VFW Applications

This Guide describes Winnov’s VFW applications. VFW drivers are available for the 1000 Plus
family, 4000 family, and Duo/Quattro capture cards. The 1000 Plus family only has VFW
drivers available. The 4000 family and Duo/Quattro have both VFW drivers and DirectShow
drivers.

This Guide contains the following main topics:

Videum Capture .............................................................................................................................. 2

Video Capture Menus ............................................................................................................. 2
Video Capture Formats ........................................................................................................... 3
Video Capture Properties............................................................................................................ 5
Setting Capture Properties ...................................................................................................... 5
Capturing an Audio or Video Clip.......................................................................................... 6
Adding clips to documents...................................................................................................... 7
Time Lapse Video................................................................................................................... 8
Stop Motion Animations......................................................................................................... 9
WebCam ................................................................................................................................. 9
Videum Configure .................................................................................................................... 11
Videum Zoom ........................................................................................................................... 13
Videum Insignia........................................................................................................................ 14
Videum Source Switch ............................................................................................................. 15
Remote Control Server ............................................................................................................. 16
Videum Audio Mixer................................................................................................................ 17
Videum Watchdog .................................................................................................................... 18
Applications .............................................................................................................................. 20
Video Email .......................................................................................................................... 20
Surveillance........................................................................................................................... 20
Other Applications ................................................................................................................ 20
Software Development Kit ....................................................................................................... 21
Help files............................................................................................................................... 21
Support.................................................................................................................................. 22
Troubleshooting ........................................................................................................................ 23
No video image ..................................................................................................................... 23
Scrambled video.................................................................................................................... 23
Speckled or grainy video ...................................................................................................... 23
No audio................................................................................................................................ 23
Audio recording issues.......................................................................................................... 23
No full-duplex sound ............................................................................................................ 24
Echo during video conferencing ........................................................................................... 24
Audio and video cables......................................................................................................... 24
You need help? ..................................................................................................................... 24
Glossary .................................................................................................................................... 25

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Videum Capture
Videum Capture is a multimedia capture application that allows you to record audio, video, and
capture still images and then export them to another document using the drag-and-drop method.
In addition, this application allows you to add multimedia to web pages, word processing
documents, presentation, and so on.

Using the Videum Capture Window

To view and record audio, video, and still

images:

Open the Videum Capture application by right-

clicking on Videum Eye or selecting
Start|Programs|WinnovVideumNT|Capture.

Video Capture Menus

Icon Menu SubMenu Description

File Open Opens a capture file
Save As Saves a captured clip to a file
Recent File Lists the most recent files displayed
Exit Exits the Capture program

Edit Copy Copies the current frame to the clipboard

View Customizes your display to include some or all of the menus,

toolbars, and status bar
Preview Selects the mode in which to preview a video clip. You can
select Freeze, Slow Speed, Normal Speed, High Performance, or
High Performance+ Stretch
Always on Top Keeps the Capture window as the top window on your screen

Capture Record Video Records a video clip with audio

Record Audio Records an audio clip
Still Image Captures the image displayed when the button or menu item is
selected
Time Lapse Video capture over a period of time with programmable interval
and duration
Stop Motion Video capture one frame at a time to create animations easily
Webcam Capture a series of images
Properties Sets video, audio, and still image properties and selects the active
board
Video Format Sets image characteristics such as image size and compression

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 ratio
Video Source Sets a variety of image options such as brightness and contrast
Video Size Selects a video size without having to access another dialog box

Playback Play Plays the recorded audio or video clip

Stop/Freeze Stops recording the audio or video clip and stops the playback
once it is started
Rewind Rewinds the current audio or video clip to the beginning
End Goes directly to the end of the audio or video clip

Video Capture Formats

The Video Capture Format Settings allow you to set the image size, the data format and
the compression format. Note: Be careful when you are using the YUY2 compression
format. The industry standard is not clear. You can find two different definitions of
YUY2: one in which YUY2 is upside down and one in which YUY2 is right side up.
Thus YUY2 is not a recommended format for distributing AVI files. YV12 is
recommended.

To set the capture formats:

1. Choose Video Format from the Capture menu

or from the toolbar.
2. Set the image size.
By default, your camera captures a video at
320 x 240 pixels. You can select an image
size from the menu or customize it.
3. Select the type of compression and
performance.

4. Use the compression slider to balance between

the size of your video file and the quality of
the image.
5. If you select Motion JPEG codec, use the
compression slider to modify the quality of the
video (and eventually the size of the video).
6. Click OK.

This screen shot shows the Video Capture Format

Settings tab with MJPEG codec selected.

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The following table details available compression formats:

Compression Type Description

PAL8 8-bit Paletized RGB
RGB8 256 colors, in Windows format. A Videum card and Codec are not needed to playback
video in this format. These video files can be very large.
This compression type is NOT available with 1000 Plus family boards.
RGBH 64k colors, in Windows format. A Videum card and Codec are not needed to playback
video in this format. These video files can be very large.
RGBT 16.7M colors, in Windows format. A Videum card and Codec are not needed to playback
video in this format. These video files can be very large.
WINX Provides the highest compression (up to 1:48) but this Videum Codec is also required for
playback. Use only for playback on your own system.
YUY2 Uncompressed YUV 16-bits per pixel. YUV 4:2:2
YV12 Uncompressed YUV 12-bits per pixel. YUV 4:2:0
I420 Uncompressed YUV 12-bits per pixel. YUV 4:2:0
IYUV Uncompressed YUV 4:2:0. Available ONLY on 1000 Plus family boards.
YUV9 Uncompressed YUV. Same as Intel Indeo® raw.
MJPEG Motion JPEG Codec.
This compression type is NOT available with 1000 Plus family boards.

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Video Capture Properties
Setting Capture Properties
To set video, audio, and still image capture properties, choose ‘Properties’ from the Videum
Capture menu or select the “Capture properties” icon from Videum Capture. The Capture
Properties dialog has three tabs: Video, Audio, and Still Image.

Setting up the video

The Video tab allows you to control properties associated with video capture.

To set up the audio:

1. Select the device you want to configure.

2. Define the frame rate and whether or not you
want to capture audio along with your video.
3. Set a capture time limit. Thus, your movie files
do not become too large.
4. Specify the default file name for video
captures, and give it an initial size in
megabytes.

Pressing the Allocate button allocates space for this file, which lets the Capture
application capture more efficiently. Device lets you select between various installed
Videum boards, if there is more than one.

Setting up the audio

Time limit and default file name are set for audio-only captures. The Videum application
allows you to set the audio capture frequency from 8 to 48 kHz, 8 or 16-bit, mono or
stereo.

The Audio tab allows you to set properties relating

to audio capture.

Setting up a still image

The Still Image tab, shown below, allows you to set still image characteristics.

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 To set still image characteristics:

1. Select the Image dimensions.

2. Define the Image orientation you want to have.
Still images have two orientations: landscape
and portrait. Landscape is horizontal (standard)
and Portrait is vertical. Portrait images are
rotated 90 degrees, so you may want to re-
orient your camera before taking a Portrait still.
3. Enable “delay” if you need and set-up the
length of the delay.

Capturing an Audio or Video Clip

You have the options of recording an audio, video, or still image clip.

Recording a video clip

To record a video clip, click the Record Video button. To stop recording, click the
Record Video button again. An icon is displayed on the upper left side of the Videum
Capture image, indicating that a clip is ready. Before you can capture another clip, you
must save it, send it (via email), place the existing clip into a document, or choose Delete
to delete this clip.

Alternatively, you could choose Record Video from

the Capture menu. During the capture the elapsed time
is displayed below the image in the Videum Capture
window.

You have the options of placing the clip into a

document, pressing the [Delete] key to delete the clip,
clicking the Save As button to save the clip or select
the Send command from the File Menu to send the clip
by e-mail.

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 Saving your file
To save or send a file choose Save As or Send from the File menu. To Save, you can also
click the Save As button to display the Save As dialog box.

Name the captured file, specify the location where you want to store the file, and then
click the OK button (for Send, the name corresponds to the name of the email
attachment). The Save As dialog box also allows you to save the file in any AVI format
available on your computer.

All video files are named with the .AVI extension (except for .ASF files).

Recording an audio clip

To record an audio clip, click the Record Audio button on the Videum Capture window.
A clip icon is displayed on the left side of the Videum Capture image, indicating that a
clip is available for placement. You must add it to a document, save it, or delete it before
you can do another capture.

Capturing a still image clip

To capture a still image clip, click the Still Image Capture button on the Videum Capture
window. A clip icon is displayed on the left side of the Videum Capture image, indicating
that a clip is available for placement. You must add it to a document, save it, or delete it
before you can do another capture. Still images are normally saved as .BMP files. You
can also use the Save As button or menu item to save a still image as a .JPG (JPEG) file.

Adding clips to documents

Once you have recorded an audio, video, or still image, you can paste it into a clipboard-
compliant file such as your e-mail, word processor, spreadsheet, web page, or
presentation tools. You can drag-and-drop the clip icon to any application that supports
drag-and-drop. This video clip was captured with the Videum camera at 352x288 pixels.

To add clips to documents:

1. Capture the clip according to the instructions in

the previous section. Once the clip is captured,
you can see the appropriate clip icon on the
Videum Capture window.
2. Open any other application that can accept
audio, video, or still images. If the drag-and-
drop feature is not supported by your
application, use the Paste feature in the Edit
menu to insert the clip.
3. Drag the yellow clip icon from the Videum
Capture window and drop it on the document
in which you want it placed.

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 If you have transferred a video clip, a still image of the beginning of the video is
displayed in the document. You can play the clip by double-clicking on the clip; use the
playback toolbar to control the clip. When you drag-and-drop an audio clip, an audio clip
icon shown at the left is displayed. When still images are inserted, they appear just as
they were snapped.

Example

For example, you can use audio and video clips

to enhance e-mail documents.

Just open any clipboard-compliant application

and drop the clip. Here is an example of what
can be done.

Time Lapse Video

Use the Time Lapse feature to take snapshots at regular intervals and assemble them into
a movie. Time lapse interface is shown below:

To use the time lapse feature:

1. Choose Time Lapse from the Capture menu.

The Time Lapse dialog box is displayed.
2. Select how often you want to take snapshots and
how long you want this movie to record. Then
click the Start button to start recording a time
lapse movie.

Once the movie is completed, a clip icon is available

for inserting into other documents.

Example

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 Take one frame every minute. If you have set the capture rate to 15 fps, the final video
will play at 15 fps. So, one hour (60 minutes = 60 frames) will play in 4 seconds. 10
hours will play in 40 seconds. With this technique you can capture very slow movements.
At replay time, the sun rises quickly or the flower grows visibly.

Stop Motion Animations

The Stop Motion feature allows you to take clips one frame at a time and assemble them
into a movie. This is useful for claymation productions. The stop motion interface is
shown below:

To use the Stop Motion feature:

1. Choose Stop Motion from the Capture menu.

The Stop Motion dialog box is displayed.
2. Click the Frame button each time you want to
record a frame.
3. Click the Done button when you are finished
recording frames.

Once the movie is completed, a clip icon is available

for inserting into other documents.

Example
Create your own animations easily. Position an object in front of the camera. Click the
frame button once, to take one image. Move the object slightly, and take the second
image. If the capture rate (= replay rate) is set to 15 fps, 30 frames captured create a 2
second video clip.

WebCam
The WebCam feature allows you to capture video images at regular intervals and save
them to one or more files or transfer them directly to your website using the Internet File
Transfer Protocol, FTP. You can set the capture interval and transfer location according
to your needs.

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 To capture images for Web pages:

1. Select WebCam from the Capture menu.

WebCam dialog box is displayed.
2. Use the Interval to set the time between
captures. Click the up and down arrows to set
the minutes and seconds.
3. Use the Browse button or type the name of
the file to which the captures are to be saved.
4. Select the image type and quality.
5. For more image saving options, click on the
More button.
6. Once all of the image saving options are
specified, click the OK button.
7. Press the Start button to start capturing
images at the intervals specified or press the
Take Now button to perform an image
capture.

From the Image Saving Options dialog box, you

can save each image to a new file and set the
characters you want appended to each file name
specified in the previous dialog.

You can also automatically FTP each image to a

server you specify. To use FTP, you must
specify the host name, the path from your login
directory to the directory where you want the
image to be stored, the FTP user name and
password.

Example
In order to avoid unnecessary trips to an empty coffee pot, the students pointed a camera
in the kitchen to see if there is no coffee left.

You can also start the webcam directly by running

“wnvtool /wcam”. A shortcut is available in the
Winnov start menu.

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Videum Configure
This application allows you to set video, audio, and power characteristics. This can be done at
any time after software installation.

To configure your settings:

1. Select the default input

2. This input is selected when an application
is started for the first time.
3. Select the default audio source to
associate with that input. This feature is
convenient for communication
applications: audio inputs switch
automatically, when another video input is
selected.
4. Click More to set the video parameters.

Note: Settings selected in Step #1 and 2 are

applied to all the boards on your system.

5. Select the video equipment you are using

by checking “camera” or “VCR”.

Use this menu to modify the brightness,

contrast, saturation and hue settings. Hue is
used for NTSC cameras to establish more
realistic color representation. Use the default
setting (50) for PAL. Press the Default button,
to reset the value to 50.

6. Click Advanced Options from the Video

Inputs tab to enable certain options for a
better video quality.

Setting up the audio inputs

The following shows the audio inputs interface for the Videum 1000 Plus family.

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 To set the audio inputs:

1. For each audio input, adjust the input

gain.
2. Click ‘auto’ if you prefer to have
your system set them up for you.

Setting up the audio outputs

Adjust the audio out, Wave out and

Wave in signals by moving the slider
controlling the volume. Check the
“mute” box if needed.

Click ok when you have configured the audio and video characteristics of your board.

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Videum Zoom
This application allows you to control your camera from a remote internet or intranet
location.
• Zoom, pan, tilt your video camera, either locally or remotely.
• Control brightness, contrast, saturation, hue of your Videum.
• Connect to another Winnov card using TCP/IP protocols.
• Switch to another camera, while you are conferencing.

To use Videum Zoom:

1. Start the Videum Zoom application by right-

clicking on the Eye or selecting “File | Start
Videum Zoom” of your Videum Capture.
2. Select the Video Source from the drop-down list.
3. Define the equipment used for the video, such as
color camera, black and white camera, or VCR.
4. Pan, tilt and zoom the video you selected.
5. Adjust the images properties of the selected
video. Brightness, contrast, hue and saturation of
the video can be modified.

Controlling another camera remotely

In order to control another camera, you need a communication program such as
NetMeeting to see the remote video window.

1. Start the Videum Zoom application by right-clicking on the Eye or selecting “File |
Start Videum Zoom” of your Videum Capture.
2. Under “Connect”, enter the IP address of the system your are conferencing with. The
IP address 123.123.123.123 was entered.
3. Click “Connect”. Now you can control all video windows of the remote system
zooming, or changing the settings of the remote camera. Notice that “Window”
becomes “conf” (conference call) instead of “WnvTool”.

This procedure is even easier if you are already in a video conferencing call with your
peer. To remotely control his camera, you just need to click on the ”Autoconnect” button
which detects the IP address of his system.

Winnov Videum Zoom is an ActiveX that you easily integrate into a webpage. For more
information, refer to the Software Development Kit.

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Videum Insignia
This application allows you to add an existing insignia to your video window or to create a new
insignia for display on your video window. An insignia could be text or a graphic. The insignia is
pasted onto any local video window at the fixed size specified.

Add text or graphic on your video:

1. Close all your video applications

2. Start Videum Insignia
3. Select an existing insignia from the
list or Click the Create New button or
Select an existing insignia and click
the Edit button
4. Define where you want to add the
text or graphic.

Once an insignia is selected, the preview window will display the insignia. Close Videum
Capture and start it again to see the insignia you just added on your video(s).

Creating or editing an insignia

To create or edit an insignia:

1. Click on the button “Create New”.

2. Select a name and dimensions for the
insignia
3. Use the drawing tools to create or
edit the insignia
4. Click Save to save it

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Videum Source Switch
This applet enables you to automatically switch between video sources, locally or remotely.
Videum Source Switch enables you to automatically switch between video sources, locally and
remotely. You only need to set up the sequence and the timeframe and click “Start Cycle”.

Switching locally
To switch locally:

1. Open Videum Capture Applet by right-

clicking on Videum Eye or selecting
Start | Programs | Videum| Capture.
2. Open Videum Source Switch Applet by
right-clicking on Videum Eye or
selecting Start | Programs | Videum |
Source switch.
Note that the video automatically 3. Set up the following parameters:
switches. The Video Source drop-down sequence (numbered 1 to 3) and time
menu also switches as the video intervals (measured in seconds).
switches. 4. Click “Start Cycle”.

Switching remotely
You can remotely switch the video sources of another computer from your computer.
1. Enter the IP address of the second computer under “Connect”
2. Set up the sequence and the duration.
3. Click “Start Cycle”

Note that you won’t be able to check the actual video switching of the second computer
from the Videum Capture application.

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Remote Control Server
This feature runs in the background and allow the video-conferencing viewers to modify the
camera’s direction (pan, tilt, and zoom). In order for your camera to be controlled remotely from
another system, the Remote Control Server (NetListen) must be running and enabled.

To use the Remote Control Server:

1. Select Start | Programs | Winnov

Videum Application | Utilities | Net
Listen. And click on Net Listen. A little
grey remote control shows up in the
right part of your tray.
2. Click- Right on the remote control
button.
3. Select “Configure Server”.
4. Check the “Auto start Server at login
Do not select “Server Disabled”. If time”. This guaranties the Remote
selected, your camera cannot be Control Server starts every time you
controlled remotely. log-in.

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Videum Audio Mixer
This application is applicable to the 4000 family and the Duo/Quattro capture cards. It is not
available with the 1000 Plus family. Audio Mixer allows you to adjust the audio signal that is
connected to the Videum board.

To use the Audio Mixer:

1. Start Videum Audio Mixer by selecting

Start|Programs|Winnov Videum NT/
Videum Audio Mixer.
2. Adjust the ‘speaker’, ‘monitor’, and
‘Wav out’ levels using the left and right
sliders. The number below each slider
indicates the absolute db for the left
channel. The “-“ sign means
‘attenuation’.
Note that stereo bar graph indicates the 3. Check the ‘on’ box of the audio signal
range of db (absolute value). output and adjust the volume. The
volume is indicated in absolute db. The
‘+’ sign means ‘amplification’.
4. Repeat the steps 2 and 3 for each audio
device.

Spkr: Speaker. This controls the level of the overall output of the audio codec. It is a
summed output of the four audio inputs channels.
Mon: Monitor. This is the output of the currently selected input used for monitoring the
audio signal.
Out: Wave out. Enabling ‘on’ turns it on. Disabling ‘on’ mutes it.
In: Audio input. This is the actual recording level.

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Videum Watchdog
This application is applicable to the 4000 family and the Duo/Quattro capture cards. It is not
available with the 1000 Plus family.

Watchdog is a crash-recovery function that automatically reboots the system in the event of a
software lock-up. With Watchdog, you can specify the time that Watchdog waits before resetting
the system after a system hang is detected. This allows for complete unattended operation. This
feature is useful for systems that are operated in a remote location and for mission critical
applications.

To enable Watchdog:

1. Make sure you have connected the

Watchdog reset cable to the Videum
board. See your QuickStart Guide for
information on connecting the
Watchdog cable.
2. Right click on the dog icon located
on your system tray. By default the
Watchdog program is disabled, you
need to enable it first.
3. Select “Configure Watchdog” and
type in the time in seconds. If a
system hang is detected, your
Videum board counts down the
number of seconds and reboots the
system.
4. Click OK. If you click on ‘Cancel’
button, the counter retains the last
value it was set to.
5. Right click on the Watchdog icon
and select “Enable Watchdog”.
Watchdog function is now enabled.
6. Check the status of the Watchdog by
selecting “Status” from the
Watchdog menu.

Watchdog Status
Watchdog “Status” provides the following information:
• Unknown (No information is available)
• Watchdog hardware is not present on this board
• Watchdog feature is disabled on this board
• Watchdog is not enabled
• Watchdog is enabled and running
- 18 –
• System boot was not caused by Watchdog
• Watchdog was triggered, but did not reset the system.

Failure Log
Watchdog provides a failure log (.txt file) which automatically tracks all the failures.
Open Windows Explorer to C:/my documents/ program files/ Winnov Videum NT and
open the Watchdog.log file.

Note that the Winnov Watchdog interface is available as an OCX, enabling you to
develop your own applications.

Test Watchdog
If you want to test Winnov Watchdog to see whether or not it works on your system, right
click on the Dog icon and click on “Test Watchdog”. Then click ‘Yes’.

Please save all unsaved data before performing this action, as it will be lost after the reset.
Also make sure the Watchdog reset cable is connected between the Winnov capture card
and the reset pins on your system motherboard.

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Applications
Video Email
Use the Send feature to directly send your video from the Videum Capture applet.
• Capture your video in an appropriate format (you do not want the file to be too big)
• If you use .ASF for email format, we recommend the following properties for your
video:
- 6 to 10 fps, 8 fps would be the best,
- 8000 Hz Mono sound
• Select the Send feature in the File Menu. The video will be compressed in the selected
format. .ASF format for email is the default format.
• As soon as the compressed file is ready, a new e-mail window appears from your e-
mail application with the compressed Video attached. Enter your recipient’s address
and the text you want to add.
• Click Send.

This feature is available if your email application is Windows messaging compatible. If your
system is NOT messaging compatible, save your video and send it attached.

Surveillance
In the surveillance industry, issues such as face recognition, motion detection and other issues
associated with video communications and home security are critical factors.

Face Recognition
Let the computer recognize your face, to gain access to your PC, and restrict the access of
other users. Please find sample applications on the CD-ROM or check
www.visionics.com.

Motion Detection
Set up the camera and a motion detection application to protect your office, or your
home. Specify hot areas. Video clips are stored on hard disk, which document any
intrusion. Gotcha!MultiCam is particularly useful with Videum 4400.

Personal Security
Watch for future integration of video communications and home security, so that you can
see from distance, if an intruder enters your property. Silent alarms can be broadcasted
over the Internet.

Other Applications
In order to create some streaming videos available on your website, use Windows Media
Encoder 9 or RealProducer encoder to compress the video in real time. FTP the HTML page and
the compressed video to your website, and any standard HTML server will stream your video
into the Internet.

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Software Development Kit
A powerful Software Development Kit (SDK) comes with any member of the Videum product
line. Winnov’s SDK is a set of ActiveX tools that allow you to easily develop multimedia
applications.

Specifications of Winnov’s SDK

Development Platforms include:
• HTML and web scripting
• Visual C++
• Visual Basic

ActiveX Components include:

• Video and audio capture and preview
• Remote control for video source selection
• Audio monitoring

How to install Winnov’s SDK

In order to install the Winnov’s SDK help file, select the “custom installation” during the
setup of your Videum Sofware Application shown below:

Be sure to select the “ Videum Help file’” and

“OCX” from the custom configuration menu
during setup.

Help files
We include several help files that will greatly help you when developing your own applications.
The help files are located in the Winnov Videum NT folder. They provide help on several
Winnov’s ActiveX and OCX.

- 21 –
 This menu is a screen shot of some help
files available to you.

Support
Support for ActiveX Controls and any programmatic features or issues are provided ONLY
through the Winnov Newsgroups. Please visit our website (http://www.winnov.com) for more
information.

- 22 –
Troubleshooting
No video image
If you have no video display (a black video window):
• Make sure that the camera is connected and turned on.
• Select the right video input. Use Configure to see all three video inputs.
• No video in NetMeeting: you installed NetMeeting before installing the Videum
software. Uninstall NetMeeting, delete the NetMeeting directory, reboot, and reinstall
NetMeeting.

Scrambled video
If your video display is scrambled or the Video Control Panel shows video but not your
application:
• Verify the NTSC/PAL setting (in Europe: select PAL).
• Verify that the video format is compatible with your application.
• Try uncompressed capture (YUY2 or RGBT).

Speckled or grainy video

Your display is set to 256 colors or less. Set it to 16-bit or 24-bit color.

No audio
Multiple sound cards are supported in parallel. The Videum AV and the VideumCam AV
integrate an audio in and out device, a second sound card in addition to the sound card, which
may already be installed.
• Use the Multimedia control panel to select the sound device for recording and
playback.
• Open Audio Panel from the Videum menu to select the audio input and output of the
Videum board. Make sure the audio output is not muted.
• Play a .WAV file by double clicking it to verify the sound output works.

Audio recording issues

• Verify that the audio input cable is connected securely to the Videum board. A mono
audio source is only heard from the left speaker.
• If you have another sound card please use the Multimedia control to select the
recording device.

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No full-duplex sound
Many standard sound cards do not support full-duplex operation (especially under Windows
NT). Videum supports full-duplex audio under all conditions.
• Select Videum as audio recording device.
• Select either Videum or your existing sound card as audio playback device.

Echo during video conferencing

You hear yourself talking with a delay of about a second. The person you are calling uses a
loudspeaker. Your voice is then picked up by the microphone and transmitted back to you.
Please ask the person you are calling to use a headset or a loudspeaker/microphone combination
with echo cancellation. Please use a headset yourself, too.

Audio and video cables

If you need audio and video cables for your Videum Board, visit VideoWare, Inc. at
http://www.videoware1.com.

VideoWare, Inc. manufactures and sells direct audio and video cables compatible with all of the
Winnov Cards. Cables include S-Video Cables, S/PDIF, Fiber Optic, Composite Video, and
Stereo Audio cables. VideoWare also sells all types of cameras for security, webcam and desktop
applications and is a stocking distributor of the full-line of Winnov Products.”

You need help?

If you have not found any help on the previous pages, refer to the FAQs on the Winnov’s
Support webpage or visit our newsgroups. You can reach our technical support at
http://support.winnov.com or by e-mailing [email protected].

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Glossary
Compress
Reducing the size of a file by eliminating irrelevant information and trying at the same time to
keep the same image impression.

Contrast
The tonal difference between light, midtone, and dark areas of an image.

Data rate
Number of data which can be transmitted per second and is indicated in Mbits per second.

Digital video - DV
Refers to the capturing, manipulation and storage of video in digital formats. A digital video
(DV) camcorder, for example, is a video camera that captures and stores images on a digital
medium.

Direct Connection
Arrange with ISP to have a point to point digital line into the Internet. Measured in megabits per
second rather then kilobits per second.

Directory Services
Depending on the program you are using for Microsoft, ILS (Internet Locator Service) for
Netscape, DLS Directory. Provide a database of who’s connected to the internet. Directory
service has some basic info about you. When you place a call you have 2 choices: 1) View listing
of ple and choose - server just looks up the IP address and the call is make by direct connect
method; 2) If you know who you want to call, enter name or e-mail in dialog box in your
program.

Distortion
Corruption of a signal caused by time delay or noise.

Download
The entire file is transferred to a local machine before playback is allowed.

DSL
Refers collectively to all types of digital subscriber lines, the two main categories being ADSL
and SDSL.

Encoding
A method of compressing audio and video to turn it from analog to a digital format.

Firewall issues
Hardware and software that protect LAN from outside. Most firewalls block access to UDP.

Fps

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Frames per second.

Frame rate
Number of frame of video displayed within one second.

Frame size
Refers to the size of a video window, usually described in pixel. Frame size can be 640x480,
320x240, and so on.

FTP
File transfer protocol. Protocol used for downloading and uploading files over the internet.

H.323
Protocol for the communication over IP. Microsoft and Intel got together and push standards thru
appropriate bodies for product interoperability.

Hosting
Providing data distribution over the internet.

Image source
An optical device, such as a camera, TV or VCR that can create a digital representation of a
view, scene or picture.

Indexing
Enables you to search an audio or video piece with the media.

IP address
Node address is techie way of saying you need own IP address. Unique name of composed of a
series of 4 numbers and it identifies your computer’s location on the net. This address may
change when you dial into your ISP provider.

ISA
Industry Standard Architecture.

SDN
Integrated Services Digital Network. This is a digital line where all data is converted into a series
of 1s and 0s, which are easier to regenerate and therefore, maintain the signal over long
distances. The analog wave is tough to regenerate accurately and degrades over the long haul.

Jack connectors
Connectors used for analog audio signals.

LAN
Local Area Network. Computer network limited to the immediate area, usually the same building
or floor of a building.

Lossless compression

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Finds repeated parts of the signal, removes them, then puts them back in at the other end. This is
important for data but not for voice.

Lossy compression
Use advanced modeling techniques to determine what is important to the signal and what can be
left out - signal should sound or look pretty much same. This type of compression is used for
audio and video. 50:1 Compression ratio means that a 50MB file becomes 1 megabyte.

MPEG
Standard used for coding and compressing moving pictures and audio.

Multicast
Process where a single stream is servered from one server to multiple clients. In other words, it is
a one-to-many communication.

Narrowband
A low speed transmission channel.

NTSC
National Television Systems Committee which determines standards for color picture
broadcasting. Used in the USA, Canada and Japan.

PAL
Phase Alternating Line. Standard for television broadcast/reception used in Europe.

PCI
Peripheral Component Interconnect. It has become one of the most industrial computers. It
solves a wide range of compatibility problems and performance limitations that were
encountered with the older ISA and VME standards.

Pixel
Smaller unit which describes a picture.

Player
Windows Media Player, RealNetwork SureStream and Quicktime are the most common players.

RAM
Random Access Memory. This is temporary memory for data with which the processor is
currently working.

Real time
Rapid transmission and processing of event-oriented data and transactions as they occur, in
contrast to being stored and re-transmitted or processed as batches.

Resolution
Determined typically by the quantity of pixels displayed per line or for a given area. The better
resolution is, the finer picture is.
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Sample rates
The speed at which analog audio data is collected during conversion to digital form. Standard
sample rates are 22kHz and 44kHz. Quality and file size increase as the sample rate increases.

Sampling
How often you measure analog video signals for transmission - ex. VCRversion.

SDK
Software Development Kit used by developers to quickly provide powerful and innovative
solutions.

SECAM
Sequential Couleur A Memoire. TV standard developed in France.

Spatial compression
Compression technique that reduces the information needed to display video frames.

Streaming Media
Technology of online video playback. Instead of downloading a video entirely before being able
to see it, video streaming allows the user to see it as it is downloaded, using real-time buffering.
Thanks to this efficiency, video streaming provides for the playback of live video feeds, hence
seamlessly integrating standard broadcasts. Video streaming delivery and playback is restricted
to the end-user’s available bandwidth. Because of this, video producers & encoders tend to make
video feeds available in different formats including 28k modem, 56k modem, T1, ISDN, LAN,
and so on. While video streaming enables live TV, the Internet bandwidth requirements greatly
reduces the size of the video and the quality of the images and sound.

S-Video
S-Video is one of the high quality methods of transmitting a television signal from a device such
as a Camcorder, DVD, or a digital satellite receiver. S-video interface separates the color
information (Chrominance) from the brightness (Luminance), which prevents nasty things and
helps increase clarity and sharpness.

Synchronization
The linking of image and sound signals in order to run image and sound events simultaneously.

Unicast
Process where a single stream is servered from one server to one client. In other words each user
has access to an individual stream: it is a one-to-one communication.

USB
Universal Serial Bus, a new external bus standard that supports data transfer rates of 12 Mbps
and also supports Plug-and-Play installation.

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Video Learning
Dedicated use of video medium for course-based training. Videos add realism and effectiveness,
as opposed to standard paper-based training.

Video motion detection

A system that uses the video signal from a camera to determine if there is any movement in the
picture and sets off an alarm.

Video on demand
Requesting, downloading, and playback of a desired audio and video stream.

WAV
Used for waveform and uncompressed audio file format.

Webcam
The Video Conferencing Camera (or also known as a Webcam or Video Cam) is a camera that
captures video, digitizes it, and sends it to another computer through software.

XLR
Multi-pole, stable plug connection

YUV
A method for encoding analog video signals for digital video applications. Y defines luminance,
U defines hue, and V defines saturation. The term YUV is usually followed by three numbers
representing the ratio of each component.

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