Detecting Webcams

[kvrajan]

Hi.

This is a suggestion to make it easy & clear. When Yawcam detects the Cameras, why not use the camera name as the Windows Device manager shows in the 'imaging devices' list. This will be particularly useful, where the cameras are of same make/model. Windows append a no. each time a camera of the same make/model is added. Where as Yawcam shows the same name twice making it very difficult to know, which one has been chosen for the first instance and which one not.

Please consider incorporating this. Thanks in advance,.

[z3r0c00l12]

I think it could be useful, not sure how many people actually need the feature, but I did add it to the suggestion list to be reviewed by Malun.

I also moved your Topic under General as it is a suggestion.

z3r0c00l12

[kvrajan]

Thanks for considering the suggestion and I hope this is approved by Malun. As you can see more and more members talk about more than one camera. Of couse, same make/model could be very rare, although.

[malun]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll keep it in mind and see what I can do.
However I'm afraid I'm a bit limited of what name I get when I scan windows for the connected devices.
You would think that I have two identical webcameras, but I actually don't... I will need to buy more web cameras again...

/malun

[z3r0c00l12]

Hi Malun,

If it can help in your testing, I can gladly send you 2 identical Vimicro USB Cameras (typical plug-and-play).

I know it can be hard and would require testing to have 2 identical camera, Manycam still can't handle both.

PM me if you are interested.

[malun]

Thanks for the offer z3r0c00l12. However I order two cheap "Creative WebCam Live! Cam Sync" toady. It will probably be cheaper than the postage costs of sending your cameras.

/malun

[malun]

I'm a bit surprised about the result. Looks like there is different behavior in different versions of windows.

Works fine in Windows 7 64bit:

The Device manager adds a #2 to the second camera and Yawcam uses the name reported in windows.

I thought Windows 7 32bit should have the same behavior, but it doesn't:

The Device manager has the same name for both cameras and Yawcam uses this name as it is reported by windows.

Also note that the reported name differs between the 32bit and 64bit of Windows.
I'll see if I can try some more versions of Windows.

kvrajan which version of Windows are you using? What camera are you using?

/malun

[kvrajan]

Hi..

I'm using Win XP in both the machines I have and Win XP prof. shows two diff. names [one appended with a #] like 64 bit machine.

But YawCam when run on these machines, does not show the same name as in Device Manager. It shows without the # and number by which they become 2 identical entries. And one has to do a trial & error to know which one is already in use and which one not.

Also, I noticed that if the camera is removed and connected via another USB port, the same camera gets a new # number. This has to be taken care of, to avoid 'no device connected' message, when going by Win image devices name list.

Sorry, I'm only in a position to highlight the issue and no means offer any suggestion, how this can be addressed.

[z3r0c00l12]

There should be some type of ID that can be used by Yawcam which is unique to every webcam even of same make. For instance, the new Microsoft LifeCam Cinema cameras have a label on the USB cable with a Product ID, which is unique to every camera. I found this out when calling Microsoft for support over the phone.

[malun]

I have now added numbers to identical devices in the new beta version:
http://www.yawcam.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1556

kvrajan, can you report how this version works for you?

/malun