Simple webcam

I need to get a webcam for my Grandparents. Something brain-dead simple, that they can just plug in, maybe install something (but preferably PnP), and will work with iChat or Skype. They have an iMac G5 running Leopard.
Thanks!

MGW wrote:
Take a look at the offerings [here|http://www.mac-compatible-web-cam.com>, one of them should be just fine for your brain-dead grandparents (I am a grandparent myself, and far from brain-dead, you may be underestimating them!)
I actually am a brain-dead grandparent and manage quite nicely, thank you very much-
-DP

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Synchronous video capturing with a simple webcam with DIAdem-DAC/Visual

Hello,
because of DIAdem is not able to synchronise captured video files and MDF-data files measured with
Vector Canape with all the skills of and in DIAdem-VIEW,
how about even capturing a video additional to the other measured data with DIAdem-DAC ??
Vector Canape can this do with a simple webcam ( a better model from Logitech suffice ) and it really works fine,
but DIAdem is much better for the rest of all measuring tasks and so our favourite.
And yes : DIAdem can data acquisition and we like it !!!

Hallo,
diese Funktion vermisse ich seit Jahren bei Diadem. Die Hardware (Web-cam) gibts längst an jeder Ecke nur Diadem hinkt (u.a. Vector) hinterher, das kanns ja wohl nicht sein ....

Simple Webcam Capture to JPG

I cannot figure this out.
All I want to do is write a simple program that will take a still capture from my webcam and save it as a JPG. I don't need any kind of GUI or drawing to the screen. I will be using it in a batch script to take a picture and upload to my website at a fixed interval.
I have been messing around with it for a long time and have had no success. Here is some code I wrote just now that won't work. I have imported things while trying different pieces of code, but I never took any of them out. That's why I import so many things.
As you can see, I throw the NoPlayerException and CannotRealizeException. I do not understand why I get these. Also, when I run the program the light on my webcam turns on so I know it's connecting at some level. The file saved test.jpg is not a capture but rather a black square. Is my error in getting the image from the webcam or in writing it onto the BufferedImage so I can the write it to the file?
Any help would be appreciated.
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.event.*;
import java.io.*;
import javax.media.*;
import javax.media.format.*;
import javax.media.util.*;
import javax.media.control.*;
import javax.media.protocol.*;
import java.util.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.image.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import com.sun.image.codec.jpeg.*;
import javax.imageio.ImageIO;
public class wc
     public static Player player = null;
     public static CaptureDeviceInfo di = null;
     public static MediaLocator ml = null;
     public static Buffer buf = null;
     public static Image img = null;
     public static BufferToImage btoi = null;
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          String str = "vfw:Microsoft WDM Image Capture (Win32):0";
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          player.start();
          FrameGrabbingControl fgc = (FrameGrabbingControl)
          player.getControl("javax.media.control.FrameGrabbingControl");
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          btoi = new BufferToImage((VideoFormat)buf.getFormat());
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          Graphics2D g2 = bi.createGraphics();
          g2.drawImage(img, null, null);
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}

I have a question posted about this code, slightly modified in this thread:
http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jspa?threadID=5310154&tstart=0
Would you check it out, I made a new thread because its not strictly related to this post.

What language to write a simple webcam application

Hey all,
I need to write a simple application that will allow me to record video and audio from the computers webcam and mic. I need to be able to upload this to a server with a decent api for this sort of thing. I know webcams work in linux because of Ekiga (i think?) ,skype and etc.. working with it. But what language for linux would give me access to this hardware in a linux environment.
I have some ruby and python experience, and am not opposed to learning a new language to do this. I would like it to be cross platform or easily portable.
any suggestions?
thanks

fiddlinmacx wrote:Why reinvent the wheel? You can do this with VLC Media Player at the command line and you can even control it by sending commands to a network socket.
This, i did not know. Thanks very much.
I do need to wrap this in a simple GUI.
I would ideally like it to just have a record and upload button. Very simple. Just wondering the best way to pull this off.
Thanks again, will look at some of the CLI parameters with vlc
Last edited by skrite (2012-06-12 16:53:28)

Simple webcam help

New to FMS all I want is a swf that will broadcast my webcam.
Do I need 2 flas, one to broadcast and one to receive? Can it be 1
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not have to login, or set bandwidth, or even have a connection
light if that is possible, just the video. Thanks

You can use one fla to receive and send as many streams as
your bandwidth can tolerate.
However you may want a separate fla for visitors and one fla
for the presenter.
You do not need to have a login. I believe checking bandwidth
for FMS is optional.
Many FMS hosting companies provide what you need with out of
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Simple webcam question!

Hello everyone, I am having trouble using a webcam with my new laptop. I recentle purchased a Compaq laptop. I want a webcam to use with this. I have vista on the laptop.First I bought an Advent webcam and found that didn't work.Now I have bought Live! Cam Video IM pro. I have tried installing the disc, but nothing. I have downloaded what I thought was the driver from Creative site. I can't get this to work, and getting ****off.Can someone please tell me if these Creative webcams work with Vista, and if so, what do I do to get it to work. Thanks for any help. Cheers,Derek

Today I just bought the quickcam fusion which works well... I just plugged it in and it worked - I didn't install any software (windows only software comes with the camera), so I'm not sure if I can take advantage of features such as "rightlight 2", which enhances the video under low light, and I don't think that I can take 4MP images with it - just video conferencing with ichat (which is what I bought it for) (and I just found freakshow - which is like photobooth).
Make sure you get the UVC version of any webcam...
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=4401596&#4401596
It's kinda difficult to figure out which cameras are UVC compatible - I just looked at the table in the following link and picked the quickcam fusion with the "rightlight 2". The one with just "rightlight" is not UVC compatible.
http://logitech-en-amr.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/logitechen_amr.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?pfaqid=5336
Hope this helps.
15", 1.67 GHz, Aluminum Mac OS X (10.4.9)

Ho to activate/use webcam/camer on HP 1000 with OS Ubuntu 13.10

I am new on OS Ubuntu. Just got my HP 1000 (gift) and I am unable to use most of its built software like bluetooth and camera.
But my main prob is the camera. pls help
Im no good with technical stuff

Odds are Ubuntu has loaded drivers for the webcam and the Bluetooth you just need software to make them work.
For the webcam use Cheese, which is like youcam; a very simple webcam interface. At the command prompt (ctrl-alt-t) type:
sudo apt-get install cheese
For the bluetooth, do you have an icon in the toolbar with a bluetooth symbol?
If you are not technically minded, pardon the advice, but you really should not be trying to use Linux.

My Mac Mini did not come with a webcam

Can anyone recommened one, not too expensive? A simple webcam compatible with Mountain Lion?

"Some the of Logitech Webcams work with a Mac. The C615 is one"
I tried this webcam yes it worked but when I went to used photo booth and used the interactive background it failed to work. I took it back for a refund.I even tried the Mac drivers but that made no difference either.
I have played with a Mac mini in-store and when you choose a background it asks to stand out of shot so it can scan the background and once it has done that you get back into shot and you should have a fancy background. Sadly on my 2013 Mac mini it does not ask you to leave the shot and you become invisible instead.
I was going to an Apple store to inquire about what web cam would work if any but it is quite far from my home so have not gotten round to it yet.

What wireless solutions does the video pod support?

For a future webcast, I have a need to shoot a demonstration of chest x-ray equipment, suturing methods, and other "allied health" related procedures. A simple webcam is not enough. I have been looking at wireless camera technologies, and there are myriads (e.g., JVC's line of wifi camcorders). But what type of wireless solution does Adobe Connect (version 9) support for the video pod? Or what type of workaround? And how? I need to find specifications in order to purchase the right products to do the job.
I so appreciate your help in finding the right solution.
Glen Gummess,
Instructional Designer
University of St. Francis
Joliet, IL

No, that was the question I wanted to ask. I've been hoping that some(one, how, where) would know of a solution that I envision as a portable webcam that sends video, wirelessly, to a type of base station that would connect to a computer with a USB hub. Alas, there may not be such a species but I can hope. Logitech came close with the Mac and iOS supported "Broadcaster".
You're probably right about using the Connect mobile app and a smart phone, and I have been pondering the same solution. But this would involve equipment my university does not control, and students whom I would, in all candor, not want to rely upon. But before I close this with yours as the correct answer I'm hoping that someone out there may have the "epiphany" I'm looking for.
Thanks, though; I value your opinion.
Glen

Please read this, beforre get to isight.

I don't understand why Apple exaggerate about their products for example isight. When we read about isight before we bought it, i thought WoW, it must be great but when we use it, it only make us upset and nervous. Isight for 149 only for a single chat? Silly.
My friend in Switzerland and i in Netherland bought two imac G5 20" with isight and memory update, etc and we both have ADSL connection. All information on Apple website about isight was perfect, but since we use it, both of us never have had good quality of video and audio, video chat with ichat is only possible for .mac users, so i can't use my isight to chat with my other MSN friends, because ichat doesn't accept MSN users, so you should be very lucky to have a few friends who only use isight and ichat to be able to have a video conference. I called a few times to helpdesk about isight, ichat, and other programs which should work as usual and standard like Windows, but mostly they couldn't help me, they even don't advise which program you should better use. So now what am i supposed to do with my beautiful isight, ichat, etc, etc? It would be nice if they could give correct information about their products on the mac website and not only positive things.
I don't want to discuss about this subject, it's only my opinion and experience with ichat and isight. But i am sure there are many people there who have the same opinion as me. I prefer to keep using my Windows PC and simple webcam, but always sutisfied.

Hello Saeed
Your post seems to me to be written by a person who is accustomed to getting his way. As you requested, you will get no discussion from me.
Bill has offered you an explanation of how simple it is to get relief if you find that your misinterpretation of the advertising or your wishes for how you believe things ought to be are making you unhappy. Well done, Bill. Have a couple of "<big><big>+</big></big>" votes on me, sir!
Follow Bill's advice if you no longer want your iSight. However, if you still want to try to make it work, here are some things you can try.
iChat AV works well for most of us the first time and with varying amounts of trials, configuration, and setup effort for others. Here are my suggestions for new users who are having difficulty making iChat AV work: Using iSight with iChat AV.
If your want audio / video chat, follow those suggestions to get going.
If you want
b ONLY
text chat, you can certainly use MSNM for Mac or some of the other available text IRC, Chat & Instant Messaging client software applications.
Regards,
<small>EZ Jim</small>

JMF Registry crashes Win-XP trying to recognise non-standard USB camera

I am trying to use JMF to interface a USB-2 frame grabber and PAL video camera to NIH's ImageJ Java image treatment application. My trial installation instructions are on: http://www.neutronoptics.com/imagej.html
I got this working fine with a simple Philips 640x480 color SPC900NC webcam, but naturally I want to use a more serious camera :-) BTW, JMF only recognised one of the 3 cameras I had plugged in, even though the others were all recognised by Windows.
My first problem is that my serious PAL camera is of course 720x576 encoded by a USB-2 frame grabber to 8-bit graylevels, i.e. not the JMF max of 640x480 :-) Is this max 640x480 likely to change ? If JMF is limited to simple webcams, I cant use it.
If I ran JMF Registry with my PAL camera and framegrabber plugged in but not active, it crashed my Win-XP machine when I tried to "Detect Capture Devices" (Nasty!) However if I activated my camera by running another video capture application it did then detect a "vfw:Microsoft WDM Image Capture" device as it did with the webcam. And my Java capture plugin for ImageJ even opened a window for the PAL camera, although it was displayed as blank (pink).
Is what I am trying to do completely impossible ? NIH ImageJ is the top public domain scientific imaging application, all in Java, and it seems a pity that I can't input an ordinary PAL camera to it. (There is a non-Java front-end called microManager that inputs many cameras to ImageJ, but not mine :-(
I am not a real programmer, just a technical user, and I hope some-one can tell me if I am wasting my time or not with this.

hibou wrote:
I am trying to use JMF to interface a USB-2 frame grabber and PAL video camera to NIH's ImageJ Java image treatment application. My trial installation instructions are on: http://www.neutronoptics.com/imagej.html
I got this working fine with a simple Philips 640x480 color SPC900NC webcam, but naturally I want to use a more serious camera :-) BTW, JMF only recognised one of the 3 cameras I had plugged in, even though the others were all recognised by Windows.Just because Windows recognizes your camera doesn't mean JMF will...
My first problem is that my serious PAL camera is of course 720x576 encoded by a USB-2 frame grabber to 8-bit graylevels, i.e. not the JMF max of 640x480 :-) Is this max 640x480 likely to change ? If JMF is limited to simple webcams, I cant use it.JMF is never, ever going to change. It hasn't been updated, bug-fixed, or otherwise supported since before Windows XP came out...
Moral of the story is, new stuff mostly doesn't work with it...unless the new stuff is backwards compatible.
I am not a real programmer, just a technical user, and I hope some-one can tell me if I am wasting my time or not with this.You're wasting your time with this. JMF is mostly dead and just waiting for JavaFX to get it's act together and go ahead and kill it off.

Any sample video webinar code?

Hi, I'm trying an experienced java developer but very new to flash. I'm trying to develop a php webapp that live streams a users webcam to hunderds of views, with chat and the ability to kick viewers out of the meeting. I downloaded flash builder 4 and lccs sdk and have gotten a simple webcam app working (not even using publisher/subscriber model yet), but haven't tackled permissions/roles, managing and cleaning up sessions and that sort of thing. Any sample code out there that you could share with me would be greatly appreciated.
ps. I would consider other technologies if you think this one is not right for what I'm trying to do.
Thank you,
Kevin

Hi ,
Download the file at:
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Regards,
Simon

Multiple IP camera

Hi
Im designing a control system and I now want implement multiple cameras to surveill the system.
Whats the best type of cameras to use? I've tried with some simple webcams, but then its only possible to stream from one camera at the time.
Im now considering Axis 206 network camera. Does anyone know if its possible to stream for multiple IPcameras at the same time?
Or what about firewirecameras?
Its a lowbudget project so I dont need pro cameras...
Thanks in advance
Bjornar

Well, Axis makes cameras for the low budget. You may want to look into the bullet cameras and 4 channel web servers. Just a basic overview, they are great quality optics joined with good electronics utilizing BNC analog signal to BNC on the video server. The video server then coverts it to Data TX/RX for use in a plug and play UNP that is easily detected by your network. It will show up under my network. Yes you can stream multiple channels. In fact Axis software comes with it that has multiple arrays 1/2/4/6/8/10 on and on. I use both the analog bullets cams by Axis and the PTZ 213 networked and love all of them.
Good luck and let me know how this turns out. If time permits, I may have a surplus cam/serv lying around some where.
Torn_Victor!

Getting started with JMF on a Mac

I am new to JMF but interested in learning the framework. I am looking for a simple way to capture video from my mac web cam and save it to a file. This apparently is the hardest thing in the world to do. I have to install JMF to my system classpath - Really?! There is no easier way? How would I ever bundle a simple webcam viewer for resale? Maybe include instructions on how to install JMF to the system classpath, install plugins, etc etc :) And on a mac its even harder! There has got to be an easier way to do things than this, and if so, if someone could PLEASE point me in a direction, that would be great. Without making this stuff somewhat simplified, I just don't see how any newcomers to the JMF community are going to get introduced and help build it, which is exactly what I would like to do.
Thanks

scranchdaddy wrote:
I am new to JMF but interested in learning the framework. I am looking for a simple way to capture video from my mac web cam and save it to a file. This apparently is the hardest thing in the world to do. Naw, the code for that is relatively simple... Maybe 15 lines of code if you're being minimalistic about it ;-)
But yeah, installing JMF on a MAC is going to be a Scottish beach...
I have to install JMF to my system classpath - Really?! There is no easier way? Is there a MAC version of JMF? Nope, there is not.
If there was a MAC version, it'd be easy...but since there isn't a MAC version, you're basiclly limited to hacking the Linux version onto your MAC.
Will there ever be a MAC version of JMF? Nope, there will not.
How would I ever bundle a simple webcam viewer for resale? Ummmm, you would write an installation program that installs everything where it needs to be, and updates environmental variables accordingly...
There has got to be an easier way to do things than this, and if so, if someone could PLEASE point me in a direction, that would be great. The easier way to do things is to do them on Windows.
Without making this stuff somewhat simplified, I just don't see how any newcomers to the JMF community are going to get introduced and help build it, which is exactly what I would like to do.JMF hasn't been updated since 2003, and is a completely and utterly dead product. Sun keeps it around because, there's nothing else in Java that'll do the stuff JMF does.
Sun is working on a replacement product for JMF, that'll be friends with the JRE and JavaFX, but lord knows when they'll release it.

Merging live footage with a flash interface

Hi
I need to take a live webcam stream from a local computer and feed that into a flash app as a background of an interface I build in flash. eg: the webcam stream is of a room with various static objects in it, I want to create buttons over those objects that play a audio clip when they are clicked. The video and interface needs to be full screen which is why I think it needs to be output as a self contained app (or does it?). Is this possible in Flash or is there another option I can look at.
Thanks

Is this all happening on the same system? As long as the SWF containing the interface is located on the same system as the webcam, you can just follow the simple webcam sample in the Camera class to read the webcam:
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/FlashPlatform/reference/actionscript/3/flash/media/Camera.html #includeExamplesSummary
I've done that several times with kiosks. I put cameras on the opposite side of the screen so you can (lacking parralax) 'see through' the screen by displaying what's behind the screen, on the screen, from a webcam.
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Simple webcam

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