BisonCam issue | NP5760 / Clevo M570U

I have some issue with the built-in bison webcam in my laptop (see sig. for specs).
I have installed the drivers for 32-bit Windows Vista.
Problem is the webcam does not show up in the device manager.
Every time I press Fn+F10, I see the camera icon lightening on and off in the small LED panel below the touchpad, but nothing happens in Vista.
No new hardware is detected in the device manager :-(

The webcam used to be working several months ago, even though I have not been using it much...

Is it broken?
Any clue what I could to make sure this is some hardware failure?

 

There is no "Imaging Device" under the device driver?

On my new NP5792, somehow, the video software was a little messed up. I had the same problem as you. I reinstalled it and my webcam started working.

 

I have uninstalled/reinstalled the bisoncam software countless times...
Is this the "video software" that you refer to?

Nothing comes up under the category "audio, video and game controlers" in the windows device manager. (I assume this should come up in this category).
I also make sure the webcam is hardware enabled (Fn+F10 on the 5760).

 

I have lately installed latest nvidia drivers 169.29, but I really don't see how it would relate to my current problem.

Oh and btw, Happy New Year to all the forum-goers.

 

On my NP5792, I have a program called VideoView (Video Capturing). Somehow, it was corrupt. I reinstalled it and my webcam started to work.

 

Oh allright. I guess NP5792 features different hardware / software suite compared to the 1 yr old NP5760.

 

Do you see it in the USB hub? For example, under one of my USB root hus, I see the webcam drawing power. Do you see that?

 

Good point.
I checked the 5 USB root hubs listed, and the only 2 devices I could find are the bluetooth radio device and my usb mouse.
So this tends to prove that I have some hardware issue :-(

Can anyone confirm that the built-in bison webcam for NP5760 is a USB device?
If yes, if there anyway to get access and check inside if it's properly plugged on the motherboard?

Thanks for any input.

 

When I opened up my NP5792 yesterday, I noticed either a cable or component labeled "webcam". Maybe take a look???

 

I have just opened my NP5760 (using desktop pc right now).
I could find the usb plug for the bluetooth module, but no luck yet finding where the webcam plug is supposed to be going...

FYI here is a view of inside the NP5760:
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2006/04/14/rock_xtreme_ctx_notebook/2

 

By any chance, when you Fn-F10, do you see an unknown device in the device manager?

I saw one pose in another forum with your problem. They reinstalled the software (you did that), and then plugged in another usb device. Somehow, this made the computer recognize the WEBCAM again. I know this is a long shot.

 

Sorry for double-post...

Saw another sager user state he "uninstalled" the drivers, rebooted, hit Fn-F10, then the computer asked for drivers.

 

Thanks a lot for trying hard to help me out.
I have googled a few hours earlier today, and also searched notebookreview forums for all users having similar issues.
I already ran into the post of the guy that said he uninstalled, pressed fn+F10, then installed the drivers again, etc...

I have tried all that, no success so far.
I have yet to see windows detect a new device when I press Fn+F10.
It has never showed up in the device manager (as unknown device or as the actual bison camera device...).

 

Darn, running out of ideas. My problem lasted one day. If you are not seeing your USB provide power to it, then something hardware must be wrong...just guessing. If you figure it out, please let us know.

 

I think this is indeed a hardware problem.
I've gone through all the usb root hubs in the device manager, and whenever I plug a usb device, I can see it appear somewhere together with its power consumption in mA.
Now when no external USB device is plugged, I only see the bluetooth module.
Pressing Fn+F10 doesn't change anything.
I checked the M570U manual and the built-in camera is indeed USB.

So I guess that traveling with the laptop and continuously opening closing the lid might have caused the camera to unplug from the motherboard.
Now I would love to find out where the camera plugs into the motherboard for the NP5760 model. Hope some expert forum-goer owning the same laptop could enligten me ;-)

 

Did you buy it from sager? Give them a call.

 

I got it from a local clevo reseller www.keynux.fr - no way to buy a sager in the country where I live (France)
I will likely take a deeper look inside the laptop (maybe detach CPU/GPU fans/heatpipes), and if I can't find anything, I'll give them a call.
My laptop is still under warranty for one last month, but it would take ages to get the laptop repaired if I send it back to them.

 

I bet if you send it next day and somehow agree to pay for the upgrade shipping, they may help.

 

Try installing a different NVIDIA Driver. My camera also does not work with the 169.09 Drivers.

I know that the Cam works becouse in XP everything is fine.

Trance

 

The NVIDIA drivers are causing a malfunction of the built-in camera?
Wow that's to be unexpected?!

I will try rolling back to older drivers as soon as I come back home.

 

Hum tried removing the NVidia drivers, that did not help.
Would have been so weird.

 

Just to let ppl know, I finally solved my problem with the BisonCam.
It was indeed a hardware problem.
I could access the connector for the camera on the motherboard: it's located under the keyboard.
It is also possible to access the camera above the lcd by removing the top frame cover around the screen.
Using the service manual for M570U (which I found somewhere in this thread http://forum.notebookreview.com/archive/index.php/t-115224.html, thx google) was key to find the location of the connectors and to disassemble the laptop.
With an ohmmeter I could test the 5 wires that compose the cable connecting the camera to the motherboard.
I realized that the CCD_+5V wire was not ok, which explained why the camera was not functioning.
Because replacing the cable implied a complete disassembly of both the lcd and the rest of the laptop, I preferred to add a new wire, welded directly on the connector pins on both sides, going below the top plastic cover, through the left hinge, and then along the left side of the screen to the camera.
And now the camera works again.
That was a hard one to solve, I thought I should leave a note here for future reference.

(Service Manuals whenever available should be stickied on this forum, that would be so handy).

 

SWEET!!

Glad it works.

 

Great to hear that you solved your problem!

 

I have the exact laptop (m570u) and the exact same problem.

My Red +5v cable is broken (the ohm indicator was not responding).


I now need to fix it and I want to bypass it with a new cable (just like you did), but I dont know how I can pass a cable through the left hinge...


It seems that I would have to take off all of the top case module...

Is that what you did?

Thanks