Getting Started Creative CardCam Value Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Creative Technology Ltd. No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, for any purpose without the written permission of Creative Technology Ltd.
Contents
Introduction Creative PC-CAM Center ...................................................................xii Creative WebCam Monitor ................................................................xii Microsoft NetMeeting........................................................................xii Ulead Photo Express MCE .................................................................xii Before You Begin ....................................................................................
Tips on Taking Good Pictures .......................................................... 2-5 Downloading Images from the Camera..................................................... 2-5 Deleting Images from the Camera ........................................................... 2-6 Deleting images in docked mode ..................................................... 2-6 3 Using Creative CardCam Value as a Web Camera Starting Microsoft NetMeeting..................................................................
Problems Using Creative CardCam Value ..................................................B-2 Problems when changing batteries ...........................................................B-4 Problems in Windows XP .........................................................................B-5 Register your product for better support ...................................................
Introduction
Introduction Creative CardCam Value is a compact digital camera that is near the size of a credit card. Your camera captures images in 24-bit (16.7 million) colors at up to 640 x 480 pixel resolution with software interpolation. As an added benefit, it also captures video clips in full-color at up to 30 frames per second. The following are just some of the things you can do with your Creative CardCam Value: ❑ Portable Digital Camera.
About the Applications Creative PC-CAM Center This powerful application lets you take pictures or record videos and store them in albums. Use this application to download pictures to your computer, when using Creative CardCam Value as a portable digital camera. You can also export pictures or videos to other programs, or send them as attachments in your e-mail messages. There are various settings for you to adjust, allowing you to optimize the quality of your pictures and videos.
Ulead Photo Express MCE is fully customizable and allows you to add cool captions to photos with colorful eye-catching text. You can even e-mail your pictures as HTML mail or as attachments. Before You Begin Package Contents Your camera package contains the following items: ❑ One Creative CardCam Value camera ❑ One wrist-strap ❑ One USB cable ❑ Two 1.
Minimum System Requirements Creative does not assume any costs charged to connect to the Internet.
Updating Drivers To download the latest drivers and file updates for Creative CardCam Value, visit http://www.creative.com. Technical Support For Technical Support Information, refer to the document D:\Support\Language\Support.pdf on the Installation CD, where D: represents your CD-ROM.
1 About your Creative CardCam Value
About your Creative CardCam Value About your camera The following figures show you the front and back views of the camera. Snapshot button Viewfinder Front view Front LED Lights up when the camera is connected to the computer. Focus-free lens USB connector Back view Viewfinder Power/Mode button LCD Image counter/ Mode Indicator Figure 1-1: Front and back views of Creative CardCam Value.
The following figures show you the buttons and Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) on the camera.
Functions of Control Buttons and LCD display The following section describes in detail the functions of the buttons and LCD mode indications on your Creative CardCam Value. Refer to Figure 1-1 and Figure 1-2 for the location of these buttons and LCDs on your camera. Control Buttons The following buttons are found on your Creative CardCam Value: ❑ Power/Mode button The camera will turn itself off if it is left idle for three minutes. To turn on your camera: Press this button to turn on your camera.
❑ Snapshot button This button is used for taking photos. Press the button to take a picture. It is also used with the Power/Mode button to switch between or select settings. LCD display modes The 640 x 480 resolution is achieved via software interpolation. Enabling Audio Cues By default, the LCD counter displays the number of pictures taken. If the Power/ Mode button is pressed for 1 second, the screen will display the number of pictures left, followed by the mode, and then the number of pictures taken.
Inserting or Changing Batteries • No batteries are required when the camera is connected to the computer. • If the camera is to be connected to the computer for a long period of time, remove the batteries to prevent battery leakage. • Make sure that you insert the batteries in the correct direction. If not, they may leak and cause damage to the camera. • Do not mix old batteries with new ones or batteries of different types together.
Installing Creative CardCam Value Refer to the instructions for your computer's operating system. For users of Windows 98, Windows 98 SE and Windows Me, see “In Windows 98/98 SE/Me” in the section that follows. For users of Windows 2000, see “In Windows 2000” on page 1-9. For users of Windows XP, see “In Windows XP” on page 1-10. In Windows 98/98 SE/Me 1. Do not connect Creative CardCam Value to your computer before installing the drivers.
• The USB port(s) of certain computers may be found on the front panel instead of the back panel. • You can also attach the camera to a self-powered USB hub. 5. Connect Creative CardCam Value’s USB cable to an available USB port on your computer (see Figure 1-5). Place Creative CardCam Value on top of your computer monitor or another flat surface. You can connect the camera while the computer is turned on. Windows automatically detects the device.
6. When the Creative CardCam Value Camera Configuration dialog box appears, check the image in the Video preview pane. If it flickers or displays a series of dark bands, click the Cancel Flicker button. 7. Click the Finish button, and then restart your computer. In Windows 2000 1. Do not connect Creative CardCam Value to your computer before installing the drivers. If you accidentally begin installation with Creative CardCam Value connected, the Found New Hardware Wizard dialog box appears.
6. Two Digital Signature Not Found dialog boxes will appear, one at a time, telling you that Creative Creative CardCam Value (Still Image) and Creative Creative CardCam Value (Video) (Figure 1-6) have been detected. 7. Click the Yes button. The Creative CardCam Value Camera Configuration dialog box appears. Figure 1-6: Digital Signature Not Found dialog box. 8. Check the image in the Video preview pane. If it flickers or displays a series of dark bands, click the Cancel Flicker button. 9.
At the time of this product’s release, Microsoft strongly encouraged companies to submit their hardware solutions for certification. If a hardware device driver is not submitted, or does not qualify, for Microsoft certification, a warning message appears. You may see this message when installing this driver. If you do, you may choose to click the Continue Anyway button. Creative has tested this driver on Windows XP, and it does not impair or destabilize your computer.
Verifying the installation In Windows 98/ 98SE/Me/2000/XP 1. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel. For Windows XP, click Start -> Control Panel. 2. Double-click the System icon. The System Properties dialog box appears. 3. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Device Manager tab. For Windows 2000/XP, click the Hardware tab, and then click the Device Manager button. 4. Click the plus (+) sign next to the Imaging Device icon.
2 Using Creative CardCam Value as a Digital Camera
Using Creative CardCam Value as a Digital Camera You can use the Creative CardCam Value as a portable digital camera when it is not connected to your computer. Note: Remember to insert two 1.5 V AAA alkaline batteries into the camera’s battery compartment. Precautions during Battery Low status When the battery is running low, the following occurs: ❑ First warning: camera will beep three times.
Taking Pictures • You can only turn the camera on when it is disconnected from the computer. • The multiple snapshot mode consumes more battery power. • The camera turns itself off if it is left idle after three minutes. 1. Make sure the USB cable is unplugged from the camera. 2. Press the Power/Mode button on the camera. Your camera beeps once. When the camera is first turned on, it is in the default state.
Note: You can cancel the snapshot while the camera is counting down by pressing the Snapshot button again. • To view pictures that you have taken while using the camera on-the-go, you must connect the camera to the computer and download the pictures using PC-CAM Center. • As JPEG compresses an image according to its details, colors and compression ratio, the file size varies according to the picture taken. • The image counter value normally increases by one after a picture is taken.
Tips on Taking Good Pictures Here are some tips for taking a good picture. ❑ Bright lighting Avoid taking pictures with bright light sources all around the object. These lights will create “hotspots,” which will affect the quality of the picture. ❑ Bad lighting When indoors or outdoors, be sure there is enough light falling onto the object. Avoid taking pictures of objects in shadow, especially when the light source (for example, sun or spotlight) is directly behind the object.
2. Click the Digital Camera button. Temporary copies of the PC-CAM files are created automatically, and displayed as thumbnails in the thumbnails window. 3. Click the Select All button to select all the files. 4. Click the Transfer To button. The Transfer dialog box appears. 5. Click the Photo tab containing the destination media album you want. Only the tab belonging to the media of the selected files will appear. 6. Click the computer you want to transfer the files to. 7. Click the OK button.
3 Using Creative CardCam Value as a Web Camera
Using Creative CardCam Value as a Web Camera Using PC-CAM Center If PC-CAM Center does not recognize the camera correctly, see Troubleshooting on Page B-1. PC-CAM Center is an easy-to-use application that enables you to take pictures and record short videos with the Creative CardCam Value camera. You can also view pictures and videos, create and manage albums, and download image files from your camera.
After PC-CAM Center is started, the PC-CAM Center screen similar to the figure below, appears. The following sections describe the more commonly used operations. For more details on how to use PC-CAM Center, see the section “Starting PC-CAM Center Help” on page 3-1. Figure 3-1: PC-CAM Center screen. Capturing Images and Videos With PC-CAM Center, you can take photos and record videos in two modes — with or without a preview. The preview mode is active by default.
Taking a Photo in Preview Mode When in docked mode, do not use the CardCam’s Snapshot button to take pictures in PCCAM Center. Use the onscreen snap button provided in PCCAM Center. To take a photo in the default preview mode: 1. In the PC-CAM Center window, click the Live Video button. The current camera view is displayed in the Viewing window. 2. In the Save Photo in box, select the destination album for your photo. 3. If the Save automatically check box is selected, click to clear it. 4.
5. To start recording a video, click the Capture video button. The button starts blinking to indicate that recording is now in progress. 6. To stop the recording, click the button again. The button stops blinking. The video is captured as an AVI file but is not saved. 7. To preview the video, click the Play button on the bottom-left corner of the Live Video window. After you have previewed the video, and have decided that you want to save the video, click the Save button. 8.
3. Double-click the thumbnail of the video that is displayed in the Thumbnails window. The video is displayed in the PC-CAM Center Viewing window, in its actual size. If you are not satisfied with the result, you can select a higher resolution, and then capture the video again. Sending a video via email To send video captured in PC-CAM Center: 1. Click the My Album button. PC-CAM Center is now in My Album mode. 2. In the My Album box, locate and click the album containing the video you want to e-mail.
Starting Microsoft NetMeeting When your CardCam is connected to the computer, you can use it as a basic web camera to send video images with Microsoft NetMeeting, an easy-to-use application distributed with Microsoft Internet Explorer. To start Microsoft NetMeeting, do one of the following: ❑ Locate the shortcut for Microsoft NetMeeting and click on its icon to launch the program.
After Microsoft Netmeeting has been started, a screen similar to the picture below, appears. For more details on how to use Microsoft NetMeeting, refer to its online Help file (see below). Figure 3-2: Microsoft NetMeeting startup screen. Starting Microsoft Netmeeting Help This Help file contains instructions on how to use Microsoft Netmeeting. To start the Help file: 1. Start NetMeeting and press the F1 key on your computer keyboard. 2. Click the Help Topics button.
Starting Creative WebCam Monitor If you are thinking of going “live” on the Internet, Creative WebCam Monitor is the application to look at. Just point your camera at your subject and pick a time interval. WebCam Monitor does the rest, including uploading the snapshots to the Internet. WebCam Monitor also acts as a motion-detecting security system which automatically e-mails you when somebody comes near your PC while you are not present.
Appendixes
A Technical Specifications
Technical Specifications This section lists the specifications of your Creative CardCam Value camera. Small form factor CMOS image sensor 2 MB of on-board non-volatile SDRAM Storage of 22 snapshots in HR mode, 99 snapshots in LR mode LCD Image Counter and Mode Indicator Snapshot button Two-function Power/Mode button for Power On/Off and mode selection Front LED Fixed focus high-quality lens: minimum Field Of View of 52 degrees.
❑ Powered by two AAA batteries Note: Battery life depends on mode and battery type. ❑ Auto shut-off after three minutes of idle time Docked mode ❑ Video capture at up to 30 frames per second at 320 x 240 pixels, 176 x 144 and 160 x 120 pixels on an optimal system. ❑ Snapshots in 24-bit color at image resolutions of 640 x 480 pixels (software interpolated), 320 x 240 pixels. ❑ Powered via a computer’s Universal Serial Bus (USB) port or self-powered USB hub (powered by an external power source).
Color Balance ❑ Automatic Driver and Operating System Compatibility ❑ USB model supports Windows 98, Windows 98SE, Windows Me, Windows 2000 and Windows XP ❑ Microsoft Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) support ❑ WDM MiniDriver for DirectShow, and Video For Windows compatibility ❑ TWAIN support ❑ Standard interface works with virtually all camera applications including Microsoft NetMeeting ❑ Microsoft Still Image (STI) support Technical Specifications A-4
B Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting This appendix provides solutions to problems you may encounter during installation or normal use. Problem Installing Software The setup program for Creative CardCam Value does not run automatically after the Installation CD is inserted into the CD-ROM drive. The AutoPlay feature in your Windows system may not be enabled. To install the software from the CD: 1. Insert the installation CD in the CD-ROM drive. 2. Click Start -> Run. 3. In the Open box, type D:\CTRUN\CTRUN.
An application reports that the video driver is already in use, or that the camera cannot be found. Do the following: ❑ The camera is not properly connected. To resolve this problem, ensure that the camera’s USB connector is inserted, and that the USB host controller is enabled in your computer’s BIOS. Refer to your computer’s documentation for information on the BIOS. ❑ Reinstall the video capture drivers and restart your computer.
When the camera is connected to the computer, pressing the Snapshot button does not start an application. The application to be activated has not been pre-selected. Make sure that you have selected an application for taking pictures. Do the following: If you select more than one application, you will be prompted to choose one of them when you press the Snapshot button. Problems when changing batteries 1. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel. 2. Double-click the Scanners & Cameras icon.
Problems in Windows XP A Hardware Installation error message appears on a Windows XP operating system when a driver is being installed. At the time of this product's release, Microsoft strongly encouraged companies to submit their hardware solutions for certification. If a hardware device driver is not submitted, or does not qualify, for Microsoft certification, a warning message similar to the one below appears. You may see this message when installing this driver.
C USB Compatibility
Note on USB Compatibility While testing Creative CardCam Value on PC motherboards with integrated Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports, we encountered a small number of motherboards that do not meet the USB specification exactly. These and other non-USB-compliant motherboards may not operate correctly with Creative CardCam Value. Fortunately, the manufacturers of some of these motherboards have released new versions of motherboards or BIOS to address the problem.
