Google video chat on the Envy 14; hopeless case?

Is there ANY hope that I would be able to use the HP Envy 14's webcam in Google video chat?

I just causes Shockwave Flash to crash whenever I attempt a video call on Gmail. I can't believe HP couldn't sort this out so far.

 

hmmm..

I've never tried it before honestly.

 

does it crash on the settings in your google profile? because it worked fine for me (and somehow didn't have that weird purple discoloration that the webcam normally gets)

edit: https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#settings/chat

go there and see what happens 'cause it works on mine. Maybe google video/voice/whatever didn't install correctly or maybe you need to uninstall and reinstall your webcam drivers.

 

It crashes when I try to verify that it works in the Google chat settings menu...
It crashes when I try to answer a call I receive...

 

Huh. Mine isn't crashing at all.

Try reinstalling the drivers for the webcam.

 

It could also be an issue with flash and your graphics drivers if hardware acceleration is enabled.

which drivers do you have installed for your radeon and is flash updated to the latest version?

it could also also be a browser issue.

if you're getting BSODs though this sounds like you have to update your video card drivers (asuming you're on 10.6 or older/the original gpu drivers that came with the envy 14)

 

Do you know a nice source for a webcam driver?

 

Factory-install... I haven't downloaded 11.2 yet (which I plan on doing today given what IO heard about performance gains)

 

ya know..I think the webcam just auto installs with windows update.

I can't find drivers for it in swsetup.

check what your gpu drivers are at

 

eeeegh.


this could be problematic.

We're gonna have to figure out WHICH factory install you're on first.

because if you're on 10.3 you are gonna have a little bit of "fun" trying to update.


Or well you're gonna have to wait 10 minutes after the screen goes blank and never comes back.


Anyway go to the catalyst control center (go to the desktop, right click, hit graphics properties) find your way to system information, click on software.

type out the driver version. it's gonna be 8.7.something.something.a bunch of more somethings we don't care about.

if it's 8.7.1.3 you're on the old 10.3 drivers and they have issues with hardware accelerated flash (well all 10.3 drivers do, not just the envy 14 ones. ATI messed up big time).


Go install: http://www2.ati.com/drivers/mobile/11-2_mobility_vista_win7_64_dd_ccc_ocl.exe

if you get a black screen, wait like 10 to 12 minutes for it to finish installing. Then restart the computer. You'll be properly updated and the black screen issue should disappear from here on out.

 

Ok so I ran the Catalyst, and it pointed me towards a 11.2 download. So I installed it, restarted, everything's fine.

Tried to demo the webcam in Gmail chat settings, and it was the usual drill:

1) Webcam lights up
2) PC hangs for a moment
3) This screen shows up with some weird gibberish.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

Huh. Well the gibberish is chinese or japanese.

the error message is unhelpful.

Have you ever attempted to uninstall and reinstall the drivers and/or the chat video plugin thing?

To do the drivers go to device manager, look for imaging devices, and uninstall hp webcam.

restart, and it should reinstall itself.

for the plugin that'll depend on your web browser.

What is your webbrowser by the way

 

Chrome. It has the most updated flash plugin.

I tried uninstalling the webcam and restarting. It didn't reinstall. I had to get it from the internet.

 

huh.

all I know is that my web cam drivers are just "microsoft usb webcam drivers" or something from 2005 or so, or the default windows drivers or something.

Try uninstalling and reinstalling the google video plugin (not flash)

 

the google talk plug in is in the uninstall programs stuff in the control panel (not on your webbrowser anywhere)

 

Hi I went to information and mine reads 8.01.01.1071 , which version do I have?

 

6.1.7600.16543 is the version for my webcam drivers and they are from microsoft.

otherwise known as the windows 7 default drivers since it has the same version number as windows 7

 

Have you tried starting HP MediaSmart webcam, then opening up the page? I know for me I have to start up MSW before I can use my webcam.

 

would you guys know this version??

 

Mine says it's a microsoft webcam. I have version 6.1.7601.17514

 

eafd do you have the radiance? Maybe there's a different webcam in it when compared to the bright view

 

I have the brightview sadly

 

scratch that idea then.

wonder why they have a different webcam version or something.


Mine works fine without even needing to mess with the mediasmart webcam stuff (which isn't even installed).

I'm on a clean install. Never bothered checking the driver version of a factory install.

 

Interestingly enough I have less processes running the factory install rather than the minimized recovery, 51 processes here + I'm running a bunch of small utilities that make windows better (e.g. katmouse). I used to run 70+ processes.

Had to factory restore because I screwed up my minimized windows, and the recovery partition kept failing to finish up the install, resulting in an install loop. I ended up having to do a wipe and restore from HP's disks.

I never got the wifi working on a clean install.

Anyhow, if you're running a non-clean install, you should try starting up HP Mediasmart Webcam first.

 

76 processes after half a year.

eh, not as bad as it could be. 28 of them are user specific processes though.

wow. Of those some are definitely things I could shut off if I felt like it but whatever.

 

I uninstalled the plugin, reinstalled it. Same deal. No change.

I can't believe I paid 1,200 for a laptop that I can't use to video chat on gmail...

 

Go to Neave Webcam - Play with over 30 webcam effects

And try both HP Webcam and HP Webcam splitter. HP Webcam should work immediately, and the HP Webcam splitter will show you a reversed picture telling you to start up the webcam software

 

none of u guys know the answer to my question?

 

I have no clue.

You have a webcam. If it works right, good. If not "craaap"

I dunno how to distinguish between them, at all.

 

No problems here using my envy 14 with google chat. I didn't have to mess with anything it just worked

 

Funny enough, I have the same problem of my webcam crashing Flash in Chrome 10. My webcam version is 6.1.7600.16543.

..and Firefox 4 works fine.

Looks like it's a Chrome problem.

 

WOW. It worked in Firefox with me too. Now how the hell do I get it working on Chrome?!

 

I dunno. it works in chrome for me.

I mean for a moment it stopped working in both til I uninstalled and reinstalled it a couple of times but whatever.

 

I even tried using Chrome 11 beta, and the problem still persists.

 

I know this doesn't help you much, but I use Google Video Chat all the time with my Envy 14. It definitely is more than capable. I use it 3-4 times a week for about an hour at a time. My Envy is all stock with the only updates done via HP's Support Assistant.

 

Do you use it on Chrome? Mine only works on Firefox.

 

Yes, I use Chrome (beta channel) almost exclusively

 

Tarex have you tried reinstalling chrome and/or flash for chrome.

'cause maybe something over there is broken.

 

Is there a way to uninstall/reinstall chrome without losing all my extensions and bookmarks...etc? I think there's a folder I need to backup or something..

 

Parhelia Tools - Google Chrome Backup

works well enough but could potentially bring the issue with it (but well you'll find out after you use it).

for bookmarks alone you can easily back those up.

for extensions, GCB does that and passwords and most everything else (ok everything and then some).