TrackerCam - USB Pan Tilt hardware and software

About DVdriver

DVdriver lets you use your camcorder as the video source for any application that works with a webcam.

DVdriver works by creating a virtual camera you select as the video source in other applications. The other applications then see your camcorder as an ordinary webcam and are able to use the video.

Sample Uses

Broadcast your camcorder's video on the web using your favorite webcam software.
Videoconference with software like NetMeeting�.
Send camcorder video to instant messaging buddies with webcam-enabled IM software like Yahoo Messenger� and MSN Messenger�.

Features

Optical zoom control: Control your camera's optical zoom from your computer (not compatible with all camcorders).
Digital zoom control: Digtally zoom in and out.
Multiple video streams: Feed your camcorder's video to up to 7 webcam applications simultaneously--DVdriver creates multiple of copies of the video stream so that each app runs smoothly.
PowerPod control: If you own a PowerPod robotic camcorder base, control pan and tilt from DVdriver.

What is DVdriver? || Requirements || Starting DVdriver || The Dashboard || Options Menu || Video Settings || Remote Control || Keyboard Shortcuts

Requirements

You need a DV camcorder connected to your PC's Firewire port

To run DVdriver you need:

A PC running Microsoft Windows

A Firewire port (Firewire is also known as IEEE 1394 and iLink)

A digital video camcorder with a Firewire interface

The following are optional but let you use additional features:

Support in your camcorder for the Canon ZR command set
A PowerPod robotic camcorder base

What is DVdriver? || Requirements || Starting DVdriver || The Dashboard || Options Menu || Video Settings || Remote Control || Keyboard Shortcuts

Starting DVdriver

You start DVdriver before your webcam application, then select DVdriver as your video source

To start using DVdriver, complete the following steps:

Start DVdriver by clicking its shortcut on your desktop.

An icon for DVdriver appears in the system tray found at the bottom-left corner of the desktop. Right-click the icon.

In the menu displayed, select Load video device.

Select your camcorder--it will usually be listed as Microsoft VCR.

Click OK.

DVdriver displays a dialog telling you to select DVdriver as the video source in your applications. Close the dialog.

Start a webcam or video conferencing application.

In the application, find the dialog or menu that lets you choose your video source. This dialog or menu typically lists all the video devices connected to your computer and lets you choose the one you want to use as your webcam.

In the dialog or menu, select DVdriver.

Your software now begin using your camcorder's video.

What is DVdriver? || Requirements || Starting DVdriver || The Dashboard || Options Menu || Video Settings || Remote Control || Keyboard Shortcuts

The Dashboard

DVdriver displays a compact control panel on your screen to let you control zoom and other camcorder functions from you computer.

The Dashboard includes the following controls:

Zoom Plus / Minus / Home
Click the plus button to zoom in and minus to zoom out. Zooming is optical if your camcorder uses the Cannon ZR command set. Otherwise, zoom is digital. Click the oval button between Plus and Minus to return zoom to its starting position.

Direction Arrows and Home
Click the direction arrows to shift the video view in the corresponding direction. If you have a PowerPod, DVdriver uses it to physically move the camcorder. Otherwise, DVdriver digitally shifts the view, but you need to have clicked the Zoom Plus button at least one time for digital shifting to be possible. Click the circle button between the direction arrows to return to the video image to the home position.

REC
Click to make your camcorder start recording.

SNAP Click to create a still image--a snapshot--of the camcorder's current video image. A window with the image pops up and you can save it to a file.

Focus Plus / Minus
Click to adjust your camcorder's optical focus in order to make the image sharper (only for camcorder's that support the Cannon ZR zoom command set).

What is DVdriver? || Requirements || Starting DVdriver || The Dashboard || Options Menu || Video Settings || Remote Control || Keyboard Shortcuts

Options Menu

The DVdriver system tray menu lets you set several options

Getting There
Click the DVdriver icon in the system tray.

Menu Options
The DVdriver menu includes the following options:

Always on top Keep the dashboard in front of the other windows on your desktop so you always have access to DVdriver's controls.
Hide Dashboard Make the dashboard dissapear. You can bring it back later by clicking the DVdriver system tray icon and selecting Show Dashboard.
Release Video Device Stop using video from the camcorder you selected when you started DVdriver. Afterwards you can select another camcorder by clicking the DVdriver system tray icon and selecting Load video device.
Video Settings... Display the Video Settings dialog to let you adjust camcorder video options. See Video Settings for details.
Remote Control Settings... Control DVdriver's remote control feature. See Remote Control for details.
Remote Control Settings...
Select TrackerPod^® / PowerPod If you have several PowerPod's connected to your computer, select the one DVdriver should use.
About Display DVdriver version information.
Close Quit DVdriver.

What is DVdriver? || Requirements || Starting DVdriver || The Dashboard || Options Menu || Video Settings || Remote Control || Keyboard Shortcuts

Video Settings

Change the size of DVdriver's video image and to access camera-specific options

Getting There
Click the DVdriver icon in the system tray. Then select Video Device Settings.... DV Driver Settings
You can control the following options by clicking the DV Driver Settings button.

Select DVdriver size Select an image size from the drop-down list to have DVDriver feed a video image of that size to your webcam applications. The dimensions are in pixels.
Scale video to the selected DVdriver size Select this to have DVdriver digitally stretch the your camera's video if the size you selected is larger than the size of the image your camera provides.

Camera Settings
Click the camera settings button for access to driver-controlled camera-specific options.

What is DVdriver? || Requirements || Starting DVdriver || The Dashboard || Options Menu || Video Settings || Remote Control || Keyboard Shortcuts

Remote Control

DVdriver lets you offer control of its features to remote users over the Internet

If you enable remote control, remote users can access your camcorder by using their Web browser to go to the URL http://IP-ADDRESS:PORT, where IP-ADDRESS is your computer's IP ADDRESS and PORT is the port you select for DVdriver to use.

Getting There
Click the DVdriver icon in the system tray. Then select Remote Control Settings....

Settings
You can change the following settings:

Allow enable control of your camcorder by remote users over the Internet.
Use TCP/IP Port Set the port to use for remote control communications. The default is 9000 in order to avoid conflicts with popular web servers and Eagletron's TrackerCam^® applications.
Remote Access Password To require remote users to enter a password to access your camera, type a password here. Remote users will be prompted for it when they connect. Leave the password blank to allow users to connect without a password.
Pan / Tilt Select to allow remote user to shift the video image.
Zoom Select to allow remote users to change video zoom.
Focus Select to allo remote users to change focus.
Snap Select to allow remote users to save video snapshots from your camcorder with DVdriver.
Rec Select to allow remote users to turn on and off your camera's record feature.
OK Click to save your changes to remote control options.
Cancel Click to exit the dialog without saving changes.

What is DVdriver? || Requirements || Starting DVdriver || The Dashboard || Options Menu || Video Settings || Remote Control || Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard Shortcuts

DVdriver lets you use keyboard shortcuts to control its features

You can use the following keyboard shortcuts in DVdriver as an alternative to clicking controls with your mouse:

Direction arrows Shift the video image in the corresponding direction.
Home Shift video image back to starting position.
+ / - Increase and decrease zoom.
End Return zoom to starting positon.

What is DVdriver? || Requirements || Starting DVdriver || The Dashboard || Options Menu || Video Settings || Remote Control || Keyboard Shortcuts

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