New webcam problems

[Kat]

used a trust spycam before. worked fine on messenger. NOw bought a new cam. A fujifilm finepix A340. Downloading photographs works fine. But when I want to use it on messenger only the wizard works. But when I want to adjust camera setting it says: camera is not plugged in. So I cannot start a videoconference. Can someone please help me to get this thing to work???

[Danny Boy]

Hi, Do you have it plugged into your computer via usb or into a usb hub?

[Kat]

usb

[Danny Boy]

what do you use to connect it to the computer?

[Danny Boy]

Do you plug a lead going from the camera to the back of the computer?

[Kat]

it goes in the front of the computer, a cable with a flat iron thing on the end with the words usb on it. I am dutch so don't know the right word for it

[Danny Boy]

my friend had a problem like this and it ended up crashing her computer, not saying thats gonna happen to you. So she just threw it in the bin, so I never found out why it happened to her so I dont think I can be of any help?

sorry
Dan

[sciencefeeling]

My guess is your drivers are not updated Kat, it is just a guess, but normally is what happens with webcams.

Go to the manufacturer´s site and download the updated drivers from it. Or, delete the ones you have and let windows XP try to find new ones. This is assuming you are running WinXP, if that is not the case, please let us know.

N.-

[Jeff]

I have a Fuji Finepix A210 and it works fine with MSN Messenger. There are a couple of steps you'll need to follow. First, install the software that came with the camera (you should've received a CD). Follow the installation instructions that come in the manual, or you may have problems. Specifically, do not connect the camera to the computer until the installation program instructs you to.

Once you've done that, you will probably need to change the USB "mode" that the camera uses. This is done by accessing the setup menu on the camera's LCD screen. There are two possible modes, card-reader or PC Cam. By default, the camera uses the card-reader mode, which allows you to transfer pictures stored on the camera's memory card to your PC. To use it as a webcam, you'll need to switch it to PC Cam mode.

So once the software is installed, and the PC Cam mode is set, plug everything in. You'll probably see some Finepix view program automatically pop-up on your computer. Shut that down first, then go into MSN Messenger and you should now be able to use your camera for video chat.

I've tested it, and it works okay. The only complaint I have is that you cannot zoom while in PC Cam mode.

You may also want a small tripod to hold the camera at the right height and angle. By itself, the camera isn't really designed to sit atop your monitor.

[Kat]

That is just the problem, I've done everything you pointed out. But still, messenger says: Messenger cannot detect any camera or camera is in use by another program. cam is in cam mode. The wizard works fine, but I cannot change the camera settings because than it says what I wrote above.

Yes I am running XP. Strange though is that xp does detects a camera, but I cannot find it in device manager. Drivers are updated.