User’s Guide Creative Video Blaster WebCam Go Plus 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.
C re a t ive E nd-U s er S o ftw a re L ic e nse A g re e m en t Versi o n 2.4, Ju ne 2000 PLEASE READ THIS DOCUMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE. BY INSTALLING AND USING THE SOFTWARE, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, DO NOT INSTALL OR USE THE SOFTWARE. PROMPTLY RETURN, WITHIN 15 DAYS, THE SOFTWARE, ALL RELATED DOCUMENTATION AND ACCOMPANYING ITEMS TO THE PLACE OF ACQUISITION FOR A FULL REFUND.
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Contents Introduction About the Applications.......................................................................................................... xii Creative WebCam PhotoEditor™............................................................................. xii Creative WebCam Go Control .................................................................................. xii Creative WebCam Monitor .......................................................................................
2 Using WebCam Go Plus as a Web Camera Starting WebCam Go Control...............................................................................................2-2 Taking a picture......................................................................................................................2-3 Recording a video clip...........................................................................................................2-3 Viewing an image in its actual size.........................................
Introduction Creative Video Blaster WebCam Go Plus is an Internet video camera that allows you to capture images in both 16-bit and 24-bit (16.7 million) colours. It also records videos in full-colour. The following are just some of the things you can do with your WebCam: ❑ Video-conferencing.
About the Applications Creative WebCam PhotoEditor™ Creative WebCam PhotoEditor is an image editing and enhancing application that complements your WebCam. Its many nifty features include a suite of special effects tools and a set of designer-looking templates, useful for creating impressive personal greetings and presentations. Creative WebCam Go Control This powerful application lets you take pictures or record video clips and store them in albums.
MediaRing Talk™ With MediaRing Talk, you can literally call somebody half a world away without worrying about exorbitant phone charges. MediaRing Talk uses sophisticated patent “knocking” technology to call the other party’s PC or phone. The party you are calling does not need to be connected to the Internet. That means you don’t have to waste time pre-scheduling Internet phone conversations.
Creative LAVA!™ Player An advanced software developed at the prestigious Creative-EMU Technology Center, LAVA! Player lets you create and play stunning animated 3D videos to accompany your music files. It combines textures, images and colours to create mesmerizing forms that dance and groove — all in a matter of seconds. LAVA! videos are relatively compact and may be sent easily through the Internet. LAVA! Player requires a 3D graphics card.
Before You Begin README File ❑ The README file on the WebCam Go Plus installation CD contains information not available at the time of printing. Read the file before connecting your WebCam to the PC.
Document Conventions The following typographical conventions are used throughout this document: Table 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 name, file name, or acronym. <> Symbols, letters, and key names on the keyboard.
Installing WebCam Go Plus 1 This chapter consists of the following sections: ❑ In Your Package ❑ About WebCam Go Plus ❑ Inserting or Changing Batteries ❑ Installing WebCam Go Plus.
About WebCam Go Plus Figure 1-1 shows you the front and back views of the camera. Snapshot button After you have started WebCam Go Control, press this button to capture a still image. Focus-free Lens Objects must be at least 2 feet (61cm) from the lens for the images to be sharp. Viewfinder LED light Lights up when the camera is turned on. Built-in Microphone for annotation recording Press the Audio Record button near the LCD display to record your voice or sounds.
Figure 1-2 shows the buttons and LCD display 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 WebCam Go Control. • As JPEG compresses an image according to its details, colours and compression ratio, the file size varies according to the picture taken. • The counter value decreases by one every time a picture is taken.
Inserting or Changing Batteries • No batteries are required when the camera is connected to the system. • If the camera is to be connected to the system for a long period of time, remove the batteries to prevent battery leakage. For WebCam Go Plus to function as a portable digital camera when it is disconnected from the computer, you need to insert two 1.5 V “AAA” alkaline batteries into its battery compartment. To insert or replace batteries 1. Press the On/Off button to turn off the camera. 2.
Installing WebCam Go Plus Use the installation procedure for your operating system. In Windows 98 and Windows Millennium 1. Do not connect WebCam Go Plus to your computer before installing the drivers. If you accidentally begin installation with WebCam Go Plus connected, the Add New Hardware Wizard dialog box appears. Click the Cancel button and disconnect WebCam Go Plus from your system. 2. Insert the WebCam Go Plus installation CD into your CD-ROM drive. 3.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation. You may be asked, after an application is installed, if you want to restart your computer. Click the No button until all the drivers and applications are installed. • The USB port(s) on your computer 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.
ii. In the Insert Disk dialog box, click the OK button. iii. Follow the instructions on the screen. 5. Restart your computer. 6. Connect Webcam Go Plus to available USB port. Verifying the installation in Windows 98 and Windows Millennium 1. 2. 3. 4. In Windows 2000 1. Do not connect WebCam Go Plus to your computer before installing the drivers. If you accidentally begin installation with WebCam Go Plus connected, the Found New Hardware Wizard dialog box appears.
3. Restart your computer. 4. Connect WebCam Go Plus’s USB cable to an available USB port on your computer (see Figure 1-5 on page 1-6). Place WebCam Go Plus on top of your computer monitor or another flat surface. The Digital Signature Not Found dialog box appears (Figure 1-7) again, telling you that Video Blaster WebCam Go Plus (WDM) has been detected. 5. Ignore the message and click the Yes button. Installation will be complete in a while.
Using WebCam Go Plus as a Web Camera 2 When you connect WebCam Go Plus to the computer, you can use it as a Web camera.
Starting WebCam Go Control WebCam Go Control is an easy-to-use application that enables you to take pictures and record short videos with the WebCam Go Plus camera. You can also view the pictures and videos, create and manage albums, and download image files from the camera. To start WebCam Go Control, do one of the following: ❑ Click Start -> Programs -> Creative -> Video Blaster WebCam -> WebCam Go Control. ❑ Press the Snapshot button on the camera.
Taking a picture 1. In the WebCam Go Control window, click the Live Cam button. The current view of the camera is displayed in the Preview window. 2. To capture an image of the preview shown, click the Snap an image button. You can also press the Snapshot button on the camera. The image is captured and saved as an image file with an automatically generated file name. It is added to the current album, where its name is prefixed with the still image icon . Recording a video clip 1.
Selecting the video capture device • If you select the VFW driver, some of the settings in the General and Source tab may not be available. If so, go to the General tab and click the Format or Source buttons to change settings. • The VFW driver is compatible only with software that supports Video For Windows. Starting WebCam Go Control Help To do so 1. In WebCam Go Control, click the Settings button. 2. Click the Camera docked settings button. 3. Click the scroll button until you get to the General tab.
Using WebCam Go Plus as a Digital Camera 3 To use WebCam Go Plus as a portable digital camera, simply disconnect it from the computer. Note: Remember to insert two 1.5 V “AAA” alkaline batteries into the camera’s battery compartment.
Taking pictures • You can only turn on the camera when it is disconnected from the system. • The counter value decreases by one every time a picture is taken. However, if there is insufficient memory in the camera, the counter drops to “000” immediately. • When the counter value reaches “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.
4. Aim the camera at the desired object, using the camera’s viewfinder to verify that the object is in the camera’s view. Note: The object should be at least 2 feet (61 cm) from the camera. 5. Hold the camera still and press the Snapshot button. 6. Continue holding the camera until the Camera busy LED (red light) goes off. The picture taken is stored in the camera’s memory, and the image counter value also decreases. 7. To take another picture, repeat steps 4 through 6. 8.
Customizing camera settings For more information on downloading pictures and customizing the camera, refer to the Help file in WebCam Go Control.
Technical Specifications Features and Specifications ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ A colour VGA (640 x 480) CMOS image sensor 8 MB of on-board non-volatile memory for image storage LCD counter display to indicate number of pictures left and mode of stills captured Snapshot button LEDs to indicate powered-on state and camera-readiness state High-quality, focus-free, scratch-resistant glass lens Built-in optical viewfinder Built-in Piezo transducer to provide audio cues Built-in microphone for audio recording Mode
❑ When attached: • Captures video at up to 30 frames per second at resolutions of 352 x 288, 320 x 240, 176 x 144 and 160 x 120 and up to 15 frames per second at 640 x 480 • Captures still images in 24-bit colour at all resolutions up to 640 x 480 ❑ Attaches to the PC via the Universal Serial Bus (USB) port Driver and Operating System Compatibility ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Power From USB port or self-powered USB hub (powered by an external power source).
Video formats ❑ 24- and 16-bit RGB ❑ 4:2:0 YUV Planar ❑ JPEG Exposure control Automatic (optional manual control with software) colour balance Automatic (optional manual control with software) Colour matrix Preset and integral to camera Field-of-view 52 degrees (horizontal) Depth-of-field 2 feet (61 centimeters) to infinity Port compatibility Universal Serial Bus port Technical Specifications A-3
B Troubleshooting Problem Installing Software Problems Using WebCam Go Plus The setup program for WebCam Go Plus 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 software from the CD: 1. Leave the installation CD in the CD-ROM drive. 2. Click Start -> Run. 3. In the Run dialog box, click D:\CTRUN\CTRUN.EXE. 4. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation.
An application reports that the video driver is already in use, or that the camera cannot be found. Solution 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 the BIOS. Refer to your PC’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.
Solution If you select more than one application, you will be prompted to choose one of them when you press the Snapshot button. Do the following: 1. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel. 2. In the Control Panel window, double-click the Scanners & Cameras icon. The Scanners & Cameras Properties dialog box appears. 3. On the Devices tabbed page, select the entry Video Blaster WebCam Go Plus (WDM) and then click the Properties button. 4.
Note on USB Compatibility C While testing WebCam Go Plus on PC motherboards with integrated Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports, we encountered a small number of motherboards that do not meet the USB specification exactly. These and other non-USB-compliant motherboards may not operate correctly with WebCam Go Plus. Fortunately, the manufacturers of some of these motherboards have released new versions of motherboards or BIOS to address the problem.
Technical Support D We are committed to giving you the best 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 Computer supplier who provided the system. The European support area on our web site at www.creative.
If You Have a Problem Email Your Problem: Complete the technical support web form and submit for a response Telephone Support: European Telephone Support contact details. See also European Helpline section in manual for contact details. Please retain all contents including packaging and proof of purchase until you are fully satisfied with product. If you have a problem installing or using your Creative product, please use the Creative Web Support and/or Telephone Support services for assistance.
Less than 30 days since date of purchase Should your store receipt indicate that the product is less than 30 days old, you have the option of returning the full product to the dealer/retailer for a replacement or credit. The 30-day time period may not apply in all instances, so please check the seller’s replacement/credit 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 repair returns procedure.
Returning a product for repair ❑ Contact Technical Support to receive your authorisation number for ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ repair/replacement of product. Technical Support will communicate 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.
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 workmanship 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 Period”).
Creative European Help Line CREATIVE LABS (IRELAND) LTD., Technical Support Department, Ballycoolin Business Park, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland.
