Windows 7 and Webcams

[miakayuuki]

Greetings All,

I am in the process of testing deployment of Windows 7 and Webcam functionality. I have so far tested 3 different webcams, Logitech c905, Logitech Webcam 9000, and a RocketFish webcam. All three exhibit the exact same problem. I attempted to test webcam functionality with Trillian, Skype, and vendor specific software. Windows 7 (x64) is able to identify each of the 3 webcams and install drivers for them using the generic webcam driver or a specific one from windows update, and no errors are generated during driver install. Device Manager shows no errors or issues. Now all programs that use the webcam from this point on can hear through the microphone on the webcam (there is no microphone on the notebook, Dell Precision M90) so we know the OS is communicating with the camera on some level, but all the programs either show the camera as unavailable or as a black box.

i have tried various cameras (about tempted to try a Microsoft webcam to see if this is a conspiracy), various softwares, drivers, compability modes, etc, and always get the same results. One thing I always notice with all the webcams also is they always have their activity light come on for about 5 seconds after being plugged into the USB and then turn off never to be heard from again.

The only lead I can even come up with is another forum mentioned that they found that turning the High Speed USB off on their laptop (1.1 Mode) solved the no video issue but obviously then limited bandwidth on the USB ports. This unfortunately is not an option that I have in my BIOS, but I am about tempted to try to find an Express Card USB Controller to see if that will make a difference.

Any thoughts, suggestions, ideas, names of good mental health professionals are welcome and appreciated.

Mia

 

[whest]

There's a note on the logitech site with the following -
Download software through Windows 7® device center. To do so, please follow these steps:
Plug your webcam into an available USB port

1. Note: Your computer must be connected to the Internet
2. If the webcam is compatible with Windows 7, Logitech’s latest software will automatically be available for download simply by following the on screen device message displayed in Windows 7.

Have you downloaded the latest W7 video card drivers ?
Have you downloaded the latest Chipset Drivers?
Have you downloaded the latest Sound Drivers - generally the high definition audio driver W7 automatically loads would be enough.
Ati - Graphics Drivers & Software
Nvidia - Drivers - Download NVIDIA Drivers
Intel - Download Software, Drivers and Utilities
They can also be found here - download from Guru3D.com
There are also realtek drivers and all the chipset drivers at guru3d, but thats all - if you have onboard sound go the motherboards site - support - downloads, otherwise go to the motherboards site or just bing the name.
Compatibility mode generally works installing the driver only if your getting a OS MISMATCH error eg vista drivers wont install so you install them in compatibility with vista. If there is a program as well you can try running it in compatibity mode - I found changing desktop composition and visual themes along with the usual choices of OS's, and run as a administrator can sometimes effect the way a program will run.
But latest video drivers can solve the problems more often then not.

 

[florinicka]

Same Problem

Hello, I use Win 7 Pro 64bit and i have the same problem. When trying to access the camera a Logitech C270 HD the autoconfig program and driver says are all ok, even the program runs and gives no errors, but image remains blank. If i try to access it from yahoo msn for example a window witch says select a video device appear, the type of the camera is already correctly chosen, bun when i hit the ok button, says: no camera connected. I mention that under my virtual Windows XP runs with no problems, so i belive is a driver problem or one of windows services is not running as it was suppose to, but i don't know witch one. And i tried to upgrade, remove, restore every one of my drivers, sounds, usb, video, all i could think of, older ones, new ones, tried different msn versions, different video programs, unde windows 7 nothing worked. Any ideas? Thank you.