Vaio Camera Capture Utility = NO INPUT. Please help.

Problem: When I launch the Vaio Camera Capture Utility, where I expect to see my own face, I see, instead, a blue screen with the words “NO INPUT” displayed in the top left corner. (I will attempt to include a screenshot now, or you can see it at http://www.flickr.com/photos/26819498@N05/2513534355/ .)



Background: I have a TZ150n/b running Vista Business. When I first purchased the computer about six months ago, I did not check to see if the integrated webcam worked, as I had no need for it at the time (dang). Now, after having installed all my programs, etc., I would like to use the webcam, but it does not work, giving only the message noted above. Moreover, when I click on “settings” and then “cam/mic selection” from within the Vaio Camera Capture Utility, there is no camera that can be selected for the “Preferred Camera” choice when I expand that field. (By contrast, there *is* a microphone that is auto-selected and that I could manually select.) (See image #2 at http://www.flickr.com/photos/26819498@N05/2514359124/ .)



Attempted solutions that have not helped:

First, about two months ago, I researched the issue on the web, and found a Microsoft hotfix that sounded like it was designed specifically to fix the problem I am having. I installed the hotfix, but to no avail.

Shortly thereafter I spent several hours on the phone with ascending levels of Sony support. They had me install various Sony-provided updates and, again, the hotfix from Microsoft. Nothing helped, and they concluded that I would have to do a factory restore in order to determine whether it is a software conflict that is presently causing the problem or whether it is a hardware issue, in which case they would service it. Obviously, I’m not thrilled about the prospect of doing a factory restore and then reinstalling all of my programs, reconfiguring all of my settings, etc. So I’m looking to you geniuses either to save me all of that trouble or else to tell me that there is no other way.

After talking to Sony, I brooded for a couple of months but did nothing to fix the problem. Yesterday, with renewed energy, I installed every single Vaio update for my TZ and every Microsoft update, including the optional ones, thinking, “Who knows, maybe this will help?.” It did not help. I just looked in the device manager again, and it does not report any problems. That being said, I do not see any device that looks like a webcam (I *think* there *must* have been one when I was talking with Sony), but I’m not sure what I should be looking for. Where should it be listed in the device manager? Is there any other way to verify that my computer recognizes the camera as at least potentially functional?

Could it be that somehow the power to the webcam is turned off? I do have the laptop plugged in with “power management off,” which is my attempt to try to make sure that I’m not somehow cutting the power to the camera. On my dad’s Lenovo, however, it seemed like there was a problem with the webcam until I realized that pressing “Fn+Esc” turned the power to the camera on, at which point the Lenovo immediately installed the driver, and everything worked fine. Is there a way to turn on/off the power to the webcam on the TZ?

Thanks in advance for your help and patience in reading this post. I know if there is a solution you all with be able to come up with it.

 

Hello

I think that for service already possible that the connection camera to the motherboard was disconnected.

 

This looks like a good place to start on the problem. I've also got a TZ150. In Device Manager, the web cam is listed under "Imaging Devices" as "Sony Visual Communication Camera VGP-VCC7." Check for that - maybe your camera isn't installed, for some reason.

 

Hey everyone. If you're having a problem with your Camera Capture Utility, I found a solution that you might want to check out.

http://troubleshootingmylifeaway.blogsp ... pture.html

In short, my problem stemmed from the driver for Sony Camera Capture Utility. I uninstalled and reinstalled the driver...deleting several inactive drivers that were probably conflicting with my camera. Now my camera turns on!!!! Now it works! Sony support hasn't helped me in the least bit, I feel your pain!!!

 

the link above is at troubleshootingmylifeaway.blogspot.com sorry for error

 

Rhetoricalrose,

Thank you very much for posting the link to that promising solution, which I reckon will help others. I tried the solution, but unfortunately it doesn’t work for me; at this point I can’t even get the Vaio Camera to show up under imaging devices in the device manager.

[As an interesting (and perhaps related?) aside, my brother (who has a TZ150 on which the camera works fine) told me the following. When the technician came to check out or repair the wiring in his TZ in accord with the TZ recall, the technician told him that he has also been instructed by Sony to replace the camera on certain TZs, depending on the model number. (I’m not sure if that’s the model number of the computer, the camera, or what. I’m also not sure how the camera could be replaced without replacing the LCD, though looking closely at the area above and behind the camera on the LCD, I suppose it’s possible.) Maybe my camera is completely toast. I’ll find out, I guess, if it still doesn’t work after I perform a factory restore.]

 

Hi Amdg, I replied to you, but I think it went into your private inbox...I will repost here for the sake of the internet haha.

Before you do a complete computer restore, I'm curious...since your camera doesn't appear in the Device Manager, could it be that you don't have a driver installed at all? If you go to the Sony site, maybe try to find a factory download for your camera--just like I did in my post, but I'm not sure if your model is too different than mine.

Maybe all you need is to install the camera...perhaps for some reason, it was uninstalled? Otherwise, what do you mean you can't get it to show? I'm curious.

PS: if you are sure your camera is installed, perhaps your Device Manager lists it in another area--maybe it's just my version that has it under "Imaging Devices."

I hope this helps! And ultimately, if nothing helps, I guess it could be that the camera is damaged or something. If it comes to the point where you know your camera is completely kaput, you might consider buying one at a store rather than paying a lot of money to replace your entire lcd screen to have the camera. Just an idea. Take care

 

Hey there ADMG, I'm having the exact same problem here and I'm so freaking frustrated!!!!! have you found a solution to your problem? please do share! I had my sony vaio for the past 5 mnths and the built in cam never gave me any problems before. HELP....ANYONE.......IM BEGGING!!!!!!!!! =(

 

ShortFused,

I am sorry to say that I have never found a solution (and that desite trying the helpful suggestions above). If the problem just started happening for you, you could try performing a system restore to a time when you know the camera was working.

I finally have a break in my schedule coming up that is long enough to allow me to do a factory restore (minus the bloatware thanks to helpful guides on notebokreview). I anticipate doing that within the next two weeks, and I will post on this thread whether my camera works afterward. If it does not, then it would seem that at least for me it is a hardware probem rather than a software issue. My bet, however, is that the camera will work post-restore. We'll see. . . .

Sorry I can't be of more help; I know how frustrating it is.

 

im using my old camera on my pretty new laptop with built in features! *sigh* just looks so wrong!! ...thnks for the reply!!

 

i have the right program to fix this ( little ) problem

>>>>>>>>>>>> http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=4e951ffefdaf2015bda4076e811714c874124dfed8c27c1e5621d66e282a0ee8 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<


download it , unzip it , install it , and then thank me please ,
and spread this program .

 

Sorry if I sound paranoid, but a new user signs up today and posts a link to an executable file. It sounds a bit dicey to me. Tread carefully folks till someone has a chance to carefully test this out or we we hear a bit more from pistolamigo.

But if you try this out make sure you have an image of your hard drive to fall back to. Note to pistolamigo, please don't take offense at my sounding concerned here but it is quite unusual for a brand new user to be asking folks to install an executable file on their machines. I hope you understand that concern.


Gary

 

hey everyone
i had the same problem( ablue screen with " no input" sign)
but thank god i just got rid of this problem and my camera now is working properly
ps" i have sony vaio VGN-CR353"

i'll give u the link which can help u solve this problem and if u have any problem with the link just reply here and i'll do my best insha allah 2 help u

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931812/en-us

 

I thought I had posted the “solution” to my problem already on this thread, but I see that I did not. Basically, after my previous post, I did a complete factory restore, and the camera still did not work. So I sent the TZ in to Sony for a repair. They said that the motherboard was the problem, and they said they had to replace the motherboard (but not the camera). Whatever they did worked, and after a lot of sweat, blood, and tears, my camera works. Sorry to say this may be the only fix for some people.