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AMCap Frequently Asked QuestionsI created this page to answer some of the questions that I am regularly asked about my custom version of AMCap. In case of problem, always make sure that you are using the very latest version available from my website. |
| File system | File size limit |
|---|---|
| FAT16 (Windows 9x/ME) | 2GB - 1 byte |
| FAT16 (Windows NT and later) | 4GB - 1 byte |
| FAT32 | 4GB - 1 byte |
| NTFS | 2TB - 1 byte |
10. Whenever I enable Preview, I get the following message: "Unable to add the sample grabber to the filtergraph. [0x80040154]". What does that mean and how do I fix it?
The error means that the Sample Grabber, a software component used to make the still captures, is not installed or registered in your system. This usually means that the version of DirectX installed on your PC is outdated. To fix this issue, go to the Windows or Microsoft Update website and install the latest version of DirectX.
You can also try my Webcam Diagnostics assistant and see if the error can be fixed.
11. The preview is in black and white. How do I turn the color mode on?
There may be different reasons for a B/W display:
- If you have a video capture card that supports different standards like PAL or NTSC, make sure that it is set to the correct mode for the input signal. To change it, go to Options > Video Capture Filter... and set the Video Standard (PAL in Europe, SECAM in France, NTSC in US and Japan, etc.)
- If you changed many settings and you cannot remember which ones, you can simply delete the AMCap.ini file after closing the program. If B/W preview remains after the program is restarted, make sure that the brightness and contrast levels are correct. To do so, click the Options > Video Capture Filter... menu and adjust the brightness/contrast levels. If you have a Restore Factory Defaults button, just click it. Also if a Black and White checkbox is available, clear it if it is ticked.
- Finally check whether the latest version of the drivers of your video capture source is installed in your system, some drivers simply don't restore or don't report the default settings correctly.
12. I'd like to capture some video in PAL 60Hz at 30fps but AMCap does not allow me to set a frame rate above 25fps. Is there a workaround?
By default, PAL is a video standard at 50Hz and 25 frames per second (fps). To capture at 30 fps, you have to select PAL_60 in the Video Standard drop-down list from the Options > Video Capture Filter... menu. You can then go to Options > Video Capture Pin... and set Frame Rate to 30. If PAL_60 is not available in the list, the driver of your video capture source or the hardware itself may not support it.
13. When the application starts, I get the following error: "Unable to register the application with the Still Image interface. [0x80040154]". I press OK and everything runs fine. How do I fix this?
You are most probably using a Windows version that does not support STI (e.g. Windows 2000 and older). To avoid the message at startup, clear Register for STI Events in Capture > Setup... menu, Still Capture tab.
14. What is the "capture file"? What file do I have to select?
The capture file is a single working file that is not fragmented and that will be used by the program and the underlying system (DirectShow) to temporarily store the captured video. After every capture, you can save the actual video by using the File > Save Capture Video... menu.
By default, the capture file is called capture.avi and is located in the root of your primary hard drive, in other words it usually is c:\capture.avi. This must be a new file, don't select an existing file otherwise it will be overwritten during the capture or the file allocation.
15. When I enabled the Windows Media 9 Series compression and I attempt to capture a video file, I always get the following error: "Cannot set output file [0x80040154]". What does that error mean and how do I fix it?
The error means that DirectShow is unable to locate the required Windows Media ASF Writer Filter. This component is not installed by default by the system and is only available as a redistributable component as part of the Windows Media Format installer. You can download the installer here or click Help > Redistributable Components > Windows Media Format in AMCap.
16. While installing my webcam, a message popped up and told me that the drivers did not pass the Windows Logo testing and now AMCap says that no video capture source is installed. What's wrong and how do I possibly fix this issue?
Drivers that pass the Windows Logo testing are tested and then digitally signed by Microsoft, this ensures that the drivers meet the quality and stability requirements. Unsigned drivers don't usually mean that they are poor or unreliable, that just means that they were not tested by Microsoft. Because unstable drivers may lead the system to crash and give blue screens (BSOD), the newest 64-bit editions of Windows may require signed drivers to ensure overall stability.
In general, it is recommended that you visit the website of the manufacturer to get the latest signed drivers for your devices. Only install unsigned drivers if you don't have a better choice.
When installing unsigned drivers, a dialog box pops up with a message like this:
Hardware Installation <your webcam driver> has not passed Windows Logo testing to verify its compatibility with Windows XP (...)This dialog has two buttons: Continue Anyway and STOP Installation. If you hit the STOP Installation button or press the Enter key, the drivers won't install, this is probably what happened in your case.
If the manufacturer does not have signed drivers, complete the following steps to make sure that your system is not configured to never install unsigned driver software by default:
- Click Start
- right-click My Computer
- click Properties
- click the Hardware tab
- click the Driver Signing button
- tick Warn and Make this action the system default
- click OK twice to close the property pages
You will now be warned when installing unsigned drivers but this won't prevent you from installing them. Once you did this, run the drivers installation again. When the Hardware Installation dialog box pops up again, click Continue Anyway to complete the drivers installation.
17. I always get the following error message when AMCap loads: "Unable to activate the high resolution still capture - Unspecified error [0x80004005]". Once I hit OK everything works fine though. What does that means and how do I fix it?
This error usually means that the drivers of the webcam don't correctly handle the Still pin. The Still pin is a feature exposed by the drivers of a webcam to allow capture of high resolution still pictures from DirectShow applications.
You can work around this issue with the following steps:
18. I always get the following error message when I enable Preview for my webcam: "An error occurred during capture - The supplied user buffer is not valid for the requested operation. [0x800706F8/9422]". What does that means and how do I fix it?
This error usually means that there are some internal issues with the current drivers of your webcam. Please visit the website of the manufacturer of your webcam and possibly download and install an updated version of the drivers. Otherwise contact the technical support of the manufacturer for further assistance.
19. When I press one of the buttons of my scanner and a system dialog box pops up with a list of possible programs to launch for this action, AMCap is listed numerous times. This also happens in the Events tab of the properties of my scanner. How do I remove all those unwanted entries?
This is a known issue in AMCap version 9.11 and previous. This happens when the Register for STI events option is enabled in the Capture > Setup... menu, Still Capture tab. This option possibly allows AMCap to be automatically launched by the system when the hardware trigger of a STI-compatible webcam is pressed. This issue is fixed in AMCap version 9.12 and later. In the meantime, you can download and run STIClean to remove all the unwanted entries. Click here to download this fix.
20. When AMCap is opened, I get this error message: "You have no video capture hardware. Video capture will not work properly" but I do have a webcam or video capture source. What does that mean?
This message usually means that there is an issue with the drivers of your video capture source or webcam and the device is not recognized by the system. Either the drivers for the device are not installed or they are not working properly.
Drivers are usually provided on a CD and have to be installed before the device is plugged (webcam). If you already installed the drivers, they possibly are not working properly or in the worst case, the device itself is not working. Go to the Device Manager and check the possible error code. You may also try my Webcam Diagnostics program and see if it reports anything.
21. How do I enable the crosshair? The option always appears to be grayed out.
This feature is only available when a windowless video renderer is active. To select a windowless video renderer, click the Capture > Setup... menu, Options tab then select either the VMR7 windowless or the VMR9 windowless from the Video Renderer drop-down list.
22. Is AMCap compatible with 64-bit systems?
Yes, AMCap is a native 32-bit application but it is compatible and will run on 64-bit systems.
23. After a few minutes of capture I get the following error message: "An error occurred during capture - The sample start time is after the sample end time [0x80040228/10368]". What's wrong?
This error is usually due to a failing audio or video capture source driver. Please install the most recent version of the drivers if any are available or contact the technical support of the manufacturer.
24. Audio always lags the video when I play back the captured video, how do I fix this?
Audio lagging video is usually due to the fact that the audio and video capture sources are separate and/or not synchronized by hardware. First make sure that the audio stream is set as the master stream in Capture > Setup... menu, Video Capture tab. When possible try to use the option Capture audio from the video source or use the MPEG-2 option if the capture source supports it.
25. I cannot get deinterlacing to work, the menu is always grayed out. How do I enable the deinterlacing feature?
The deinterlacing menu options are only available if the configuration meets the following requirements:
- the video capture source feeds an interlaced stream (e.g. a TV tuner or a DV camcorder).
- if the MPEG-2 option is active, the installed MPEG-2 Video Decoder supports deinterlacing.
- a Video Mixing Renderer is selected as the video renderer in Capture > Setup... menu, Options tab.
26. I've got no sound when I use the TV tuner of my video capture card. How do I enable audio from the TV tuner?
- if there is an entry for the audio input of the TV tuner in the Devices menu (under the separator), select it, otherwise see FAQ #5.
- if the tuner card features multiple audio inputs, make sure that the TV tuner input is selected in the Options > Audio Inputs menu.
- make sure the audio level of the tuner is high enough, see FAQ #3 and FAQ #5.
- if none of these options helps, try the Options > MPEG2 menu. If the TV tuner card features MPEG2 support, this option should give the best results.
27. I successfully installed AMCap in Windows 7 but when I use it, the parameters are not saved. How do I fix this issue?
This is a known issue that is due to the fact that the security is tighten in the Program Files folder and user data must be stored in a dedicated folder. This will be fixed in a future version.
To workaround this issue, please follow the instructions below:
- In Windows Explorer, open the %ProgramFiles%\Noel Danjou folder (or %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Noel Danjou in 64-bit systems)
- Right-click the AMCap folder.
- Click Properties.
- In AMCap Properties, click the Security tab.
- Click the Edit... button.
- In the Group or user names list, click Users (<computer>\Users).
- In Permissions for Users, tick Write.
- Click OK twice to validate and close the properties.
28. Whenever I try to use the overlay feature I get the following error message: "Unable to activate the overlay feature. No such interface supported [0x8004002 / 11982]". How can I get the overlay feature to work?
The overlay feature requires a video renderer that can mix video streams. The video renderer is implemented by the drivers of the graphic card installed in your system. You may have to select another video renderer (e.g. one of the Video Mixing Renderers), to do so:
