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    Chicony USB Webcam 2.0

    Discussion in 'Gateway and eMachines' started by RENerz, Apr 14, 2009.

  1. RENerz

    RENerz Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hi everyone,

    I have a P7801u, and all is well with it except the webcam seems a bit wonky. I did a few searches for this on google and in the forums here but didn't find anything useful. Google had mentions of similar problems with no fixes.

    When using it in MSN or Skype, (under low light conditions, Night mode ON) it will be working nicely (ie. acceptable frameright and exposure).. but then will black out. The blue light beside the camera itself stays on. If I go into the webcam options (Properties) in that little ribbon bar, it will often reset itself, but this only lasts for a few seconds to a few minutes at best. Note: I'm not changing settings when I open the Properties, it just seems that opening the properties alone is enough to reset it.

    I've updated from the drivers that came stock, to the newest I could find on the Gateway site.

    (these are: http://support.gateway.com/support/...cr=Chicony Webcam Driver Version: 6.2.251.627)

    No change.

    I have also noted that the camera itself seems to reset sometimes, as the blue light will flash off, and then back on a few seconds later. The image in the programs freezes while this happens, but it resumes alright (although still dark).

    Anyone have any experience with problems like this?
     
    RENerz, Apr 14, 2009
    #1
  2. qhn

    qhn Notebook User

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    You might want to restore the comp, and leaving everything relating to the webcam alone, meaning drivers updates.

    If this does not work, the cam might need servicing. I had to send mine back for replacement.

    cheers ...
     
    qhn, Apr 14, 2009
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  3. Tehkun

    Tehkun Notebook Evangelist

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    ehh i think ive read somewhere that if you shine a flashlight on it everything will go back to being fine, I dont remember where i read it so i cant quote it.
     
    Tehkun, Apr 14, 2009
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  4. RENerz

    RENerz Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hmm I only updated the drivers as an attempt to fix the problem which was already occuring.

    Being able to trick it into coming back on just seems to scream driver issue to me.. but.. *shrug* I don't know.
     
    RENerz, Apr 14, 2009
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  5. Tehkun

    Tehkun Notebook Evangelist

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    lol. yeah but meh what can you do.
     
    Tehkun, Apr 14, 2009
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  6. N00d13s

    N00d13s is too legit to quit!

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    the same thing happens to the cam on my 6860, i usually have to disable then re-enable it in whatever program is using it, then it's fine.
     
    N00d13s, Apr 14, 2009
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  7. flipfire

    flipfire Moderately Boss

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    Try using the Acer Crystal Eye webcam drivers on your chicony cam. It was the fix for HPs chicony cams. The standard chicony drivers were buggy as hell.
     
    flipfire, Apr 14, 2009
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  8. RENerz

    RENerz Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hah. I just posted here how the Acer Crystal Eye drivers weren't working. Turns out after installing them it defaults to Microsoft Drivers, rather than taking up the Acer ones.

    I snooped around on here more and found Dyllan's instructions:
    http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=149463

    It looked like it worked for the first few minutes, but seems to be up to old tricks. (at least in skype).
    I'll test it more in msn tomorrow.
     
    RENerz, Apr 15, 2009
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  9. tului

    tului Notebook Guru

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    They give us nice RAM, GPU, hard drive options and probably the sh!ttiest brand to make the webcam you can find. I worked for a system builder back in the 90s and Chicony hardware was the cheapest and the most fail stuff you could find. Chicony was like the Packard Bell of components. I'd imagine that still true. A logitech or microsoft cam would be nice, but alas.
     
    tului, Apr 15, 2009
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  10. iaTa

    iaTa Do Not Feed

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    Yeah same thing happens to me in low(ish) light conditions. I have to hold my hand up to the camera for a few seconds and the blue light which is reflected off my hand sorts out the exposure . It's as if the camera (driver?) does the opposite of what it should in low light - it darkens the picture when it should make it brighter.
     
    iaTa, Apr 15, 2009
    #10
  11. Tinderbox (UK)

    Tinderbox (UK) BAKED BEAN KING

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    Tinderbox (UK), Apr 15, 2009
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  12. maskedformed

    maskedformed Notebook Evangelist

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    I found the Chicony webcam to be absolutely awful. It gives such awful quality and so much motion blur that it would have been more helpful if Gateway chose to put bluetooth instead of a webcam in.

    Is anyone else having blurry or out of focus images?

    I use the Logitech Pro 9000 webcam and it's absolutely gorgeous.
     
    maskedformed, Apr 15, 2009
    #12