How to get 30 Frames Per Second with your Logitech Webcam

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04-03-2008 08:36 AM -

edited 04-10-2010 07:00 PM

Hey all!

First off, please review the following information:

1) Troubleshooting: Improving Image Quality for Web Cams (FAQ #54)
2) Adjusting camera, audio, and application settings in QuickCam 10 and 11 software (FAQ #5343)
3) The Logitech QuickCam Help Center (qcam.chm) that is built into the software.
4) Blurry image (low FPS) in an IM
5) Distorted or no image (> 4 GB RAM installed)

(Please see this thread)

(Please see this thread)

Note - If your PC contains an AMD or an ATI system Chipset, and you are running Windows XP, please see
Microsoft KB #949033 and FAQ #8940.

Second, please search the forum using the following Keywords... one at a time... and in the order presented. Please
also sort the results by date.

Keyword list
Low Light Boost
Exposure
Gain
RightLight2
RightLight
QuickCam default
5 FPS
15 FPS
30 FPS
640x480

Some quick information

1) The QuickCapture software application video recording default is 15 FPS. This setting was chosen because
Logitech feels that it provides the best overall image quality with reference to their RightLight/RightLight2
Technology. In order to capture video at 30 FPS, third-partyvideo recording software will be required.
2) Manual adjustment of the Camera Settings is possible.
3) In QuickCapture, Exposure = Shutter speed. In order to get 30 FPS, you need to set the "Shutter Speed" to at
least 1/30 [s] exposure time. The current adjustable range is 1/1000 to 1/5 second. For earlier versions of
QuickCapture, the adjustable range is 1/10,000 to 1/10 second.
4) In QuickCapture, Gain = ISO (Film speed).
5) Use of the Low Light Boost feature *may* limit you to 5 (10) FPS.
6) The camera specifications page does not mention FPS @ Resolution. They are two separate items. For more
information, please seehttp://www.quickcamteam.net/devices.
7) In order to get maximum performance from the camera, it must be the only device attached to the USB Controller
in use (Ref: FAQ #3139).
8) On Windows, the available streaming formats are I420 and RGB24 when the camera is used with the Logitech
UVC driver.

9) With the Microsoft UVC driver built into Windows, the native YUY2 and MJPG formats are exported instead.

A QuickCam Pro 9000 can physically output 30 FPS at 640x480

resolution, 25 FPS at 800x600 resolution, 10 FPS at 960x720
resolution, and 5 FPS at 1600x1200 resolution (YUY2).
A QuickCam Pro 9000 can physically output 30 FPS at 640x480
resolution, 30 FPS at 800x600 resolution, and 15 FPS at 960x720
resolution (MJPG).
For *most* applications, you will be limited to approximately 10 FPS (USB bandwidth limitation of 12 Mbps), unless
your camera is detected as an Enhanced USB 2.0 device (480 Mbps).
160x120 x 24-bit color x
30 FPS x (format) = 9,216,000 bps
320x240 x 24-bit color x 9.766 FPS x (format) = 12,000,000 bps
640x480 x 24-bit color x 2.441 FPS x (format) = 12,000,000 bps

(9.216 Mbps)
(12.000 Mbps)
(12.000 Mbps)

320x240 x 24-bit color x

30 FPS x (format) = 36,864,000 bps
640x480 x 24-bit color x
30 FPS x (format) = 147,456,000 bps
800x600 x 24-bit color x
30 FPS x (format) = 230,400,000 bps
960x720 x 24-bit color x
30 FPS x (format) = 331,776,000 bps
1280x960 x 24-bit color x 24.414 FPS x (format) = 480,000,000 bps

(36.864 Mbps)
(147.456 Mbps)
(230.400 Mbps)
(331.776 Mbps)
(480.000 Mbps)

The video format in this case is FOURCC YUY2 or YUV422 (format = 2/3).

10) A few OP's have mentioned that the "Anti-flicker" control *may* limit your Exposure to either 1/120 sec. (60 Hz
setting) or 1/100 sec. (50 Hz setting). While I cannot confirm this personally, you can try setting the control to "Off" if
you do not have fluorescent lighting in the room (Ref: qcam.chm).

Settings for QuickCam 11.5.0.1169

Exposure:
Gain:

1/1000 [s] (-) <--------------------------> (+) 1/5 [s]

0 (-) <--------------------------> (+) 10,000

Some common problems

1) You are set for 15 FPS, but your are only getting 5 (not enough light, camera settings issue).
2) "Grainy" image (too much Gain, not enough light, camera settings issue).
3) Dark image no matter what you do (you can't use your monitor as the only available light source).
4) Overly bright image (try turning the Low Light Boost control off).
5) Inconsistet image brightness (try adjusting the Spot Metering control).
6) White Balance/Color Temperature related issues (please see this QuickCam Team Discussion Forums thread for
more information).

Third-party video recording software

1) Must support Microsoft's DirectShow API for media-streaming.

2) Example software: Windows Media Encoder
3) Windows Movie Maker (for Vista) does not support USB webcams.

Logitech comment
For more information, please see Questions about accessing the exposure time through DirectShow by Martin Rubli.

Martin Rubli (mrubli) also states in this QuickCam Team Discussion Forums thread -

mrubli sez The reason why you can't set "Exposure, Auto" to all the values
reported by uvcdynctrl is the following:
The UVC standard (pages 81f) knows four values: Manual, Auto,
Shutter priority, and Aperture priority. Each value is mapped to one bit,
so the valid values are { 1, 2, 4, 8 }. However, because V4L2 does not
allow non-contiguous values for its choice controls, these are mapped
to { 0, 1, 2, 3 }.
Now, not every camera has to support all values, and in the case of
Logitech's UVC webcams only 'Manual' and 'Aperture priority' are
supported. So if you use uvcdynctrl to set the control to anything else
than 0 or 3, you will get an error.

Please do not reply to this thread for assistance with this issue (I will have your comments removed/moved into
their own thread).

Thanks.

Message Edited by KachiWachi on 04-10-2010 10:00 PM

KachiWachi - Webcam Forum Guru (2002), Logi Legend (2007), Distinguished Logi Legend (2010), QuickCam
Team Forums (2007)
(I am not affiliated with Logitech, Inc., Lithium Technologies, Inc., RightNow Technologies, Inc., or
Salesforce.com, Inc.)
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New to Webcams? START HERE!
Logitech Webcam Software 2.x (a.k.a. QuickCam 13.x) - Issues and Solutions
Logitech Webcam Software 1.00.1280 / 1.10.1113 (a.k.a. QuickCam 12.x) - Issues and Solutions
QuickCam 11.0.0.1218 / 11.1.0.2030 / 11.5.0.1169 / 11.8.0.1065 / 11.9.0.1263 - Issues and Solutions
Is your problem one of these older, common, known, or repeat issues?
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