[fixed] Logitech Quickcam Communicator problems (was: Camera freezes)

[frankbradley]

I just installed Vidblaster Trial and started playing around with it.

However my web-camera keeps freezing on the first image that it captures, and I'm therefore unable to record a moving image.

I tested my camera on other applications e.g. Skype, and it works fine.

Any advice out there?

[Mike]

Hi Frank,

Welcome to the forum!

Which edition are you using?
Which version are you using?
What webcam?
Does only the webcam video freeze, or the entire program?
Even if you do nothing else?
What PC and OS?
What's the CPU usage?
Can you attach the log file?

Mike

[frankbradley]

Which edition are you using?
Trial
Which version are you using?
v0.39
What webcam?
Logitech Quickcam Communicator
Does only the webcam video freeze, or the entire program?
just the webcam
Even if you do nothing else?
i start vidblaster, it starts up the image in the Camera 1 window, and it just freezes on the first frame it captures
What PC and OS?
Dell Latitude D430 laptop with Windows XP
What's the CPU usage?
it stays been the 20% to 30% range
Can you attach the log file?
attached

[Mike]

One of the moderators (Tom) has this webcam and had problems with it too, even discussed this with Logitech. It's a problem in the driver, which only shows under certain conditions (which happen to be met by VidBlaster and some other programs). Check if there's a newer driver. Meanwhile I will ask Tom to let us know how he fixed the problem, if at all.

[Mike]

Another thing you can try is VidBlaster Studio v0.42. After installing run the program and load the Ustream profile (the default Studio profile will be too much for your laptop, and won't fit on the screen). We regularly add work arounds for known bugs in drivers, so it's worth checking.

[frankbradley]

Thanks. I've actually got an early version of the driver for this webcam, which I had to revert to as the latest driver would not work on my laptop. Time for a new Webcam - any recommendations (under €100) that are good with Vidblaster?

I'll give the Studio version a go.

Frank

[Mike]

Please open a topic for that on the Hardware forum (if there isn't one already).

[FogTom]

I had a problem using the QuickCam for Notebooks Deluxe webcam. The problem wasn't a freeze problem but my Win XP system doing a reset when I first started VidBlaster and accessed the camera or if another program tried to use camera while it was open in VidBlaster. I contacted Logitech support and they recommended downloading the current drivers and making sure the DirectX driver was up to date. I ended up returning the Webcam and getting the QuickCam Communicate STX. I didn't have any problems with this webcam (using the same drivers) so I don't know if I had a faulty webcam or the notebook version didn't like my WinXP desktop system.

[frankbradley]

i've downloaded v0.42 and the webcam works!!!

One other question while I'm here. Is it possible to capture a display of my desktop and the programs I'm running on Vidblaster? For example If I wanted to show a demo of a web application like Google Reader?

Thanks

Frank

[Mike]

Sure. Please read the help. If you still want an answer, open a new topic with proper subject so others can easily find it too.