Logitech Quickcam VC

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Last Updated: 11/10/1998

Logitech® QuickCam VC - Windows FAQs · General · Error Messages · USB · Parallel

GENERAL FAQs

What's different between Color QuickCam 2 and QuickCam VC? · What's New? · What does the "VC" stand for? · Is QuickCam VC a Color or Black and White camera? · Will QuickCam VC work on my Macintosh? · Are there international versions of QuickCam VC available? · What is Plug 'n Play? · Can I use a QuickCam VC with another video device (another camera, TV tuner, video · capture card, etc.)?

Q: What's different between Color QuickCam 2 and QuickCam VC?

A: QuickCam 2 - Sensor Color Charged Coupled Device (CCD) array for better color reproduction in up to 24-bit (millions) color; images at up to 640x480 CIF (Common Interface Format) sized (352x288 pixels)

QuickCam VC - CCD optimized for videoconferencing (faster frame rate) Lens 6.0 mm; maximum speed is f/1.743.6 mm; maximum speed is f/2.0 Field of view 46 degrees

Q: What's New?

A: Hardware: New image sensor (CCD) CIF (Common Interface Format) sized resolution (352x288 pixels) allows for full videoconferencing size image. Choice of interface, Parallel or USB (Universal Serial Bus) versions available.

Software: QuickCam software v 3.x QuickPict and QuickMovie have been combined into one single-screen, integrated interface. This lets you capture movies and still images using one application, one interface.

Microsoft NetMeeting 2.0 For standard (H.323) Internet videoconferencing.

Integrated e-mail option: E-mail video messages or still photo's over any MAPI-compliant e-mail system such as Microsoft

1 Outlook Express or Eudora with built-in messaging features. Lets you create still images and self-playing video clips with two clicks of the mouse. Automatically compresses and e-mails video messages. Self-playing e-mail video clips. No additional software or hardware needed. Video mail clips can be sent to practically any Windows user (MAPI compliant) for immediate playback.

TWAIN driver: Add images easily to applications that support TWAIN acquire (such as Photoshop, PaintShop Pro).

Image editor: Includes an image editor to make pictures perfect.

Snapshot option: Supports multiple and timed snapshots. Automatically updates still images for web sites.

Q: What does the "VC" stand for?

A: We call the camera QuickCam VC because it is optimized for Video Conferencing. But the camera can also be used more broadly in a variety of "Visual Communication" environments.

Q: Is QuickCam VC a Color or Black and White camera?

A: The QuickCam VC is strictly color - up to millions of color.

Q: Will QuickCam VC work on my Macintosh?

A: Yes, the USB version will. The USB version will work on any Macintosh with a USB port and O/S system 8.1 or higher. There is no difference in the hardware, so you can use the same camera on the PC, then move it over to a Macintosh

Q: Are there international versions of QuickCam VC available?

A: Yes, QuickCam VC is available in French, German, Japanese, Spanish and Portuguese.

Localized Software versions include Microsoft's NetMeeting videoconference software.

Q: What is Plug 'n Play?

A: Plug 'n Play (PnP) is an integral feature of Windows 95. It lets you attach a PnP compliant device to your computer, and have the computer recognize what the device is and attempt to install it, automatically. There are many factors that can affect PnP, including a BIOS which does not properly support PnP, a registry entry which has been corrupted, or a device which does not properly communicate with the computer. QuickCam VC takes advantage of Plug 'n Play to make it easier for you to install the camera and its software.

Q: Can I use a QuickCam VC with another video device (another camera, TV tuner, video capture card, etc.)?

A: Windows 95 is not capable of recognizing more than one active Video Capture Device at a time. If you have another QuickCam, TV tuner card, Video Capture Card or another capture device such as a USB video input installed in your computer, you will need to disable it before the QuickCam VC will work. To do this, open the "Start" menu, and select "Settings." Go to "Control Panel", and select "Multimedia". Select the "Advanced" tab, then select "Video Capture Device" and choose "Do not use features on this device". When you want to use the other device, simply reactivate it and disable the QuickCam VC.

ERROR MESSAGES · I'm getting the error, "QuickCam VC not found; driver may be in use by another device". · I'm Getting the error, "Port not set to ECP". · I'm getting, "Error–115" when installing.

2 · I'm getting, "BT-848 Error" · I'm getting an error message about VMM32.vxd corruption. · I'm getting an error message about I/O Subsystem Corruption.

Q: I'm getting the error, "QuickCam VC not found; driver may be in use by another device".

A: This is a general error message with over a dozen possible causes. However, we've determined that the following are the four most common causes: 1) Insecure connections Check the QuickCam VC plugs to make sure that they are seated securely in their respective sockets. 2) Driver not installed If you haven't already, download and install the latest version of the QuickCam VC driver. 3) Conflicts with other devices or software Check the other FAQs to see if your hardware or software is listed. Otherwise, please refer to the Troubleshooting Guide. 4) USB may not be active or properly configured Check the Troubleshooting Guide for way to check the USB port.

Q: I'm Getting the error, "Port not set to ECP".

A: If your parallel port is not set to ECP, it will need to be configured in your BIOS. Since the BIOS is the basic programming that tells your computer what hardware configuration you have, any improper changes can have catastrophic effects. If you are not familiar with your BIOS, you should speak to your computer manufacturer about how to change the BIOS. There is a possibility that your computer's parallel port cannot be configured to ECP. You will be able to use your QuickCam VC, but it will not perform optimally. If you are comfortable in doing so, and have the available system resources, adding an additional parallel port that has ECP capabilities is relatively inexpensive (usually less than $30). This will give you the ability to get full functionality from your QuickCam VC. If you purchase a parallel port card, make sure that the card is properly configured for ECP mode; see the user's manual or contact the card's manufacturer for details on how to determine this.

Q: I'm getting, "Error–115" when installing.

A: To resolve this error try the following steps: 1) Press the CTRL, ALT, and DEL key simultaneously and try to end task on everything but Explorer. Then attempt the installation again through the "Add/Remove Programs" Control Panel (go to the "Start" menu, choose "Settings", select "Control Panel", and double-click the "Add/Remove Programs" icon). 2) Delete your "Temp" folder, then reboot. Upon restarting, try the installation again using Add/Remove Programs. 3) Copy the contents of the CD-ROM onto a folder on your Hard Drive, then install from there.

Q: I'm getting, "BT-848 Error"

A: The BT-848 error can occur when your system has previously had a Brooktree or Hauphagge Video capture card installed into your System and it was not completely uninstalled. This error can also occur on systems that have been configured to accept a TV Tuner Card, but where a tuner card was not installed. We've noted this most often with the Toshiba Infinia line of computers. To uninstall the card completely, you will need to edit out certain registry entries. If you are not familiar with your registry, you should seek out someone who has been into the registry and is comfortable with making changes within it.

WARNING: The Registry is a key component of Windows 95, that gives critical information about how your system should work. ANY improper changes to the Registry can have serious or even catastrophic, effects on your computer. It is vital that you not make any modification unless you are certain of what you are doing.

Q: I'm getting an error message about VMM32.vxd corruption.

3 A: This error should not occur if you have installed the QuickCam VC version 1.1 or later. After installing the USB supplement, it is possible that your VMM32.vxd file may become corrupted. This is due to a low level issue in Windows 95, as explained in the following article from Microsoft's TechNet:

======The following is Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1997 ======Article Q167889 The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release version 2.1 Symptoms: When you set up OEM Service Release version 2.1 (OSr2.1) over OEM Service Release 2 (OSr2) and restart your computer, you may receive an error message stating that the Vmm32.vxd file is missing or damaged, or you may not be able to boot Windows. Cause: These errors can occur if either of the following conditions exists: - The Vmm32.vxd file was not rebuilt properly or was damaged, resulting in an error message stating that "Vmm32.vxd is missing or corrupt." - The addition of Universal Serial Bus (USB) support is causing a conflict with the system and Windows 95 is unable to boot normally. Resolution: To resolve this issue, use the appropriate method according to the error message you receive, either: * Vmm32.vxd Missing or Damaged, or * Windows 95 Cannot Boot Because of a Conflict Vmm32.vxd Missing or Damaged If you receive an error message stating that the Vmm32.vxd file is missing or damaged, the rebuilding of the Vmm32.vxd file was unsuccessful, preventing Windows from booting properly and processing the RunOnce section of the registry. You must uninstall OSr2.1 using the OSr2.1 real-mode uninstall tool (Rem.pss) on the installation disk. To use the uninstall tool, follow these steps: 1. Restart your computer. 2. Press the F8 key when you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, and then choose Safe Mode Command Prompt Only from the Startup menu. 3. Copy the Rem.pss file to the root folder of the boot drive as Remusb.bat (do not copy it to Rem.bat; "Rem" is a reserved command and it will not function). 4. Type "remusb" (without quotation marks) to restore the original files that were renamed with an .o20 extension. 5. To complete the uninstall process, restart your computer and use the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel to remove the program "WDM/USB Supplement." NOTE: This program may not be listed in the Add/Remove Programs tool. If it is not listed, skip this step. 6. Delete the Remusb.bat file from the root folder of the boot drive NOTE: The Rem.pss file has only been tested when the first reboot does not succeed. Failure to boot at any other time may not be resolved by the Rem.pss file process. Windows 95 Cannot Boot Because of a Conflict If Windows 95 cannot boot because of a conflict, use the following steps: 1. Restart your computer. 2. Press the F8 key when you see the Starting Windows 95 message, and then choose Safe Mode from the Startup menu. 3. Rename the Detroit.bat file to Autoexec.bat. The Detroit.bat file is your original Autoexec.bat file that was renamed by OSR2.1 Setup. 4. Troubleshoot using standard safe-mode troubleshooting. For information about how to troubleshoot Windows using Safe mode, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: ARTICLE-ID: Q156126 TITLE : Troubleshooting Windows 95 Using Safe Mode Additional query words: 95 Keywords : kbsetup osr2 win95 Version : 95 Platform : WINDOWS ======Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1997 ======

Once you've fixed this error message by following the above steps from Microsoft, boot back into Windows and uninstall the QuickCam VC software from Add/Remove programs. Obtain the latest version of the QuickCam VC software and install making sure to select "yes" when prompted to install the Windows RMM Virtual Device update. The rmm update is a file from Microsoft that should prevent VMM corruption from occurring after installing the USB supplement.

Q: I'm getting an error message about I/O Subsystem Corruption.

4 A: This error should not occur if you have installed the QuickCam VC version 1.1 or later. As with the VMM32.vxd, the I/O subsystem has occasionally corrupted after the installation of the OSr 2.1 (USB) Supplement. To correct this, you will need to perform the following steps: 1) Uninstall the USB supplement using the "Add/Remove Programs" Control Panel (go to the "Start" menu, choose "Settings", select "Control Panel", and double-click the "Add/Remove Programs" icon). 2) Upon rebooting, insert your Microsoft Windows 95 CD-ROM. If you have Internet Explorer 4 installed, you will need to uninstall this as well. To do so, you should get the instructions from Microsoft's web site. 3) Continue your installation of Windows 95 as you normally would. Once Windows starts to copy files, you will be prompted that some of the files you are installing are older than those on your computer. You will then be asked if you want to keep the newer files. You should say "No." This will allow Windows to be restored to its original configuration and any files which may have been improperly modified will be replaced. 4) You can then proceed to reinstall any updates you may have installed such as device drivers, DirectX, Internet Explorer 4, etc. 5) Obtain the latest version of the QuickCam VC software and install making sure to select "yes" when prompted to install the Windows RMM Virtual Device update. The rmm update is a file from Microsoft that should prevent I/O subsystem corruption from occurring after installing the USB supplement.

USB ISSUES

I am getting a "QuickCam not plugged in" message, but the USB camera is plugged in. · What can I do? · What is USB and why would I use it? · How fast is the USB port relative to the ECP parallel port? · Is QuickCam VC an isochronous USB device or a bulk USB device? · Can I add USB ports to my computer?

Q: I am getting a "QuickCam not plugged in" message, but the USB camera is plugged in. What can I do?

A: If you have more than one USB port, try plugging the camera into the alternate socket. Close the QuickCam application, switch the USB connections, and restart the program.

Q: What is USB and why would I use it?

A: Most new consumer computers shipped since January 1997 have one or two Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports on the back of their computer. The benefits of USB are: 1) You can keep your parallel port free for printers, scanners, etc. 2) You can plug and unplug devices while the PC is running, and the OS will recognize the changes. 3) USB has a fast, reliable transfer rate, but is about the same as an ECP Parallel port. 4) USB powers the camera so there's no need for a separate keyboard power adapter. 5) USB supports up to 127 different devices at once. QuickCam VC USB works under Windows 98 or Windows 95 (version 4.00.950B or higher).

Q: How fast is the USB port relative to the ECP parallel port?

A: About the same. An ECP parallel port can transmit data at over 8 Mbits/sec, while the USB bus runs at 12 Mbits/sec. In practice, the USB bus gets less than 12 Mbits/sec bandwidth, due to overhead involved with the serial transmission format.

Q: Is QuickCam VC an isochronous USB device or a bulk USB device?

A: Bulk device.

5 Q: Can I add USB ports to my computer?

A: Many motherboards come with USB support, but the physical ports are not installed. To enable USB you will need to purchase the ports from a computer retailer. Simply adding the physical ports and enabling USB support within the BIOS, however, may not be enough to get full functionality for USB devices. You may also need to adjust jumpers on your motherboard to enable power to the ports. Consult your computer/motherboard manufacturer for more details on accomplishing this. If your motherboard does not support USB, you may look into adding a PCI USB card available from third parties.

NOTE: USB ports must be installed in the proper orientation. If they are installed improperly, they may look correct, but will not function properly. This could seriously damage your camera. Only your computer/motherboard manufacturer can assist you in installing your USB ports correctly.

PARALLEL ISSUES · How do I get faster video out of my camera? · Why doesn't the software automatically select the fastest video mode? · Why do I get fragmented images from the camera? · I have parallel port switchbox. Can I use it with my camera? · Can I use a parallel extension cable with my camera? Q: How do I get faster video out of my camera?

A: The QuickCam VC (parallel version) was designed to take advantage of the ECP parallel port mode, which includes Direct Memory Access (DMA) in the PC. With DMA, the camera can transmit frames as the computer processes the images, resulting in a marked improvement in frame rates. Many PC manufacturers ship their computers with the parallel port mode set to the slower bi-directional mode in the system BIOS settings. To change the mode to ECP, consult your PC manufacturer's documentation about changing the setting and select ECP with DMA as the setup for your parallel port. A typical configuration for an ECP parallel port will use IRQ7, and DMA channel 3. The QuickCam driver tries to initiate communication in ECP mode with DMA enabled when the camera software is launched. If the driver detects a possible conflict, it steps down to an ECP with no DMA connection. If this connection attempt fails, it tries a bi-directional connection and then a standard mode connection if all else fails.

Q: Why doesn't the software automatically select the fastest video mode?

A: Many systems use DMA channels for sound cards and other devices. To be safe, and to avoid system conflicts, QuickCam's software detects your current parallel port modes and advises you if your port is not set for optimum speeds. Check your owner's manual to verify that your computer can do ECP with DMA transfers.

Q: Why do I get fragmented images from the camera?

A: We have seen rare instances where the camera doesn't work well with early implementations of ECP parallel ports. If the video picture looks scrambled, try resetting your parallel port speed to bi-directional in the system BIOS settings. This will slow down the port, but you should be able to communicate successfully with the camera.

Q: I have parallel port switchbox. Can I use it with my camera?

A: The QuickCam VC parallel camera runs at a very high speed, about 1- megabyte per second, down the parallel cable. Some switchboxes are not able to handle this high switching frequency and therefore will not work with the camera.

Q: Can I use a parallel extension cable with my camera?

A: The camera was designed for ECP (Extended Capabilities Port) operation, meaning the signals can propagate faster than a normal parallel port. This faster speed requires special cable,

6 so most inexpensive extension cables will not work. You can try one especially designed for 1284 communications, which will have a better chance of working successfully.

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