I Need Help Going Live On Stickam?

Question

Kay, so i created an acount, and i have a video camera that is connected to the computer by a usb cord, but i dont really know what to do from here, im pretty new at using video cameras because ive had no use except for now. Do i need to open the camera on like another program before it goes to stickam or what idk im just really confused and would apreciate any advice i can get thanks!!

Answer 1

Hello Kina....

I wish it was that easy, but it is not.  Here is the deal...

Your cam is digital miniDV camcorder. Its USB port does NOT have live video on it. USB connection serves only one purpose - to transfer still photos taken as extras during video recording. (In theory you could transfer the video as well, but with difficulties).

Anyway - for you to use that as a life "webcam" you have two choices - depends what is your computer hardware.

If you do have video capturing device/card (such as tv tuner card or USB VHS-DVD converter or something similar) you can use the camera's analog A/V output to connect it into the video-in of such a device and use that as your video source. Well, not everybody has that option and if you do not already have it, I would not buy extra hardware just for this reason, It could be a bit pricey.

Second and easier and BETTER QUALITY is to use Firewire connection (on your cam it MIGHT be marked as miniDV port or iLink or IEEE1394 which all means exactly the same).

Now, you have to check your computer whether it has the firewire port.

Here is a picture of firewire cable:

http://www.dansdata.com/images/centos/13...

the camera has ALWAYS the small port (smaller connector). You computer - if desktop - will likely have card with the bigger connector... and if laptop, it could have either one. So you need to buy a canle which has one side small connector and the other the one as is on your computer.

Now, if your computer does not have one, you need to buy a Firewire card with cable (as combo - cheaper) - the best deal is of eBay (no worries, I got mine there too). That is for desktop... If you have laptop - newer shoudl have firewire and older will have slot for PCMCIA card so you would have to buy a firewire PCMCIA card (of eBay as well:-)).

So, now you can connect your cam to your computer via FIREWIRE...

Your windows should recognize the camera - no drivers needed... BUT ...only some chatting / social networking programs recognize video cam source as the one coming from firewire port. For example MSP does OK, but Skype does not.

Now, here is a little program,, which will allow you to broadcast from your (firewire connected) miniDV camera into ANY network/videochat.. even in multiple ones at the same time.

http://www.splitcamera.com/

Hope it help... have fun...

(hey, if that works, I hope to see you somewhere, let me know :-))

JOhnny

Answer 2

I am certainly not sure about this, but I thought you were supposed to use a webcam for stickam :/ I know this isn't really an answer, but I just wanted to give a little input! :]