Webcam freezes everything BUT my webcam

Ohnomysweet

New Member
I apologize in advance for my fevered nature I'm just a little bit frustrated over this.

My boyfriend bought me a Microsoft LifeCam vx-5000 today. After the initial frustration of getting my webcam to actually broadcast video via the internet I became increasingly angry over the fact that everything, even the music player I was using on a different tab froze or lagged severely after only a few seconds of my broadcasting. People would freeze or there would be a lapse in messages and then the video would start up again and/or the messages would come in droves.

My Internet works fine and is quite fast when my webcam is not on. My computer, while about 4 years old works relatively quickly and I am able to use that quickly when the webcam is on. Also, this problem only happens when the webcam is being used with the internet and nothing freezes or slows when the webcam and the internet are not connected (just using the webcam program and not utilizing say chatroulette or tinychat.)

Everyone I chat with says that they can see me clearly and I do not lag or freeze at all. Also, on my computer my webcam does not freeze or lag at all. I am incredibly frustrated because internet searches have proven to be useless because everyone complains about their webcam freezing when my problem is the complete opposite.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me.
 

My Computer

Hi and welcome to the forums :party:.

Please could you fill in your System Specs under User CP, this will give us a better idea of what the problem could be.

According to Microsoft for this to work with Vista you have to download something from there website (Windows Vista Compatibility Microsoft LifeCam VX-5000 1.3MP Webcam USB 2.0).

If you haven't already installed this please do.

If you use your webcam normally with no internet connection, to say record a video, does the machine still lag?

Oli
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Apple MacBook, 5,1
    CPU
    Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4Ghz
    Memory
    4GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia 9400m
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3" Apple MacBook LCD Screen + 22" HannsG DVI LCD + 21.5" Samsung USB Lapfit Monitor LD220
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800 + 1920x1080 + 1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    SATA Internal 2.5" 500GB (305GB HFS+, 195GB NTFS)
    External USB 3.5" 1TB (HFS+)
    Case
    Aluminium Unibody
    Keyboard
    Apple Late 2009 Wireless Keyboard (US)
    Mouse
    Apple Magic Mouse
    Internet Speed
    6.33Mb/s up. 0.36Mb/s down.
    Other Info
    Harman Kardon Soundsticks II Speakers
When I click the "Free download required" link it leads me to a page that says "Here's the software available for your product. Follow the link to download it." But there is no links. It's just a blank frame after that.

The only thing that slows down is my internet, almost to a stand still but it hasn't frozen. Because the image displayed on my webcam window in say, chatroulette, doesn't freeze or slow down at all is it possible my webcam is siphoning all the internet? Okay that sounded really stupid but I don't know how else to ask that because I don't know anything about computers. But do you understand what it is I'm asking?

It isn't even that my browser (I'm using Firefox, is that the right word? Browser?) slows or freezes because tabs pop up quickly and so forth, it's just that the loading time slows more and more until ultimately nothing gets through. Like the webcam is a clot in an artery that keeps building until eventually no blood gets through it at all.

Like I said all the searches I have found are concerning the owner's webcam being choppy or freezing and that is not my problem at all.

When I turn the webcam on, like to take pictures or record a video and it has no connection to the internet I have no problems. Everything works as fast as it usually does and I'm fine. It's when the webcam becomes connected to the internet that everything slows. For instance, before I knew that I had to close the webcam program in order for the webcam to connect to the internet (if the program is not closed then the webcam thinks you want to make a video or take a picture and will not broadcast) I tried going on a video chat website to test out the webcam with my boyfriend. Not only could I not see his window at all, but I couldn't broadcast. When that was happening my internet was working as fast as it ever does (I use cox internet with a wireless router and I'm ever more than fifty feet from it even though my laptop has a wifi range of 70 feet.) It is only when I figured out how to broadcast and the webcam was on and broadcasting that things slowed down.
 

My Computer

When I click the "Free download required" link it leads me to a page that says "Here's the software available for your product. Follow the link to download it." But there is no links. It's just a blank frame after that.

The only thing that slows down is my internet, almost to a stand still but it hasn't frozen. Because the image displayed on my webcam window in say, chatroulette, doesn't freeze or slow down at all is it possible my webcam is siphoning all the internet? Okay that sounded really stupid but I don't know how else to ask that because I don't know anything about computers. But do you understand what it is I'm asking?

It isn't even that my browser (I'm using Firefox, is that the right word? Browser?) slows or freezes because tabs pop up quickly and so forth, it's just that the loading time slows more and more until ultimately nothing gets through. Like the webcam is a clot in an artery that keeps building until eventually no blood gets through it at all.

Like I said all the searches I have found are concerning the owner's webcam being choppy or freezing and that is not my problem at all.

When I turn the webcam on, like to take pictures or record a video and it has no connection to the internet I have no problems. Everything works as fast as it usually does and I'm fine. It's when the webcam becomes connected to the internet that everything slows. For instance, before I knew that I had to close the webcam program in order for the webcam to connect to the internet (if the program is not closed then the webcam thinks you want to make a video or take a picture and will not broadcast) I tried going on a video chat website to test out the webcam with my boyfriend. Not only could I not see his window at all, but I couldn't broadcast. When that was happening my internet was working as fast as it ever does (I use cox internet with a wireless router and I'm ever more than fifty feet from it even though my laptop has a wifi range of 70 feet.) It is only when I figured out how to broadcast and the webcam was on and broadcasting that things slowed down.

Try using Speedtest.net - The Global Broadband Speed Test when you're not using your webcam and then try again when you are.

Post both sets of results.

This will help determine whether or not the webcam is just eating up your bandwidth or if it's something else.

Oli
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Apple MacBook, 5,1
    CPU
    Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4Ghz
    Memory
    4GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia 9400m
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3" Apple MacBook LCD Screen + 22" HannsG DVI LCD + 21.5" Samsung USB Lapfit Monitor LD220
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800 + 1920x1080 + 1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    SATA Internal 2.5" 500GB (305GB HFS+, 195GB NTFS)
    External USB 3.5" 1TB (HFS+)
    Case
    Aluminium Unibody
    Keyboard
    Apple Late 2009 Wireless Keyboard (US)
    Mouse
    Apple Magic Mouse
    Internet Speed
    6.33Mb/s up. 0.36Mb/s down.
    Other Info
    Harman Kardon Soundsticks II Speakers
Hello Ohnomysweet,
Just to eliminate the possibility of malware download , update, and scan with this free app.

Malwarebytes

Have you tried it with IE instead of FireFox ?.

Give this a try, good luck and post your results.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Self Build
    CPU
    QX9650 (black box) [email protected]
    Motherboard
    Asus P5Q Premium
    Memory
    8GB-4x2GB Corsair Dominator DDR 2-1066
    Graphics Card(s)
    2 x ASUS EAH 4870 X 2 (Quad)
    Sound Card
    Supreme FX 2
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Fujitsu Siemens 22inch flat screen
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    150 Gig WD Raptor
    300 Gig Maxtor
    300 Gig Maxtor, (External)
    PSU
    CoolerMaster 1000
    Case
    CoolerMaster N-Vidia stacker 830
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-U12P x 1x120mm fan, 6x120mm case fans
    Keyboard
    Logitech G15
    Mouse
    Logitech G5
    Internet Speed
    20Mbps
    Other Info
    Audio FX Pro 5+1 gaming head set
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