[suicidal_orange]

I recently bought a nice new webcam (a Creative Socialize HD if that makes any difference) because it supports my OS of choice - Linux. I was not impressed by the videos it captured, the framerate sucks and it's blurry so I installed a fresh install of Windows 7 followed by the apps and drivers and recorded to test it and - it captures at 4.5 fps, and it's blurry.

I don't see it can be broken as it works, but my 4 year old camera phone makes better videos :angry:

This computer is easily capable of running anything (except the latest games) but this is my first serious webcam - is there a magic "work properly" switch anyone can point me to?

Thanks for any thoughts :happy:

 

[confusedone]

The simplest non-technical thing I can suggest before anything is - did you try twisting the lens or is there a little switch-like thing on the lens? That usually toggles different focuses I think and sometimes it is turned onto the blurry one. (I'm assuming you mean blurry where you can't really see anything) I'm not sure if that this were the problem it would affect the frames per second but if what I suggested doesn't work, it's probably something more. Maybe the program you used to record the test video made it slow and/or blurry?

Also could possibly be a faulty USB port, or if you need more RAM/something like that.

So anyway, try and do that and hopefully that's just the problem. :happy:
Hope my way directions were clear enough.

 

[OmarFW]

you may need a new video card to run the camera on full hd resolution. their framerate in hd mode is usually not good without a decent video card.

 

[suicidal_orange]

I'm assuming you mean blurry where you can't really see anything

No that's not it - the image is clear until anything moves... then the moving thing is just a blur :crazy:

Also could possibly be a faulty USB port, or if you need more RAM/something like that.

Great idea! But sadly not a fix :sad: I "only" have 8gb of RAM so that could be it too... shame I'm out of slots :laughing:

you may need a new video card to run the camera on full hd resolution. their framerate in hd mode is usually not good without a decent video card.

Hmm... I just lowered the res to 360x240 and it still sucks but I do have a really ancient graphics card in as I don't game anymore :mellow: Guess I'd best find some glue and ram a better one in before giving up - thanks for the idea :happy:


EDIT: Ah crap, I've just looked and someone ripped a capacitor(?) off my good graphics card... anyone got another suggestions before I spend lots of money?

 

[Karot]

Try it first on another computer ...

 

[DasPhillipBrau]

see the brightside, your cam doesnt sucks it just that your phone has a great cam

 

[suicidal_orange]

Try it first on another computer ...

So the only other computer I have is a netbook that currently has a dead hard drive... undeterred I booted a Linux live CD and gave it a try - it's better than my PC! Who'd have thought something graphical needs a good graphics card :laughing: (yes, onboard Intel is better than the graphics card in my main pc, which is actually older than the old phone...)

Thanks again Omar, seems I do need to spend to fix the problem :mellow: