Fig 1.1 Click on the RUN SETUP.EXE option to start the Installation Wizard....
Fig 1.2 ....OR open the WebCam's CD folder and then click on SETUP.EXE to start the Installation Wizard.
| INSTALL A WEBCAM - INSTALLATION CD |
This section will teach you how to install a new WebCam using the Installation CD that came with it. The Installation CD usually comes with the webcam's Driver files and some software that allows you to Record (Capture) Video and Take Pictures using the webcam. In this example you will plug the webcam into a USB Socket after the Installation CD files have been installed. This is because the Driver files will be installed first, so that Windows 7 can detect and then install the webcam (hardware-wise) as soon as it is plugged into the USB Socket. I will also use Custom Installation options to show you that custom installation and advanced settings in general are nothing more than additional questions and/or settings.
Begin by inserting the webcam's Installation CD into your CD/DVD Drive and then wait for the AutoPlay window to appear (Fig 1.1), if the Windows 7 AutoPlay feature is switched on that is. If it is switched on you will given the option of opening the folder of the Installation (WebCam) CD or running the webcam's Setup.exe file. You should click on the RUN SETUP.EXE option. To automatically RUN the Setup.exe file of a CD, each time it is inserted, put a tick next to the option marked ALWAYS DO THIS FOR SOFTWARE AND GAMES before clicking on RUN Setup.exe. If the AutoPlay feature is switched off you will have to open the folder of the Installation (WebCam) CD and then double click on the Setup (or Setup.exe) file.
Regardless of the way the Setup file is executed (launched) it will start the Installation Wizard (Fig 1.4), after you have clicked CONTINUE on the UAC (User Account Control) security requester that appears.
User Account Control (UAC) is a feature of Windows 7 that helps to prevent unauthorized changes to the computer, such as deleting a system file or installing software. When attempting to install this Logitech QuickCam the UAC security requester above automatically blocks you off, because it wants to know if you are the one attempting to install this Logitech QuickCam and not a piece of malicious software for example. In the above case simply click on the CONTINUE button to continue, or on the CANCEL button to cancel the installation process.
At any time throughout the installation process you can click on a CANCEL button, if one is available, to Cancel the installation process. However. In some cases, generally speaking, even if you click on a CANCEL button the installation might have gone too far for it to be stopped, cancelled and/or reversed. So think very carefully before deciding to install any thing onto your Computer.
After clicking on the CONTINUE button of the UAC security requester the Installation Wizard starts (Fig 1.4 above). The
Installation Wizard has the task of copying the necessary files (scripts, instructions, actual files and so on), amongst
other things, in order to make the installation process easier for Windows 7 and you.
In Fig 1.4 above the normal settings would be set to ENGLISH, TYPICAL INSTALLATION and GET THE LATEST SOFTWARE, but here I
have changed TYPICAL INSTALLATION to CUSTOM INSTALLATION, by clicking on its radio (circle) button, and switched off
GET THE LATEST SOFTWARE by unticking it. The next thing to do is unplug the webcam, if it is already plugged into a USB
Socket, and then disable any Anti-Spyware/Anti-Virus/Etc software that may conflict (block) the installation process. If
you do this, make sure you are not on the Internet at the time as you will be vulnerable to virus attacks and so on. Click on
the NEXT button to continue.
If you want to change the Language used from now on with the installation wizard, and with the software later, select a
different langauge by using the CHOOSE YOUR LANGAUGE drop-down menu.
The reason why I have switched off GET THE LATEST SOFTWARE is because in my experience an Installation CD normally contains
the latest software but more importantly because downloading extra/updated software during the installation process can
mess up the installation process. A slow computer with a slow internet connection can freeze/crash the computer due to lack
of resources for example, so that when you try to reinstall the webcam any half-installed/corrupted files actually prevent
the reinstallation from working.
Step 2 of the installation process (Fig 1.5 above) allows you to choose which software you want to install, Driver files
only or Driver files and QuickCam Software, and where you want to install that software. With the software it is best to
install the Driver files and the QuickCam Software, by leaving the LOGITECH QUICKCAM SOFTWARE AND DRIVERS option selected,
unless you need to individually install each piece of software.
As well as installing the Driver files, which are necessary for other software to use (i.e. Messenger software), this
particular installation will install the QuickCam software which installs one (front-end) program to do all the webcam's
work. With some Installation CDs, at this point, you can put a tick next to each program you want installing. This is
because they do not make a front-end (all-in-one) program. They split the installation into smaller Install sections such
as: WebCam Manual, Online Registration, Driver files, Video software, E-Mail software and so on.
When installing software its files (individual programs) are normally stored inside the system folder called Program Files.
In this case the QuickCam software (front-end program) will also be stored inside the Program Files folder. However. If you
want to install the software into a different folder you can do, by clicking on the BROWSE button.
In the above BROWSE example the initial (default) storage folder is a storage sub-sub-folder called QuickCam10 which is
inside a sub-folder called Logitech. Logitech is a sub-folder inside the system folder Program Files. All software should
be installed inside a newly created sub-folder, such as Logitech, but never inside the Program Files folder itself. This
is due to uniform and restrictions. Therefore. In this example I created myself a sub-folder called Laptop_WebCam, inside
the Program Files folder, before clicking on the BROWSE button and selecting Laptop_WebCam (Fig 1.7 above). After doing
this and then clicking on the OK button the path name for Laptop_WebCam is
displayed inside the DESTINATION (software storage) LOCATION path name box (Fig 1.8 above). If you want an example of
BROWSEing for a folder see Fig 2.1 onwards of the previous, Download A Driver File, section.
One reason for choosing a different storage folder, as opposed to using the software's default storage folder, is when a
previous installation of some software prevents you from reinstalling. For example. Imagine you have installed some
Paid-For software, used it and then decided you want to uninstall it for whatever reason(s). A few months later you decide
to reinstall the software again but when you do so it will not reinstall, usually due to a mangled/corrupted leftover
file. The reinstallation wizard detects an undeleted/uninstalled file and thinks the software is still in good working
order, purely because the storage folder exists and has a (mangled/corrupt leftover) file inside it. The reinstallation
wizard may not check to see if the files are in good working order or execute a file in order to test it. In these kinds of
scenario you can try and reinstall to a different storage folder, thereby making the reinstallation wizard think you are
doing a clean (first time) installation.
The ENABLE VOIP DEVICE MANAGEMENT option (Fig 1.5 above) should be left ticked. It manages the VOIP device (webcam) for you.
VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) is an internet protocol (technology) that voice and video calls use over a broadband
line for example. Software such as Skype messenger and Yahoo messenger use VOIP to make cheap voice (telephone) calls and
video (webcam) calls over the internet. In this example the QuickCam software takes care of the VOIP side of things for you.
With the settings in Step 2 set up - LOGITECH QUICKCAM SOFTWARE AND DRIVERS selected, C:\Program Files\Logitech\QuickCam10
as the path name for the storage folder and the ENABLE VOIP DEVICE MANAGEMENT option on (ticked) - the next thing to do is
click on the NEXT button (Fig 1.5 above).
Clicking on the NEXT button (Fig 1.5 above) will take you to the License Agreement window
(Fig 1.9 above), where you must agree to the Terms & Conditions before continuing.
Read the License Agreement carefully. Although these tend to contain useless information, they usually explain Copyright
issues or Usage issues that clarify who can use the software and who cannot. So if, for example, you are told that a certain
piece of software is Free and/or Free to use you may want to clarify this by reading the agreement. Some installation wizards
do not allow you to continue, by fading out (ghosting) the NEXT button, until you have read (scrolled down) the license
agreement. When you are ready and if you agree, select the I AGREE THE TERMS IN THE LICENSE AGREEMENT radio (circle) button
and then click on the NEXT button to continue.
After clicking on the NEXT button (Fig 1.9 above) the Driver files and QuickCam software will begin to install, denoted by the standard green progress guage (above). This goes on for quite a while so you might want to make yourself a coffee. I take two sugars with milk if you're asking!
When the installation has installed the Driver files it might then ask you to plug the webcam into a USB Socket (as below) or it might wait until the overall installation has completed before asking you. Some installations do not ask you. They install everything and then expect you to plug the webcam into a USB Socket later on. A good installation wizard will always guide you, inform you and ask you along the way.
If you skip this part of the installation, by clicking on the SKIP button, you might have to manually find/install the
Driver files later. One reason why you might be forced to do this anyway is because some installation wizards are not that
good at detecting when you have plugged the webcam into a USB Socket, especially if that USB Socket is playing up due to
it having damaged system files for example (i.e when the USB software (driver files) cannot communicate with the hardware
(webcam) due to damaged USB system files).
If you choose to plug the webcam into a USB Socket now and the webcam is recognised you should see the following message
appear.
When the hardware detection message appears (above) you can click on it to see what is happening with the driver installation (Figures 1.4 to 1.16 below). In this example although I am using the webcam's installation cd, and therefore its driver files, Windows 7 has found them to be redundant and more precisely not recognised them as compatible with Windows 7. This means the webcam, at this point only, is classed as an Unknown Device, purely because of this "lack of compatible driver files" situation. Fortunately, Windows 7 has defaulted to checking Windows Update for newer, compatible, webcam driver files. If it did not I might be in trouble and even saying this I still have to hope Windows Update finds some compatible driver files.
In the above example I was lucky in that Windows Update found newer, compatible, webcam driver files. If it did not find any driver files at all I would of been greeted by the following message.
Assuming all is well with your driver files installation the next window should show you a live view of your webcam. In this example a live webcam view of my Telephone. If you need more reassurance of success you would go to Device Manager and check for the webcam's listing there, but the picture coming through the webcam should be enough assurance. Click on the NEXT button of the live webcam window (Fig 1.19 below) to continue.
After clicking on the NEXT button (Fig 1.19 above) click on the DONE button (above) to complete the webcam installation process. This only completes the webcam installation process but as the message on the above windows states - We (the installation wizard) will launch the QuickCam application (control panel) for you. The QuickCam application is responsible for taking care of VOIP, as mentioned earlier (above), as well as the general stuff such as Audio and Video settings via its Audio/Video Tuning Wizard.
| SETTING UP THE WEBCAM |
When the QuickCam application (control panel) opens it presents you with an Audio Tuning Wizard, if it detects this is your first time at using the application or when ever it feels the audio settings need correcting. The first window of the audio tuning wizard is just an introduction so click on the NEXT button to continue.
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The first tuning window of the Audio Tuning Wizard (below) allows you to choose a device for Microphone Input and a device for Speaker Output. In this example the speaker output is set to use my USB Logitech Headset (Speakers) and the microphone input is set to use my USB Logitech Headset (Microphone). If I want to change any of these default settings I can do, as shown in Fig 2.3 below, but I must have more than one device to choose from of course. In Fig 2.3 I have a choice for the microphone input, either use the webcam's built-in microphone (USB Audio Device) or use my laptop's default microphone device (in this case my USB Logitech Microphone). If I made my laptop's built-in sound card the default device, as opposed to my usb logitech microphone, it would appear in place of my usb logitech microphone.
After deciding on which speaker output and which microphone input to use, if you have a choice, click on the NEXT button (Fig 2.2 above) to continue. The next window (Fig 2.5 below) gives advice on where to position your microphone and speakers, if they are not built-in to the hardware. When you have read the advice click on the NEXT button to continue.
Also on the first tuning window is a small black Arrow button with the words Advanced Audio Options next to it. Clicking on the black arrow exposes the advanced audio options. However. I would not use them if you are a beginner because most of them have setting names you probably will not understand. And even if you look up what each setting means/does in the webcam's manual or on the internet you still might not be any wiser. Installation Wizards in general are usually programmed to give the best all-round settings anyway.
The next window allows you to adjust the volume for the speakers. Again. Read the advice carefully before clicking on the NEXT button to continue. Click on the PLAY SOUND button to test the speakers and volume.
The next window allows you to adjust the volume for the microphone. Again. Read the advice carefully before clicking on the NEXT button to continue. Speak the words you see on the window into the webcam's built-in microphone, or into an external (normal) microphone that is plugged into the computer's microphone socket, to test the microphone and its volume.
The red light on the right-hand-side should turn green when you start speaking, to indicate all is well, otherwise a microphone error message will appear (Fig 2.8 below). The error message is misleading though because the audio tuning wizard only gives you about 8 seconds in which to speak something, so if you are away from the microphone for at least 8 seconds the error message will appear automatically. If you do have a genuine microphone problem you should click on the BACK button to try and resolve the problem, but if all is well then click on the NEXT button to continue. Not all installations impose a time limit - They usually allow you to click on the NEXT button so that you can finish the installation process and then resolve any problems later on.
With the next window it is just a matter of clicking on the FINISH button to complete the whole installation process.
Microsoft product screen shot(s) reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation. As stated here by the Microsoft Corporation.
