Thread: One-Click WebCam Recording!

Thanks for your reply,

Okay, Xport must be running, but does it need to be creating yet another COM port? Aparently not!, so that's good news.

Do you know why Xport has that window in the bottom with USB devices? I checked GARMIN USB devices there, but nothing happened, he still does not see it ("no gps detected"). No info on the website either.

Got it. I make them work via remote desktop (capture ultimate), but I still have to test it with hibernate. How?

I'm using gpsgate to translate Garmin Protocol, create virtual ports+xport detects it on COM port 11, not sure how reliable this will be though. What if Xport does not pick it up the virtual com port in time, or picks up another used COM port instead with GPS date? Hope this does not happen. Will see.

Couple of issues so far (pardon me, I'm still on page 34): GPSgate outputs GPS signals from 7 to 11. I use it with Centrafuse, plugins, g.earth, etc.

Can I force Xport to use, say, COM 11? It keeps getting COM 8, but that's GPS for RR. Yes, I could change that, but will that solve the issue? Apparently it does not save when I manually select. Also, it keeps opening further COM ports, which I don't need.

2. MiniCam is great! Love the interface. Couple of questions: where the settings are saved when I run multiple instances? How does that work?
I set it to start with Centrafuse. It starts recording and displaying, in the background. Great. Now I want to use it embedded in Centrafuse. It opens another instance, and no image is shown (of course, same CAM) but the settings are all lost! So if I go to windows without exiting Centrafuse, close the first instance, and go back to Centrafuse/Embedded MiniCam, I do get image, but I lost all settings/folder issues, etc. How can I control that?

EDIT: Of course I didn't lose anything, on the register, MINICAM1 is the first instance run (whatever) and MINICAM2 is the second. So if I only use one instance, mincam1 is used. It would be nice to have an .ini file with settings, and what about Vista/Windows 7? I guess you'd have to run it as admin?

Sorry if those questions were already answered/solved, I'll keep digging.

Looks like you're figure most of it out on your own. You can set it up several different ways. You could connect xport and gpsgate directly to ports on Garmin spanner, or xport to gpsgate. Either way, manually is fine. It may be scanning because you're restarting it without enabling virtual ports. Its main purpose is a port splitter so at least enable 1 port. That will keep it running. Don't check anything in the list at the bottom. That's for devices that have trouble with hibernation. For minicam, the settings are in the registry for each instance under HKCU\Software\CuriousTech\MiniCam#

Originally Posted by Curiosity

Looks like you're figure most of it out on your own. You can set it up several different ways. You could connect xport and gpsgate directly to ports on Garmin spanner, or xport to gpsgate. Either way, manually is fine. It may be scanning because you're restarting it without enabling virtual ports. Its main purpose is a port splitter so at least enable 1 port. That will keep it running. Don't check anything in the list at the bottom. That's for devices that have trouble with hibernation. For minicam, the settings are in the registry for each instance under HKCU\Software\CuriousTech\MiniCam#

Thanks, Curiosity!

I'll try to enable at least one port in Xport.

Most of my issues are now with MiniCam. Is it possible to have it start with Centrafuse/RR, and then, when I'm inside the front end and try ?to open it embedded, it will open the one that is already opened in the background (instead of running another instance?)?

Otherwise, if there is one already recording/displaying in the background, when I click CAM on the front end, another instance opens with no image in it. I'd like to be able to monitor recording from time to time, but no always, however, it should be recording everytime the computer start regardless, EDIT: and brought it to the foreground embedded when needed.

Thanks again.

RH

I'm not too familiar with any of the frontends, but I'd think it could be started with the frontend, then displayed or hidden when needed. I can always give out commands that are needed to do that and other things. I think the frontends have the ability to send messages to a specified window? Running multiple apps that use the same camera can't be done though. Only 1 can use it at one time.

Oh, okay. I'm also not familiar with programming, so I'm not sure how to express precisely what I'm asking for.

Here's how to embed in Centrafuse:

How to add/embed external applications in CentrafuseFor customizing buttons:

You may hold down any button for a few seconds, until the Select Action list appears. This feature allows you to re-assign an action of a button or to remove an action by selecting Action of “None”.

Adding new actions. You can add additional actions of the type Application, Plug-in or Web Link.

To add new “Actions” for button assignments, follow these directions to add/embed an external application:

• Enter Settings
• Click the plus ( + ) button, a dialog will appear.
• Choose Application
• Enter the name of the Application (This is what will show up on the button layout (don’t make it too long))
• After entering the name, complete the settings for External Application on the setup screen.
• Choose the application location (where the .exe resides on the hard drive)
• (Optional) add any parameters to the app if necessary/applicable.
• (Required) Enter the window name. This step is critical, be sure to type a segment of text from to...

That's how I embedded Minicam in Centrafuse. It works great, if I start minicam from inside Centrafuse. I highlighted that you can add command line parameters to Minicam. Are there any as of now?

Now I can also pass on to Centrafuse what programs (with optional parameters) I want it run when the computer starts up and/or when resumes. I have put Minicam there too, so that it starts recording regardless of actually selecting it from inside Centrafuse.

But when I try to bring that instance back up front, Minicam opens another instance, and since both try to use the same cam, the second one displays no image.

Is it clear what I mean to do? Is it possible? How people usually do that? The alternative would be to ALT-TAB Minicam running in the background?

Thanks.

RH

Make sure you have the window name correct. It should be "CuriousTech - MiniCam 1"

I would think if CF can see the app running, that it won't run it again. There are no parameters yet, but I can add some. Something like show/hide but would think CF would do that?

Thanks for your replies Curiosity!

I used "minicam" only, going to try that. It would be great if it work that way, like RR does with Navigation Software...I'll get back to you as soon as I try with the full name.

Thanks.

It worked, sort of! It gets right most of the times, but sometimes two instances get embedded on top of each other. I close the top most with no images and then the one under it (with pictures, GPS data etc.) appears.

I can't get the camera to start recording already, or press the button to record after it loads. I filled the blanks with "F:\Videos\CAM Capture\" but it instead gets filled with "F:\Videos\CAM Capture\ÀÐ"

I'm using FFDSHOW encoder, set to XVID (same as I used before with Capture!).

I also can't get xport to let go of COM 8...I let it create COM 11, even when it finds COM 10, after a restart, either it opens another instance with an error (can't create something), or it gets COM 8 again. If I let it find one, it finds 6, 7, 8, 9 but not 10. After a restart, back to 8 again. I'll leave it at that, at least it sends GPS to Minicam alright.