[closed] V.32 Still will not Broadcast on Ustream

[--Randy--]

I am running Windows XP on a Quad Proc PC.

I loaded up V.32 and hooked up 1 Webcam ...QuickCam Pro 4000 and had Camera 2 for Screen Capture.

Opened Ustream Client and broadcast with just my camera fine. I switched over to VidBlaster and it showed up in the Ustream Client fine but when I hit Broadcast it went to Please Stand By and freezes.

I tried this in Firefox and IE and get the same thing.

Well that is my experience. I have tried .31 and .32 and still nothing.

Is there any way I can get a .30 version.

[FogTom]

I just tried v0.32 and I was able to stream on Ustream.

After installing VB I had to do two things before it worked:
1. Reboot my machine (I got a Restart message after I installed VB)
2. Change the Streamer setting to "Use Streaming Client" -- it defaults to Windows Media Server

If you are seeing the VB output in the Ustream client window but freezes when you press Start Broadcasting, it sounds like a Ustream issue or a resource issue on your machine. You may want to bring up the CPU Usage graph in VB (View->CPU Usage) and see what happens to the usage when you try broadcasting. (I think the CPU graph automatically comes up if VB detects a high usage.)

Tom

[--Randy--]

I tried the above steps and still would not work...so I tried VidBlaster on a laptop running Vista. The CPU was pegged but it worked.

On my main PC with XP the CPU was running at about 15% but would not broadcast...so I am at a loss as to what is going on. The Webcam will broadcast Ok...but when I switch to VidBlaster it will not Broadcast.

If anyone has any suggestions I am open to anything short of Reformat and Reinstall.

Thanks.

[FogTom]

On my main PC with XP the CPU was running at about 15% but would not broadcast...so I am at a loss as to what is going on. The Webcam will broadcast Ok...but when I switch to VidBlaster it will not Broadcast.

So you can see the output of VidBlaster in the Ustream Client window but the Ustream Client window freezes when you click on Start Broadcasting? Does the CPU usage change when the window freezes? Does V.30 do the same thing?

Tom

[--Randy--]

On my main PC with XP the CPU was running at about 15% but would not broadcast...so I am at a loss as to what is going on. The Webcam will broadcast Ok...but when I switch to VidBlaster it will not Broadcast.

So you can see the output of VidBlaster in the Ustream Client window but the Ustream Client window freezes when you click on Start Broadcasting?

<<Yes that is right. It is strange because when I choose camera it works fine but when I choose VidBlaster it freezes.>>

Does the CPU usage change when the window freezes? Does V.30 do the same thing?

<<No the cpu usage does not change.....it stays around 15% and does the same thing in FireFox and Internet Explorer....and Yes it does the same thing in .30>>

Tom

[FogTom]

<<Yes that is right. It is strange because when I choose camera it works fine but when I choose VidBlaster it freezes.>>

Okay, does it freeze when you choose VidBlaster in the Ustream client broadcast window or when you click Start Broadcasting?

When you select VidBlaster you should see the live output of VidBlaster. If the Ustream client window doesn't show the live output of VidBlaster than something is wrong between VB and the Ustream. The VidBlaster selection will come up even if there is no streaming output from VB.

This may be a silly question but you did press Start on the VB Streamer window? :)

Tom

[--Randy--]

<<Yes that is right. It is strange because when I choose camera it works fine but when I choose VidBlaster it freezes.>>

Okay, does it freeze when you choose VidBlaster in the Ustream client broadcast window or when you click Start Broadcasting?

When you select VidBlaster you should see the live output of VidBlaster. If the Ustream client window doesn't show the live output of VidBlaster than something is wrong between VB and the Ustream. The VidBlaster selection will come up even if there is no streaming output from VB.

This may be a silly question but you did press Start on the VB Streamer window? :)

Tom


Here is the sequence of events:

I start up Vidblaster and choose a camera. Then I log onto Ustream and open the client. I click on Start on VidBlaster and I see the camera in the Ustream Client. Everything looks fine so far. I click on Broadcast on the client and it goes to Connecting Please Wait and I can wait all day and that is as far as it gets.

As I mentioned before....when I have a camera selected in the Ustream Client it broadcasts fine...but If I select VidBlaster, it all goes to crap.

[--Randy--]

I am convinced now that this is not a problem with my PC.

I have a second laptop with WinXP on it and I loaded VidBlaster on it and gave it a try and have the same results as my main PC.

As soon as I click on Broadcast I get a Please Stand By and that is as far as it goes.

This has to be a problem with Win XP and VidBlaster.....the only other thing it could be would be my Router. That is the only thing these two computers have in common.

What do you think???

[FogTom]

What happens if you start up the Ustream client; select VidBlaster; and click Start Broadcasting? Do this without loading VidBlaster. I tried this and it start broadcasting with a gray screen -- I never saw a "waiting to connect" message. This tells me that the Ustream client is not doing any error checking when it starts a connection. (It also doesn't complain if I try to select my webcam when it's already in use with VidBlaster.)

I'm not sure if this matters but have you upgraded to the latest flash player? Right click on the Ustream client window and select About Adobe Flash Player. Mine shows version 9,0,124,0 installed.

Tom

[--Randy--]

What happens if you start up the Ustream client; select VidBlaster; and click Start Broadcasting? Do this without loading VidBlaster. I tried this and it start broadcasting with a gray screen -- I never saw a "waiting to connect" message. This tells me that the Ustream client is not doing any error checking when it starts a connection. (It also doesn't complain if I try to select my webcam when it's already in use with VidBlaster.)

I'm not sure if this matters but have you upgraded to the latest flash player? Right click on the Ustream client window and select About Adobe Flash Player. Mine shows version 9,0,124,0 installed.

Tom


Here are some screen shots of before I click on broadcast and after and the CPU usage during.....a picture is worth a thousand....well you know.

I checked and I do have Adobe Flash Player version 9,0,124,0.

I tried what you tried above...starting the Ustream client without VidBlaster running and got the same screen shot that I get with VidBlaster running...so it appears the Ustream Client is never seeing VidBlaster.

BEFORE CLICKING ON BROADCAST
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z61/RandyOldgeek/Fourm%20Pictures/VidBlasterbeforebroadcastAug010727.jpg

AFTER CLICKING ON BROADCAST and ALSO WITHOUT VIDBLASTER RUNNING.
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z61/RandyOldgeek/Fourm%20Pictures/VidBlasterafterbroadcastAug010727.jpg

CPU USAGE DURING BROADCAST
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z61/RandyOldgeek/Fourm%20Pictures/CPUVidBlasterAug010727.jpg

And don't forget. In Vista the broadcast worked ok but in WinXP on two different PC's I get this same problem.

[Mike]

I think I see the problem. You are using the HQ client of Ustream (i.e. not the default). It is extremely buggy and crashes all the time (check out their forum if you need confirmation). Use their default client (i.e. not HQ) or use FME if you want better quality.

[FogTom]

I think I see the problem. You are using the HQ client of Ustream (i.e. not the default). It is extremely buggy and crashes all the time (check out their forum if you need confirmation). Use their default client (i.e. not HQ) or use FME if you want better quality.

How can you tell it's the HQ client (it's looks the same as mine which is not running HQ)?

I thought the High Quality Encoder required a browser ActiveX plug-in and you had to enable it under the My Shows page on Ustream.tv so it doesn't seem like something that the first-time user would get working. We tried getting the HQ client to work on my system and found it was not compatible with FF3.

Tom

[--Randy--]

I think I see the problem. You are using the HQ client of Ustream (i.e. not the default). It is extremely buggy and crashes all the time (check out their forum if you need confirmation). Use their default client (i.e. not HQ) or use FME if you want better quality.


Interesting....but I have never even heard of a HQ Client. I will have to look into this.

Thanks.

[Mike]

I'm thinking the HQ client is used (accidentally apparently) because it has no VU meter. And one of the bugs I've seen when testing it (both on IE and FF) is that it gives a black screen.

[--Randy--]

Well Mike.....You're the Man.

That was it. I found that I had checked "When on a PC, use the Ustream high quality encoder."

I am on a PC so I checked it. I thought unchecked was for Mac's or something.

The downside is that the quality is so terrible I couldn't stand to watch it and I have no sound.......My God....this is a nightmare.
I am not sure this is worth it. I am thinking I may just do an audio podcast.....ha!!!

Thanks Mike.

[FogTom]

Good catch Mike.

Randy,
What do you have your frame rate set to in the Ustream client (under Advance Settings)? Mine is set to the max (23 fps).

The Ustream audio doesn't come from VidBlaster so you need to make sure you have it set correctly in the Ustream client. Mine is set to Line In/Mic in (I'm using an external mixer).

Tom

[Mike]

And again, for better quality you can use FME (read the FME topic) or wait for their new client. Or try any of the other services, there are lots and all work with VidBlaster!