Vista - Webcam problem

Hello,

I have an ordinary USB cam and I noticed WLM won't let me use it sometimes.
If I go to tools/options/audio&video settinsg, I get the preview displayed
with no problems, but when I come to a chat window that little cam icon
beside my display image will pop up a menu with "show my webcam" disabled
and "start a video call" enabled.
If I go ahead and click on "start a video call", the place where I'm
supposed to see my own webcam, I only see a webcam icon with a red X in it.

I tried configuring the same settings again and again just to be sure I didn't
click anywhere I wasn't supposed to. Also checked for WLM updates. Also
tried restarting WLM and even rebooting the computer. No success.

I also have WebCamMax installed here and the same behavior if I choose it as
the webcam device to use. Tried to configure WebCamMax with lots of
different sources (pc cam, pc screen, avi video, ....), but no success.

The webcam works fine though on Skype and I can preview it with no problems
from WebCamMax main window.

Any ideas how to fix that?

Greetings TMA,

You're not the only one.

As a starting point, open up the main Messenger window, press the Alt key on the keyboard to
bring up the menu bar, then click the Tools menu, then Options, and finally under the Webcam
section of the bottom of the Personal category (opened by default), make sure 'Allow others
to see that I have a webcam' is selected. If it isn't, select it, click OK, then shut down
Messenger entirely and then start it back up again.

Next, if that didn't apply to you or didn't work, again bring up the menu bar, choose Tools
again, and then choose Audio and Video setup. Click Next to get to the webcam section and
select Disable. Finally, click Finish. Now without trying anything else, again open up the
menu bar, Tools, Audio and Video setup and this time choose your webcam on the second screen.
Now try the video options and I think you'll find they'll work (for this session at least).

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger
MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
MessengerGeek Blog: http://www.messengergeek.com
Messenger Resources: http://messenger.jonathankay.com
(c) 2009 Jonathan Kay - If redistributing, you must include this signature or citation
--

"TMA" <tmasoftwares@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:#HC$7NzAKHA.5780@xxxxxx

Wow.
Amazing how easy it is to fix it, huh?
Thx for the reply.

"Jonathan Kay [MVP]" <msnewsreplies@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:O6XFZ52AKHA.5020@xxxxxx

Hi,

Glad to be helpful

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger
MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
MessengerGeek Blog: http://www.messengergeek.com
Messenger Resources: http://messenger.jonathankay.com
(c) 2009 Jonathan Kay - If redistributing, you must include this signature or citation
--

"TMA" <tmasoftwares@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:eDPZ3dJBKHA.5068@xxxxxx

Sorry to revive this thread, but I just want to tell you how much I
appreciate this information.
I have google'd my brains out without finding anything.
Lots of hits with people who had the same problem but no one had been able
to fix it. Some questions were several months old.

Running the Audio and Video configuration again solved it.
Dead-easy when you think about it )

Again, thanks for your information.

Best regards
Gert


"Jonathan Kay [MVP]" wrote:

Hi Gert,

Glad I could be helpful

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger
MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
MessengerGeek Blog: http://www.messengergeek.com
Messenger Resources: http://messenger.jonathankay.com
(c) 2009 Jonathan Kay - If redistributing, you must include this signature or citation
--

"pax" <pax@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:947092E1-92EC-4342-B8BA-EF033ABE3955@xxxxxx

Hello there,

i have a similar problem, but it even goes a bit further.

The originally mentioned problem persists - the suggested solution only
works per session, everytime i reboot the computer I have to do the same
thing again... and yes, it can be some sort of a hassle. Furthermore,
recently the option "Webcam Settings..." vanished entirely, meaning that i
can't change the settings during a session - at least not during connection
attempts. Because... and now we're at #3:

My main issue though is that when I start connecting it will just try for a
while and then the cam will turn itself off and the connection gets closed.
Tried it with 3 different cams of different brands, always the same issue.
There is no difference between turning the antivir software off or on.
Nothing's changed on my side in the last 3 weeks, no driver update or
anything, but before that it worked okay (issue #1 was the only one). I'm
running Vista64 Ultimate, #1 and #2 only exist in the current Messenger
version, #3 i have also seen in messenger 8.5 ...

Any ideas? Your help is greatly appreciated, it's driving me nuts already

"Jonathan Kay [MVP]" wrote:

The problem is, its a bug in windows live messenger thats affecting everyone.
This is only a short term solution.

I just wish Microsoft hadn't FORCED me to upgrade in order to continue using
messenger. The one i had before was perfect.

Now, when i was able to get the webcam working, its choppy, with white
flashes, and, i got the above problem, with webcam displaying fine in the
setup window, but not giving the "show my webcam" option, only the inoperable
"video call".

Will microsoft come out with a permanent fix? so im not required to go
changing settings each time.

i need help with my webcam. It works fine with ahoo and skype and says its
compatible with msn but shows "We couldn't start your camera device. Please
check that your camera is not currently in use by another program, and then
try again." and thats the only program i have up and webcam isnt in use with
anything else.

Everyone says go into AUDIO AND VIDEO options but when i click that the new
window doesnt want to pop up for me. so i dont know what to do now. Any help?