check box, and then clic k the Nex t
button. A dialog box prompts you for the
location of the Windows 2000 drivers .

6. C l ick the Browse button. Locate and select
D:\DRIVERS (where D: represents your
CD-ROM dr ive) an d th en click th e Open
button.

7. C l ick the OK button. A dialog box showing
the resu l ts o f th e dr ivers fil e search app ear s.
Clic k the Next button. The Digital
Signature Not Found dialog box
(Figure 1-7) appears.

8. Ignore the message an d click the Yes button.

i. If you are pr om pted to overwrite some files,

click the

ii. If you are pr om pted to insert the Windows

2000 CD, repla ce the

WebCam CD

Windows 2000 CD. Then follow the
instruc tions on the screen.

No

button. Then proceed to Step 9.

Vi deo Blaster

in the CD-ROM drive with the

Installing Video Blast er WebCam 3 1-7

9. When the dri vers are installed, click the Finish button.

10.Proceed to install the applications for WebCam 3.
In the CD-ROM drive, insert the Video Blaster WebCam CD.
You may have to remove the Windows 2000 CD first.
The setup program runs automatically and a dialog box listing the available ap plications
appears.

11.Select Video Blaster WebCam Control and the other applications you wa nt to install. Do
not, however, select Internet Ex pl o re r (I E ) 5.0 .
A check mark indicates that an application is selected.

Note: If you want to install IE 5. 0, do the follow ing
D:\CTRUN\CTRUN. EXE and select only the IE 5.0 app lication.

12.Follow the instructions on the sc r een to complete the install ation.
You may be asked, after an application is installed, if you want to restart your computer.
Select No until all the drivers and applications you selected are installed.
Then restart your computer.

Step 12 is completed: run

after

Verifying the installation
in Windows 2000

1-8 Installing Video Blaster WebCam 3

1. Right-cli ck the My Computer icon on your desktop.

2. On the menu that appears, click Properties.

3. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Hardware tabbed page.

4. Click the Device Manager button. A window appears.

5. Click the plus (+) sig n next to the Imaging Device ic on.
The entry “Video Blaster WebCam 3 USB (WDM)” should appear.

Using Video Blaster WebCam Control

This chapter tells you how to quickly set up and begin using Video Blaster W ebCam Control,
the main application you will use with your WebCam 3.

For det ailed information about the application’s features and settings, refer to its Help file (see
“To start the Help file in WebCam Control” on page 2-3).

2

Starting WebCam Control

If V ideo Blaster WebCam
Control does not recognize the
camera correctly, see
Appendix B, “Troubleshooting”.

To start WebCam Control

Click Start -> Program s -> Creative -> Video Blaster WebCam -> We bCam Control .

When you start WebCam Control for the first time, the Insert Disk dialog box may appe ar,
prompting you for the Windows 98 CD-ROM. If this happens , do the following:

1. Insert the W indows 98 CD-ROM into the CD-ROM dri ve.

2. In the Insert Disk dialog box, locate and select the Win98 folder. Click the OK button.

3. C l ick the OK button again.

The required drivers are copied to your system.

Using Video Blaster WebCam Control 2-1

Using WebCam Control

When you open WebCam Control, you immediatel y see the Video Blaster WebCam Control
video window (s ee Figure 2-1), which gi v es you a pre vie w of the image s that you a re capt uring .

To set the view into focus

To select the video capture device

• The content s in the

Format

and
panel depen d on the video
capture device you select.

• The WDM driv er gives better
performance in terms of frame
rate and is the recom mended
choice.

• The VFW driv e r is compat ib le
with software that only
supports Video For Windows.

Source

icons on the top

1. Point the lens toward your subject (for example, yourself, seated in front of your monitor).

2. Rotate the ring around the lens in a clockwise or counterclockwise mot ion until the view is
in focus.

1. On the top panel of WebCam Control,
click the Settings icon. The Settings
dialog box appears.

2. Click the General tabbed page.

3. In the Video capture devic e list box,
select th e camera y o u w ant to use as the
capture device.

4. Click the OK button.

Figure 2-1: The Video Blas ter WebCam Control screen.

2-2 Using Video Blaster WebCam Control

To capture still images

Figure 2-2: The

Stream Format

tabbe d page.

using the Snapshot
button

1. Set the WebCam 3 view into focus.

2. Press the Snapshot button (see Figure 1-1 on page 1-2). WebCam Control captures the

image, adds it to th e album, and assigns it a file name .

To start the Help file in WebCam Control

Optimizing WebCam 3

Setting frame rate

This option does not apply if
your vide o capture device is
VFW.

1. Click the Creative logo at the top-left corner above WebCam Control’s top pa nel.

2. On the WebCam Control me nu, click Help.

You can change the propertie s in WebCam Control to achi ev e optimum perform ance from your
WebCam 3 f or d iff e r ent pur p oses. The foll ow i ng sect ions de s cr ibe how to do thi s .

The Frame Rate option box is in Format ->
Stream Format (see Figure 2-2). Select a
higher frame rate for a superior preview
quality.

This option refers to the
the rate at which your WebCam 3 streams
video frames to WebCam Control. This frame
rate affects the preview quality in the WebCam
Control scre en.

This option is different from the
frame rate in Settings —> General, whic h
refers to the rate at which vi deo fra mes are
recorded.

hardware

frame rate,

software

Using Video Blaster WebCam Control 2-3

The maximum leve l for both the preview and recording frame rates is determined by the

hardware

The default frame rate value is 30 frames per second.

frame rate. A higher frame r ate requires more intens ive CPU utilization.

Choosing output size

Choosing color depth

If you are using WDM, see the Output Size option box in Format -> Stream Format.
If you are using VFW, see the Resolution option box in Format -> Stream Settings.

For

recording live video

352 x 288. These lower resolutions will give you a higher frame rate.
For

capturing still images

640 x 480 pixels in size.
Note that while large images produce better images, they require more disk space. Large images

also slow down the frame rate, and increase your transfer upload or download time on the
Internet.

If you are using WDM, see the Color Spa ce /C o mpressio n option box in Format

-> Stream Format.

If you are using VFW, see the Pixel Depth (bits) and Compression option box in Format

-> Stream Settings.

You have three color depth options:

❑ RGB 24, which is 24-bit RGB (16.7 million colors)
❑ RGB 555, which is 16-bit RGB (65K colors)
❑ I420, which is Intel Raw YUV (raw input).

Select I420 mode for the best frame rate.

, select one of these res olutions: 160 x 120, 176 x 144, 320 x 240, or

, select larg er resolutions. WebCam 3 can capture images of up to

2-4 Using Video Blaster WebCam Control

Improving video quality

If you choose to use a video compressor, you will have the opt ion of adjusting the video
quality.

Bear in mind, howe ver, that better video quality means a lower frame rate, and a higher frame
rate means poorer video quality.

For still images, opt for better vide o quality. For video recordings and vide oconferencing,
select a higher frame rate.

Adjusting other system components

The following will also help you to optimize the performance of your WebCam 3:

❑ Close all unnecessary applications.
❑ Before recording a video to an AVI file with Video Blaster WebCam Control, use the

Windows Disk Defragmenter application to defragment your hard disk drive.

❑ If your WebCam 3 is daisy-chained with another USB device to the USB port or if it shares

a USB hub with other devices, make sure that none of the other devices is active when you
are capturing video. The total bandwidth of the USB port on your PC is sha red by all the
active USB devices, and operating WebCam 3 along with another USB device on the same
port can lower the maximum possible frame rate.

Using Video Blaster WebCam Control 2-5

Video Blaster WebCam 3 Applications

The Video Blaster WebCam 3 application CD includes the following:

❑ Video Blaster WebCam Control
❑ Crea tive WebCa m Monito r
❑ Creative WebCam PhotoEditor
❑ Microsoft NetMeeting
❑ Microsoft Internet Explorer.

3

Video Blaster WebCam Control

Creative WebCam Monitor

This simple but powerful system application lets you take control of your camera with a click
of the taskbar icon. Instantly capture still images or video clips for exporting to other programs
or transporting through e-mail. You can adjust resolution and im age quality, and even maintain
a database of still images and video clips.

If you are thinki ng of g oing “li v e” on t he Inte rnet, Cre ati v e WebCam Monitor is t he appl icati on
to look at. Just point your camera at your subject and pic k a time interval. WebCam Monitor
does the rest , incl uding upl oad ing the snapshot s to the I nte rnet. WebCam Monitor also act s as a
motion-detecti ng security s ystem which autom atically e-m ails you when some body comes near
your PC while you are not present.

Video Blaster W e bC am 3 Applications 3-1

Creative WebCam PhotoEditor

Creativ e W ebCam PhotoEditor is an image editing and e nhancing applicat ion that compleme nts
your WebCam. Its many nifty features inc lude a suite of special effects tools and a set of
designer- look templates, useful for creat ing im pressive personal greetings and presentations.

Creative WebCam PhotoEditor comes with its o wn online Help file.

Microsoft NetMeeting

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Microsoft NetMeeting is a voice communications client tha t includes support for internatio nal
conferencing standards. It also provides true multi-user application sharing and dat a
conferencing capabilities.

With its one -way or two-w ay vi deoconfere ncing fea tures, your friends can see you eve n if the y
do not have a camer a. Audio -onl y con v e rsati ons and te x t chat s are also su pported. Two or more
users can collaborate on a document, doodle on a whiteboard, or e ven share any Windows
appli cation in re al - tim e over th e I nt e rn e t o r on a co r p o ra t e in tranet.

Microsoft Internet Explorer is an Internet browser that features ActiveX technology, so web
page s can combin e in teractive ActiveX Co nt r o ls, Java applets, and m ore, to crea te intera ct ive
content. Acti v eMovi e t echnol ogy all o ws you t o vi ew m ultim edia cont ent on the we b, inc ludi ng
MPEG audio and video.

3-2 Video Blaster WebCam 3 Applications

Technical Specifications

A

Construction

Camera housing

Power

Sensor

Resolution
(for both Video mode
and Still mode)

Sensitivity

Video formats

Exposure control

USB Port version: Remote camera head with a USB cable
Base and flip-top lens housing with manual vertical tilt of 90 degrees
From a USB port or self-powered USB hub (powered by an external power source)
CMOS image sensor

❑ 640 x 480
❑ 352 x 288
❑ 320 x 240
❑ 176 x 144
❑ 160 x 120

6 lux

❑ 24- and 16-bit RG B
❑ 4:2:0 YUV Planar

Automatic (optional manual control with softw are)

Technical Specifications A-1

Color balance

Automatic (optional manual control with softw are)

Color matrix

Field-of-view

Depth-of-field

Port compatibility

Software compatibility

Preset and integral to camera
62 degrees (horizontal)
75 millimeter s to infinity
USB Port version: Universal Serial Bus port
USB Port version: TWAIN, Video for W indo ws , Dire ctSh ow, and Still Image driver that run in

Windows 98 and Windows 2000.

A-2 Technical Specifications

Troubleshooting

B

Problem Installing Software

Problems Using Video Blaster WebCam 3

The setup program for Video Blaster WebCam 3 does not run automatically after you insert the
installation CD into the drive.

Cause The AutoPlay feature in your Windows system may not be enabled .
Solution To install the soft ware from the CD:

1. Leave the ins tallation CD in the CD-ROM drive.

2. Click Start -> Run.

3. In the Run dialog box, click D:\WCCTRL\SETUP.EXE

4. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation.

There is no USB port available to connect the USB cable.

Solution Do one of the following:

❑ Unplug the device curr ently connected.
❑ Add a sel f - powe r ed USB h ub.
❑ Add a PCI USB card.

An application reports that the video driver is already in use, or that the camera cannot be found.

Solution Do the fo llowing :

Troubleshooting B-1

❑ The camera module is not pr operly connected. To resolve this problem,

ensure that the camera’s USB connector is inserted, and that the USB
connector is ena bled in the BIOS. Refer to your PC’s document ation for
information on the BIOS.

❑ Reinstall the video capture drivers and reb oot.

The image is too bright.

Cause The amount of light entering the camera has exceeded the exposure control limit.

There may be a very bright object in the camera’s view.

Solution Av oid poin tin g the c amer a at very b righ t ob jects (for e xam ple, sunli ght , ligh ts, or

highly reflective surfaces).

Insufficient system resources reserved for the USB port, causing the system to be unable to function.

Cause There are too many devices in the sys tem, causing IRQ problems with the

system’s USB contro ller.

Solution Do th e follow in g :

1. Remove some devices from the system.

2. Restart the system.
The syst em w il l aut o maticall y re ar r an g e th e res ou r c es .

B-2 Troubleshooting

Note on USB Compatibility

In our testing on a wide variety of PC motherboards with integrated Univ ers al Serial Bus
(USB) ports, we have encountere d a small numbe r of motherb oards with USB ports that do not
meet the USB specification exactly. Unfortunately, the Video Blaster WebCam 3
operate correctly with th ese systems.

When you run the setup program from the Video Blaster WebCam 3 installation CD, the setup
program autom atically checks your motherboard model and revision. If your motherboard is
among those that have failed our test procedure, th e setup program will display a warning
message. However, due to the numerous brands of motherboards in the market, our test
procedure is not ex haustive. So, there may be s ome non-US B-compliant motherboards that
will not trigger the display of the warning message.

So far, for s ome of the non-US B-compli ant mot herboa rds that we ha ve test ed, the motherboard
manufactur ers have released new versions of motherboards or BIOS to address the problem.

C

not

may

Note on USB Compatibility C-1

If the setup program warn s you that your motherboar d’s USB port is incompatible, or if the
camera does not work on your system and you s us pect that the problem may be related to your
PC’s USB port, the following is a list of available options:

1. Contact your PC vendor.
Your PC vendor may be able to upgrade your motherboard or its BIOS to a ne wer version
that addres ses USB incompatibilities.

2. Use a PCI host adapter which provides USB connectors.
If you are not able to upgrade your motherboard or its BIOS, we recommend this approa ch.

3. Attach the Video Blaster WebCam 3 to a powered USB hub.
Some USB devic es (suc h as monit ors) a lso ope rate a s po wered USB h ubs ; you ca n als o buy
dedicated powered USB hubs which are to be attached to your PC’s USB port. However, in
some cases, attaching a powered USB hub to a non- USB -com pliant USB motherboard
connector will not sol ve the problem.

To look for a USB compatib le product, you can visi t the product search page at the official
USB Web site: http://www.usb.org/app/search/products.

C-2 Note on USB Compatibility

Technical Support

W e are committed to giving you the be st product as well as the best technical support.

For fast and efficient Technical Support solutions, please use the Creative
Web Support services in the first instance. If your Creative product was
pre-installed in your computer , your primary source of technical support is
the Personal Compute r supp lie r who provided the system.

D

Before contacting “European
Help Line”, please ensure that
you have read the
‘Troubleshooting’ Appendix.
The Creative web site at
www.creative.com
access to the latest drivers and
troubleshooting tips.

gives you

The European support area on our web site at
updated and contains the following:

FAQ:

Solve Your Own Problem:

Download Drivers:
Library:

Access the la test information on Creative
products with advice on how to r esolve
commonly asked questions

Enter keywords to s earc h the comp re h en sive
library of product and technic a l information

Quick access to the latest Creative drivers
Find the documents for a wide range of

Creative products

www.creative.com

is continuously

T echnical Support D-1

Email Your Problem: Complete the tec hnical support web form

and submit for a response

T elephone Support: European Telephone Support contact details.

See a lso European Helpline section in manua l

for contact details.

If You Have a Problem

D-2 T echnical Support

Please retain a ll c ontents includi ng pa ckaging a nd pro of of purcha se unti l you are full y
satisfied with pr oduct.

If you have a prob lem installing or using your Creative product, please use the Creative
W eb Support and/or Telephone Support services for assistance. Note the follo wing
information for referen ce should you require technical assi stance:

❑

The model and serial number of your Creative product

❑

Error information on the screen and how it came about

❑

Information on the adapter cards which may be causing a conflict

❑

Hardware configuration information such as the base I/O address,
IRQ line, DMA channels used

❑

Motherboard information: BIOS manufa cturer/vers i on and chipset manufacturer

❑

T ype and versi on of your operating sy stem, e.g., DOS 6.0, Windo ws 3.1x, Windo ws
95, Windows 98 or Windows NT

If, after using the Creative support services, you believe your Creative product to be
defectiv e, you should verif y the purch ase dat e and the take the appropriate action as
detailed below:

Less than 30 days since
date of purchase

Should your store re ceipt indicate that the produc t is less th an 30 days old, you ha ve t he
option of returning the full product to the dealer/retaile r for a replacement or credit. The
30-day time period may not apply in all instances, so please check the seller’s
replacement/cred it terms.

More than 30 days since
date of purchase

Contact European Technical Support to clarify the nature of the problem and to obtain
details of our re pair returns procedure. Crea tive Labs requir es that all re turns for repair /
replacement must first be issued with an authorisation number.

T echnical Support D-3

Returning a product for repair

❑

Contact Technical Support to receive your auth orisation number for
repair/replacement of product.

❑

T echnical Support will communic ate how to return the product in question for
repair/replacement.

❑

You should only return the hardware item in question and return it to the address
detailed by Technical Support. Please retain all software, accessories and the
original packaging.

❑

Please quote the authorisation number clearly on the outside of the packaging
in which you return the hardware item in question.

❑

Upon receipt of the fa ulty item, Creati ve La bs will process you r request and arr ange
a return or replacement.

Creative may replace or repair the product with new or re-conditioned parts, and the
faulty parts will become the pr operty of Creative. The warranty period fo r your
repaired/repla cement ite m is 90 days from the dat e of shipment f rom Creati v e, o r what
is left on the original item’s warranty , whichev er is longer.

T o avoid tariffs when shipping a product to Creative Labs from outside the E.U., you must
complete the relevant customs documentation before shipping the product (please allow
30 days).

D-4 T echnical Support

Limited Warranty

Creative Labs (Ireland) Limited (“Creative”) warrants to you, the original purchaser
only , that the hardware product will be free of defects in materials and workm an ship
for a period of two years after the date of purchase, or such other period as may be
expressly specified by Creative or required by applicable law (“Warranty Per iod ”) .

Creative’s entire liability and your remedy will be, at Creative’s sole discretion, the
repair or replacement (with the same or simil ar model) of any hardware or
accompanying item(s ) not meeting the “Limited Warranty” explained above that is
returned to Crea tive’s au thorised distributor or de aler during the Warranty Period with
a copy of your receipt.

What this warranty does

not cover

This warranty gives you specific
legal rights. You may have other
rights which vary from country to
country. Certain limitations in this
warranty are not permitted by the
jurisdiction of some countries, so
some limitations here may not
apply to you.

T o the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Creative disclaims all other
warranties and conditions, expressed or implied, including the condition s of quality,
merchantability or f itness for a particular purpose with respect to the use of this
product. Creative also disclaims any obligation to support products for all operating
envir onments - for example, by ensuring interoperability with future versions of
software or ha rdware. In no event shall Creative or its licensor s be liable for a ny
indirect, incide ntal, s pecial or conseque ntial lo ss or fo r any lost prof it s, sa vings or data
arising from or relating to the use of this product, even if Creative or its licensors ha ve
been advised of the possibilit y of such loss.

Specifical ly, this warranty does not cover failures of the product which result from
accident, abuse, misuse, alterations (by persons other tha n Creative or its authorized
repair agents), moisture, corrosive environments, shipping, high voltage surges, or
abnormal working c onditions . Thi s w arranty doe s not c o ver nor mal wear and te ar. You
are specifica lly advised to take a backup copy of any software provided with the
Creative product for security purposes.

T echnical Support D-5

Creative European Help Line

CREA TIVE LABS (IRELAND) L TD.,

Technical Support Department,
Ballycoolin Bu sin ess P ark , Bl anchar dstown,
Dublin 15, Ire land .

Fax: [phone]
United Kingdom

Tel [phone]

Germany

Tel [phone]

Ireland

Tel [phone]

France

Tel [phone]

Spain

Tel [phone]

Italy

Tel [phone]

Austria

Tel [phone]

Belgium

Tel [phone]

Denmark

Tel [phone]

Finland

Tel [phone]

Norway

Tel [phone]

Sweden

Tel [phone]

Holland

Tel [phone]

Switzerland

Tel [phone]

Portugal

Tel [phone]

Czech Republic

Tel [phone]

Poland

Freephone 00 800 353 1229

Hungary

Freephone 06 800 1222

Russia

Tel [phone]

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EUROPE

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