UPSB v3

Presentation / Optimizing web cams

How to get the most out of your cam

  1. Awesome
    Date: Fri, Dec 26 2008 00:48:41

    The thread title pretty much says it all, post all tips you have to make your web cam/camera/camcorder record better. I have been told more light will make it better.

    What do you do to get superior quality out of your cam?

  2. schlynn
    Date: Fri, Dec 26 2008 00:53:45

    Yep, I need this too, sorry for a usless post but it would be helpful to know how to turn up the FPS on my logitech quickcam.

  3. Samir
    Date: Fri, Dec 26 2008 01:39:50

    I've heard that spinning over a white surface (paper, sheet, pillowcase, shirt, etc.) will reflect more light and result in a higher FPS.

  4. Rorix
    Date: Fri, Dec 26 2008 01:48:22

    For webcams, always turn off auto exposure, set it manually. Lower exposure time = higher fps. Some webcams don't have manual, like microsoft VX-7000 so they're not good for ps vids.

    With my logitech quickcam IM, I use virtualdub to record. I get 30fps using 1/30 exposure time, 320x240 resolution

  5. shoeman6
    Date: Fri, Dec 26 2008 01:50:24

    I'm using Active Cam, how would I go about using that and mebeam?
    Sorry if i'm being stupid.
    I turn on active cam and then my cam doesnt show up on Mebeam, which broadcast setting do I use or what am I doing incorrectly?

  6. SJ
    Date: Fri, Dec 26 2008 02:54:44

    QUOTE (shoeman6 @ Dec 25 2008, 05:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
    I'm using Active Cam, how would I go about using that and mebeam?
    Sorry if i'm being stupid.
    I turn on active cam and then my cam doesnt show up on Mebeam, which broadcast setting do I use or what am I doing incorrectly?

    turn off active cam.
    you can only use ur cam on one program at a time
    not that mebeam is a program but u get what i mean

  7. shoeman6
    Date: Fri, Dec 26 2008 03:03:32

    how do people use those cam softwares then?

  8. xxdefinitionxxメAM
    Date: Fri, Dec 26 2008 05:56:12

    -Spin over lighter colored surfaces.
    -Artificial light gives a better FPS than natural light.
    -Keep as little programs as possible running while recording, more CPU usage=worse quality.
    -Use Sony Vegas' Video Capture program! <----Best results.
    (You can find the .exe. in the Vegas dir its called "vidcap60", just pin it to start menu; it won't work without the other files in the dir)

  9. dust_kid
    Date: Fri, Dec 26 2008 23:06:43

    QUOTE (Rorix @ Dec 26 2008, 12:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
    For webcams, always turn off auto exposure, set it manually. Lower exposure time = higher fps.


    Where in Virtual Dub are you able to find this option?

  10. Rorix
    Date: Fri, Dec 26 2008 23:09:16

    Go File > Capture AVI, then Video > Capture filter and it's called Automatic Gain Control in the advanced tab. If your webcam supports it you can check/uncheck it, else it'll be grayed out.

  11. Awesome
    Date: Sat, Dec 27 2008 00:24:08

    My web cam has gain and exposure, whats the difference between the two? They seem to both make it brighter. Will gain affect FPS?

  12. Rorix
    Date: Sat, Dec 27 2008 00:36:28

    I'm not really sure what gain is exactly but it increases the video brightness but drops the quality. It doesn't affect fps though so I keep it high, but it sometimes makes the video flicker. Greater exposure increases brightness too but drops fps.

  13. Sadistic
    Date: Sat, Dec 27 2008 03:48:00

    wow...difference between using a white back-round rather than black and using 3 lights rather than 1:
    bad fps:

    good fps:

  14. SJ
    Date: Sat, Dec 27 2008 05:05:09

    the first one gives the "smooth" effect or the "white pen" effect
    and second one looks a bit choppy tho

  15. Shadowserpant
    Date: Sat, Dec 27 2008 05:10:47

    QUOTE (Samir @ Dec 25 2008, 05:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
    I've heard that spinning over a white surface (paper, sheet, pillowcase, shirt, etc.) will reflect more light and result in a higher FPS.

    by my experience, that's the opposite of what you want
    this is just what i think though

    well, one, exposure should NOT be set to auto. it should be manual, and turned down as low as you can
    then, get all the light you can, and adjust the rest of your settings to make yourself clearly visible (because lowering the exposure will probably make you very dark)
    i think the optimum setup is a white pen on a black background
    if you insist on color like me, take the compliment of your color as your background, but a darker shade
    i use a red and blue pen: between red and blue is purple, and the opposite of purple is yellow. dark yellow = brown
    so yeah, that's my analytical approach to things


    okay i could be utterly wrong with this but it makes sense to me