WinCam.Live Frequently Asked Questions

Have any additional questions about WinCam.Live? Call us toll-free at 1-800-488-0843 or email info@onsitenj.com

What is WinCam.Live?
WinCam.Live is a complete Internet camera system designed to automatically snap and send live images from any location to a web server for viewing. Everything you need to present live images to the world is included... the camera, cable, power supply and software. If you're reading this, you already have everything else you need... a PC and an Internet account.

What can WinCam.Live do for me?
A lot! Increase your site's exposure and traffic, provide a means of visually monitoring remote locations, provide a unique window to the world that will keep people coming back to your site. Keep an eye on your home from work, keep an eye on your work from home. Monitor traffic, building construction or the weather... either for private viewing or for presenting to the world!

WinCam.Live can not only increase your traffic significantly but also bring in visitors and potential customers that would normally never come across your site. And since WinCam.Live adds dynamic content to your site in the form of a live image, you'll get repeat traffic... coming back again and again.

WinCam.Live's unique ability to support multiple cameras on one PC or external modem serves as a great remote surveillance system for businesses, homes, daycare centers, construction sites and any other location where having low-cost remote imaging is needed.

What makes WinCam.Live different than other webcam systems?
WinCam.Live performs like no other. With both the hardware and software designed from scratch to provide superior digital imaging and remote operation, WinCam.Live excels in image quality and functionality. Nine different available lenses, cable lengths up to 5000 feet, multiple camera support, remote dial-up and an outdoor enclosure put WinCam.Live in a class of its own.

What else do I need?
A PC running Windows 95, 98 or NT with an available serial port. If you'd like the live images to be available on the web, you will need a web site to host your live images. Most Internet service providers include web hosting as a standard part of their service. Note: UNIX/Linux, DOS and OS/2 software are also available.

What do you mean by web server?
A web server is a computer on the Internet where web sites are stored. Access to a web server on the Internet is necessary if you intend to publish your live images on the web.

I only have a dial-up connection to the Internet from home... will I be able to use WinCam.Live?
Yes, the included Capture Host software automatically connects to the Internet using a dial-up account. Capture Host works with any type of Internet connection... dial-up, cellular, ISDN, T-1, LAN, DSL and cable modem.

How does the WinCam.Live system work?
The WinCam.Live software snaps an image, which is then transferred to your PC. Once the image is downloaded, it is color processed and converted to a JPG file. The JPG file is then FTP transferred to your web server on the Internet. The included Capture Host software automates this process according to the schedule you set. It can even be used with a dial-up Internet connection and the scheduling be set so as not to tie up your phone line.

How does the image show up on a web site?
Once the image has been transferred to your web site, it's a piece of cake to show it to the world. Just include a reference to the image in your html file. Adding a one line refresh command makes your web page update automatically!

Is the software customizable?
Completely. Everything from image snap scheduling & exposure to image resolution & color balance can be configured.

How often can I update my live image?
WinCam.Live running the full size image (512x384) can update as often as once every 15 seconds. When dialing in to the remote version of WinCam.Live, a full size image takes 60-120 seconds to download from the camera to the PC running the Capture Host software.

How far from my PC can I place the camera?
From your serial port, the WinCam.Live camera can be extended up to 200 feet away (up to 1 mile away with the cable extender kit). With modem dial-up, WinCam.Live can be placed anywhere there's a phone line. The host PC then dials up the WinCam.Live camera and operates it remotely.

Is it possible to have more than one WinCam.Live camera running on the same host PC?
Yes. There are three ways this can be done:

o With multiple serial ports, multiple instances of Capture Host can be run. This is the easiest and fastest way to run multiple simultaneous cameras. Check the Accessories Order Form to see how easy it is to add multiple serial ports to your PC... there's even a USB option!

o With the optional digital camera multiplexer, up to six WinCam.Live cameras can be connected to one serial port or modem. The camera multiplexer is also chainable to additional camera multiplexers allowing for an infinite amount of WinCam.Live cameras on one serial port or modem. The software can be programmed to poll through the cameras one at a time. The Capture Host software will soon support the DCH-600 multiplexing box.

o You can also use our low-cost switching box to manually switch between multiple cameras on one serial port.

Can WinCam.Live be used outdoors?
With the proper weatherproof enclosure, yes. StarDot offers two different outdoor enclosures.

Another issue relating to the outdoor usage of the WinCam.Live camera is light. WinCam.Live ships with a standard indoor lens (8mm, ƒ2.0, fixed iris). This works great for indoor shots, but bright outdoor shots overwhelm the CCD chip with light, producing a streaky hazy picture. This problem is solved by the addition of a daylight filter (included) at the end of the lens barrel. For the highest quality outdoor images, a smaller iris outdoor lens is required. StarDot offers 5 outdoor lenses ranging from wide angle to telephoto. Virtually all of the outdoor sites listed on the live page use an outdoor lens. Keep in mind that while the outdoor lenses produce excellent daylight images, they are limited during nighttime or indoor shots.

What is the resolution of the WinCam.Live camera?
There are a variety of resolution options up to 640 pixels wide by 480 pixels high. The actual resolution of the CCD chip is 512x492.

What is the color depth of the WinCam.Live camera?
24-bit color or up to 16.7 million colors.

What are the physical dimensions of the WinCam.Live camera?
4" (102mm) Wide X 3.1" (78mm) High X 5" (127mm) Deep

What is the weight the WinCam.Live camera?
9 ounces (255 grams)

How is the WinCam.Live camera powered?
The included power supply (18VAC, 300mA) is connected to the serial port connector, which gets plugged into the back of a PC or external modem (remote WinCam). The power is carried down the camera cable to the camera. WinCam.Live comes with a 25 ft. camera cable (50 ft and 100 ft also available). This cable carries both the power and data lines and can be extended up to 200 ft. (optionally 5000 ft.) This makes it very convenient to install WinCam.Live in areas where power isn't readily available, such as rooftops, ceilings and exterior walls.

Have any additional questions about WinCam.Live? Call us toll-free at 1-800-488-0843 or email info@onsitenj.com

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