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Guest
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 Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 8:18 pm Post subject: Multiple USB webcams on one PC |
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Hi all
I recently built a machine to run a couple of USB webcams from - to ftp
regular images and email motion detections.
The machine:
AMD Athlon64 3500+
512Mb RAM
160gb sata HD
The OS:
Windows 2000 Pro, with all latest SPs/updates
The webcam software:
ActiveWebcam from PYSoft
The webcams:
Logitech QuickCam Pro 5000 x 2
The machine has been running quite happily with one camera.
Last night I connected the second camera, booted up, and went in to
ActiveWebcam to add it.
The second camera was listed in the available devices, but when I
selected it, the machine rebooted.
Now the second camera does not show in Active Webcam's list of
available devices, even though I have not disconnected it.
Is there any hope of me getting both cameras running on the same
machine ?
At the moment they are both connected via the same internal USB
controller - would running one camera through a second USB controller
make any difference ?
Thanks for any help !
Lee |
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Spaz
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 7:33 am Post subject: Re: Multiple USB webcams on one PC |
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I had a logitech webcam for a while. Worked fine, but I was ready to step
up to a newer, "better" webcam. Removed it, uninstalled the software, then
got a new Microsoft webcam. Loaded the software, plugged in the webcam, and
the *** thing would not work no matter WHAT I did. Tried reinstalling it a
couple times, tried updated drivers, tried removing all references to the
old Logitech webcam in the registry. No luck. So I said *** IT and tried
going back to the Logitech webcam. Uninstalled the Microsoft stuff,
installed the Logitech software, plugged in the webcam. NOTHING! Spent
several hours trying to get it to work. ZILCH! So I did the final
desparate measure of wiping the hardrive and reinstalling Windows XP
completely from scratch. Then tried the Microsoft webcam again, and loaded
up and worked GREAT! Tried the Logitech webcam next, and once again, both
webcams stopped working completely. Seems to me they interfere with each
other either through terrible software engineering, or DELIBERATE design to
disable the other company's webcam.
<muddyboots@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1166019520.530045.292530@j72g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | Hi all
I recently built a machine to run a couple of USB webcams from - to ftp
regular images and email motion detections.
The machine:
AMD Athlon64 3500+
512Mb RAM
160gb sata HD
The OS:
Windows 2000 Pro, with all latest SPs/updates
The webcam software:
ActiveWebcam from PYSoft
The webcams:
Logitech QuickCam Pro 5000 x 2
The machine has been running quite happily with one camera.
Last night I connected the second camera, booted up, and went in to
ActiveWebcam to add it.
The second camera was listed in the available devices, but when I
selected it, the machine rebooted.
Now the second camera does not show in Active Webcam's list of
available devices, even though I have not disconnected it.
Is there any hope of me getting both cameras running on the same
machine ?
At the moment they are both connected via the same internal USB
controller - would running one camera through a second USB controller
make any difference ?
Thanks for any help !
Lee
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Guest
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| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 1:39 pm Post subject: Re: Multiple USB webcams on one PC |
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Spaz wrote:
| Quote: | I had a logitech webcam for a while. Worked fine, but I was ready to step
up to a newer, "better" webcam. Removed it, uninstalled the software, then
got a new Microsoft webcam.
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<snip>
Thanks, but my problem is getting two identical cameras working... |
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Si Ballenger
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 1:08 pm Post subject: Re: Multiple USB webcams on one PC |
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On 14 Dec 2006 00:12:09 -0800, muddyboots@gmail.com wrote:
| Quote: | Spaz wrote:
I had a logitech webcam for a while. Worked fine, but I was ready to step
up to a newer, "better" webcam. Removed it, uninstalled the software, then
got a new Microsoft webcam.
snip
Thanks, but my problem is getting two identical cameras working...
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More than one USB cam at a time generally won't work as they use
the same WDM driver. It's a windows thing. For more than one cam
you will probably need to use analog cams and capture devices. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 2:23 pm Post subject: Re: Multiple USB webcams on one PC |
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Si Ballenger wrote:
| Quote: | More than one USB cam at a time generally won't work as they use
the same WDM driver. It's a windows thing. For more than one cam
you will probably need to use analog cams and capture devices.
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(Apologies if this post appears twice, my last submission failed)
Is it likely that I could get 2 USB webcams of different makes working
together on the same PC ?
For instance, if I swapped one of the Logitech cams for a Creative Live
Motion...
So I would have the following on one machine:
1 x Logitech Quickcam Pro 5000
and
1 x Creative Live Motion
Any ideas if that might work ?
Thanks in advance. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:52 pm Post subject: Re: Multiple USB webcams on one PC |
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On 18-Dec-2006, muddyboots@gmail.com wrote:
| Quote: | Is it likely that I could get 2 USB webcams of different makes working
together on the same PC ?
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SplitCam (free) has a few useful features, but I don't think
it overcomes the conflict of trying to run two USB cameras
simultaneously. Google for Splitcam.
Can't remember for sure if it it has a Select Camera
dropdown.
There are USB switches (I use one to switch my wireless
USB adapter between 2 PC's, hot swapping works fine,
other than the short delay before the adapter shows up, then
jiggles it's searching yellow dot, then it 's connected)
as far as the PC is concerned it should see the camera as
a USB device hot swap.
Might need cameras that uses the same drivers, like two
of the same model, to avoid driver conflicts.
To avoid manual switching I assume a relay based
USB switch could be contrived, for instance to switch
under PC or timer control. |
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Si Ballenger
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 8:48 am Post subject: Re: Multiple USB webcams on one PC |
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On 18 Dec 2006 05:29:56 -0800, muddyboots@gmail.com wrote:
| Quote: | Is it likely that I could get 2 USB webcams of different makes working
together on the same PC ?
For instance, if I swapped one of the Logitech cams for a Creative Live
Motion...
So I would have the following on one machine:
1 x Logitech Quickcam Pro 5000
and
1 x Creative Live Motion
Any ideas if that might work ?
|
It might work, or might not. I've heard of putting one of the
cams on a powered USB hub and another connected directly to the
computer. The origional version of the below usb cam had drivers
to allow up to ten of them to be connected to the same computer.
http://www.digi.com/products/videosensors/watchportcameras.jsp |
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Guest
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 8:49 am Post subject: Re: Multiple USB webcams on one PC |
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Si Ballenger wrote:
| Quote: | On 18 Dec 2006 05:29:56 -0800, muddyboots@gmail.com wrote:
Is it likely that I could get 2 USB webcams of different makes working
together on the same PC ?
For instance, if I swapped one of the Logitech cams for a Creative Live
Motion...
So I would have the following on one machine:
1 x Logitech Quickcam Pro 5000
and
1 x Creative Live Motion
Any ideas if that might work ?
It might work, or might not. I've heard of putting one of the
cams on a powered USB hub and another connected directly to the
computer. The origional version of the below usb cam had drivers
to allow up to ten of them to be connected to the same computer.
http://www.digi.com/products/videosensors/watchportcameras.jsp
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Thanks for the replies.
However I think I'll keep the two cameras I've got, and put Linux on my
machine instead, running Motion:
http://www.lavrsen.dk/twiki/bin/view/Motion/WebHome
The author has 13 cameras (6 of which are USB) running on two linux
machines, they can be seen here: http://www.lavrsen.dk/webcam/
Looks like it'll do everything I want, plus I have the flexibility that
Linux gives - I'm a Unix sysadmin by trade so I'll be happy  |
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