Selecting video source

[Mark Mattson]

I am having a problem selecting the video source in
Messenger 6.

The problem is that the video source is coming in from
my TV tuner card instead of the webcam. There is no option
in the Webcam settings tool to change the source.

The machine is running Windows 2000 Pro, with (as
mentioned) MSN Messenger 6.
It has a PhoebeMicro TVMaster+ FM/TV tuner card, and an
IBM Net Camera Pro USB cam attached. When I go into the
Messenger Webcam settings dialog, even if the tuner card
is not running (the tuner app is shut down), i am seeing
the image from the last tv station selected in the preview
window.

I've checked all Messenger stup options, and can find no
place to change the source of the video over to the
webcam. The camera works fine if I use it in NetMeeting,
or in it's native app, but will not work in Messenger.

Any suggestions on how to change the source of the video
would be GREATLY appreciated.

Regards,

Mark

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Greetings Mark,

In order to get this to work, you'll need to uninstall the capture devices you don't want to
use and reinstall them (this means the actual drivers, not just unplugging it). To do so,
first close Messenger (right-click its icon in the system tray and choose Exit), then click
Start, then Settings, then Control Panel, then System. Then choose the Hardware tab, then
Device Manager. Look for the other capture devices, right-click it and choose Uninstall (or
Remove in 98/ME). Then, restart Messenger and try using the Webcam option again. If it
works, you can then reinstall the drivers for your other devices and it should continue using
the actual webcam (until the next reboot).

In the future we should see this shortcoming corrected.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Windows MVP, Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com

 

[Mark Mattson]

-----Original Message-----
Greetings Mark,

In order to get this to work, you'll need to uninstall

the capture devices you don't want to

use and reinstall them (this means the actual drivers,

not just unplugging it). To do so,

first close Messenger (right-click its icon in the system

tray and choose Exit), then click

Start, then Settings, then Control Panel, then System.

Then choose the Hardware tab, then

Device Manager. Look for the other capture devices,

right-click it and choose Uninstall (or

Remove in 98/ME). Then, restart Messenger and try using the Webcam option again. If it
works, you can then reinstall the drivers for your other

devices and it should continue using

the actual webcam (until the next reboot).

In the future we should see this shortcoming corrected.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Windows MVP, Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com





.

Hi Jonathan....

OK, I see what it does, it attaches to the first
cappture driver it finds installed in the syste,, and uses
that one.

I tried your procedure, and it DID work. The only
problem is that when the TV Tuner application itself (NOT
the drivers) got reinstalled, it reset the drivers
Messenger uses back to the tv card ones. However, as this
is not a problem now that I know the secret, I can get
around this.

One other thing that happens with this is that, if you
need to remove and reinstall Messenger, you will get a
System Event 30002 logged, and you can not get any
Internet activity at all...you can connect, but you can't
access any remote sites,,,even trying to ping a site will
not work. I then need to do a restore of the System
State, and it will once again work.

For reference for engineering on the video capture
drivers for the TV Master card, they are the Brooktree
drivers, but it also shows up as COnnexant Capture drivers
in the tuner application.

And yes, having a pull-down list of available drivers to
choose from (as there was in Netmeeting), would definitely
be a BIG plus in a case like this.

Thanks for your help!!

Regards,

Mark