Tip #3084 - Webcam Settings
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Q:
I just bought one of those Xnap Webcams from WorldStart and I just can't
figure out how to adjust the settings, etc. like I want to. Can you please
give me some help?
A:
It was very smart for you to submit this question to the e-mail we receive
here in the office. Sometimes people will have a problem with one our
products and they will just call our 1-800 number and talk to our tech
support guru, Chad. While that's all well and good, we can help many more
people by answering the question in the newsletter. So, if you're like
the person who asked this question and recently ordered a Webcam from
us, keep reading!
I will specifically
be talking about the Xnap camera we had for sale, but these directions
are pretty similar for other Webcams as well. Also, for this tip, I'm
going to assume you already have the Webcam installed on your computer.
If you don't, go ahead and do so. There are directions for this on the
back of the package that the Webcam came in.
Now, the biggest concern
seems to be changing the settings and making your Web picture look exactly
like you want it to. Maybe the default settings are too bright in color
or too dull. Either way, you can change them with just a few easy steps.
There are two ways to get to the Properties dialogue
box. If you have your Webcam turned on and you're using it as we speak,
look to the right of your picture and you will see a little arrow. Click
on that and the Properties window will come up. If you
don't have your cam on, go to Start, All Programs
and find the Xnap Cam option. From there, choose AMCap
and that will bring the Properties window up as well.
In that box, you will
see two tabs: Image Adjust and Effect.
Make sure Image Adjust is selected. From there, you will
see slide bars for Brightness, Contrast, Hue, Saturation, Gamma, BackLight
and also a choice to change your Frequency if you want. Just use the sliders
to change the colors and effects of your picture. (At this point, it's
best to have your Webcam on so you can see the changes you're making as
you proceed).
The Brightness and
Contrast controls work just like they do for your monitor. Increase or
decrease them to either brighten or dull your image, whichever you prefer.
If you're going for more of a black and white look, you may want to keep
both of these at a low number. The rest of the terms also deal with making
your image look a certain way. For instance, hue works with both the color
and light of your picture and the backlight will change the way your background
color looks, depending on what rate you choose.
The best thing to
do is play around with the sliders and create the perfect look for yourself.
I like mine to be a little darker and more of a black and white vision.
On the other hand, it's sometimes nice to have your image bright and full
of light. It's all up to you. When you're done with all of that, switch
over to the Effect tab. Once there, you will see several
different choices of effects you can add to your picture. For example,
you could make it look like an aged photo, put some motion into it, add
a neon light, etc. or you can choose a type of frame for your image, such
as a postcard, flower, television, etc. My favorite is the Magic Mirror
effect. It makes you look all funky. The Television frame is cool too.
You feel like you're on TV! Now, if you don't want an effect or frame,
just choose "No effect & frame."
Once you have all
your choices selected, click OK and they will take effect.
Now you can show off your Webcam skills to all your friends and family.
They will be amazed at what you've done and they will want to do it too!
Go ahead and get started, but most importantly, have fun!
~ Erin
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