Troubles with a Logitech Fusion webcam: problems with sound and wipe-outs in videos

Hi folks.. Newbie here..

I bought a Logitech-fusion webcam, as I was told it would record video to a certain standard.

Ok.. It does, but only 199 seconds! Not long enough to record a guitar solo!

So I got Windows Moviemaker to make the webcam record continuously.

Great so far!

Now I find that I get momentary black wipe-outs in the video and occasional bright green wipe-outs too. I think this is at the transistion of the clips.

Also, when I record, I find the webcam picks up the amplifier output and also the actual sound from the guitar, which distorts the final video sound. I have even muffled the mike, but it makes no difference.

So, how do I switch off the sound record for the Web-cam, so I can input the guitar into the PC. I need to use my amp as a sound monitor, so I don't have to wear earphones in the video. (A headset makes me look even more of a geek. ) Would I then have to synchronise the sound and the video afterwards and how would I do that?

I am going crazy trying to get this right, after 17 takes on a song I know backwards and inside out!

Thanks anyone in anticipation.

John

The quality of your recordings depends on a frame rate, video resolution, compression format.

For the best quality it is recommended to record using Huffyuv lossless codec. If your hard drive is not fast enough then you may use a Motion JPEG codec. After that you may compress your recordings into MPEG-4 ASP or AVC (Xvid, x264,...) using 2-pass encoding.

I didn't really understand your sound problems. Anyway you should connect the source that should be recorded to the input of your sound card. It is highly recommended to record audio with video 'coz synchronization is not a pretty task.

Here is a web-site about Hi Resolution Capturing to Hard Drive with Logitech Fusion Webcam
http://ghonis2.ho8.com/fusiontest5.html

If you have any problems with your web-cam, please contact the author of the above mentioned article. He definitely knows more about your web-cam.

Many Thanks for that reply. It helps a lot.

I shall peruse that website of course.

The problem with sound is that if I input the guitar directly to the soundcard, I shall have to wear a headset, in order to hear the guitar and the accompaniament. I don't like using headsets, period! I shall also need a mixer unit. How the sound is synced with the video then, I have no idea.

So I am trying to use the amplifier as a monitor for the sound, whilst the rest comes from the 'speakers of my PC, recording into the webcam. To play the backing tracks from the PC, I use a Sony hi-fi set, with a 'game' facility, that inputs to my soundcard. I have never had any trouble with it before.) Again this goes directly into the webcam.

At present, the web cam is picking up the amplifier signal, which is fine, but also the actual sound from the guitar gets through and casues distortion. This was with Windows Moviemaker running the camera by the way.
Maybe I need a wireless mouse so I can sit further away!

I downloaded Logitech updates and now I can record indefinitely with the webcam, so this is much better. However, I am still getting interference on sound and vision when I play back the video. In some cases I discover that the soundtrack suddenly ceases altogether.

So it looks as if I should have either a new sound card, or enable the onboard audio setup. If that doesn't work, I will get a 'Bare-bones' bundle and upgrade to Dual Core and a SATA drive.

Many thanks for all your help. It really is appreciated.
Regards.

John

So there is no distortion when you just use your guitar and when you record with Movie Maker the problems appear. Did I understand you correctly?

Most probably the distortion appears because the signal is too strong.

Can you send all your music, guitar or whatever to the amplifier and then connect the line-out of the amplifier to the line-in of your sound card?

Hi There,

Problems have escalated.

If I have my media-player running, I can run it all day, with no problems. Same goes for my Creative-Labs player. The moment I switch on the Logitech-Fusion webcam, the sound from the players either cuts out altogether, or becomes garbled and static distorts the sound. Switch off the webcam, restart the players and the problem goes away.

To check that my sound set-up is okay, I recorded backing tracks from Media-player, into a mixer. I laid down a guitar track on top of this, into the mixer again and onto my hard-drive to make audio recordings without any problems.

The moment I switch on Fusion, to make a video (using the guitar and mixer again of course) the sound gets garbled, or the media player loses sound and no backing is recorded, even though the player is running and the cursor moving along the 'play-line'. The resultant video exhibits the green and black wipe-outs, and loss of sound-track.

So I really do suspect the web-cam, (a reconditioned unit). Updated software hasn't solved the problem, so I have given up. I am going to replace the webcam, for another unit. If that doesn't work, I shall find a better webcam, or maybe use a camcorder. If the worst comes to the worst I will get a Mac with built-in webcam and recording facilities.

Many thanks for the help and advice, which has been spot on, where my problem was pertinent.

My Regards
John

You should contact the Logitech support. You may also ask other users of the Logitech-Fusion webcam whether they experience the same problem.