Creative wc3-pg Product Manual
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Creative wc3-pg Product Manual

Creative wc3-pg Product Manual

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Summary of Contents for Creative wc3-pg

  • Page 1 Product Guide...
  • Page 2 Creative Video Blaster WebCam 3 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.
  • Page 3 PACKAGE, 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. This is a legal agreement between you and Creative provides are accessible only to persons who are reproduce on the merged or integrated portion all Technology Ltd.
  • Page 4 PURPOSE. CREATIVE IS NOT OBLIGATED ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO THE Creative if you fail to comply with any term or TO PROVIDE ANY UPDATES, UPGRADES SOFTWARE OR THIS AGREEMENT, EVEN condition of this Agreement. You agree upon such...
  • Page 5 PRODUCT RETURNS FOLLOWING PROVISIONS, THE FOLLOWING having jurisdiction, that particular provision will be If you must ship the software to Creative or an PROVISIONS SHALL TAKE PRECEDENCE. deemed modified to the extent necessary to make the authorized Creative distributor or dealer, you must...
  • Page 6 Software acquired in the EU. This Agreement is the entire agreement between us, and you agree that Creative will not have any liability for any untrue statement or representation made by it, its agents or anyone else...

  • Page 8: Table Of Contents

    Contents Introduction Before You Begin........................xii System Requirements....................xii Document Conventions ..................... xii Installing Video Blaster WebCam 3 About the WebCam 3......................1-1 Installing Video Blaster WebCam 3..................1-2 Starting Video Blaster WebCam Control To start Video Blaster WebCam Control................2-1 To capture still images using the Snapshot button...............
  • Page 9 Improving the quality..................3-5 Improving the Image Quality..................3-5 Camera Control settings ................3-5 Image settings....................3-7 Achieving the Best Frame Rate................3-8 Using WebCam Control with the VFW driver To configure settings for WebCam 3 ..................4-1 Optimizing WebCam 3......................4-3 Changing Image Size and Color Depth..............4-3 Choosing the size of the image..............4-4 Choosing the color depth................4-4 Improving Image Quality..................4-5...
  • Page 10 Less than 30 days since date of purchase........... D-4 More than 30 days since date of purchase ..........D-4 Returning a product for repair................. D-5 Limited Warranty ......................... D-6 What this warranty does not cover ............. D-6 Creative European Help Line Product Guide ix...

  • Page 12: Introduction

    Introduction Video Blaster WebCam 3 is a 24-bit, 16.7-million-color digital video camera kit that gives you everything you need to capture, create, and communicate in live, full-color video on the Internet. Enclosed software titles include: Video Blaster WebCam Control is an application for capturing full-motion video and still images and adjusting the camera’s settings.

  • Page 13: Before You Begin

    Before You 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: Begin System Requirements Document Conventions System Requirements Minimum system requirements for the USB port version of Video Blaster WebCam 3: ®...
  • Page 14 Table i: Document conventions This Represents 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. This notepad icon indicates information that is of particular importance and should be considered before continuing.

  • Page 16: Installing Video Blaster Webcam 3

    Installing Video Blaster WebCam 3 This chapter consists of the following sections: About the WebCam 3 Installing Video Blaster WebCam 3 About the Figure 1-1 highlights the features of WebCam 3. WebCam 3 Snapshot button After you have started WebCam Control, you can press this button to capture a still image.
  • Page 17 Installing Video 1. Position your computer so that its USB ports can be easily accessed. 2. Connect the end of the WebCam’s USB cable to any USB port available, and place the Blaster WebCam on top of your computer monitor or another flat surface. WebCam 3 •...
  • Page 18 4. When the Add New Hardware Wizard dialog box appears, click the Next button. The dialog box similar to Figure 1-3 appears. 5. Click the Search for the best driver for your device (Recommended) option and If prompted, insert the then click the Next button.
  • Page 19 12. When the Scanner and Camera Installation Wizard dialog box appears, click the Next button. 13. In the Manufacturers list, select Creative Labs, and then in the Scanner and Camera Models list, select Video Blaster Webcam 3 Still Image Capture.
  • Page 20 22. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation. Depending upon the applications you choose to install, you may be asked if you want to restart your computer at the end of the installation routine. Select No whenever you are asked until all the drivers and applications have been installed.

  • Page 22: Starting Video Blaster Webcam Control

    To capture still images using the Snapshot button To start the Help file for WebCam Control To start Video To start WebCam Control 1. Click Start -> Programs -> Creative -> Blaster WebCam Video Blaster WebCam -> VB WebCam Control Control.

  • Page 23: To Capture Still Images Using The Snapshot Button

    Settings dialog box. Help file for To start the Help file WebCam Control 1. Click the Creative logo at the top left corner of WebCam Control’s main window. 2. On the WebCam Control menu, click Help. 2-2 Starting Video Blaster WebCam Control...

  • Page 24: Using Webcam Control With The Wdm Driver

    Using WebCam Control with the WDM driver This chapter consists of the following sections: To configure settings for Video Blaster WebCam 3 Optimizing WebCam 3 To configure 1. On the top panel of WebCam Control , click the Format icon. The Format Properties dialog box similar to Figure 3-1 appears.
  • Page 25 4. On the top panel of WebCam Control , click the Source icon. The Source Properties dialog box similar to Figure 3-2 appears. 5. On the Camera Control tabbed page (see Figure 3-2), adjust the settings to your preference. To restore the settings to the factory To move the Exposure slider, default, click the Default button.

  • Page 26: Specifying The Frame Rate, Image Size, And Color Depth

    Optimizing The following sections show you how to achieve optimum performance with your Video Blaster WebCam 3: WebCam 3 Specifying the Frame Rate, Image Size, and Color Depth Improving the Image Quality Achieving the Best Frame Rate Specifying the To adjust the frame rate, image size and color depth Frame Rate, If you are using Video Blaster WebCam Control Image Size, and...

  • Page 27: Choosing The Image's Output Size

    Choosing the image’s Select the desired output size for the image from the Output Size list. output size For recording live video, these resolutions are ideal: 160 x 120, 176 x 144, 320 x 240, and 352 x 288. These lower resolutions will give you a higher frame rate. For capturing still images, larger resolutions are more suitable.

  • Page 28: Improving The Quality

    Improving the quality To improve the quality of video displayed in the Video window, move the Quality slider to the right. To achieve higher image quality, the compression rate will be lowered. This means that the frame rate may be slowed down. Lower image quality will give a higher compression rate. For capturing still images, higher image quality is preferred.
  • Page 29 The number of steps (levels) for zooming depend on the image’s output size you select on the Stream Format dialog box (see Figure 3-1 on page 3-1): Image size Enlargement ratio No. of steps 160x120 176x144 320x240 352x288 Exposure The best image quality obtained from your WebCam depends on adequate lighting. All other image adjustments also depend on the presence of adequate lighting.

  • Page 30: Image Settings

    Move the Pan slider to pan the angle of the video to the left or to the right. The Pan and Tilt sliders are Tilt available only when zooming is active. Move the Tilt slider to tilt the angle of the video up or down. Image settings The following sub-sections describe the settings found on the Video Proc Amp tabbed page of the Source Properties dialog box.

  • Page 31: Achieving The Best Frame Rate

    If you are using fluorescent lighting, move the White Balance slider so that the image will not have a tint of green or magenta. Banding filter Under fluorescent lighting, the frequency of the power supply to the light may cause “banding” in the video captured by the camera.

  • Page 32: Using Webcam Control With The Vfw Driver

    Using WebCam Control with the VFW driver This chapter consists of the following sections: To configure settings for WebCam 3 Improving Image Quality To configure 1. On the top panel of WebCam Control , click the Format button. The Video Format dialog box similar to Figure 4-1 appears. settings for 2.
  • Page 33 4. On the top panel of WebCam Control, click the Source button. The Video Source dialog box similar to Figure 4-2 appears. To move the Brightness and 5. On the Video tabbed page, adjust the Exposure sliders, you have to clear their corresponding Auto settings to your preference.

  • Page 34: Optimizing Webcam 3

    6. Click the Advanced tab. The Advanced tabbed page similar to Figure 4-3 appears. 7. On the Advanced tabbed page, select the compression control, banding filter feature, and lighting options. 8. Click the OK button. Figure 4-3: The Advanced tabbed page. Optimizing This section describes some of the settings in greater detail and provides tips on how to get the best image possible.

  • Page 35: Choosing The Size Of The Image

    Choosing the size Select the desired output size for the image from the Resolution list. of the image For recording live video, these resolutions are ideal: 160 x 120, 176 x 144, 320 x 240, and 352 x 288. These lower resolutions will give you a higher frame rate. For capturing still images, larger resolutions are more suitable.

  • Page 36: Improving Image Quality

    You can achieve the best frame rate using the I420 mode. Improving This section consists of the following sub-sections: Video Control settings Image Quality Advanced settings To adjust the settings If you are using Video Blaster WebCam Control On the top panel of WebCam Control, click the Source icon. The Video Source dialog box appears (see Figure 4-2 and Figure 4-3 on page 4-3).
  • Page 37 Contrast To adjust the contrast between light and dark elements of the display, move the Contrast slider. A high contrast image is stark, like a black-and-white tiled floor. A low contrast image is muted and “washed-out”, as if the image is viewed through a fog. Sharpness If you find that the image is blurry, move the Sharpness slider to the right to sharpen the image.

  • Page 38: Advanced Settings

    The number of steps (levels) for zooming depend on the image’s output size you select on the Stream Format dialog box (see Figure 4-1 on page 4-1): Image size Enlargement ratio No. of steps 160x120 176x144 320x240 352x288 Advanced settings The following sub-sections describe the settings found on the Advanced tabbed page of the Video Source dialog box.

  • Page 39: Achieving The Best Frame Rate

    If you are using incandescent lighting, disable the banding filter by clearing the Enable check box. Scene lighting The best image quality obtained from your Video Blaster WebCam depends on adequate lighting. All other image adjustments depend on the presence of an adequate amount of light. Video Blaster WebCam’s sensitivity is similar to that of a home video camera.

  • Page 40: Video Blaster Webcam 3 Applications

    Video Blaster WebCam 3 Applications The Video Blaster WebCam 3 application CD includes the following: Video Blaster WebCam Control Video Blaster WebCam Monitor Polaroid PhotoMAX Microsoft NetMeeting Microsoft Internet Explorer Video Blaster This simple but powerful system application lets you take control of your camera with a click of the taskbar icon.

  • Page 41: Polaroid Photomax

    The Creative Gallery features quality artwork and the capability to add images to electronic and printed greeting cards, insert images onto backgrounds, and much more.

  • Page 42: Technical Specifications

    Technical Specifications Construction USB Port version: Remote camera head with a USB cable Camera housing Base and flip-top lens housing with manual vertical tilt of 90 degrees Power From USB port or powered USB hub Note: If you are connecting the WebCam to a USB hub, make sure that it is a powered hub, that is, it is powered by an external power source.

  • Page 43: Video Formats

    Video formats 24- and 16-bit RGB 4:2:0 YUV Planar Exposure control Automatic (optional manual control with software) Color balance Automatic (optional manual control with software) Color matrix Preset and integral to camera Field-of-view 62 degrees (horizontal) Depth-of-field 75 millimeters to infinity Port compatibility USB Port version: Universal Serial Bus port Software...

  • Page 44: Troubleshooting

    Troubleshooting Problem The setup program for Video Blaster WebCam 3 does not run automatically after you insert the installation CD into the drive. Installing Cause The AutoPlay feature in your Windows system may not be enabled. Software Solution To install the software from the CD: 1.
  • Page 45 An application reports that the video driver is already in use, or that the camera cannot be found. Solution Do the following: The camera module is not properly connected. To resolve this problem, ensure the camera’s USB connector is inserted, and that the USB connector is enabled in the BIOS.

  • Page 46: Note On Usb Compatibility

    Note on USB Compatibility In our testing on a wide variety of PC 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, the Video Blaster WebCam 3 may not operate correctly with these systems.
  • Page 47 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 approach. 3. Attach the Video Blaster WebCam 3 to a powered USB hub. Some USB devices (such as monitors) also operate as powered USB hubs; you can also buy dedicated powered USB hubs which are to be attached to your PC’s USB port.

  • Page 48: Technical Support

    They will all be Type and version of your operating system, e.g., DOS 6.0, Windows 3.1x, required in the unlikely event that your product needs to be returned Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows NT. to Creative. D-1 Technical Support...
  • Page 49 For quick and easy reference, it is advisable that you write down the following numbers of your card and other hardware devices, if installed in your system in the tables below.. Hardware Model Number Serial Number CD-ROM Drive Before contacting “Creative European Help Line”, please Audio Card* ensure that you have read Video Card ‘Troubleshooting’.

  • Page 50: Inside Europe

    Inside Europe See “Creative European Help Line” section for contact numbers. Through To serve you better, we have created a Creative Labs Forum on CompuServe. Through this forum: CompuServe You will have direct access to our company representatives who will be there to answer your questions.

  • Page 51: If You Have A Problem

    Please retain all contents including packaging and proof of purchase until you are fully satisfied with product. Problem If you find that you have a problem with your Creative product and believe that it needs to be repaired or replaced, you should verify the purchase date and take the appropriate action as detailed below:...

  • Page 52: Returning A Product For Repair

    Creative may replace or repair the product with new or reconditioned parts, and the faulty parts will become the property of Creative. The warranty period for your repaired/replacement item is 90 days from the date of shipment from Creative, or what is left on the original item’s warranty, whichever is longer.

  • Page 53: Limited Warranty

    In no event shall Creative or its licensors be liable for any indirect, incidental, special or consequential loss or for any lost profits, savings or data arising from or relating to the use of this product, even if Creative or its This warranty gives you specific licensors have been advised of the possibility of such loss.

  • Page 54: Creative European Help Line

    Creative European Help Line CREATIVE LABS (IRELAND) LTD., Italy Holland Technical Support Department, +39 02 4828 0000 +31 (0) 205040615 Ballycoolin Business Park, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland. Switzerland Austria +43 (01) 589 244 320 +41 (01) 2121 868 United Kingdom...
  • Page 55 1 820 3667. Al prompt di CompuServe, digitare Go Blaster e premere <Invio>. AutoFax es un servicio que le permite obtener información técnica sobre los productos de Creative Labs. En Europa, llame al número siguiente +353 1 8203667 Escriba Go Blaster y pulse la tecla <Intro> tras el indicativo de CompuServe.

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