Audio or video randomly stops working

[Teresa]

Hi. I've got tested 3 PC, 6 webcams, but on all setups my audio stream stops working randomly. Sometimes I have audio whole day, sometimes just few minutes. The same thing is with the video stream. I am connecting with iCam aprox. 20 times a day to check my house and dog, but what a surprise when I connect at night and I see just still picture of sunny day instead of moving stream and darkness because of night. iCam source is connected well, I can see all of my webcams streams and audio, but at "some" times vieo or audio freezes. CAN ANYONE HLEP PLEASE? I'm really sick of it now!

[OUAnthony]

I had issues with audio too (audio source was a microphone plugged into my sound card)...I never did figure it out, so I gave up on it. The SKJM guys asked me if any other program was attempting to take control of or access the microphone, and I couldn't determine the answer. So good luck on that.

I've also had issues with webcams freezing up, but this wasn't an issue specific to iCam...I think it might be a driver issue. A few people on here had video freezing issues with iCam because they didn't have their webcams plugged directly into a USB port on the computer...they were using extension cables or hubs. From what I've read on here, they generally resolved these issues by plugging the cameras directly into the computer and/or making sure they had the most updated drivers for their webcam. And like the microphone, make sure nothing else is trying to use the webcam (Skype, Windows Live Messenger, etc). I use IP cameras instead of webcams to avoid issues like these, and for better consistency.

I'm sure the SKJM guys will provide more specific help, but it would help if they knew more info concerning your setup...operating system and 32/64 bit, webcams plugged directly into computer or not, etc.

[Teresa]

I have all webcams plugged directly to PCs. Win XP 32b. Latest drivers. No other program is running, no service wants to use cams or audio. As I said it's working hours and then audio or video stops working on random cams. Sometimes stops the cam1 plugged to PC, sometimes stops cam3 plugged to pc3 etc. Port forwarding set correctly. Latest Icam source 2.4.4b. iCam is really great app, but most time doesn't work properly

[OUAnthony]

You mentioned 3 pc's and 6 cameras...what is the max number of cameras you have plugged into one computer? Worst case senario, you can use Task Scheduler to run a batch file every couple of hours...this batch file could kill icamsource.exe and then restart it. While this isn't ideal, and would lead to a minute or so of down time each time the batch file runs, it should keep your cameras from freezing...and will hopefully keep your audio more consistent. I helped another user write a batch file already, so let me know if you want the code and I'll PM it to you. But hopefully the SKJM guys can get you working properly so you won't have to resort to that.

[Teresa]

Thanks Anthony, but as you wrote it is not a nice solution. The software should work as is. I have few weeks ago tested connected 4 webcams to one Mac and everything were smooth. Now I'm running just one webcam per PC and it still freezes. I hate PCs long years and really know why. Connected to the Mac, in the preview pane on iPad wirh four previews I have smooth movement on all cameras but on PC with just 1 cam connected it' s like a stroboscope game, one frame per 1,5 second, terrible. I have tried few versions of iCam source on pc but it's all the same. And the pcs are no rubish, quite powerfull. Ufff I really have no more idea. I have bought a lot of new webcams in the meaning that will help, so spent a lot of money and time with no progress.

[OUAnthony]

It seems like someone else on here recently had issues with a slow framerate on Windows XP. Try e-mailing customer support and refer them to this post. I'm sure they will do everything they can to help you...even if it means tweaking the program a little (they've done it before). Their customer service is amazing. Thankfully, with IP cameras, I haven't had any issues. But I understand your frustration. Anyway, maybe the framerate and freezing issues are related...so they might be able to get you fully functional within a week or so. Do you have all Windows updates installed? Also, you might try using the software that came with the webcams to reduce the resolution to 640 X 480 (the max used by iCam) and the framerate (if possible) to 5fps, which might also help.

[OUAnthony]

Also, I know .NET is used by icamsource.exe, so you might make sure you have the latest version of it installed on the computers, as well.

[Teresa]

Yes for sure I have all latest updates of system, .net etc. And for the frame rate and resolution - for example one one my webcam I have Logitech c270 hd with nice software, but no software let me to set the resolution to be sent to the icam source. It can be set only when I run the Logitech soft and I can record in it. But it can't be running with iCam, just one soft can be running at the same time.

[OUAnthony]

Try accessing the camera settings with a program such as Skype or Windows Live Messenger and see if that allows you to change the resolution. On my wife's computer, I was able to use the Cyberlink Youcam software that came with it to change the default resolution...and it applied that resolution as the default for all programs as far as I can tell.

[Teresa]

I have 5 fps set on all cameras and 640x480 but still the same, sometimes video or audio randomly freezes (((((

[OUAnthony]

Try reading this thread...they had a similar framerate problem. Also, have you e-mailed customer service? Like I said, they will work hard to get it working for you. I've never seen better customer service for a $5 piece of software.

http://skjm.com/forum/index.php?topic=4095.0

[Teresa]

Thanks for help. I tried use 2.4.3b version as described in the other thread, this solved bad frame rate but constantly crashes after few minutes. So I contacted icam support via email but still didn't get an answer.

[OUAnthony]

Dang. :-/ Hopefully they'll get back to you in the next day or 2. Usually they're on top of things. Sorry I couldn't help more.

[Stefan]

My apologies for the delay in getting back ... OUAnthony has been giving great suggestions up until this point, but it seems like there is another cause of your issues.

What is the % CPU usage of the iCamSource application in the Task Manager when it is running?

It sounds like running the iCamSource with just one webcam connected still results in freezing issues, is that the case? Also, when running the single camera with the latest iCamSource from the website (not the 2.4.3b test version) is the frame rate slow in the iCamSource Preferences preview window? Or just in iCam on your phone?

[Stefan]

Also, when the video stream in the iCamSource freezes, what is the % CPU of the iCamSource in the Task Manager?

Additionally, when the video freezes, does clicking Stop and then Start again fix everything for a while? Or do you have to restart the iCamSource, unplug and re-plug in the webcam, or restart the computer?