Home

  Products

  Support

  Company

This page contains answers to common questions handled by our support staff, along with some tips and tricks that we have found useful and presented here.

1. Parallel Port Configuration Overview
2. Changing your computer’s Parallel Port Mode
3. Problems with HP LaserJet 5L/6L printers ("host-based" mode drivers)
4. Office Jet or other scanners and parallel printer port input devices
5. Installing bi-directional parallel port devices for the first time should not go through the ViCAM^®
6. Parallel Port Troubleshooting built into ViViewer
7. ViCAM^® and Lexmark Printers
8. Using ViCAM^® on a laptop with an external mouse
9. Brand-Name computer's Setup procedures
10. What is the cable lengths on the ViCAM and can they be extended?
11. Troubleshooting USB System Problems
12. Why does Stefra Video Control only work for 5 days?
13. Problem with IBM Thinkpad 560X and USB ViCAM
14. Problem with Microsoft NetMeeting 3.0
15. Problem with Windows 2000 or Windows XP and USB ViCAM
16. Installing and testing the ViCAM
17. Parallel Port ViCAM & 250MB Zip Drive Issues

ViCAM^® has been designed to work with all parallel printer port modes of operation. However you should know that setting your computer’s parallel port mode to one of the higher performance modes (EPP or ECP) will significantly increase the ViCAM^® performance (higher frame rates). Having your computer set to operate in one of these higher performance parallel port modes can make a difference of 300 to 400 percent in frame rates achieved by ViCAM^®, and significantly reduce your computer’s overhead with applications like video-conferencing, video e-mail, and video capturing and publishing. This will free up your computer to do other tasks like application sharing during video-conferencing.

With all of the effort we put in to designing ViCAM^® to allow for this type of performance, we believe you will find it to be well worth the small amount of time it will take now for you to identify and modify (if necessary), your parallel port mode settings of your personal computer.

Much care should be taken while attempting to modify your computers CMOS settings, because you can seriously alter or cripple your computer! So take care while performing the following steps, and only modify the settings with respect to your parallel port mode!

Before attempting this process, verify which mode the ViCAM^® thinks your computer’s parallel port is in, by running the ViVIEWER application shipped with ViCAM^® and opening the "About" function under the "Help" menu item. The second line from the bottom in this About dialog box will say;

"ViCAM 1.0 on EPP Port LPT1 at 0x0378"

or will indicate something very similar. Notice in this line where EPP is shown, this will indicate which mode your camera believes your port mode is in, such as EPP, ECP, Bi-Directional, or Uni-Directional.

As you may be aware there are countless IBM compatible brands of personal computers out there and nearly all of them have a slightly different way of setting the parallel port mode. First, we recommend that you find your computers user manual and review the section which details modifying your computer CMOS settings, often referred to as the "SETUP" procedure. (The CMOS "SETUP" is where your computer allows the modification and saving of the hardware settings it uses while running). If you’re are not sure what this means, contact your computer dealer’s technical support or a knowledgeable friend who you feel can help and ask for assistance with this procedure.

Enter your "SETUP" utility which is usually done while your computer is starting up. It will say "press F1 to enter SETUP", or something similar. After you have enter the SETUP utility, find the section which deals with the parallel port mode, usually in a "peripheral setup" section. It may take a little searching but it will be in there somewhere for sure. Once you have found it there should be a section where you can change the mode. Read the whole screen as it will indicate how to actually change the mode value. Now choose either EPP or ECP mode and exit the SETUP utility saving the changes you have made.

Some computers have different descriptions for these EPP and ECP mode like "Enhanced". It may take a couple of tries to find out which is which but be patient, as this process will pay off in the future.

Some computers require you to actually perform a cold boot (power cycling) of your computer in order to apply the changes to your CMOS setting relevant to your parallel port mode.

Verify which mode the ViCAM^® thinks your computer’s parallel port is in, by running the ViVIEWER and review the content within the "About"dialog box as described above.

Problems with HP LaserJet 5L/6L printers ("host-based" mode drivers).

We have found with certain printers manufactured by HP which use a special driver that uses "host-based" mode of communication between the computer and the printer.

The problem is that the "host-based" mode is not compatible with pass through devices such as ViCAM^® or parallel port zip drive products.

The solution is to change the mode of operation of the driver from "host-based" to "PCL". We have retrieved the following description from HP’s website on changing to the "PCL" mode of operation.

• Uninstall the Host Based driver by using the Uninstaller in the HP LaserJet Utilities group and install the PCL driver with no Status Window by doing a Custom Installation.

• Select PCL-driver and uncheck the Status Window box.

This should fix the problem of ViCAM^® not being found when running the ViViewer, or AVI and Twain applications with the 5L and 6L LaserJet printers.

Office Jet or other scanners and parallel printer port input devices

We have found a few instances where users have tried using ViCAM^® with "full time" input devices like scanners or printers that have scanners built into them.

The problem they encounter is that these scanners sometimes have a Windows based utility which is constantly running in the background which stops ViCAM^® from being detected by our software. The ViCAM^® is designed to function within what is referred to as the "contention manager" of Windows which allows devices such as ViCAM^® and printers, parallel port zip drives, and so forth, to gain access to the printer port through a controlled and predictable mechanism. Some device drivers (a software component), for the scanners do not release possession of the parallel port.

One solution to this problem is to disable the device driver in question while using ViCAM^®. An example of this is as with the HP Office Jet product, the device driver is referred to as the "Auto-Prompt" utility. Disabling this auto-prompt will allow for the release of the parallel port resource and allows ViCAM^® to function properly.

We have found rare instances where installing new printers which have bi-directional capabilities for the first time may encounter problems when they are connected through ViCAM^® to the computer. To solve this problem simply disconnect ViCAM^® temporarily and connect the printer directly to the computer and complete it’s installation process. After the installation is complete you can then put ViCAM^® back in place between the computer and the printer.

Some printers of this type may require that you disable bi-directional communication for use when connected through ViCAM^®. This enabling and disabling of the bi-directional capability is often accomplished within the printer’s own control panel or in a special printer toolbox utility application which comes with the printer.

ViCAM^® is shipped with our ViViewer application which unlike our Video for Windows (AVI) and Twain (scanner) drivers, has built in parallel port diagnostics with feedback. This can be very useful when problems are encountered with conflicts between other parallel port device drivers as mentioned in the above section on the Office Jet type of printer or scanner.

When you first launch ViViewer it will try to find the ViCAM connected one of the parallel port of your computer. If an existing software driver for a device such as the Office Jet is set up to communicate with printer/scanner full time (which allows auto-prompting you when you scan a document for example), it will not relinquish control of the parallel port and ViViewer will fail to find the ViCAM.

While the Video for Windows (AVI) and Twain (scanner) drivers for ViCAM^® will only indicate they could not find the camera, ViViewer will indicate that the parallel port is in use by another device. This provides feedback to alert you to this condition. The only solution is to disable the software driver’s bi-directional communication with the printer or disable the driver completely while using ViCAM^®. We wish these steps were not necessary but not all devices (like scanners) are design to share the parallel port resource.

ViCAM^® and Lexmark Printers

The ViCAM^® has been designed to share the parallel port with other devices such as printers, scanners, dongles, and external disk subsystems. However, the software for both devices must share the parallel port cooperatively. Microsoft specifies how devices for Windows 95 should operate to allow the sharing of parallel ports but some devices that were developed for Windows 3.1 or the early days of Windows 95 may not work properly. We have seen this a number of times with Lexmark printers that were developed prior to 1997. In most cases, the solution is to simply download and install the latest software for your particular printer. Unfortunately, there are also some printers that are no longer supported and the software is no longer being updated. The Lexmark CJ1020 is an example of a printer that has software that conflicts with the ViCAM^® and is no longer being updated. Please feel free to call for technical support if you think your printer falls into this category.

Using ViCAM^® on a laptop with an external mouse

The keyboard pass-through cable on the ViCAM^® is designed to work with keyboards only. Many laptop PC's have a combination keyboard/mouse port. If you wish to use an externalm mouse on your laptop with the ViCAM^®, you must use a Y-cable designed to allow a laptop to use an external mouse and keyboard. Plug the Y-cable into the laptop first. Plug the ViCAM^® keyboard cable into one side of the Y and the mouse into the other side. You will then have full functionality of both peripherals.

This information is subject to change without notice and is provided "as is" with no warranty. Vista Imaging shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages in connection with the use of this material.

Following is information collected from internal and external experience on procedures for running the CMOS Setup utility on several different brands of computers. This information is only provided to assist you as a demonstration of the Setup Utility procedure. You should always try to acquire the appropriate information on your own computer and follow those instructions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHANGING THE PARALLEL PORT MODE IN SETUP
ACER
ACS
AROMA
AROMATECH
AST
CLONE
CNS SYSTEMS
COMPAQ
DATEK
DELL
GATEWAY 2000
HEWLETT-PACKARD
IBM APTIVA
MICRON
MITAC
MSO
PACKARD BELL
SONY
GENERAL INFORMATION

Changing the Parallel Port Mode in your computer’s Setup

This section specifically addresses the steps to follow if the computer Settings need to be updated to allow the ViCAM^® Color Digital Video Camera to operate in a higher performance mode such as EPP and ECP.

The reason your will want to modify your parallel port mode is the ViCAM^® performance is greatly effected by the parallel port mode setting in your computer. EPP or ECP modes will perform anywhere from two to four times better then a standard bi-directional mode, and still more than this over the uni-directional mode. This increase in performance will translate into lower CPU overhead (your computer’s band width needed to capture video from the ViCAM^®), which will allow your computer and video applications more band width to do other things.

This mode can be defaulted to a number of different settings by your computer manufacturer, and there is no automatic way to update the setting within the ViCAM^® installation software. Therefore, you need to locate your brand of computer from the list below and follow the steps to update the setting for the parallel port. If your computer is not included below, see the general information at the end of the list.

The directions given below for the specific manufacturers may not be exactly what you see for your computer. Web page addresses for some of the manufacturers have been included should you have questions regarding your specific computer model.

ACER

 www.acer.com

1. While the computer is booting, follow the directions on the screen: "To enter Setup, press CTRL+ALT+ESC."
2. Follow the legend on how to scroll through the options.
3. When you reach the option "Parallel Port Mode," choose EPP or ECP.
4. Follow the legend directions to save the setting and exit setup.

ACS

NOTE: The steps for this computer are not included in the document received in the box.

1. Restart the computer and press DEL during the startup.
2. Use an arrow key to select "Chipset Feature Setup" and then press ENTER.
3. Use an arrow key to select "Parallel Port Mode."
4. Press the "+" or "-" key until "ECP" appears in the field and then press ENTER. (This mode uses DMA 1, EPP version 1.7.)
5. Press F10 to save the setting.
6. Type "Y" to save the settings to CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) and exit setup, and then press ENTER.

Aroma

NOTE: The steps for this computer are not included in the document received in the box.

1. Restart the computer and press F1 during the startup.
2. Use the right-arrow key to select "Advanced Menu."
3. Select "Peripheral Configuration" and press ENTER.
4. Press the down-arrow key once to select "Parallel Port Mode" and press ENTER.
5. Use the down-arrow key to select "EPP or ECP".
6. Press ENTER, and then F10, and then ENTER again.

Aromatech

NOTE: The steps for this computer are not included in the document received in the box.

1. Restart the computer. When it starts again, press CTRL+ALT+S.
2. Select "Parallel Mode" from the standard menu and press ENTER.
3. Using the down-arrow key, select the mode with the highest performance (e.g. ECP or EPP), and then press ENTER.
4. Select the Exit menu and then press ENTER.

AST

 www.ast.com

1. While the computer is booting, follow the directions on the screen: "To enter Setup, press CTRL+ALT+ESC." (If you have a 486 computer, the directions might have you press CTRL+ALT+DEL).
2. Follow the legend directions on how to scroll through the options.
3. When you reach the "Parallel Port Mode" option, choose the mode with the highest performance (e.g. ECP or EPP).
4. Follow the legend directions to save the setting and exit.

Clone

NOTE: The steps for this computer are not included in the document received in the box.

1. Restart the computer and press F1 during the startup.
2. Use an arrow key to select the "Advance" menu item.
3. Use an arrow key to select the parallel port setting and the mode field.
4. Press ENTER to get the mode list.
5. Select the mode with the highest performance (e.g. ECP or EPP) and then press ENTER.
6. Press F10 to save the BIOS (basic input/output system) changes.
7. Press ENTER to close the BIOS settings window.

CNS Systems

NOTE: The steps for this computer are not included in the document received in the box.

1. Start the computer and press DEL during startup.
2. Use the down-arrow key to select "Chipset Feature Setup" and then press ENTER.
3. Use the down-arrow key to select "Parallel Port Mode" and then press ENTER.
4. Use the right-arrow and down-arrow keys to select "Parallel Port Mode."
5. Use PAGE UP to select the mode with the highest performance (e.g. ECP or EPP).
6. Press ESC and then F10.
7. Type "Y" and press ENTER.

Compaq

 www.compaq.com

Pentium (R) computers should already have the parallel port mode in a bi-directional state. If you have a 486 computer, you may need an external bi-directional port card.

Datek

NOTE: The steps for this computer are not included in the document received in the box.

1. When the hard drive starts, press DEL to enter Setup (CMOS).
2. Use an arrow key to move to "Chipset Features" and then press ENTER.
3. Use an arrow key to move to "Parallel Port Mode."
4. Press the "+" key to change to a mode with the highest performance (e.g. ECP or EPP)
5. Press ESC+F10 to save and exit.
6. Type "Y" to save and then press ENTER.

Dell

 www.dell.com

1. While the computer is booting, follow the directions on the screen: "To enter Setup, press DEL." (If you have a 486 computer, the directions might say press F2.)
2. Press ALT+P and choose "Parallel Mode."
3. There should be a list of modes available. Choose the mode with the highest performance (e.g. ECP or EPP).
4. Follow the legend directions to save the setting and exit setup.

Gateway 2000

 www.gw2k.com

1. While the computer is booting, follow the directions on the screen: "To enter Setup, press F1."
2. Select "Advanced" from the menu bar.
3. Select "Integrated Peripherals."
4. Following the legend directions, select "EPP or ECP" as the parallel port mode.
5. Follow the legend directions to save the setting and exit setup.

Hewlett-Packard

 www.hp.com

Steps for HP Pavillion PC Models

1. At the HP Blue Screen, press F1 to enter Setup.
2. Select "Advanced" from the menu bar.
3. Following the legend directions, select "Peripheral Configuration" and then use the arrow-down key to move to "Parallel Port Mode."
4. Select the mode with the highest performance (e.g. ECP or EPP).
5. Follow the legend directions to save the setting and exit setup.

Steps for HP Vectra PC Series

1. While the computer is booting, follow the directions on the screen: "Press F2 to Enter Setup." This is displayed at the bottom of the Hewlett Packard System Hardware Test screen.
2. Use the arrow keys to highlight "Parallel Port Mode."
3. Follow the legend directions on how to change the options.
4. Set the port mode with the highest performance (e.g. ECP or EPP).
5. Follow the legend directions to save the setting and exit setup.

Steps for HP Vectra 500 PC Series

1. While the computer is booting, follow the directions on the screen: "Press F2 to Enter Setup." This is displayed at the bottom of the Hewlett Packard System Hardware Test screen.
2. Use the arrow keys to highlight "Parallel Port Mode."
3. Follow the legend directions on how to change the options.
4. Set the port mode with the highest performance (e.g. ECP or EPP).
5. Follow the legend directions to save the setting and exit setup.

Steps for HP OmniBook 5000 and 5500 PCs

1. While the computer is booting, follow the directions on the screen: "Press F2 to Enter Setup." This is displayed at the bottom of the Hewlett Packard System Hardware Test screen.
2. Use the arrow keys to highlight "Parallel Port Mode."
3. Follow the legend directions on how to change the options while selecting the parallel port mode with the highest performance (e.g. ECP or EPP).
4. Follow the legend directions to save the setting and exit setup.
5. Add the Ecpon.com program to the computer's Autoexec.bat file. You can find this file on the compact disc or on Disk 1 of the disk set.

IBM Aptiva

 www.ibm.com

General Steps
1. While the computer is booting, follow the directions on the screen: "Press F1 to enter Setup."
2. Follow the legend on how to scroll through the setup options until you reach "Input/Output Ports."
3. Choose the mode with the highest performance (e.g. ECP or EPP).
4. Follow the legend directions to save and exit.

Steps for IBM Aptiva 2176-C33, IBM BIOS v BSTUS4B

NOTE: The steps for this computer are not included in the document received in the box.
1. While the computer is booting, follow the directions on the screen: "Press F1 to enter Setup."
2. Follow the legend on how to scroll through the setup options until you reach "Input/Output Ports."
3. Select "Parallel Port Mode."
4. Select "ECP."
5. Press ESC twice.
6. Press ENTER to save the setting and exit setup.

Micron

 www.micron.com

General Steps

1. While the computer is booting, follow the directions on the screen: "Press F2 to enter Setup."
2. Select "Advanced" from the menu bar.
3. Follow the legend directions to select "Integrated Peripherals."
4. Use the arrow-down key to select "LPT Mode."
5. Select the parallel port mode with the highest performance (e.g. ECP or EPP).
6. Follow the legend directions to save the setting and exit setup.

Steps for the Melennium, Phoenix BIOS v 4.05

NOTE: The steps for this computer are not included in the document received in the box.
1. While the computer is booting, follow the directions on the screen: "Press F2 to enter Setup."
2. Go to "Connectivity."
3. Change Port from "AT" to "ECP."
4. Select "PS/2."

MiTAC

NOTE: The steps for this computer are not included in the document received in the box.
1. Restart the computer and press DEL during the restart to enter BIOS.
2. Use an arrow key to select "Chipset Features Setup" and then press ENTER.
3. Use an arrow key to select "Onboard Printer Mode."
4. Use the PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN key to choose the next mode.
5. Select the mode with the highest performance (e.g. ECP or EPP), and press ESC.
6. Press F10 to save and exit BIOS.
7. Type "Y" and then press ENTER.

MSO

NOTE: The steps for this computer are not included in the document received in the box.
1. Restart the computer and press F1 during the restart.
2. Use the right-arrow key to select "Advanced Menu" and then press ENTER.
3. Use the down-arrow key to select "Peripheral Configuration" and then press ENTER.
4. Use the up-arrow key to select "ECP" and then press ENTER.
5. Press ESC twice, and then F1, and then ENTER.

Packard Bell

www.packardbell.com

General Steps

1. While the computer is booting, follow the directions on the screen: "Press F2 to Enter Setup." (It might be F1 on some models.)
2. Select "Advanced" from the menu bar.
3. Follow the legend directions to select "Integrated Peripherals" (or "Peripheral Configuration" on some models).
4. Choose the parallel port mode with the highest performance (e.g. ECP or EPP).
5. Follow the legend directions to save the setting and exit.

Steps for the Force 443 CD, AMBIOS BIOS v 1.00.12.1313oe

NOTE: The steps for this computer are not included in the document received in the box.
1. While the computer is booting, follow the directions on the screen: "Press F1 to Enter Setup."
2. Select "Advanced" from the menu bar.
3. Use the down-arrow key to select "Peripheral Config" and then press ENTER.
4. Use the down-arrow key to select "Parallel Port Mode" and then press ENTER.
5. Use the down-arrow key to select "Extended" (originally "Compatible") and then press ENTER.
6. Press F10 to save the setting.

Sony

Models PCV-70/90/100/120:
1. Restart your computer.
2. During the first black and white Sony screen, press F3 to enter the boot screen.
3. Press F1 to enter the BIOS Setup.
4. Use Right arrow to reach the Advanced menu.
5. Scroll down and highlight Peripheral Configuration and press Enter.
6. Scroll down and highlight Parallel Port Type. The default setting is Compatible. Press Enter.
7. Select either EPP, ECP or Bi-directional and press Enter.
8. Press Esc twice to get to the Exit screen.
9. Press Enter twice to Exit Saving Changes. The system will restart into Windows.

Models PCV-130/150:
1. Restart your computer.
2. During the first black and white Sony screen, press F3 to enter the boot screen.
3. Press F1 to enter the BIOS Setup.
4. Use Right arrow to reach the Advanced menu.
5. Scroll down and highlight Peripheral Configuration and press Enter.
6. Scroll down and highlight Mode. The default setting is ECP. Press Enter.
7. Select either Output Only, Bi-directional or EPP. Press Enter.
8. Scroll to Parallel Port and press Enter.
9. Select Enabled and press Enter.
10. Press Esc twice to get to the Exit screen.
11. Press Enter twice to Exit Saving Changes. The system will restart into Windows.

Models PCV-200/210/220/230/240:
1. Restart your computer.
2. During the first black and white Sony screen, press F3 to enter the boot screen.
3. Press F1 to enter the BIOS Setup.
4. Use Right arrow to reach the Advanced menu.
5. Scroll down and highlight Peripheral Configuration and press Enter.
6. Scroll down and highlight Mode. The default setting is ECP. Press Enter.
7. Select either Output Only, Bi-directional or EPP. Press Enter.
8. Scroll to Parallel Port and press Enter.
9. Select Enabled and press Enter.
10. Press F10 to save these changes, confirm and exit. The system will restart into Windows.

Sony PCG-705/707/717/719 Notebooks:
1. In Windows 95, open the Start Menu.
2. Select Sony Folder.
3. Select Sony Utilities.
4. Select Sony Notebook Setup.
5. Select the Printer/FDD tab.
6. Make sure 'Use as printer connector' is selected and choose the desired port mode required by the printer. There are three options available on this screen:
    1. Normal (Output only)
    2. Bi-directional (default)
    3. ECP (requires IEEE 1284 printer/parallel cable)
7. After a choice is made, click OK to save results and close the window.
8. Click 'Yes' to restart the computer.
NOTE: Changes made in the Sony Notebook Utility are also made in the BIOS.

Sony PCG-729:
1. In Windows 95, open the Start Menu.
2. Select Tool Center.
3. Select Sony Notebook Setup.
4. Select the Printer/FDD tab.
5. Make sure 'Use as printer connector' is selected and choose the desired port mode required by the printer. There are three options available on this screen:
    1. Normal (Output only)
    2. Bi-directional (default)
    3. ECP (requires IEEE 1284 printer/parallel cable)
6. After a choice is made, click OK to save results and close the window.
7. Click 'Yes' to restart the computer.
NOTE: Changes made in the Sony Notebook Utility are also made in the BIOS.

General Steps

General Information

Within computer manufacturers' range of products, there are usually different basic input/output system (BIOS) options. The directions given above for various manufacturers are general and may not be specific for your computer. Changing the port mode is similar for all computers if they have this SETUP capability built in; however, you should refer to your computer's documentation for instructions on changing the parallel mode for your computer. A circumstance to be aware of is that even though the label on the parallel port mode might say bi-directional, the computer might not follow the protocol. If the port mode option you chose does not work, then try another option in Setup. If your computer does not have bi-directional capability built in, an internal parallel port card can be added to give it this functionality. Additionally, try changing between these modes and measure the frame rate with our ViViewer (which came with ViCAM^®) application to verify the performance of your changes. ViViewer will indicate the frame rate in the bottom of the main window. While this may take a few minutes to accomplish, it will pay off in the future with superior performance from your ViCAM^®.

Other areas of potential parallel port conflict might involve software and hardware from other manufacturers. Other peripherals that use the parallel port might allow only their device to be physically connected to the port. Their software may have to be de-installed for the ViCAM Color Digital Video Camera to work on that parallel port. If none of the options in Setup allow the ViCAM Color Digital Video Camera to communicate with the computer or you have multiple devices that use the parallel port and conflict, an internal bi-directional parallel port card can be added to your computer at very little cost. These cards are available at computer stores and will let the ViCAM Color Digital Video Camera communicate with the computer and not conflict with other devices.

Parallel Port ViCAM - Ships with an integrated 3 meter cable. Some users have commented that they have successfully spliced into the cable and extended the distance, or used an extension cable that is sold through Connectix that extends both the printer and keyboard connectors. Extending the cable length beyond three meters results in exceeding the IEEE-1284 specifications and may cause noise in or loss of the video signal. Because of this, Vista Imaging does not support extended cable lengths and modifying the cable would void the warranty.

USB (Universal Serial Bus) ViCAM - Ships with detachable 3 meter cable. This feature allows for the user to use a shorter or longer cable for their application. USB cables are available in various lengths up to 5 meters long. Extending this length beyond five meters is possible by adding a powered USB Hub, another cable up to five meters long, etc. up to four times. Cables are very inexpensive and powered USB hubs are currently available in the $35 dollar range and up. Extending the USB cable beyond five meters without adding powered hubs may cause noise in or loss of the video signal. Further information regarding USB can be found at www.usb.org/faq.htm

 

The most common cause of USB problems is the system configuration. Most computers that were shipped with Windows 98 pre-installed are USB Ready. Computers built prior to the release of Windows 98 may have all the hardware necessary to use USB devices but may not have all the software required for USB installed. Fortunately, there is a utility program called USBREADY, written by Intel, that examines a system and reports its USB capability. If you’ve already installed the ViCAM software, USBREADY should already be in the ViCAM Utilities program group. If you would like to download a copy, click here. Select this link for detailed information regarding the Differences between USB support for Windows 95 OSR 2.1 and Windows 98.

Note: Windows NT4.0 does NOT provide USB support. USB will be supported in NT with the release of Windows 2000.

If USBREADY reports that your system is "Not Ready", your system needs either additional software, hardware, or both in order to use USB devices. Contact your computer manufacturer or dealer for information on how to get your system "USB Ready".

If USBREADY reports that your system is "Ready", then your system has a good chance of being able to use USB devices. However, USBREADY cannot test for certain hardware deficiencies on your system, nor can it test for certain software configurations that may cause problems. Therefore, USBREADY should be used only as an advisory, and not a guarantee of USB capability.

Checklist of Potential USB System Problems

Vista Imaging Tech Support is happy to assist in your installation of the ViCAM, but cannot adequately or efficiently support the installation of low level system components, such as USB. Please contact Microsoft, your system manufacturer, or your computer dealer for specific information on getting your system "USB Ready". However, we do understand that getting tech support is sometimes easier said than done, so we’ve put together a list of some of the common problems that you may encounter if you are determined to troubleshoot USB problems yourself. These steps should be done with the ViCAM unplugged. Good Luck!

1. Verify that your BIOS is up to date.

2. Verify that USB is Enabled in your BIOS, aka CMOS Setup.

3. Verify that your BIOS is configured for a Plug-And-Play Aware Operating System.

4. Check with your computer manufacturer for updated chipset drivers. These drivers can affect IDE, DMA, and IRQ operation. As an example, Intel has Windows 95 driver updates on their web site at www.intel.com for many of their chipsets that were made after the release of Windows 95.

5. Verify that the USB controller in your system is compatible with the version of Windows that you’re running. The list of USB devices compatible with Windows 98 is available on Microsoft’s web site at support.microsoft.com/support/a.asp. Request Article ID: Q184400. Article ID: Q181250 talks specifically about the Intel 82371SB.

6. Verify the USB cabling. If your motherboard has AT style connectors and uses a cable harness from the USB header on the motherboard to a bracket, verify that the pinout of the cable harness matches that of your motherboard. This is a very common problem among people who build their own system since there isn’t a standard pinout for the USB header on the motherboard. Fortunately, most USB cable harnesses do conform to the USB specification by using the properly color coded wires, so all that’s left to do is to the match the wire color to the pin name on the motherboard and reorder the wires in the plastic connector if necessary. The USB specification defines the wire’s signal definition and color as follows:

VBUS  =    Red
D-        =    White
D+       =    Green
GND    =    Black

Typically, there are two black wires in a cable harness. One is the GND signal and the other is Shield Ground.

This takes care of the common USB configuration problems. However, if you’re running Windows 95, here are a few more things to look for:

1. Verify that you are running either Windows 95B or 95C. USB is not supported in 950 or 95A. You can check your Windows version number by opening the Control Panel and opening the System properties.

2. Verify that you have the USB Supplement for OSR2 installed. Look in the Control Panel and open the Add/Remove Programs. Look in the list of installed programs for "USB Supplement for OSR2". If not, execute the USBSUPP.EXE program on your Windows 95 CD. It is usually in a \Drivers\Usb or \Others\Usb folder. But before you do, read and verify the next item.

3. Verify the date of your USB Supplement for OSR2. If your USB support was loaded by executing the USBSUPP.EXE program on your CD, check the date and time of USBSUPP.EXE. It should be dated 4/97 or later. Another way to check the date of your USB support files is by going to the \Windows\System folder and checking the date and time of USBD.SYS. It should also have a date of 4/97 or later. You can also verify its version number by right-clicking on the file and click on Properties, then selecting the Version tab. The version number should be 1214 or later. If you do have an earlier version, contact Vista Imaging Tech Support at support@vistaimaging.com. We’ll fill you in on your options.

4. Let Windows 95 re-enumerate the USB drivers. Go into the Control Panel/System/Device Manager, click the ‘+’ next to Universal Serial Bus Controller, and then highlight the USB Host Controller device. Then, click the Remove button. Now, reboot your system. If Windows asks for file locations during the reboot, use \Windows\Inf for any .INF files and use \Windows\System for any .SYS files. This guarantees that Windows 95 is using the most recently installed USB drivers.

 

This application is a full version, not a trial version. However it requires registration with the developer, Stefra, to use beyond five days of originally launching it. After registering Video Control with Stefra, they will respond with a registration code to unlock this program. When you select "Register" in Video Control, your email program will be launched (if set as the Default MAPI client in your email program), and a Send Message will be created. The current install of Video Control does not insert an email address to send this to though. Below is the process to follow...

1) Make sure that your preferred e-mail package is set to be your "Default MAPI client". This is done by selecting the appropriate check box under "Options" or "Preferences" within your email program.
2) Run Video Control and fill in the registration form.
3) Push the "Send via e-mail button".
4) Send the registration message to "register@stefra.com"
5) Deliver your e-mail messages.

If you cannot configure your e-mail package as your Default MAPI client, you'll need to send an email to Stefra using the following procedure...

1) Fill in the registration form displayed by Video Control.
2) Press the "Send via e-mail" button.
3) Even if you get an error Video Control will have created a file called ORDER.SF.
4) Use the "Find" utility in Windows to find that file.
5) Send an e-mail message to "register@stefra.com" and attach ORDER.SF to it.

However, it is important that you find the "Default MAPI client" option because, that's what is used by Video Control to send videomail and AudioCards.

 

We have had a couple of calls with the IBM Thinkpad 560X where the ViCAM appears to be working but only displays a black image. The problem with the Thinkpad is that it does not provide enough power for our USB camera. The USB designers have created two classes of USB devices, high power - high speed and low power - low speed. Our camera is a high power device. The USB specification allows laptop computers to only provide enough power for low power devices. The Thinkpad is one laptop that only provides a low power USB port (although this fact is not documented unless you call IBM tech support). There is enough power present to detect our camera but not to operate it. The only option to use the USB ViCAM on the 560X is to connect it through a self powered USB hub. This will of course limit your portability. Another option would be to use the parallel port ViCAM.

Using the ViCAM with NetMeeting 3.0 or later requires downloading and installation of the current ViCAM Utilities. Before installing these you must remove any current ViCAM Utilities under the Start/Settings/ Control Panel/Add Remove Programs.

During installation of the ViCAM Utilities, the ViCAM is properly registered with NetMeeting. If you reinstall or upgrade NetMeeting after the ViCAM Utilities have been installed these registry entries are deleted and you must run the NetMeeting Wizard found under the ViCAM Utilities Folder for the ViCAM to work properly with NetMeeting again.

 

---

Sometimes when Windows 2000 or XP detects the ViCAM during installation and ask for the CD, it copies the wrong drivers to the system and identifies the ViCAM incorrectly. If you experience this problem during installation, the following steps will properly install the ViCAM. 

First, go into the Device Manager and look for the USB Device(s) which will probably have an exclamation mark next to it and select it and click on remove.

Then, disconnect any ViCAM cameras connected to the system.

Next, you must locate three files and delete them. These files are located in the INF folder of your Windows/System folder. The first file to delete is "OEM#.inf" (# represents the number assigned by Windows and there may be more than one). Open the file and verify that it does have ViCAM information in it, and delete the file. There will be another file with the same name and the extension of ".pnf" that must be deleted. The third file to delete is "VCUSB95.inf" if it exist.

Install the latest ViCAM Utilities available, reboot, and then connect the camera after the computer has restarted. 

 

---

In order to use the Parallel Port ViCAM and the newer 250MB Zip Drive together, you must install the Zip Drive into the computer first and then connect the ViCAM to the back of the Zip Drive. 

Privacy Statement / Terms of Use
Copyright © 2012 Vista Imaging, Inc.