Smart Technologies Camfire User Manual

User’s Guide

Whiteboard Camera

TM

Camfire DCi

Registration Benefits

In the past, we’ve made new features available as free software upgrades.
Register your Camfire DCi system to be notified of free upgrades.

Keep the following information available in case you need to contact
Technical Support:

Serial Number

Date of Purchase

Register online at: www.smarttech.com/registration

FCC Warning

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a "Class A" digital device, pursuant to Part 15
of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the
equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful
interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.

Trademark Notice

Camfire, all SMART product logo types, the Camfire logo and the SMART logo are trademarks of SMART Technologies
Inc. Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or
other countries. Netscape and Netscape Communicator are registered trademarks of Netscape Communications
Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. All other third-party product and company names may be trademarks of
their respective owners.

U.S. Patent No. 5,528,290. Other U.S., Canadian and foreign patents pending.

Copyright Notice

© 2000–2003 SMART Technologies Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted,
transcribed, stored in a retrieval system or translated into any language in any form by any means without the prior
written consent of SMART. Information in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not represent a
commitment on the part of SMART.

Printed in Canada 09/2003

Important Information

Read this manual carefully before setting up and using the Camfire DCi system. With
proper care, your system should provide years of trouble-free service.

About This Guide

This guide explains how to use the Camfire DCi system with a camera boom and a control
unit. Refer to the Camfire DCi Installation Guide for installation instructions.

This guide doesn’t cover the Camfire PC system, which is a different product that consists of
a camera boom connected directly to a computer. That product is explained in the Camfire

PC Installation and User's Guide.

CAUTION

The camera boom for the Camfire DCi system contains precisely
calibrated camera units. Handle it with care. Do not open the camera
boom casing.

Other Warnings and Safety Precautions

For operating safety and to avoid damage to your Camfire DCi system, carefully read and
observe the following instructions.

1. Avoid installing the Camfire DCi system near radio transmitting devices. The
electromagnetic radiation created by these devices may reduce the quality of any images
you save using the Camfire DCi system.

2. Avoid setting up and using the Camfire DCi system in an area with excessive levels of
dust, humidity or cigarette smoke.

3. As you install the Camfire DCi system, make sure you tighten all of the security hex
screws. There are two security hex screws at the bottom corners of the control unit and
one in the camera boom base. These screws ensure the equipment can’t be accidentally
knocked free from the wall brackets. The screws also help prevent unauthorized
individuals from removing or taking the equipment.

4. Avoid exposing the Camfire DCi system to extreme heat or cold. The operating
temperature range for the Camfire DCi system is from 32°F to 104°F (0°C to 40°C) with
up to 90% humidity non-condensing. The shipping and storage range for the Camfire DCi
system is from -13°F to 140°F (-25°C to 60°C) with up to 95% humidity non-condensing.

5. Don’t block the vents at the top and bottom of the control unit. For the control unit to
maintain its operating temperature, these vents must remain exposed.

6. This product includes a three-wire grounded plug, which only fits into a grounding-type
power outlet. If you’re unable to insert the plug into the outlet, have an electrician replace
your outlet with a newer model. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the grounding-type
plug.

7. Carefully handle the power cable and avoid excessive bending. Route the cable so it’s
unlikely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against it. Do not modify the
power cable.

Camfire DCi User's Guide i

Cleaning the Control Unit

Apply a mild detergent cleanser to a soft cloth and wipe the surface clean. Never use
solvents or abrasive cleansers, as these may damage the surface of the control unit.

Cleaning the Camera Boom

Only clean the lens with a cloth designed specifically for that purpose. Lens-cleaning cloths
are available from most photography stores.

ii Camfire DCi User's Guide

Contents

Important Information .............................................................................................................. i

Camfire DCi Whiteboard Camera System ............................................................................. 1

Using the Camfire DCi System at a Control Unit.................................................................. 5

Adjusting the Camfire DCi System at a Control Unit......................................................... 13

Working with Whiteboard Notes on a Computer................................................................ 17

Customer Support ................................................................................................................. 24

Index .......................................................................................................................................25

About This Guide ................................................................................................................i

Other Warnings and Safety Precautions ............................................................................ i

Cleaning the Control Unit....................................................................................................ii

Cleaning the Camera Boom ...............................................................................................ii

Camera Boom.................................................................................................................... 1

Control Unit........................................................................................................................ 1

Stand-Alone Control Unit (Not Networked)........................................................................ 2

Networked Control Unit...................................................................................................... 3

Image-Saving Software for PCs ........................................................................................3

Image-Saving Software for Networks ................................................................................ 3

Internal Web Folders ......................................................................................................... 4

Creating a New Folder....................................................................................................... 6

Changing the Save Mode .................................................................................................. 6

Saving Whiteboard Notes.................................................................................................. 7

Activating/Deactivating the Statusboard Option at the Control Unit.................................. 8

Printing Whiteboard Notes............................................................................................... 10

Deleting Whiteboard Notes.............................................................................................. 10

Initiating Sleep Mode ....................................................................................................... 11

Reactivating the Camfire DCi System .............................................................................12

Adjusting Screen Brightness ........................................................................................... 13

Refining Image Alignment................................................................................................ 13

Using a Removable USB Storage Device ....................................................................... 17

Using Image-Saving Software for PCs ............................................................................ 17

Using Image-Saving Software for Networks.................................................................... 19

Using Internal Web Folders ............................................................................................. 21

Contacting SMART Technical Support............................................................................ 24

General Inquiries ............................................................................................................. 24

Warranty .......................................................................................................................... 24

Contents

Contents

Camfire DCi Whiteboard Camera System

The Camfire DCi system works with your existing whiteboard and markers, enabling you to
save the notes on your whiteboard as a high-resolution, color image. You can print this image
to a local or network printer. You can also save this image on a removable USB storage
device, personal computer, network server, or in a temporary Web folder.

The system consists of three parts: a fixed camera boom, a control unit and Image-Saving
Software. You can use Image-Saving Software for PCs to save the whiteboard images to a
personal computer, or you can order Image-Saving Software for Networks to save the
whiteboard images to a network server.

Camera Boom

Image-Saving Software
for PCs included for free.

Whiteboard

Computer within
Same Network
as Control Unit

Image-Saving Software
for Networks available
on request.

Control Unit

Camfire DCi System for Saving Whiteboard Notes

Camera Boom

You can mount the camera boom above any standard whiteboard. This boom includes two
digital cameras, each with fixed focus and auto exposure. The two cameras together can
capture the notes on a whiteboard as large as 4 ft. x 8 ft. (1.22 m x 2.44 m). Each camera
takes a color photograph of a portion of the whiteboard. Before your whiteboard notes are
saved, the Camfire DCi system stitches together the photographs taken by the two cameras
and enhances the image.

Control Unit

The control unit includes an embedded processor with software for enhancing the images of
your whiteboard notes. Whenever you save your notes, this software automatically corrects
the perspective, whitens the background, sharpens the writing and improves the color. The
control unit includes a small screen that displays easy-to-follow instructions and buttons that
you can use to configure the control unit, save your whiteboard notes and perform various
other functions.

Camfire DCi User's Guide 1

You can connect the control unit to a network or use it as a stand-alone device. Depending
on the configuration you choose, you have the option of saving your whiteboard notes to a
removable USB storage device, a personal computer running Image-Saving Software for
PCs, a network server running Image-Saving Software for Networks, or a temporary Web
folder. You can also print your whiteboard notes on a local or network printer.

If you like, you can use the Camfire DCi system with multiple whiteboards. One control unit
can work with as many as four camera booms. To do this, order additional camera booms as
the Camfire XC product (SMART order No. SCF-XC).

Bottom View of
Control Unit

Parallel Printer
Port

USB Port

Camera Boom
IEEE 1394 Port

Power
Socket

Network
Port

Serial Port
(Currently Not Used)

Control Unit Ports

Stand-Alone Control Unit (Not Networked)

You don’t need a network connection to use the Camfire DCi system, although we
recommend it. All you need is a camera boom and control unit, plus a removable USB
storage device or a printer. To save whiteboard notes to a USB storage device, simply insert
the device into the USB port on the control unit and begin saving images.

If you have the Windows® 98, 2000, ME or XP operating system, you can use the USB
storage device (SMART order No. SCF-USB16) that’s available from SMART Technologies.
You can also use a USB storage device from a different supplier. However, before you use a
third-party device, make sure it’s compatible with the Windows operating system on your
computer.

When you set up the control unit to save images on a removable USB storage device, a USB
icon appears in the status area of the screen.

2 Camfire DCi User's Guide

If you only need a paper copy of your whiteboard notes, attach a printer to the stand-alone
control unit and press the Print button.

Networked Control Unit

A control unit that’s connected to a network can do everything a stand-alone unit can do and
more, including the ability to:

• save your notes to a removable USB storage device

• save your notes to a personal computer running Image-Saving Software for PCs

• save your notes to a network server running Image-Saving Software for Networks

• temporarily store your notes in an internal Web folder on the control unit, so that you

can later save these notes using a Web browser on a computer

• print your notes to an attached printer

Image-Saving Software for PCs

The Camfire DCi system comes with Image-Saving Software for PCs, which you can use to
save your whiteboard notes on a personal computer that’s within the same network as your
control units. You can register as many as three control units to this computer, so this is the
easiest way to distribute whiteboard notes in an organization with fewer than three control
units.

NOTE: To use this software, your control unit must be connected to a network.

Image-Saving Software for PCs stores your whiteboard notes in folders named by the date
and time at which they were created and it generates an HTML index of the notes in each
folder. You can post this index to your intranet or simply open it using a Web browser, and
then you can view, copy and print whiteboard notes at your desk.

When the control unit is set up to save images on a personal computer (using Image-Saving
Software for PCs), a computer icon appears in the status area of the screen.

Image-Saving Software for Networks

Alternatively, you can order Image-Saving Software for Networks (SMART order No. SCF­1SSNT) to save your whiteboard notes on a network server. Image-Saving Software for
Networks is ideal if your organization has more than three control units. In order to use this
software, your control unit must be connected to a network.

Image-Saving Software for Networks stores your whiteboard notes in folders and generates
an HTML index of the notes in each folder. You can post this index on your intranet so others
can view, copy and print the notes.

Camfire DCi User's Guide 3

When the control unit is set up to save images on a network server (using Image-Saving
Software for Networks), the control unit displays a network icon.

This guide explains how to use whiteboard notes saved by Image-Saving Software for
Networks. For information about installing and configuring this software, refer to the Camfire
Image-Saving Software for Networks System Administrator’s Guide.

Internal Web Folders

The control unit has built-in flash memory. If you have a networked control unit, you can use
this flash memory to temporarily store your whiteboard notes in an internal Web folder. Once
they have been stored in a Web folder, remote users with access to the same network can
view your notes in a Web browser by opening the Web address displayed on the control unit
screen.

However, Web folders are temporary. To retain the notes in a Web folder, you must save
them on your hard drive or network using a Web browser.

When the control unit is set up to save images in an internal Web folder, the following icon
appears in the status area of the screen.

4 Camfire DCi User's Guide