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How to use a web camera (DirectShow integration) with Swing Catalyst

Stian Eklund
  • Updated

This support article covers how to use and configure a DirectShow compatible camera to be used with Swing Catalyst 9.7

 

Preface

Swing Catalyst supports DirectShow integration, which means that it supports almost any web camera or camera you can use without installing a driver in Windows. Generally speaking, if the camera works in in Windows, it should work with Swing Catalyst.

 

Compared to the native camera integrations we offer for Teledyne FLIR, iDS and AVT, this type of integration has some limitations when it comes to camera settings.

 

Recommended camera models

USB:

* Note: USB cameras were tested in a lab environment.

 

Connecting a camera

 

Enable the camera from the Settings menu.

Click the gear icon.

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Settings menu

 

Note that the camera integration type is identified, e.g. DirectShow, Spinnaker:

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If properly detected the camera will automatically appear in the camera list.

In order to use the camera it needs to be assigned a camera angle, click the "Disabled" icon and select an angle, then flip the "OFF" switch to "ON" to enable the camera.

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Dragon camera is enabled and designated as the face on right camera (meaning it is facing the user from the right).

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Advanced Camera Settings

 

The advanced camera settings gives you the ability to change the name of the camera, mirror & rotate, crop, and adjust the video image as well as apply filtering options such as sharpening and noise reduction.

 

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Mirror and Rotate:

MotionCatalyst_2021-09-24_10-41-18.png

 

Crop:

The crop tool can be used to remove unwanted outer parts of the image.

MotionCatalyst_2021-09-24_11-58-26.png

 

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Image Adjustments:

Most of these settings should be left to the default settings, however some cameras have different functionality available here such as zoom, and panning etc. This all depends on the camera, some cameras have more functionality than others.MotionCatalyst_EuyRNlZt4i.png

 

Options

Timestamp manually:

  • Only enable this if you are having issues with insufficient data received or "not synchronized" type errors.

Deinterlacing:

  • Only enable if you are using analog cameras that provide an interlaced image, e.g CCTV cameras or DV cameras. Shouldn't be enabled normally.

Media Type:

Normally DirectShow & Swing Catalyst will handle this automatically and shouldn't be necessary to change. There are some exceptions however.

 

Example scenarios:

  • If you have a web camera that is 60 FPS at 1920x1280 resolution and you're only getting 30 FPS
  • The video resolution appears smaller / worse compared to other applications.

To override the automatically chosen media type you check the "Override Media Type" checkbox and select a format from the drop down list.

External configuration:

  • Configure video source is the same options as in the "Image" tab, you shouldn't have to click this button.
  • Configure video source pin: These should instead be changed by overriding the media type.

 

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To get the best out of your camera's video image please see our article:

Improving camera image quality

 

Related topics and recommendations

Computer recommendations:

 

Troubleshooting

Please see our troubleshooting section for the Dragon camera

 

 

 

 

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