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PC Cam300-User’s Manual
USB PC Camera
Welcome to the Exciting World of Argus Camera
Thank you for choosing Argus Camera to pursue your video adventures. Whether
you are creating a video of your friends and family or using the PC300 as a
business tool, since 1936 Argus Camera has been there, sharpening your
images with leading edge technology. To get the utmost satisfaction from your
PC300, please take a moment to read through this manual. Its contents will send
you on an
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Table of Contents Getting Started.....................................................................................3 In Box Contents ................................................................................................ 3 System Requirements........................................................................................ 3 PC300 Nomenclature ....................................................................................... 3 Verifying USB Presence ............
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In Box Contents ● PC300 Camera ● USB connector cable ● Quick Start Guide ● Installation CD-ROM ○ Camera Driver ○ Application Software ● ArcSoft VideoImpression 1.6 ● ArcSoft PhotoImpression 3.0 User’s Manual ○ System Requirements ● Intel Pentium II 350MHz Processor or equivalent ● 64MB System RAM Windows 98SE/Me/2000/XP ● ● CD-ROM drive ● 16-bit true color display or higher Optional for VideoConference ● Full- or half- duplex sound card ● Modem for dial-up connectio
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Verifying USB Presence Power up your computer and check to see if USB is implemented. Visually inspect the USB ports of your computer. If you cannot find the USB ports at the back of your computer (See Figure 1), read the documentation that came with your computer main board. Figure 1 For computer main board with USB supported: Enter BIOS settings and enable USB, see the documentation that came with your computer. Normally, when the computer power is
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Windows Installation of PC300 Camera and PC300 Driver 1. Installing PC Camera and PC Camera driver Before installing Camera to your computer, make sure Windows starts up. Then follow the steps below: 1. Plug PC camera's connector to the USB port on your computer. (See Figure 2) 2. Check to make sure you have the correct orientation while plugging the USB connector into the USB port of your computer. 3. Once Windows has detected new hardware Figure 2 added to the system, an U
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9. When you have finished the location selection, click “Next” to continue. 10. Windows will search for your PC Camera device and driver location. 11. Click “Next”. Windows will copy Driver files into your system. 12. Click “Finish” to complete PC Camera driver installation. 13. Click “Start”, “Shut Down”, and select option “Restart” to restart your computer. 6
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Installing Application Software 1. Insert Installation CD into your CD-ROM drive. 2. An Introduction screen will appear with a menu or CD contents. Note: If the installer screen does not come up automatically, click “Start”, “Run”, and execute the file “cdsetup.exe” on the CD to start the installer program. 3. Click “VideoImpression 1.6”. 4. Follow the on-screen wizard instructions to install. 5. When installation is complete, the VideoImpression 1.6 Program group will appear as a f
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Setting the Focus 1. Click Start> Programs> ArcSoft VideoImpression 1.6> ArcSoft VideoImpression 1.6. 2. The introduction screen will appear with a menu of software contents. 3. Click “ New. ” 4. Select “Capture” . The window shows a Live preview as seen from the PC Camera. 5. To focus the picture, turn the focus ring (the grooved plastic ring around the lens of the PC Camera) until the image becomes sharp. Capturing a Single Frame by Using Snapshot Button
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Previewing Live Video or Single Frame 1. Follow step 1-3 in “Setting the Focus” to enable live preview. 2. To stop preview, click on “Stop” ( ). 3. To resume preview, click on "Preview" ( ). Record a Video or Single Frame 1. Follow steps 1~3 in “Setting the Focus” to enable live preview. 2. To start video recording, click on “Record” ( ). 3. To stop video recording, click on “Stop” ( ) or ESC. 4. To save captured video, click on “Save” ( ). Playback a Video or a Single Frame
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Working with Albums You can create movies by placing image and movie files onto the Storyboard from various Albums. To create a movie, do the following: 1. Click on the New icon from the Main Screen. This will take you to the Album Screen. 2. Use the options on the Album Screen to construct your movie. Select Album - (Located immediately to the right of the album name) Lets you choose the album you wish to view or work from. Selecting “New” will bring up a new, empty album. You
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Working with the Storyboard The Storyboard shows you each step or part of the movie that you are creating. NOTE: You can add a thumbnail to your Storyboard by drag-n-drop, or by highlighting a thumbnail and clicking on the Add To Storyboard icon. Text Transition Thumbnail Image Sound Tracks Text - Is highlighted if there is text added to the respective thumbnail. You can add text by clicking on the thumbnail and then the Edit Movie icon. Transition - Is an effect tha
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Editing Single Frame Snapshots To edit still images, double click on the review window in “Still Image Template” Play Movie - Takes you back to the View Screen where you can play, save, and email your movie. Takes you to the Transitions Screen (See “ Options on the Storyboard ” ). Transitions - Album - Takes you to the Album Screen (See “Working with Albums” ) Text - Allows you to add text to images. You can select the font type, style and size. You can also apply effects to the tex
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Printing a Snapshot Image or a Still Image from a Video 1. From the Edit Screen, select the video frame you want to print. 2. Right-click the video and select “Print.” Saving a Movie 1. Click on Save on the Main Screen. 2. In the Save As window, select the drive and folder that you want to save the movie to. 3. Give the file a name, and select what type of movie you want to save it as. 4. Click Okay to save, or Cancel to abort 13
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Getting Started with PhotoImpression 3.0 1. Click Start. 2. Select Programs>ArcSoft PhotoImpression>PhotoImpression 3.0. The PhotoImpression Main Screen will appear on your desktop. Navigation Window Magnification Controls Command Buttons Toolbar Main Screen Options on the Main Screen: - Opens images from an album, a disk drive (From Folder). Or from photo-sharing website (Online Service). You can also acquire images from TWAIN devices (Camera/Scanner), get screenshots
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- Rotates the image at the user’s discretion. - Applies a mirror effect to your image by flipping it. - Rotates the image in 90-degree increments. - Cancels the last unsaved change you’ve made. - Reverses the last action you’ve undone. - Copies the selected area, layer, or image onto the Clipboard. - Pastes what’s on the Clipboard onto the selected image as a new layer. - Deletes the currently selected layer. - Closes the currently selected image. 15
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Opening An Image From A Disk Drive You can open an image that is stored on your hard drive, floppy disk, CD-ROM, etc. 1. Click the Get Photo button on the Main Screen, and select From Folder. 2. Click Browse. A Browse for Folder dialog will appear. 3. Navigate to the folder that you wish to view. Highlight the folder and click OK. 4. Thumbnails of the images within the selected folder will appear. Highlight the desired thumbnail, and click OK (or double-click it). Acquiring Images
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Working with Albums Photo albums allow easy identification and access to images for viewing, editing, printing, etc. Simply click on the Get Photo button on the Main Screen, and select Album to view the album options. It is important to remember that albums do not store images. When an album is created, thumbnails are generated and a reference to where the files are located is recorded in the album file. For example, if a thumbnail is added into an album from a floppy disk, that floppy
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Editing Images Click the Edit button on the Main Screen to display the various editing options. Crop/Resize: - Allows you to select a rectangular area on an image. - Works the same as the Rectangle tool except a circle is drawn instead of a rectangle. - Allows you to make a "freehand" selection by clicking and dragging over the image in a desired path or shape. You can select a polygonal area by clicking on the points of the desired shape in a connect-the-dots fashion. - Selects an
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- Reduces the red-eye effect common in flash photography. - Smoothes rough edges. - Sharpens fuzzy areas. - Lowers brightness. - Raises brightness. - Lets you set a color on your image as the active color. - Covers the area you click on (based on color similarity) with the active color. - Fills a layer or image with a selected pattern. - Fills the current image or layer with a gradient from the alternative color to the active color. Select the desired colors in the Color Palette, click
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Creative Project Templates Click on the Create button on the Main Screen to see the create options. : You can add a frame or edge to an image by selecting the option you wish, and then clicking Apply. (You can preview different options before settling on a particular one.) : You can "stamp" out a template of your image by selecting the shape you want to use, and then clicking Apply. : You can create customized calendars by inserting your image into a calendar template. Select the
