Getting Started
Getting Started &UHDWLYH 3& &$0 Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Creative Technology Ltd. No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, for any purpose without the written permission of Creative Technology Ltd.
Contents
Introduction ................................................................................ ix Creative Oozic Player................................................................................................ xi Creative WebCam PhotoEditor................................................................................. xi Creative PC-CAM Center ......................................................................................... xi Creative WebCam Monitor ..........................................
2 Using PC-CAM 600 as a Web Camera ............................... 14 Starting PC-CAM Center........................................................................................................15 Capturing Images and Videos.................................................................................................16 Recording a Video in Preview Mode........................................................................ 17 Viewing a Photo .............................................................
Exposure Control ....................................................................................................................32 Color Balance..........................................................................................................................32 Color Matrix............................................................................................................................32 Depth-of-Field.....................................................................................
Introduction
Introduction Creative PC-CAM 600 is an Internet video camera that allows you to capture images in 24-bit (16.7 million) colors. It also records videos in full-color. The following are just some of the things you can do with your PC-CAM 600: ❑ Video Conferencing. Want to chat face-to-face with someone over the Internet? Used together with Microsoft NetMeeting, PC-CAM 600 allows you to have realtime videoconferencing with virtually anybody over the Internet! ❑ Security Camera.
About the Applications Creative Oozic Player An advanced software developed at the prestigious Creative-EMU Technology Center, Oozic™ Player lets you create and play stunning animated 3D videos to accompany your music files. It combines textures, images and colors to create mesmerizing forms that dance and groove – all in a matter of seconds. Oozic videos are relatively compact and may be sent easily through the Internet. Oozic Player requires a 3D graphics card.
Ulead VideoStudio Version 4.0 SE Basic The fastest way to create great videos, Ulead® VideoStudio™ 4.0 SE Basic takes full advantage of the most advanced digital video technology to put digital video excitement within the reach of anyone with a digital video camcorder and a computer.
Before You Begin README File ❑ The README file on the PC-CAM 600 installation CD contains information not available at the time of printing. Read the file before connecting your PC-CAM to the computer.
Updating Drivers To download the latest drivers and file updates for PC-CAM 600, visit the following Creative web sites: ❑ http://creative.com/support/files/ (for driver and software updates) ❑ http://creative.com/support/faq/ (for questions about using PC-CAM products) ❑ http://creative.
1 Installing PC-CAM 600
Installing PC-CAM 600 Package Contents Your package contains the following items: ❑ One PC-CAM 600 camera ❑ One PC-CAM 600 camera stand ❑ One wrist-strap ❑ One USB cable ❑ Four alkaline AAA batteries (twin pack) ❑ One PC-CAM 600 installation CD ❑ Quick Start Installing PC-CAM 600 2
About PC-CAM 600 Figure 1-1 shows you the front and back views of the camera. Snapshot button Viewfinder Focus-free lens Strobe-Flash Front LED Lights up when the camera is connected to the computer. Front view Viewfinder Camera-ready LED Back view Figure 1-1: Front and back views of PC-CAM 600.
Figure 1-2 shows the buttons and LCD on the camera. • To view pictures that you have taken while using the camera on-the-go, you must connect the camera to the computer and download the pictures using PC-CAM Center. • As JPEG compresses an image according to its details, colors and compression ratio, the file size varies according to the picture taken.
Buttons and LCD on PC-CAM 600 The following section explains the functions of the buttons and LCD on your PCCAM 600. Refer to Figure 1-1 and Figure 1-2 for the location of these buttons and LCDs on your camera. Buttons The following buttons are found on your PC-CAM 600: ❑ Power button To turn on your camera, press this button. You can only turn on your camera when it is disconnected from the computer. To turn off your camera, press and hold this button for two seconds.
LCD The following LCD icons and symbols are found on your PC-CAM 600: ❑ Single snapshot (high resolution) This icon indicates that you are in Single snapshot (high resolution) mode. In this mode, the camera captures images at 1280 x 960 pixels with interpolation. ❑ Single snapshot (normal resolution) This icon indicates that you are in Single snapshot (normal resolution) mode. In this mode, the camera captures images at 1024 x 768 pixels.
• No batteries are required when the camera is connected to the computer. • If the camera is to be connected to the computer for a long period of time, remove the batteries to prevent battery leakage. • Make sure that you insert the batteries in the correct direction. If not, they may leak and cause damage to the camera. • Do not mix old batteries with new ones or batteries of different types together. ❑ Audio Recording This icon indicates that the camera is in Audio Recording mode.
Inserting or Changing Batteries For PC-CAM 600 to function as a portable digital camera when it is disconnected from the computer, you need to insert four 1.5 V AAA alkaline batteries into its battery compartment. To insert or replace batteries: 1. Press the Power button for two seconds to turn off the camera. 2. Holding the camera in one hand, push the battery compartment cover catch inwards, and then lift the cover up with your fingertip as shown in Figure 1-3. 3. Remove the old batteries (if any). 4.
Installing PCCAM 600 Refer to the instructions for your computer's operating system. In Windows 98/98 SE/Me 1. Do not connect PC-CAM 600 to your computer before installing the drivers. If you accidentally begin installation with PC-CAM 600 connected, the Add New Hardware Wizard dialog box appears. Click the Cancel button. 2. Insert the PC-CAM 600 installation CD into your CD-ROM drive. 3. Click the names of the drivers and applications you want to install on your computer. 4.
5. Connect PC-CAM 600’s USB cable to an available USB port on your computer (see Figure 1-4). Windows automatically detects the device. • The USB port(s) of certain computers may be found on the front panel instead of the back panel. • You can also attach the camera to a self-powered USB hub. • You can connect the camera while the computer is switched on. USB cable USB port Figure 1-4: Connecting PC-CAM 600 to the computer. i.
6. Place PC-CAM 600 on top of your computer monitor or another flat surface. 7. When the Light Frequency Selection dialog box appears (see Figure 1-5), select the option that represents your power supply frequency, and then click the OK button. Figure 1-5: The Light Frequency Selection dialog box. Verifying the installation in Windows 98/98 SE/ Me 1. 2. 3. 4. Right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop. On the menu that appears, click Properties.
In Windows 2000 1. Do not connect PC-CAM 600 to your computer before installing the drivers. If you accidentally begin installation with PC-CAM 600 connected, the Found New Hardware Wizard dialog box appears. Click the Cancel button. 2. Insert the PC-CAM 600 installation CD. 3. Click the names of the drivers and applications you want to install on your computer, and then click the OK button. 4. Connect PC-CAM 600’s USB cable to an available USB port on your computer. 5.
8. When the Light Frequency Selection dialog box appears (see Figure 1-7), select the option that represents your power supply frequency, and then click the OK button. Figure 1-7: The Light Frequency Selection dialog box. Verifying the installation in Windows 2000 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop. On the menu that appears, click Properties. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Hardware tab. Click the Device Manager button. A window appears.
2 Using PC-CAM 600 as a Web Camera
Using PC-CAM 600 as a Web Camera Starting PCCAM Center PC-CAM Center is an easy-to-use application that enables you to take pictures and record short videos with the PC-CAM 600 camera. You can also view pictures and videos, create and manage albums, and download image files from your camera. If PC-CAM Center does not recognize the camera correctly, see Appendix A, “Troubleshooting.
After PC-CAM Center is started, the PC-CAM Center screen similar to Figure 2-1 appears.The following sections describe the more commonly used operations. For more details on how to use PC-CAM Center, see the section “Starting PC-CAM Center Help” on page 2-19. Figure 2-1: PC-CAM Center screen. Capturing Images and Videos With PC-CAM Center, you can take photos and record videos in two modes — with and without a preview. The preview mode is active by default.
Taking a Photo in Preview Mode To take a photo in the default preview mode, do this: 1. In the PC-CAM Center window, click the Live Video button. The current camera view is displayed in the Viewing window. 2. In the Photo Size box, select a suitable resolution. 3. In the Save Photo in box, select the destination album for your photo. 4. If the Save automatically check box is selected, click to clear it. 5. To capture the image in the viewing window, click the Snap Photo button at the bottom of the window.
Viewing a Photo To view a photo you have taken, do this: 1. Click the My Album button. PC-CAM Center is now in My Album mode. 2. In the My Album box, click the My Photo folder and then click the album that contains the photos that you want to view. The album’s thumbnails are displayed in the Thumbnails window. 3. Double-click the thumbnail of the image that is displayed in the Thumbnails window. The image is displayed in the PC-CAM Center Viewing window, in its actual size.
Starting PCCAM Center Help This Help file contains instructions on how to use PC-CAM Center to take pictures and record short videos. It also teaches you how to change settings so as to achieve optimum quality for your pictures and videos. To start the Help file: 1. Click the Creative logo at the top left corner of PC-CAM Center’s main window. 2. On the PC-CAM Center menu, click Help.
3 Using PC-CAM 600 as a Digital Camera
Using PC-CAM 600 as a Digital Camera You can also use PC-CAM 600 as a portable digital camera when it is not connected to your computer. Note: Remember to insert four 1.5 V AAA alkaline batteries into the camera’s battery compartment. Turning on the Camera To turn on the camera, do the following: Battery Low When the battery is running low, the following occurs: ❑ The battery-low indicator (as shown on the right) is displayed. ❑ When the Snapshot button is pressed, two warning beeps are heard.
Taking Pictures • You can only turn on the camera when it is disconnected from the computer. • If there is insufficient memory in the camera, the counter will start flashing “000” immediately. • When the counter starts flashing “000,” you cannot take any more pictures until you have cleared the camera’s memory by deleting existing pictures. • The Multiple-snapshot mode consumes more battery power. • The camera turns itself off if it is left idle after three minutes.
a snapshot. The front red LED blinks once and the camera-ready green LED blinks when the image is stored into memory, and turns off after the image is saved. ❑ Single snapshot (normal resolution) Select this mode if you want to take single snapshots at normal resolution. Images are captured at a resolution of 1024 x 768. Select the flash mode that you want and then press the Snapshot button to take a snapshot.
5. • The counter value normally increases by one after a picture is taken. • Depending on the quality of the picture, the counter value may also inrease by two, or not at all. 6. 7. 8. 9. ❑ Self-timer single snapshot (normal resolution) Select this mode if you want a normal resolution snapshot to be taken after a delay of ten seconds. You can use this feature to take pictures of yourself. Press the Snapshot button to take a delayed snapshot.
Tips on Taking Good Pictures There are a few tips to note when taking a good picture. ❑ Bright lighting Avoid taking pictures with bright light sources all around the object. These lights will create “hotspots,” which will affect the quality of the picture. ❑ Bad lighting When indoors or outdoors, be sure there is enough light falling onto the object. Avoid taking pictures of objects in shadows, especially when the light source (for example, sun or spotlight) is directly behind the object.
Recording Videos In Video Recording mode, the camera’s flash is automatically disabled. To start recording a video, do the following: 1. Press the Operation Mode button to select the Video Recording mode . 2. Aim the camera at the desired object, and use the camera’s viewfinder to verify that the object is in the camera’s view. Note: The object should be at least 75 cm (30 inches) away from the camera. 3. Hold the camera still and press the Snapshot button.
Recording Voices or Sounds To start recording voices or sound samples, do the following: 1. Press the Operation Mode button to select the Audio Recording mode. 2. Position the camera near the sound source and press the Snapshot button once to start recording. A beep sound is heard at the start of the recording. The Audio Recording mode icon flashes to indicate that recording has begun. The camera-ready LED indicator blinks. 3. Press the Snapshot button again to end the recording.
Deleting Images and Audio from the Camera After downloading the picture, video and audio files safely into your album, delete them from your camera to make space for new pictures, videos and audio samples to be stored. Docked Mode When PC-CAM 600 is connected to your computer, do the following to delete images and audio samples: 1. In the PC-CAM Center window, click the Digital Camera button. A thumbnail view of the pictures stored in the camera’s memory is displayed. 2.
A Technical Specifications
Technical Specifications This section lists the specifications of your PC-CAM 600 camera.
❑ When attached: • Captures video at up to 30 frames per second at image resolutions of 320 x 240 and 160 x 120 and up to 15 frames per second at 640 x 480 • Captures still images in 24-bit color at all image resolutions up to 1280 x 960 ❑ Attaches to the computer via the Universal Serial Bus (USB) port USB model supports Windows 98, Windows Me and Windows 2000 WDM MiniDriver for DirectShow, and Video For Windows compatibility TWAIN support Standard interface works with virtually all camera applications inc
❑ Video Mode • 640 x 480 • 352 x 288 • 320 x 240 • 176 x 144 • 160 x 120 Undocked mode ❑ Still Mode • 1280 x 960 (with interpolation) • 1024 x 768 • 640 x 480 ❑ Video Mode • 320 x 240 Light Sensitivity 10 lux Video Formats ❑ 24-bit RGB ❑ 4:2:0 YUV Planar ❑ JPEG Exposure Control Automatic (optional manual control with software) Color Balance Automatic (optional manual control with software) Color Matrix Preset and integral to camera Technical Specifications 32
Field-of-View ❑ 50 degrees (diagonal) ❑ 40 degrees (horizontal) Depth-of-Field 75 cm (30 inches) to infinity Port Compatibility Universal Serial Bus port Flash Up to 2 meters (7 feet) effectiveness Technical Specifications 33
B Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting This appendix provides solutions to problems you may encounter during installation or normal use. Problem Installing Software The setup program for PC-CAM 600 does not run automatically after you insert the Installation CD into the drive. The AutoPlay feature in your Windows system may not be enabled. To install the software from the CD: 1. Leave the installation CD in the CD-ROM drive. 2. Click Start -> Run. 3. In the Open box, type D:\CTRUN\CTRUN.
An application reports that the video driver is already in use, or that the camera cannot be found. Do the following: ❑ The camera is not properly connected. To resolve this problem, ensure that the camera’s USB connector is inserted, and that the USB host controller is enabled in your computer’s BIOS. Refer to your computer’s documentation for information on the BIOS. ❑ Reinstall the video capture drivers and reboot. The image is too bright even though exposure and brightness levels have been adjusted.
When the camera is connected to the computer, pressing the Snapshot button does not start an application. The application to be activated has not been pre-selected. Do the following: If you select more than one application, you will be prompted to choose one of them when you press the Snapshot button. 3. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel. 4. Double-click the Scanners & Cameras icon. The Scanners & Cameras Properties dialog box appears. 5. Click the Devices tab. 6.
C USB Compatibility
Note on USB Compatibility In our testing on a wide variety of computer motherboards with integrated Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports, we have encountered a small number of motherboards with USB ports that do not meet the USB specification exactly. Unfortunately, PC-CAM 600 may not operate correctly with these computers. So far, for some of the non-USB-compliant motherboards that we have tested, the motherboard manufacturers have released new versions of motherboards or BIOS to address the problem.
Technical Support Product Return Visit our online help websites for help with installation, answers to frequently asked questions, or troubleshooting tips. Our websites hold a wealth of information as well as upto-the-minute software and driver upgrades. To return a Creative product for a factory service, contact the Creative Technical Support office. Once the staff has verified the product is defective, you will be given a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number.
